Restore balance in your body

Kristen Bricko, Registered Dietitian
CentraCare Weight Management

Functional medicine is available at LifeStyle Health. It addresses the underlying causes of disease and the imbalances that may influence health.

Chronic disease continues to rise. One out of two adults have been diagnosed with chronic disease and it has claimed responsibility for seven out of 10 deaths each year.

The most common, costly, and preventable chronic diseases are heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity and arthritis.

There is no question that chronic disease has a link to lifestyle factors such as nutrition, stress, tobacco use, physical activity and overuse of alcohol. Unfortunately, there is no magic medication that can be prescribed to treat these types of lifestyle choices.

With a new framework shifting the way providers treat patients encompassing lifestyle, biochemistry, physiology, genetics and environmental exposure, the rising trend in disease has met its match. We are beginning to understand the limitations of drugs and/or surgery for treating chronic disease. We need to start shifting the focus of care to the causes which are often have a number of factors.

The first question should be “why” does a given patient have a certain disease. This type of framework encompasses finding disease-related causes both internally and externally. Let’s get to the root cause of these diseases as opposed to matching the most visible symptoms with a medication.

Adapting to a broader perspective, functional medicine seeks to restore balance in the body and remove roadblocks to achieving wellness. It addresses the underlying causes of disease and the nutritional and biochemical imbalances that may be influencing health. It includes an in-depth review of personal history and the complex interplay of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that can influence health and lead to chronic disease.

Primary emphasis is placed on lifestyle intervention including nutrition, physical activity and stress management to treat chronic disease and promote healing. Functional medicine also considers stress, allergens, toxins and microbes. It is not a test or supplement but a new way of thinking.

Connections and patterns are dissected to help surface imbalances and their causes. There is no “one size fits all” treatment for patients, making this broader approach successful in tackling the rise in chronic disease and instilling a new perspective on how to treat.

Functional medicine now is offered at LifeStyle Health, located at the new St. Cloud YMCA.