Paths to Healing: Functional medicine
By Kathryn Nielson · May 16, 2024
Our newsletter team examines six different approaches to healing
This biology-based focus is to determine why something in the body is not working, then treating the cause
Functional medicine (FM) is a “systems biology-based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of diseases,” said Dr. Sheena Joseph, DC, founder of Dr. Sheena Wellness Co.
Number of practitioners
As of 2020, there were almost 40,000 functional medicine practitioners in the U.S.
Historical summary
The principles of functional medicine can be traced to the 1950s, when providers started incorporating “natural medicine” to get to the root cause of a patient’s ailment. By the 1980s, doctors were measuring hormone levels, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and toxic metals while also treating their patients with supplements, nutrition, and exercise. In 1991, biochemist Jeffrey S. Bland, Ph.D., coined the term “functional medicine” and co-founded the Institute for Functional Medicine.
“Functional medicine looks at the body as an interconnected whole,” Dr. Joseph said. “It combines the best of conventional medical practices with a deeper dive into the patient’s history, lifestyle, and unique biochemical factors. The aim is to promote optimal wellness through a personalized and integrative approach.”
The focus of functional medicine is to determine why something is not working physically. “We’re the ‘why’ child,” she said. “We just keep asking ‘Why?’ until we get to the common denominator.”
Determining the “why” includes testing through blood, urine, stool, and saliva, and looking for causes that do not show up on traditional blood tests.
Nutrition also plays a starring role in treatment.
“Being able to digest and absorb your food and utilize the nutrients is at the core of being able to perform all the other body processes,” Dr. Joseph said. Without proper digestion and absorption of food, we have no raw material to make happy brain chemicals or hormones. All of the other processes that require raw materials are affected as well.
Additionally, functional medicine is a collaboration between the patient and the provider. Patients understand that while the provider does the testing and determines protocols, the patient ultimately must make lifestyle changes through diet alterations, increased exercise, better sleep, reduced stress, and adherence to any supplements that have been recommended.
“It’s not going to be just me working on them. They’re going to be working on themselves as well,” Dr. Joseph said. “For those who aren’t willing to do that, medications are necessary and are great at what they do.”
Common ailments treated
Dr. Joseph compared functional medicine doctors to detectives solving a case, following the evidence until the cause is finally found. Functional medicine has been shown to be especially successful in treating chronic diseases and conditions that do not respond well to traditional treatment such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and celiac disease; autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto’s; metabolic syndromes such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease; hormone imbalances such as polycystic ovary syndrome; thyroid disorders; mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; and chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.
Certification and licensing
Eligibility for a functional medicine certification requires a license in a health-related field such as medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, doctor of chiropractic, naturopathic doctor, dentist, nurse practitioner, acupuncturist, pharmacist, mental health professional, and the like. If the practitioner wants to integrate pharmaceuticals, an M.D. or D.O. is required.
Other paths to healing:
The information provided in this article is for educational purposes and is not meant as medical advice. The information is not meant to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health professional.