FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE: PREVENTION AND WELLNESS
Silver Professionals is working with healthcare professionals to evolve the practice of medicine that better addresses the healthcare needs of the 21st century. By shifting the traditional disease-centered focus of medical practice to a more patient-centered approach, functional medicine addresses the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms. WE ARE CREATING PROGRAMS, PROMOTING WELLNESS THROUGH A DEEP APPRECIATION OF THE genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that can influence long-term health and complex, chronic disease.
Why Do We Need Functional Medicine?
• Our society is experiencing a sharp increase in the number of people who suffer from
complex, chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, mental illness, and
autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.
• The system of medicine practiced by most physicians is oriented toward acute care, the
diagnosis and treatment of trauma or illness that is of short duration and in need of urgent care, such
as appendicitis or a broken leg. Physicians apply specific, prescribed treatments such as drugs or
surgery that aim to treat the immediate problem or symptom.
• Unfortunately, the acute-care approach to medicine lacks the proper methodology and tools
for preventing and treating complex, chronic disease. In most cases it does not take into account
the unique genetic makeup of each individual or factors such as environmental exposures to toxins
and the aspects of today’s lifestyle that have a direct influence on the rise in chronic disease in
modern Western society.
• There’s a huge gap between research and the way doctors practice. The gap between emerging
research in basic sciences and integration into medical practice is enormous—as long as 50 years—
particularly in the area of complex, chronic illness. Functional medicine’s aim is to evaluate, assess,
and carefully enfold emerging research in a practical, efficient, and safe manner.
•Most physicians are not adequately trained to assess the underlying causes of complex,
chronic disease and to apply strategies such as nutrition, diet, and exercise to both treat and prevent
these illnesses in their patients.
How Is Functional Medicine Different?
•Patient-centered care: The focus of functional medicine is on patient-centered care, promoting
health as a positive vitality, beyond just the absence of disease. By listening to the patient and
learning his or her story, the practitioner brings the patient into the discovery process and tailors
treatments that address the individual’s unique needs.
• An integrative, science-based healthcare approach. Functional medicine practitioners look
“upstream” to consider the complex web of interactions in the patient’s history, physiology, and
lifestyle that can lead to illness. The unique genetic makeup of each patient is considered, along with
both internal (mind, body, and spirit) and external (physical and social environment) factors that affect
total functioning.
• Integrating best medical practices. Functional medicine integrates traditional Western medical
practices with what are sometimes considered “alternative” or “integrative” medicine, creating a focus
on prevention through nutrition, diet, and exercise; use of the latest laboratory testing and other
diagnostic techniques; and prescribed combinations of drugs and/or botanical medicines,
supplements, therapeutic diets, detoxification programs, or stress-management techniques.
We welcome the opportunity to interact with your group/staff through informational workshops and lectures to promote a culture of health and wellness
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