Sick Of Feeling Sick?

The individualised approach of functional medicine could appeal to those who like how it addresses each person’s lifestyle habits, nutrient deficiencies, and genetic history.

- Pearlyn Tham

In addition to being called a wellness philosophy and alternative medicine, it also explains why former POTUS Bill Clinton was able to bounce back from a quadruple bypass surgery in 2004 and also slim down.

Meet functional medicine, which is best described as an approach that “asks how and why illness occurs by addressing the root causes of disease for each individual,” says Dr Joel Evans, chief of medical affairs at The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) in the US.

It was founded in 1991 by Dr Jeffrey Bland as the foundation for his “individualised, patient-centred, science-based approach”. For him, it was important to realise that one cause can result in many conditions — especially with the growing number of chronic disease sufferers.

According to the Health Promotion Board, one in four Singaporeans aged 40 and above has at least one chronic disease such as diabetes, high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol.

Practitioners of functional medicine have the knowledge and skills to look for the root cause of a health problem, and to take genetic, biochemical, and lifestyle factors into consideration. They believe this significantly improves patient outcomes.

As Dr Evans explains, “The drug-based model refers to the use of medication to have specific effects, such as an antibiotic to treat an infection, a diabetes drug to lower blood sugar, or an antidepressant to improve mood… There are specific protocols for using particular medication regimens for different diseases, such as statins for elevated cholesterol or first-line antihypertensive medications for elevated blood pressure.”

It is only when the functional medicine practitioner also customises a secondary treatment for the individual that the difference appears.