What is Functional Medicine?

Functional medicine takes a patient-centered approach to screening, diagnosis, and treatment. Instead of looking at the patient as an illness or cluster of symptoms, Functional medicine considers your lifestyle, genetics, and environment when diagnosing and recommending treatments. This empowers you to take an active role in your own health.

What are the core principles of functional medicine?

As a functional medicine practitioner, Dr. Taylor recognizes that each patient is a unique human being whose biochemistry is influenced by genetics and their particular environment. She’s committed to patient-centered treatment and seeks to balance your mind, body, and spirit as a way to ultimate health. Dr. Taylor recognizes that all of your body systems are connected and a symptom in one may be caused by a disturbance in another.

Functional medicine views good health as more than the absence of disease, but as the enhancement of vitality. Her practice aims to extend the quality, not just the length of your life. Dr. Taylor will always be respectful of your needs, values, and preferences.

How does functional medicine differ from conventional medicine?

In functional medicine, the emphasis is on nourishing the basic foundational aspects of your health. These include quality of sleep, nutrition, stress management, relationships, genetics, and exercise. When any of these are out of balance, it has a dire impact on your health. Hormone irregularities, nutritional deficiencies, an abundance of stress, and aging can all disturb this “foundation” and affect your health.

Conventional medicine looks at the symptoms, often without regard to what may be causing them. While you may get resolution to acute problems with medication and other care, the underlying problems causing your symptoms may go undetected.