When Traditional Medicine Manages, Functional Medicine can help resolve

Women Wired for Wellness hosted by Dr. Nisha Chellam

Is Traditional Medicine The Answer?

Arnold Rodricks*, 62, a resident of the United States, had started experiencing pain in his left knee in the last couple of months. It wasn’t something common for Arnold since he has had a blessed and healthy life for the most part, without any alarming medical history. Moreso, Arnold was a health-conscious person himself who lived a healthy lifestyle. He went for the second doctor visit hoping to understand the root cause of his left knee pain along with the test reports as prescribed by the doctor. Reviewing his test reports that were mostly normal, the reply he received left him deeply confused “You are just getting old”, to which absolutely puzzled Arnold replied, “But I have two knees so why just one is facing the heat?”

Now, we all have heard, seen, or experienced a similar story but just because something is common, does that make it normal? Moreover, who wouldn’t agree to the undeniable truth in Arnold’s innocent question. It inevitably bounds us to question is traditional medicine and treatment systems the answer? Is it enough?

The Traditional Approach

In the traditional medical system, you visit a doctor and explain to her your symptoms. After which she will most likely ask you to get some tests done. Based on the test results, the diagnosis is done and you are given medication to help you get rid of your symptoms. This is the commonly followed process. While it does work well in cases demanding urgent medical attention and intervention, in general, this process stands a few major challenges.

The Challenge

The challenge is that the traditional medical system focuses on disease management by keeping the symptoms in control instead of finding and eliminating the root cause of the problem. As such, the patient although would get relief as long as they are taking their medications but the moment they stop taking their pills, the symptoms return. Besides, the side effects of infusing the body with artificial, and in most cases unnecessary, chemical compositions (/medications), further another set of symptoms. It’s almost like going into the downward spiral of symptoms.

Metabolic Chaos

Most of the chronic illnesses and auto-immune conditions are caused because of the metabolic chaos that is going on within our bodies. This transition or disease process usually happens over a period of years. These conditions if not taken care of at the right time can eventually take a severe/ ugly turn. However, if identified and taken care of time, many cases of people becoming dependent on lifelong medication can be turned or stopped. This is why it’s important to look upstream for any dysfunctions and choose a holistic healing approach.

Functional Medicine

Functional Medicine, which is a systems-biology based approach that focuses on identifying and eliminating the root cause of the disease, helps patients do just that.

The 3-Step Approach

• Relief

In the case of a medical emergency, the patient should definitely go for traditional medicine (supplements, medication, or a medical procedure as required) for faster results.

• Corrective steps and healing opportunity

Step 1: Educate patients on their symptom and the stressors causing them

Step 2: Empower patients with the knowledge to reverse their symptoms and heal from within

Step 3: Guide the recovered patients to maintain their health and keep getting better at living a healthier life.

Holistic Plan

A functional medicine practitioner works on the DRESS principal working with their patients/clients to get to the root cause of disease or symptoms and addresses them.

DRESS stands for:

D: Diet

R: Rest

E: Exercise

S: Stress management/ reduction

S: Supplements

In Conclusion

To sum it up, while consulting your physician for any medical urgency is imperative, it’s almost equally crucial to not look the other way when your body is asking for YOUR attention most commonly reflected in the form of symptoms. And to trace back their exact cause, addressing and healing the from the root is where functional medicine can help you. It provides the holistic healing that the body needs by identifying the:

• Contributors to the disease and symptoms that need to heal and addressing them
• Inhibitors to the process of healing that need to be removed

Hope you found this blog helpful and in case you have any questions, please send them to us at [e-mail] or [e-mail] and we will get back to you shortly.

*Name of the patient is changed for privacy reasons.