Functional medicine seeks to discover how and why illness occurs in each individual by identifying and addressing the root cause of disease to restore health and promote healthy longevity. It takes a wholistic approach, often considering your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. It also considers factors such as diet, stress, environment, epigenetics and lifestyle to determine how to achieve optimal wellness.
By examining the root cause instead of simply the symptoms, a doctor utilizing functional medicine will have the ability to determine the complexity of disease. It may be revealed that one health complaint has many different causes and moreover, one cause may result in many different health complaints. This is particularly useful with the ongoing rise in chronic disease, autoimmune and environmental illnesses.
One of the goals of functional medicine is to go beyond symptom suppression and to correct clinical imbalances to achieve sustainable health results. This requires a detailed understanding of a person’s health history and requires the practitioner and patient to work together to uncover the underlying cause and develop a treatment plan that can be successfully implemented. Data is gathered utilizing specialized functional testing, nutritional science and/or epigenetics. Treatment involves interventions that modify molecular and cellular systems to reverse the origins of disease and promote wellness and healthy aging.
Is your real age younger or older?
Take the True-Age Quiz from health.com below.
In 2022, the average life expectancy in the United States for women was 81 years old and for men, 77 years old. Our chronological age refers to the number of birthdays we have had, while our biological age refers to how old our cells and tissues have become based on physiological function. If you’re healthy and fit for your age, your biological age may be lower, but if you’re in poor physical condition or chronically ill, your biological age may be higher. Though our genetics play a role, up to 70-80% of aging is influenced by our lifestyle choices.
To learn more about your answers, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Kowata to discuss strategies to improve your daily function and promote healthy aging and wellness.