Jeffrey Bland created the concept of functional medicine as a discipline that combined progress in basic medical sciences with experience in clinical medicine to address the growing problems associated with chronic diseases. The Institute of Functional Medicine grew out of the energy and dedication of Susan and Dr. They had a vision to bring to clinical medicine the evidence and emerging knowledge that would allow it to move from the drug-based model of fighting infectious diseases that worked so well in the 20th century. to a systems-oriented, patient-centered clinical model designed to reverse the growing epidemic of chronic diseases.
The Blands recognized that today's most prevalent health problems are mainly caused by interactions between genetics, lifestyle choices and environmental exposures, and that treating them requires understanding these interactions and then using that understanding to design appropriate treatments that are personalized for each individual. Learning about functional medicine and the history and origins of work takes us to the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. IFM honors these renowned scientists and physicians with the annual presentation of the Linus Pauling Prize in Functional Medicine. Mark Hyman is probably the best known in mainstream media circles as the founder of functional medicine, having worked for years with IFM and then starting the functional medicine department of the Cleveland Clinic.
Functional medicine professionals spend time with their patients, listen to their stories, and observe the interactions between genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that can influence long-term health and complex chronic diseases. Jeffrey Bland created the philosophy and approach of functional medicine as a way to prevent and control diseases in a more holistic way that could not be achieved with traditional medical practice alone. In this way, functional medicine supports each individual's unique expression of health and vitality. By shifting from the traditional disease-centered approach of medical practice to a more patient-centered approach, functional medicine addresses the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms.
If you are a doctor, patient, caregiver, or community member interested in functional medicine, you can help us promote widespread adoption of functional medicine. I feel a personal debt to the founders of my field and I think it's important that those starting out in functional medicine understand its history and learn about functional medicine from a perspective that goes back to the past. Functional medicine addresses the underlying causes of the disease, using a systems-oriented approach and involving both the patient and the professional in a therapeutic partnership. With access to laboratory data, patient outcomes improved and, against all odds, functional medicine as a profession grew Lifestyle medicine, combined with laboratory testing and an emphasis on nutritional supplements and herbs, became the hallmark If well, many other groups of integrative or natural health professionals considered dietary and lifestyle changes alone to be sufficient, most functional medicine physicians would recommend additional treatments.
During that time, certain progressive healers began to look at “natural medicine” or “alternative medicine” (the practice of medicine that generally avoids prescription drugs and surgery) from a new perspective. In the United States, the American Academy of Family Physicians has ruled that functional medicine practices are not eligible for course credits due to concerns that they may be harmful. The patient is no longer seen solely through the lens of a dysfunctional organ system, disease or syndrome, but as a person who can be helped on the path to optimal well-being. .
