Functional Medicine

Optimum Function
Many chronic health conditions are either caused or aggravated by weaknesses in the optimum functioning of one of our organs or our nervous system. Just as some of us are better natural athletes or musicians, each of us has unique health strengths and liabilities when it comes to our internal organ’s performance. Long before our organs succumb to diseases, they exhibit symptoms of stress and dysfunction. Using the Acupuncture and Natural Medicine perspective, our job is to discover which of these areas need help, and to give them the support they need.

Preventative Medicine
Unfortunately, most of us take better care of our cars than we do of our bodies. We ‘feed’ our cars proper gas and oil (we would never put sugar in our gas tank) and we wouldn’t think of simply waiting until our car breaks down to get it serviced. Rather, we take it in for scheduled diagnostic tests, tune-ups and oil changes, in an attempt to keep it from breaking down prematurely. But with our bodies, which are irreplaceable, we generally ignore the minor signs and symptoms, or suppress them with drugs, and then just wait till a failure occurs.

These little symptoms-the gas and bloating, the headaches, the fatigue, the insomnia, anxiety and aches and pains-are warning signs that something in our bodies isn't working right. We get the standard blood tests, but nothing shows up because nothing is broken-yet. But one or more organs are experiencing stress and having trouble keeping up. Are we supposed to merely wait until something breaks, till we develop an actual disease, or is there something we can do to help prevent it?

The Cliff
There's a story about a village at the base of a steep and curvy mountain pass. Drivers were continuously missing the sharp turns and driving off the cliff and hurting themselves. The caring and compassionate citizens decided to build a hospital at the foot of the mountain to treat the injured motorists. While no one doubted their motives, ultimately, some questioned the wisdom in this approach, arguing instead for a strong rail to be built along the curve to prevent the cars from falling. This is the approach taken with Functional Medicine. Fix the little things before they turn into bigger ones.

Quality of Life
Modern medicine is wonderful at treating severe, life-threatening illnesses and injuries. It’s focus on drugs and surgery saves many lives. But it has precious little to offer to marginally healthy people without serious disease. Its job is heroic intervention, not subtle mediation. Functional Medicine focuses on improving general body function, and in so doing, many of the symptoms that aren’t necessarily dangerous—but which so significantly impact one’s quality of life—can be easily helped.

An Acupuncturist skilled in Functional Medicine listens carefully to the myriad symptoms, and coupled with a physical exam and functional lab tests, can identify which systems of the body are compromised. For example, someone with fatigue and headaches may be suffering from a weakened adrenal gland function-but not a disease-which may be caused by chronic stress. Or someone with muscle aches and indigestion may be troubled with a liver unable to properly and fully process accumulated toxins.

Functional Lab Tests
Once the problem areas are identified, treatment with Acupuncture and supplements can support these systems to function better. There are labs, such as Genova Diagnostics in Asheville, NC, that specialize in functional lab tests that can quantify degrees of malfunction. Two key tests are the Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis (CDSA) and the Liver Detoxification Profile. The CDSA, for example, analyzes stool samples to determine how well a person digests their food, and whether there are overgrowths of parasites, bacteria or funguses that can add to the toxic load and interfere with digestion and absorption of nutrients. If digestion is impaired, and nutrient status is therefore compromised, it will undoubtedly affect the healing response.

The holistic view is that all of us have areas in our bodies that could function better than they presently do. Health isn't black and white, but a continuum. Using techniques such as Acupuncture, a practitioner of Functional Medicine can aid the body's effort to achieve optimum health and well-being. When the organs work properly, the bothersome symptoms often recede and may ultimately disappear.