Almost daily we hear health experts, insurance analysts and politicians tell us that we are headed for a healthcare crisis. Well, we are NOT headed for a healthcare crisis, WE ARE IN ONE! Sick of hearing it? (no pun intended!) Just about everyone is. The crazy thing is we keep thinking that by re-adjusting a few support-beams we can keep this unstable structure, known as the healthcare system, from tipping over. We need to accept that the sky scraper is crumbling and it’s time to start over with a new model. This is exactly what the practitioners in Functional Medicine are doing. They are taking a different approach to patient care the focuses on keeping patients well instead waiting until they are sick. While our current system focuses on symptoms and disease after the fact, functional practitioners are intervening much earlier with things like hormone replacement, stress management, custom nutraceuticals and lifestyle modifications that prevent simple imbalances from progressing to chronic disease.
The field of biochemistry has evolved and our understanding of metabolic processes that go on, in each-and-every cell in the healthy human body, has progressed to the point that most, if not all, of the chronic diseases plaguing our modern society can be intercepted long before a single symptom appears. All of this without the need for expensive scans, tests or even prescription medication. Functional Medicine addresses the patient as-a-whole, instead of focusing on the disease entity; treats the cause of the symptoms rather than just the symptoms themselves and prevents progression to life-long disease by showing patients how to optimize their health now and prevent progression to disease. After all, nothing feels as good as simply feeling good.
Functional Medicine is a new approach to health that is taking this country by storm. At Lifestyle Medicine, we use our extensive training in Functional Medicine (also known as Medical Wellness or Anti-Aging Medicine) to offer Oklahomans a healthcare alternative. Introducing Medicine Done Differently, a newly developed, medical wellness program. It is a scientific, evidence-based wellness program that focuses on a person’s complete physical, mental and social wellbeing.
THE METHOD: The program uses cutting-edge science to evaluate metabolic pathways. It is in these metabolic pathways where the very first signs of potential disease can be found. Repairing these pathways through hormones replacement, supplementation, stress-management and lifestyle guidance not only prevents progression to disease, but improves energy, stamina, sleep, memory, body composition and mood in the here and now.
THE MISSION: The focus is on the patient and the restoration and maintenance of health. By understanding each patient’s unique set of life circumstances and addressing the full range of physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual and environmental influences that affect a patient’s overall well-being, health optimization can take place.
When our bodies are functioning optimally and are prevented from heading down a chronic-disease pathway, we FEEL better – energy, stamina, weight management, aches and pains, stress management, activity levels, sleep, depression/anxiety all improve. It is time to expand our definition of health. “Healthy” is not merely the absence of disease, it is the presence of wellness and a sense of well-being. This is what translates into better, longer and healthier lives.