Dr. Charlyce

What Is Functional Medicine?

Functional Medicine is using evidenced base science across many specialties to get to the root cause of an illness. This is in contrast to traditional medicine, which is problem based and focused on meeting quality metrics set forth by insurance.

Traditional medicine works well for treating emergencies, critical illness, and addressing routine screening measures to prevent illness. Most hospital owned and corporate clinics must focus on this during a clinical encounter. Patients often are treated with nearly identical treatment plans despite how they differ as individuals.

Functional medicine addresses the each person’s individual biology. Rather than treating each symptom with a prescription to simply mask the suffering, functional medicine gets to the root of the biological dysfunction.

Using this approach, rather than prescribe medications to treat the symptom, functional medicine addresses every aspect of a patient’s life to heal the disease.

The treatment of high blood pressure is typically managed with medications. Traditional medicine emphasizes the use of pharmaceuticals first (often in combinations of medications), then addressing lifestyle factors. Diet, exercise, sleep, and stress usually aren’t addressed during a clinical encounter. Patients are provided a handout to find solutions for themselves.

Functional medicine patients with high blood pressure will receive a complete evaluation of their entire biological system. This includes addressing:

• Digestion, absorption, and the microbiome
• Immune system and inflammation
• Energy Regulation and Mitochondrial Function
• Hormonal Health
• Cardiovascular Status and Lymphatics
• Structures of cells and tissues

This comprehensive approach opens treatment pathways that may include prescriptions, but also include addressing:

• Sleep and Relaxation
• Exercise and Movement
• Nutrition
• Stress
• Relationships

Why See a Functional Medicine Doctor?

When you are ready to get to the root cause of what’s keeping you from living your best life, and you are ready to make changes in every aspect of your life, it’s time to see a Functional Medicine doctor.

Working with a Functional Medicine doctors is a journey to health and wellness, and is best seen as a marathon, not a sprint.

I recommend each individual research which doctor will work best for them. I also recommend potential patients assess when it is a good time to start the work of root cause healing.

Who should not see a functional medicine doctor?

Functional medicine offers hope and healing to all patients, but this approach won’t work for every person. If you are living in high stress, without much time to devote to yourself, starting the functional medicine journey may not be right at this moment.

Even if you don’t have the time to work with an individual, you can start educating yourself at your own pace with reading, online courses and workshops.

What treatments does Functional Medicine Offer?

The Functional Medicine approach involves and an in depth approach to healing with analysis of symptoms, history and triggers. Functional medicine also addresses relationships, work, and stress management. The goal of functional medicine is to restore the natural balance of the body. Doing this may require addressing nutrition, supplementation, and if needed prescriptions.

Why don’t you take insurance?

This is a membership based practice, meaning that to be apart of the practice, you will pay a monthly fee.

Accepting insurance in a medical practice not only increases the cost to deliver care, but adds burdensome steps along the care continuum. Physicians that accept insurance will spend more time interacting with the insurance company than with the patient.

I am able to maximize time with my patients by focusing on my patients, not on administrative tasks created by insurance.

I do not accept insurance so that I can devote my time entirely to your care. I am not restricted on the time I spend on your recommendations, and I am available continuously the my patient members.

I am happy to assist in completing any paperwork you may have to get reimbursed by your insurance. I provide a superbill, which makes the medical billing codes available you to provide to your insurance.

My patients come to each visit knowing that we are not focusing on insurance approvals, but on getting to the root cause of their illness.