The Functional Medicine Approach to Wellness
What is Functional Medicine?
“Functional Medicine seeks to identify and address the root causes of disease, and views the body as one integrated system, not a collection of independent organs divided up by medical specialties. It treats the whole system, not just the symptoms.”
This wonderful definition by Dr. Mark Hyman describes functional medicine’s patient centered approach to healing and wellness: addressing the entire person rather than just treating their symptoms. The functional medicine approach understands that each of us has different environmental, emotional, lifestyle, and genetic histories that makes our health truly unique.
How is Functional Medicine Different?
Functional medicine involves understanding the origins, prevention, and treatment of complex, chronic disease. Hallmarks of a functional medicine approach include:
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 you and learning your story, Dr. Bonner and his staff bring you into the discovery process and tailor treatments that address your unique needs.
An integrative, science-based healthcare approach
Dr. Bonner considers the complex web of interactions in your history, physiology, and lifestyle that can lead to illness. He considers your unique genetic makeup, internal (mind, body, and spirit) and external (physical and social environment) factors that affect total functioning.
Integrating best medical practices
Functional medicine combines the best of traditional Western medical practices with what is sometimes considered “alternative” or “integrative” medicine, creating a focus on illness 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.
Image Credit: Institute for Functional Medicine
- The tree is a visual representation of the systems based approach to medicine that allows me to focus on the root cause of your presenting complaint rather than just treating symptoms.
A Functional Medicine Example ...
The different approaches of traditional and functional medicine are well illustrated with an example. Let’s consider the treatment of migraines. A traditional approach would be to treat the presenting headache symptom with pain medication. In contrast, a functional medicine practitioner would treat the root cause of the migraine which may be a sensitivity to gluten. Accordingly, the treatment would be to remove gluten-containing foods from the diet. The presenting symptom is a headache but the root cause of the condition is intestinal permeability secondary to intolerance to wheat products. By removing gluten and providing healing supplements to the gastrointestinal tract, allergenic proteins are no longer able to cross the intestinal barrier and the secondary manifestation of a migraine is alleviated.
The above example displays the thinking and the power inherent in the establishment of a root cause of any medical problem or symptom and in my opinion the only way quality medicine will be delivered in the future.
Take Your First Step to wellness!
Donald Bonner, D.O., "The Well Doc"
Doctor of Osteopathy
Certified Anesthesiologist
Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner
Personalized Wellness Founder & CEO
"My ultimate goal is for you to achieve long-term personalized wellness and maintain vibrant self care through a healthy lifestyle, ongoing education and a solid understanding of your own personal physiology and genetics."
More About Dr. Bonner
Dr. Donald Bonner, "The Well Doc"
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Following a successful career in conventional medicine and many years of advanced training in functional medicine, Dr. Bonner has opened Personalized Wellness functional medicine clinic serving the Jackson, Mississippi metro area.