What is a functional medicine approach to nutrition?
Functional medicine is an approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause(s) of a health condition, symptom or collection of symptoms. Simply put, rather than sticking on a plaster or taking a pill to cover up or block any symptoms, Nutritionists who adopt the functional medicine approach are asking: why has this happened in the first place? We are looking to get to the heart of what is driving the imbalances.
The health intake questionnaire I send to all clients prior to their consultation is comprehensive for that reason. It provides me with an assessment tool to evaluate your current health status and map out what may be driving your symptoms.
As the graphic illustrates, a diagnosis, condition or symptom that you are living with can be the result of more than one cause. For example, depression can be caused by many different factors, including inflammation. Likewise, a cause such as inflammation may lead to a number of different diagnoses, including depression. In my clinical practice, once I have identified the root causes at play, I use a fusion of scientifically proven dietary, supplement and lifestyle techniques to bring back balance and optimise health.
In some client cases, I also recommend functional testing to delve deeper and discover how your body is functioning; which may be in the form of blood, urinary, stool or saliva tests. This is where we are able to uncover what is truly going on biologically and then I can support naturally with the most appropriate protocol.
Examples of tests I may recommend in clinic:
Adrenal Stress Test
Stress is a common cause of chronic fatigue, anxiety, mood swings and weight gain. This simple saliva test will determine the pattern of the stress hormones cortisol and DHEA. If you have an imbalance in your adrenal hormones, it can have a huge impact on your quality of life. This test is a ‘go to’ for me in the clinic if I sense the client has been undergoing stress for a prolonged period.
Thyroid function test
The thyroid is a butterfly gland, located at the base of your neck. It produces hormones which in turn control many processes within your body. The comprehensive test I use will show up levels of TSH, T4, T3 and thyroid antibodies, as well as highlight any deficiencies in the nutrients that support a healthy thyroid such as Vitamin B12, folate, iron and Vitamin D.
When your thyroid isn't working properly, this affects the whole body. The thyroid hormones help to support our brain, heart and metabolic function.
If your thyroid is functioning suboptimally (the ‘lower’ end of the ‘normal’ GP range on a blood test) you can experience a myriad of symptoms such as fatigue, hair loss and find weight loss difficult or gain weight easily.
Nutritional deficiency test
Every cell in your body needs nutrients from your diet, and they’re essential to ensure all of your systems are functioning properly. Proper nutrition is also crucial to prevent a number of diseases. This test will look at the levels of vitamins and minerals in your body to help assess your general wellbeing and understand how nutritional imbalances may be impacting your health.
Gut Stool analysis
The health of your gut can have a huge impact on the health of your whole body. When your gut is strong, it will have a positive impact on your immune system, hormones, brain health, mood and how well you sleep, as well as your heart health. With this simple stool test, we’ll be able to understand your digestive and absorption functions, gut bacteria markers and any underlying parasitic infections that could be causing you to feel unwell.