Functional Medicine (FM) is an alternative medical practice focusing on an integrated approach to treating ailments. It is an approach that seeks to address the root causes of diseases by focusing on the interactions between genetics, environment, and lifestyle. This practice of medicine continues to evolve and expand our understanding of various health conditions and treatments.
The Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM) states "As a catalyst in the transformation of healthcare, functional medicine treats root causes of disease and restores healthy function through a personalized patient experience."
Functional Medicine was developed in 1990 by Dr. Jeffrey Bland, who in 1991 set up the IFM with his wife Susan. They recognized that today’s prevalent health issues needed treatment that is customized to each individual's disease by understanding the interactions between genetics, lifestyle choices, and environmental exposures. They had a vision to reverse the growing epidemic of chronic diseases in the world.
Center for Functional Medicine, located at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, is the first major academic medical center in the USA to prominently incorporate FM care. IFM also partners with other organizations to bring functional medicine into practice.
The current purpose of the IFM is to advance the highest expression of individual health. They believe health and vitality are essential to the human spirit and their mission is to ensure the widespread adoption of FM.
These are the zones of focus in FM:
1. Gut Microbiome: There’s growing focus on how gut health influences affects autoimmune diseases, mental health, and chronic inflammation.
2. Personalized Nutrition: This highlights how individual genetic variations affect nutritional needs and responses, leading to more tailored dietary interventions.
3. Hormone Balance: FM often integrates hormone testing and balancing strategies for conditions like thyroid disorders, adrenal fatigue, and menopause.
4. Integrative Cancer Care: They work on how nutritional and lifestyle interventions can support cancer patients, improve quality of life, and potentially influence treatment outcomes.
5. Autoimmune Diseases: Functional medicine is exploring how to address autoimmune conditions by identifying and managing triggers such as food sensitivities, environmental toxins, and stress.
6. Detoxification: Functional medicine frequently emphasizes detox protocols and how they impact overall health and specific conditions.
7. Mental Health: FM is exploring how nutrition, gut health, and lifestyle factors affect mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
MedBound Times reached out to Dr. Robert Kornfeld with a few questions about this emerging field of FM.
What expectations do patients have from their Functional Medicine Physician?
Many patients come to functional medicine doctors because traditional medicine has failed them. They are looking for help that has eluded them thus far. Their expectation is that functional medicine will supply answers that traditional medicine did not so that they can heal from the pathology that they present with. Because functional medicine works to address the underlying mechanisms of their symptoms and manage them first, and requires patient participation in the process, most patients develop a level of excitement and faith that they will heal.
Dr. Robert Kornfeld, the Founder of Institute for Functional Podiatric Medicine, New York, USA
What do you think is the scope of Functional Medicine over the coming years?
In the coming years, as epigenetic challenges lead to more and more morbidity in a world full of toxicity (from food, air and water) and stress, functional medicine will become much more widely accepted by mainstream medicine as we work more diligently to address the reasons the patient crossed the morbidity threshold.
Dr. Robert Kornfeld, the Founder of Institute for Functional Podiatric Medicine, New York, USA
Can Functional Medicine replace Conventional Medicine or be a supporting aid to it?
It is my firm belief that there will always be a place for both. They are not mutually exclusive, but complementary. However, I strongly believe that managing symptoms without identifying underlying causes has not improved the health of society. So it is my hope that functional medicine will become the first line of treatment since it seeks to optimize the health of the patient and support homeostasis. That will not exclude the use of medications and surgery, but it will certainly decrease the current level of reliance upon it.
Dr. Robert Kornfeld, the Founder of Institute for Functional Podiatric Medicine, New York, USA
This year a research paper was published on Functional Medicine and Nursing in Chronic Kidney Failure patients. The study on the Turkish society concluded that when medical treatment, renal replacement therapies, functional medicine and preventive interventions are presented as a whole, the incidence of the disease can be reduced, its progression can be slowed down and the quality of life of patients can be increased. 1
The study said that delaying the need for treatments such as peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis, and transplantation will provide patients with a better quality of life by delaying the symptoms that occur with the disease in the period after the diagnosis. Providing appropriate care, education, consultancy and advocacy services with a multidisciplinary team in the approach to CKD patients proved beneficial for the overall health of the patients.
India encompasses a range of traditional healing practices including Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy. Functional Medicine is not yet that well known among the residents of India. Indian Association of Functional Medicine (IAFM) is a society representing FM Doctors and Health Coaches in India with the commitment to reverse chronic diseases and promote a healthy living for the Indians.
To get a more realistic idea of the stand that FM holds in India, MedBound Times reached out to Dr. Arthi Prakash with a few questions about this practice.
What is the scope of Functional Medicine in India?
In India, functional medicine is becoming popular as people are becoming more conscious of how inadequate conventional treatment is at treating chronic illnesses. FM has a bright future in India overall, because of the trend towards individualized and holistic healthcare. Future Indian healthcare is anticipated to heavily rely on FM as awareness increases and more medical professionals receive training in this area.
Dr. Arthi Prakash, Functional Medicine Clinic, Bengaluru
How do Indian patients approach this modality of treatment for their diseases?
The following are some salient details regarding the field of functional medicine in India: 1) Increasing demand: Indians are demanding more customized healthcare solutions that go beyond treating the symptoms of chronic illnesses. The trend towards integrative and preventive healthcare is what's driving this need. 2) Connectivity with Ayurveda and Yoga: Because both Ayurveda and Yoga promote holistic approaches to health, FM is a good fit with traditional Indian medical systems. The advantages of both systems can be utilized through this connection.
Dr. Arthi Prakash, Functional Medicine Clinic, Bengaluru
The cost and scope of chronic diseases continue to be on an ascending graph. Patients might opt for treatment through functional medicine as a conscious choice or maybe out of helplessness when conventional medicine fails their expectations of healing. Either way, FM seems to be caving its path into the world of clinical practice.
What thoughts have swirled up in your mind regarding Functional Medicine after walking through this exploratory journey? Do let us know in the comments section.
References:
1) Ören, B., Çuvadar, A., Üniversitesi, B., & Oren, B. (2024). Kronik Böbrek Yetmezliğinde Fonksiyonel Tıp ve Hemşirelik Functional Medicine and Nursing in Chronic. . . ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378316478_Kronik_Bobrek_Yetmezliginde_Fonksiyonel_Tip_ve_Hemsirelik_Functional_Medicine_and_Nursing_in_Chronic_Kidney_Failure
2) https://my.clevelandclinic.org/departments/functional-medicine
3) https://iafm.in/about-us/
4) https://www.ifm.org/functional-medicine/
