Functional Medicine is a new way of navigating through a person’s illness. Its main goal is to venture upstream and find the root causes of diseases using conventional and highly scientific emerging diagnostic tools, rather than just matching the name of the disease with the latest FDA-approved drug or procedure. As each person’s experiences and biochemistry are unique, Functional Medicine is a patient-centered, not disease-centered medicine.
Functional Medicine tries to answer two simple questions:
- Does this person need to be rid of something (toxins, allergies, infections, poor diet, stress, etc)?
- Does this person have some unmet individual need for optimal function (nutritious food, sleep, relaxation, movement, love, purpose and meaning, supplements, etc…)?
Functional medicine understands that each person is unique, biochemically, genetically, and in terms of experiences, relationships, and environmental exposures. The same disease diagnosed in two people may not have the same causes. For example, coronary disease in in person A may be caused by totally different factors from the coronary disease in person B. To truly aim to prevent worsening of the disease, or even reverse it, one must find the causes for that person (usually more than one cause) and work at that level.
Functional Medicine also uses cutting-edge epigenetics to help patients overcome complex medical conditions. Epigenetics means “above genetics”, which means that certain lifestyle changes, like “real food” nutrition, specific supplements, exercise, stress reduction, rest and relaxation, can prevent you from expressing your bad genes. Dr. Torres can order tests of your genetic abilities to methylate and detoxify, two processes that are very important for optimal health especially in today’s toxic environment. She will make recommendations so that you will be educated and empowered to overcome your genetic hurdles. Clinically applicable genetic testing is very helpful for in-depth preventive care.
Functional medicine does not mean abandonment of conventional medicine. Dr. Torres remains as a board-certified internist and will use prescription medications, and usual diagnostic tests, and ancillary services, as needed.
The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) has given Dr. Torres a set of new tools to use in helping patients…tools that make a lot of sense! It taught her that health is a spectrum, that by aiming for wellness, the diseases fade away. By getting to the root causes of illnesses and tackling them, one can reduce the burden of disease, reduce the need for medications, and feel more alive!
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF) in Ohio just opened, in September 2014, a Functional Medicine department, launched by IFM providers. CCF understands that as the incidence of chronic disease continues to mount, innovations to include holistic and functional medicine services are imperative to understand and treat disease. Functional Medicine is the future of chronic disease care. Click here for Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine website.
Who should see a Functional Medicine doctor?
Anyone with:
- Acne
- Arthritis and body aches
- Asthma and Allergies
- ADD, ADHD
- Autoimmune Diseases (Rheumatoid Arthritis, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, Lupus, etc.)
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Chronic Fatigue
- Chronic Sinusitis
- Depression and Anxiety
- Diabetes
- Digestive Disorders (IBD, IBS, GERD/Reflux, abdominal pains)
- Eczema/Psoriasis
- Elevated Cholesterol
- Environmental and Food Allergies
- Fatigue
- Fibromyalgia
- Hypertension
- Memory Issues, Dementia, other Neurologic problems
- Mercury and Heavy Metal Toxicity
- Migraines and Headaches
- Obesity and Weight problems
- Osteoporosis
- Sleep/Insomnia
- Thyroid and Adrenal Disorders
- Undiagnosable symptoms, just feeling unwell
- Interest in Personalized and Comprehensive Preventive Care, including genetic testing
