Your traditional doctor’s appointment goes something like this — you go into the waiting room, fill out paperwork, and wait until you’re called in for a 10-15 minute exam with your healthcare provider. They ask about symptoms you’ve noticed, perform a quick physical exam, and send you on your way with a diagnosis and prescription.
This approach falls short because your doctor has very limited time to understand your entire health history, genetics, and even lifestyle and habits. Thus, their diagnosis is primarily based on the symptoms you describe. Functional medicine takes this approach and flips it on its head.
Our team of health care providers at Monarque Health & Wellness received the necessary training at the Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM) to practice functional medicine. We focus on looking at the big picture, rather than only the symptoms, to find and treat the root cause of your health conditions.
Learn more about how functional medicine can change your healthcare experience — for the better!
You may have heard the terms integrative or holistic medicine pop up in recent years. Functional medicine operates on the same philosophy — that truly effective health care must encompass your state of mind, body, and spirit, paying careful attention to how the three interact and affect you.
Where functional medicine differs (or rather, builds on) these forms of alternative medicine is the execution. We take a very systematic and comprehensive approach to health care, starting from the moment you schedule an appointment with us.
Before you come in, we ask you to complete a detailed questionnaire. While this likely isn’t the first doctor’s questionnaire you’ve completed, these questions are far more comprehensive. We ask about your:
All of this information goes into an advanced online tool called LivingMatrix, which helps our providers put together the pieces of the puzzle that comprise your health. If you have any underlying disease or health issues, we can use LivingMatrix to identify and trace the connections between factors in your life in order to find the root cause of your problems.
Functional medicine helps us look at the big picture, taking into account the various aspects of your life and who you are, which all have an effect on your health. We also emphasize that preventive care is the best tool for disease prevention, including COVID-19.
This smarter approach to health care can help keep you healthy and protected from COVID-19 in a number of ways.
Functional medicine combines the holistic approach of integrative medicine with the evidence-based, scientific approach of modern medicine. We’re not conducting these extensive personal questionnaires for show — we use every bit of information about your biochemical individuality to make informed decisions about your health.
These decisions include diagnoses and treatment plans for new and existing conditions, along with preventive care to keep you from getting sick down the line.
We believe that medication is only part of the solution when it comes to treatment. That’s why we take the time to help each of our patients find the best nutrition and supplement plan, along with lifestyle changes, to keep them healthy and protected from illnesses. Our providers are very knowledgeable and ready to work with you to develop a personalized nutrition plan.
We also recommend taking supplements to help strengthen your immune system and give you the best fighting chance against respiratory illnesses like COVID-19.
While every person is unique, here are some great immune-boosting supplements that most people can take advantage of:
Of course, because each person has different nutritional needs, make sure to consult a health care provider before adding any supplements to your diet. Please also note that these recommended dosages are for adults. Ask one of our pediatrics specialists to see what supplements your child should be taking.
We believe that the mind and body are closely linked, and that your mental and emotional health has an impact on your physical health (and vice versa).
For example, you may tell us that you’ve been feeling very depressed and anxious lately. After inquiring about your daily habits and environment, the provider discovers that you haven’t gone outside for weeks on end. This may have caused chemical imbalances in your body that are contributing to your depression and anxiety.
If you’re experiencing stress, depression, and anxiety during these uncertain times, our providers can help recommend stress reduction techniques, including:
You might also be having a hard time going to sleep and feeling fully rested in the morning. The above stress reduction techniques, combined with good sleep hygiene, can help you get the rest you need to function well and keep your body healthy.
Functional medicine aims to treat the whole person, not just your symptoms. So, if you’re ready to experience how functional medicine can change your life, contact our Ashland, Oregon, office today by calling 541-326-4777, booking an appointment online, or sending the team a message here on our website.
