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How Your Functional Medicine Doctor Helps You Heal From The Inside Out

How Your Functional Medicine Doctor Helps Healing From The Inside Out

Have you gone to a doctor’s office for answers about a health issue only to leave with more questions than when you arrived? 

Do you ever feel like healthcare sees you as a statistic, not a unique individual with specific needs?

Are you frustrated from years of dealing with a chronic illness that lingers no matter what treatments you try? 

If so, you might be ready to work with a functional medicine doctor. 

Functional medicine is a medical branch developed by medical thought leaders who saw a need for individualized healthcare. Functional medicine was founded to proactively heal patients by treating their root causes instead of continually treating ailments with ineffective pharmaceuticals and other reactive treatments.

 

At our functional medicine office in Tampa, our patients often comment on how they feel less like a patient and more like a partner with our staff. We give our patients tools based on fundamental functional medicine building blocks. 

 

The Building Blocks Of Functional Medicine

Functional medicine doctors blend cutting-edge medical technology with traditional medicinal wisdom to help you achieve true healing. No matter which tools your doctor offers you, your treatments will relate to five health building blocks that guide all functional medicine practices.

 

Building Block #1: Stress & Hormones

Your hormones serve as messengers, informing your body of what it needs. If your hormones aren’t able to perform, neither is your body. Your hormones are responsible for the following functions:

 

  • Sexual functioning
  • Metabolism
  • Sleep cycles and health
  • Growing and developing
  • Overall mood

 

Stress is a recurring theme when it comes to functional medicine doctors as it has a significant impact on your overall health. If stress is a constant in your life, hormonal imbalance is highly likely. Your endocrine system—the system in charge of hormonal balance and function—is sensitive to stress. 

 

Conversely, balanced hormones mean a balanced mind and body.

 

Building Block #2: Nutrition & Detoxification

Your diet is a crucial part of your overall wellness. Certain foods energize you, promote cellular health, and support your body’s functions. Other foods create inflammation, one of the most common root causes of disease. 

 

There’s also a profound connection between your gut and overall health. A functional medicine doctor will likely explore possibilities of enhancing your gut health for specific health issues such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s disease, or Ulcerative colitis.

 

The same foods that support overall health promote detoxification. Detoxing is key in removing toxic build-up and heavy metals from your system. Unfortunately, toxic buildup is inevitable from the air, water, plastics, and beauty products. We might not see these toxins. However, the toxic buildup is linked to the following health problems: 

 

  • Brain fog
  • Fatigue
  • Severe allergies
  • Cellular damage
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Lung ailments
  • Cognitive disabilities
  • Reduced immunity
  • Fertility issues

 

Since functional medicine is concerned with finding the root cause of health ailments, supporting patients through detoxing, healthy diet, and lifestyle choices is a go-to treatment option. 

 

Building Block #3: Lifestyle & Exercise

Many health issues are a direct result of lifestyle choices. Exercising and moving your body daily, even if it’s a thirty-minute walk, benefit your cardiovascular system, keep you at a healthy weight, and prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes. Many patients see significant health improvements simply by incorporating light exercise a few times a week. Unfortunately, working at a computer for hours has become commonplace, leaving most people too tired to go out and move their bodies. 

 

Drinking, diet, and environmental factors also imprint your health, so don’t be surprised if your functional medicine doctor has questions about alcohol, household, and eating factors.

 

Building Block #4: Sleep

Whoever said that they’d sleep when they’re dead was wrong. Studies have repeatedly shown how poor sleep affects overall health, from an inability to regulate emotion to developing chronic diseases.

 

If you’re having trouble sleeping, your functional medicine doctor will work with you to build healthy sleep habits. That way, you can experience the therapeutic benefits of sleep and build a stronger foundation for your health.

 

Building Block #5: Mental Health & Wellness

The mind-body connection is real. That’s why your functional medicine doctor will ask you about your stress levels, overall life fulfillment, and other questions. Hormones profoundly affect your health, and long-term exposure to stress can trigger excess Cortisol, leading to a host of health problems. 

 

Additionally, unprocessed trauma and tension are stored in the body, which can lead to chronic illnesses. We recommend the care of a psychiatric professional or therapist as a standard tool for overall health, especially when unprocessed trauma occurs. 

 

Getting Started With A Functional Medicine Doctor

Working with a functional medicine doctor is like having a partner to guide you on a healing journey. At Spectra Wellness, we provide a patient-centered healing space with a strategic combination of healing modalities. 

Whether you’re ready to take charge of your nutrition, are tired of suffering from chronic illness, or want to experience cutting-edge anti-aging treatments, we invite you to visit our functional medicine clinic in Tampa, FL. Call us at 813-319-0911 or book your appointment online.

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