Although conventional medicine is more widely accepted, preventive fundamental medicine also has its benefits. (Courtesy of Flickr)

By Angelina Caruso

We’ve all been there; waking up before an 8:30 morning class and feeling like you’ve been hit by a bus. Dragging yourself through the day, head pounding and a furnace inside you boiling up a fever. You go to the health center, who prescribes you an antibiotic. You take it for a week, your symptoms go away, and you go on with your life.

For a short while.

Two weeks later, you’re back to square one, the illness resurfacing and bringing all of its symptoms along for the ride. Today’s society considers this normal, brushing it off as nothing more than a “part of life.” But what if colds, flus and other frequent illnesses aren’t normal? Our bodies weren’t made to be ill.

Luckily, there are insightful souls around the world who are working diligently to break the stigma surrounding functional medicine. When you read this term, you’re probably flooded with thoughts of strange voodoo practices, out-there remedies that you find to be complete foolishness. Did your mind conjure up an innocent victim laying on a massage table with hundreds of acupuncture pins sticking out of him like a cactus? Functional medicine is actually a reliable alternative to the conventional medicine that dominates today’s society. According to The Institute for Functional Medicine, the field is defined as one that “…asks how and why illness occurs and restores health by addressing the root causes of disease for each individual.”

Contrast this with conventional medicine, which you’re probably more familiar with. The National Institute of Health defines this field as, “A system in which medical doctors and other healthcare professionals (such as nurses, pharmacists, and therapists) treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery.” Notice how limiting conventional medicine appears in comparison. There is a specific focus on what methods are to be used for “treatment.” I quote this term because conventional doctors aren’t actually treating patients to the best of their ability. The definition clearly states that the goal of these professionals is to treat symptoms. However, functional medicine, strives to address root causes. This is an extremely important difference to note; it is what separates the two fields to such a large extent.

Let’s understand this concept with an analogy. Imagine you own a houseplant. One day, you notice that the leaves appear to be dying because they are brown and brittle at the ends. Following the conventional model, you simply snip off the dead ends (surgery) and deem the plant “treated.”
A functionalist mindset, in contrast, would look to the roots (literally and figuratively) to try to understand what isn’t working within the total system of the plant to produce the dead leaves. This individual plant, after careful observation and attention to its personal characteristics, may need more water and sunlight. After implementing these changes, within a week you notice the leaves are restored to their vibrant health.

This analogy highlights some differences between the two practices. The reason conventional medicine has grown so widespread and dominant is because of its tendency toward instant gratification. We do a small action, such as take a pill for a week, and subsequently notice our symptoms get better. As a society that is deeply invested in getting things done with as little effort and time as possible, this model is appealing to us. Functional medicine forces the patient to make dietary and lifestyle changes, to engage in a self-reflection process to see what roots are provoking the symptoms. While there is more effort required here, it just may pay off…literally.

According to an article from CNBC, “More than half a million Americans have annual prescription drug costs of more than $50,000.” Take that in for a second. Every time you run off to the doctor with the hopes of obtaining a prescription, think again. Whether it be as minor as a cold or as major as heart disease, in the end these prescriptions will only treat the symptoms, not the underlying causes. PBS shared a more specific statistic, citing a “$10,345-per-person spending figure.” Do Americans really have that much money to throw away to an unpromising concept, especially when there is another option?

Functional medicine works to integrate all aspects of your daily life in the treatment process. All of these elements must be able to function together in harmony. You don’t have to hike up to an Uptown Manhattan penthouse office to drop thousands of dollars on a consultation for a doctor of functional medicine. The practices of functional medicine can be learned through your own research online. Take time to read about the importance of diet, ingredients, exercise, and meditation. Odds are, you’ll learn enough to begin engaging in these practices on your own. Doing so will allow you to become and stay well, saving you money and granting you longevity. The field of functional medicine believes in avoiding illness altogether, while conventional medicine only cares about treating disease. Doctors prescribe medication and perform surgery, but these are just temporary fixes. You’ll keep coming back, and the medical field will benefit from your constant presence. When your body functions properly, you feel better. Many studies have been conducted comparing treatment outcomes in both medical fields.

In one NIH survey study, researchers followed patients who switched from conventional to functional medicine to treat their illnesses. The study found, among other conclusions, that “…81% of patients indicated their main problem had improved very much, moderately, or slightly.”
Another benefit of this switch is clearly stated in a piece published by the University of California at Los Angeles that shares, “The key word is prevention: ‘It is important to understand that if you take good care of the body/mind and help it stay healthy, there is little need for more expensive and sometimes toxic or invasive interventions,’ says Dr. Hui.”

If you take care of the problem from the roots up, there is little opportunity for smaller symptoms to rise up and require costly medical attention. Not only is functional medicine the more logical approach, it also has the potential to significantly lower today’s health care costs.
Most of us do not associate “medicine” with “fun.” That is because most of us haven’t considered functional medicine. Taking charge of your own personal health is empowering. Saving money isn’t too bad either. But the best part is that you can use functional medicine to learn more about yourself and how all of the pieces of your lifestyle come together to create your reality. You, as a whole, are greater than the sum of your parts. Find out for yourself.

Angelica Caruso, FCRH ’20, is undecided from Bridgewater, New Jersey.