I believe that more mainstream MDs could use to think more like functional medicine doctors. They need to bring more modern science and research into their clinical thinking and practice. I formerly believed that I was promoting “alternative” medicine. Now I realize that the style of medicine I practice is actually “augmented.” It adds on to the helpful aspects of medicine and detracts from the bad.
Evolving science supports this augmented way of solving a clinical problem. But still the mainstream powers flatly debunk it out of ignorance alone (in the truest sense of the word).
Functional Medicine is Systems Medicine
In my practice, I developed a set of hierarchical “systems” that need to be satisfied to bring the body to a state of optimal function. These relationships are based on biology and biochemistry, and the fact that some aspects of our physiology– for example our gut– need to be working before we can undertake other processes, in this case detoxification.
It is not possible to detoxify without a functioning gut. Maintaining a healthy gut will never happen while high stress and high cortisol divert nurturing blood from the organ. We will never regenerate our gut’s mucosal lining every three days without the correct nutrients, enzymatic cofactors, amino acids and fats. Everything is connected.
Is Modern Medicine Really Modern?
I can’t stand how “modern” medicine is being practiced. I have seen so many people hurt by the cascading use of more and more medications. Yes, it is a way; but it’s not the only way.
My personal and professional mission is to educate people by providing solid science, actionable resources and then following changes with computer learning. With this data, we the public will begin to educate our physicians through the “back door.”
How to Design a Functional Medicine Doctor
Mainstream doctors will begin to listen when several patients show up a week, complete thyroid panels in hand, saying, “Doc, I’ve been telling you for years that my TSH of 3 isn’t normal, and neither is my dry hair, fatigue, and constipation. I ordered a study myself that shows that my free hormones, T3 and T4 are off the chart low with a normal TSH.”
“Here are copies of a few papers that show the health benefits of optimized thyroid hormone. Will you please help me now that we have more information?”
This is when providers are going to start to listen. We’ll teach them “through the back door.” It the only way they’ll learn.
God knows the FDA, Medical Schools and Big Pharm aren’t teaching doctors how to think more expansively. It’s a pity.
I want to see an ethical, patient-focused process that’s based in science, systems, and common sense. Most importantly, it needs to be clear and simple. If anyone out there wants to connect and discuss this, I’d be interested in knowing your thoughts.
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