What is Functional Medicine?
Functional Medicine is a systems approach to understand the root cause of illness. Functional medicine providers investigate the cause of symptoms rather than just treating them. The point of Functional Medicine is to create health, not treat disease. Seven systems in the body’s ecosystem work together: the gut, the immune system, energy, detoxification, transportation, communication, and structure. When one or more systems break down, the body becomes out of balance and symptoms appear. Functional medicine restores balance through thorough investigation of exposures, lifestyle, genetics, triggering factors and predisposing factors, then employing diet and lifestyle interventions to restore health.
The role of a Functional Medicine Health Coach
Conventional medicine inadequately focuses on the diet and lifestyle changes necessary to improve or regain health. Chronic disease, including heart disease, cancer, stroke, and Alzheimer’s, accounts for seven out of ten deaths in the U.S.
According to the CDC, the top five behaviors for preventing chronic disease include:
- not smoking
- getting regular physical activity
- consuming moderate amounts of alcohol or none at all
- maintaining a healthy body weight
- obtaining sufficient daily sleep
BEHAVIOR CHANGE can prevent and reverse chronic disease. Most people KNOW they need to eat better, exercise more, get good sleep, relax, and drink less, but don’t do it because change is HARD!
See the latest research on how adopting a healthy lifestyle can reduce premature mortality.
Health Coaches can help
Research shows that health coaching helps people change behaviors. Health coaches fill a void by offering intensive, client-centered care, and providing the tools needed to break bad habits and build healthy behaviors.
Ninety-six percent of behavior occurs out of habit, either unconsciously or in reaction to external elements. The good news is that people can learn to take control and make lasting changes with a health coach.
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