what is Functional medicine
September 12, 2024

Functional medicine, also referred to as integrative or holistic medicine, is different from traditional medicine in that it namely works to prevent and treat disease through a natural, whole-body lens. LeFave Pharmacy incorporates the key principles of functional medicine to provide an approach to health that’s personal and patient-driven. So exactly what is functional medicine and how can it be beneficial for you? Read on to find out!

What is Functional Medicine?

weight management consult

This model of care centers around individualized care and innovative scientific research to treat the root cause of your symptoms, rather than simply masking those symptoms. Medicine is not a one-size-fits-all science, so it just makes sense that your treatment plan will look different than someone else’s. Functional medicine incorporates nutrition, genetic testing, and other unique therapies to support every aspect of your health– physical, mental, emotional, etc.

What Functional Medicine Practitioners Do

So how does the functional medicine process work? It all starts with a detailed consultation regarding your symptoms, medical history, family history, and lifestyle. The main goal is to listen to the patient to thoroughly understand their needs and answer their questions. From there, a custom healthy living plan can be made to address the underlying causes of the person’s health problems. But it doesn’t stop there– functional medicine encourages an open line of communication between practitioners and their patients for consistent support, advice, and recommendations along the health journey.

Holistic Treatments For Chronic Diseases

Sometimes prescription medications like GLP-1 medications for weight loss or hormone replacement therapy are necessary, and compounding pharmacists are dedicated to creating customized doses and forms to make the most effective treatments possible. But for those who are looking for non-prescription solutions, we offer guidance and resources that focus on multiple aspects of your health– from the physical to the psychological:

  • Healthy lifestyle habits: nutrition, exercise, and sleep affect how you feel day to day as well as influence long-term factors for the onset of chronic disease later in life.
  • Pharmaceutical-grade supplements: vitamin deficiencies also impact your overall health, and supplementing with high-quality supplements can enhance your gut health, support better sleep, improve hormone health, boost your metabolism, and more.
  • Stress management: high cortisol levels and chronic stress can wreak havoc on your hormones and immune system, not to mention it’s a contributing factor for inflammation and worsening autoimmune symptoms.

Health Consultations at LeFave Pharmacy

nutrition consultation

Meeting with one of our experts can give you the support you need to take control of your well-being. We will take a functional medicine approach to understanding your symptoms, identify root causes through lab testing, and help find solutions that improve and optimize your health. Our compounding pharmacy in Michigan provides all kinds of personalized treatment options from bioidentical hormone replacement to our 3-month weight management program, as well as supplements that can give your body the boost it needs.
In answering this FAQ– what is functional medicine?- we hope you’ve learned a bit more about the benefits of this patient-centric approach to wellness. Ready to start your journey to better health? Get in touch with us today to let us know how we can best serve you. We look forward to hearing from you and answering any questions you may have about functional medicine.