What is Functional Diagnostic Medicine?
Functional Medicine is based on western physiology, but defines health as optimal vitality rather than the absence of disease. Functional Medicine practitioners see symptoms as reflections of specific, common imbalances within the body, and treatment addresses the body as an ecosystem rather than as segmented parts viewed as “diseased”. In other words, we look at how your body works as a whole system rather than how pieces of it work separately from each other and treat the causes of disease, not the symptoms.
The hallmarks of this style of medicine are that treatment is very personalized, and 
acknowledges that we are all different both genetically and in how we respond to our environments. First we remove things that create imbalances; chemical and environmental toxins, allergens, infections/parasites, stress, and an over-processed nutrient poor diet. Then, we add in whole foods, exercise, restful sleep, specific nutrients, and improved stress management skills. By taking the burdens off of body systems and helping it to regain optimal function, it’s own healing ability takes over from there and disease is alleviated.
A few of the areas that we may look at and treat to optimize your vitality and alleviate disease are:
- Detoxification
- Inflammation imbalances
- Hormonal Imbalance
- Nutrient Deficiencies
- Digestive, absorptive, and microbial imbalances.
- Immune dis-regulation
When appropriate to your specific situation, Brie may recommend using diagnostic tools including:
- Traditional lab blood tests
- Urinary Analysis tests
- Adrenal Function panels
- Hormone panels
- Gastro-Intestinal Function panels
- Food Sensitivity tests
- Tests for Thyroid function
- Cultures for Parasitology
- Personal Nutrient Level Analysis
- Lipid Profile Panels for cardiac risk assessment
Treatment is based around diet modifications, nutrient therapy, botanical medicine, lifestyle and environmental modification, detoxification therapy, stress management techniques, and exercise, and will encourage you to take an active role in your healing process.