Functional Medicine - What is It?

I hope you were able to reflect on the many breakthroughs you have had even in the past couple months. Remember that with every breakthrough there is new learning, new skills, new attitudes, new actions etc.  If you’re truly one of the 5%, you realize the clouds of excuses, rationalizing, blame, life without gratitude are only temporary.  Though you can’t see the sun, you know it’s there. What are you doing on a daily basis to breakthrough old habits and change your location to see the sun once again?

I’m struggling a little with my thoughts for this week’s reflections.  I must admit that part of my struggle is on a topic I’m not sure everyone will at least be willing to think about. Yet, I must also take my own advice…is my struggle due to a need for control or a need for acceptance?  Admittedly, it’s my need for acceptance.  As my weekly thoughts are just that, my thoughts, I will proceed and as with each week’s blog, I will let you take what works and leave the rest behind.

Over the past few years I have become more and more convinced that Western medicine has its own place and is a definite must in our health care, however, it is not the only way to solve health problems. I do my yearly physical with my physician, due to a history of breast cancer with my mom I do a mammogram once a year, I do take synthroid on a daily basis due to low thyroid, and I do give myself a shot once a week of a low dose of methotrexate for my rheumatoid arthritis. So yes, I know these things are important to my overall health.

With that being said, I am also more and more convinced there is a need for more.  More solutions to reoccurring health problems, more solutions that do not involve one more pharmaceutical drug, more answers to how our nutrition can be part of the solution, more information on what else is available and other alternatives to deal with both mental and physical health issues. “We don’t know what we don’t know,” so isn’t it important to share information which could change someone else’s life?

For Jon and myself, we were introduced to a functional medicine chiropractor/kinesiologist a few years ago.  Let me first define “functional” medicine.  Basically, it comes down to solving health issues by “getting to the bottom” of the problem…WHY is something happening?  Western medicine takes more of a pathology approach – disease oriented – with pharmaceuticals primarily the “answer” to what is wrong. 

In my humble opinion, how do we get to the cause if we’re covering things up with medicines? How many people do you know who are not just taking one medicine but 2,3,4 etc? Each has its own side effects and then is one medicine counter acting the others or are they effectively working together?  I don’t know about you, but when you listen to commercials about a certain drug, I just shake my head when they go through the litany of side effects.  YIKES!  From my list of personal medications listed above, I am not opposed to some meds.  I depend on synthroid for my life function as I have a thyroid but it is no longer working.  It was permanently shut down 32 years ago. I know the side effects of the methotrexate which is why I get regular lab work done to watch my liver function.  In 17 years, I have never had issues, so at this point in time, the medicine is doing what it’s suppose to do – support my immune system.

I’m bringing up this topic because I continue to hear various health issues people are experiencing, and, to a person, they are frustrated with the lack of answers.  Doctors prescribe yet another drug that may work for a period of time but symptoms resurface, or they are sent to another doctor who has a different approach and now it’s back to “trying something new.”  Sometimes the answers are that they don’t have an answer or there’s the response, “You’re getting older and it’s a part of old age.”  None of those actions or responses are acceptable to me. Are you willing to take time and investigate other alternatives and not settle? 

Our daughter lives in a small community that does not have the same opportunities to learn about other alternatives like I have here in Boulder.  At 29, diagnosed with gall stones, she was told she had to have her gallbladder out.  She was told there was no way to pass gall stones.  WRONG!  Our functional medicine doctor who is a highly educated and trained chiropractor/kinesiologist had her take some “clean” pills to soften the gallbladder and bile duct for two weeks.  The next step was to have a one day cleanse which also entailed taking more pills.  On that day, she was able to easily pass a lot of the stones, not all, but was feeling much better.  The original problem of pain and discomfort was being addressed but the next question was key…WHY was she producing gallstones? Gallstones occur when there’s a build up of calcium forming the “stones.”  After some blood work, Dr. Jared found she was deficient in zinc. By taking the zinc, her body was able to be more efficient in utilizing the calcium.  BINGO!  We had an answer to help avoid reoccurring problems.

From menopause issues, to leaky gut syndrome, ADD, emotional issues which are often the underlying  reasons for the physical problems, to thyroid difficulties, to sleep conditions, poor digestion, to inflammation, allergies, head and back trauma from car accidents etc. etc. there are people who are able to give another viewpoint.  We absolutely DO NOT need to settle.  When you become frustrated enough with the “same old – same old” responses your primary care physician is giving you, are you willing to look in another direction?  I’ve always had the mindset that it's important to get as much information as possible to have a complete picture.  It doesn’t mean I have to do everything, but how can I make the best decision with only a small piece of the puzzle?  I need that bigger picture to make the best decision.  After all, it is my life.

If I’m not physically and emotionally at my best, how can I be my best at home, at work, with my colleagues, friends, and most important with my family?  I spent a year, 1997-98, being in crisis mode with my arthritis.  I continued to teach full time, had two children in high school, along with all the other daily demands.  The emotional side of it was exhausting let alone the pain and exhaustion that comes with the rheumatoid itself. I tried my best to work through it on my own until I finally came to the conclusion that I needed help.  And guess what?  People were more than willing to help me, but I had to ask.  I couldn’t assume people “would know” what I needed. 

When the summer came I dedicated myself to doing whatever I needed to do to get out of crisis mode and back into a healthier frame of mind and healthier body.  With that experience came my drive to pursue not ever going back to that crisis state ever again.  I found answers, I tried various foods and nutritional supplements, I had to admit methotrexate was a part of the answer, but I also was willing to try acupuncture.  Exercise was THE best thing I could do especially weight bearing exercises as well as reading and talking to others with similar experiences.

My point this week is in order to Be the Best You that You Can Be, to have that strong "fertile soil" you must have a healthy mind and body.  If you are not feeling your best, if you are not getting answers that make a difference in your health, I encourage you to look at all your options.  If you are interested in knowing more about what Dr. Jared is doing, please feel free to give me a call.  I am NOT promoting him.  I AM promoting the functional medicine approach of learning WHY something is happening, I am promoting getting to the base of the problem and finding answers. 

Here’s to a mindset that enhances your overall physical and emotional health.