I often get asked about the difference between our approach and a traditional western approach to health. So for those of you that are curious, let’s start with what you are already familiar with in the health care system.
A traditional approach to healthcare starts from looking at symptoms and from there to reach a diagnosis. Typically treatments are based on addressing those symptoms. For example, if you go to your doctor with aching knees you may end up walking away with a recommendation to take a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug to get rid of the symptom.
I’ll just mention that this is despite the fact that 100,000 people are hospitalized in the US each year due to their consumption and 15,000 of those die. Side affects include: hearing loss, cardiovascular problems, heart failure, GI complications and bleeding, allergic reactions and miscarriage. If you have been given this recommendation I would say that the chances are high that the associated risks were not explained. I personally know one such individual that collapsed unaware that he had a bleeding ulcer.
Doesn’t it seem that the traditional approach can sometimes create more problems than it solves?
That’s why we’d address things completely differently. Functional nutrition looks for prevention and the underlying causes of symptoms.
So instead of asking “how do we get rid of the pain?”, we ask “why is there pain?”.
In our example, we would look to see what aspects of the individual’s food behavior and lifestyle might be causing an inflammatory response in the body. So in other words it is a holistic approach that looks at the whole person and not just symptoms. Understanding clinical nutrition is to understand the science of what food does in the body and how it is affecting a person’s health. To work through that might not be a quick fix, requiring some changes to habits that can take time and possibly some detective work to identify which factors are at play for the specific individual. We work along side you to help you determine what changes are going to help you and how you’re going to get there. The best thing about it is that you are in control and empowered with your health as we work as a team.
We’re here to help! Please reach out if you need help navigating a lifestyle change or a health concern.
A traditional approach to healthcare starts from looking at symptoms and from there to reach a diagnosis. Typically treatments are based on addressing those symptoms. For example, if you go to your doctor with aching knees you may end up walking away with a recommendation to take a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug to get rid of the symptom.
I’ll just mention that this is despite the fact that 100,000 people are hospitalized in the US each year due to their consumption and 15,000 of those die. Side affects include: hearing loss, cardiovascular problems, heart failure, GI complications and bleeding, allergic reactions and miscarriage. If you have been given this recommendation I would say that the chances are high that the associated risks were not explained. I personally know one such individual that collapsed unaware that he had a bleeding ulcer.
Doesn’t it seem that the traditional approach can sometimes create more problems than it solves?
That’s why we’d address things completely differently. Functional nutrition looks for prevention and the underlying causes of symptoms.
So instead of asking “how do we get rid of the pain?”, we ask “why is there pain?”.
In our example, we would look to see what aspects of the individual’s food behavior and lifestyle might be causing an inflammatory response in the body. So in other words it is a holistic approach that looks at the whole person and not just symptoms. Understanding clinical nutrition is to understand the science of what food does in the body and how it is affecting a person’s health. To work through that might not be a quick fix, requiring some changes to habits that can take time and possibly some detective work to identify which factors are at play for the specific individual. We work along side you to help you determine what changes are going to help you and how you’re going to get there. The best thing about it is that you are in control and empowered with your health as we work as a team.
We’re here to help! Please reach out if you need help navigating a lifestyle change or a health concern.
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