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Conventional Medicine Misunderstands the Fundamental Laws of Biology

When it comes to explaining the benefits of functional medicine versus traditional medicine, I think Dr. Mark Hymen nails it in this article.  The whole thing could be summed up as such:

…this approach [traditional symptom-based medicine] of completely ignores (sic)  more subtle clues from symptoms and signs of disease, which may highlight underlying metabolic imbalances (especially when complemented by further testing). These imbalances may be remedied by the appropriate treatment—treatment that is not focused on some disease, but instead works to remove those things that alter or damage our functioning, and provides those things that enhance, optimize, and normalize our functioning by balancing the system rather than treating the symptom. We need to treat the system, not the symptom; the patient, not the disease.

Case point, I had a major flare-up with my ulcerative colitis late last year that landed my butt in the hospital. Good news was that I was only in there for 5 days and recovered nicely. However, while there, the doctor actually asked if I ever considered having part of my colon removed. Fast forward to now and my gastroenterologist wants to put me on drugs that knock my immune system down, specifically Imuran and Humira. To me, these are all highly reactive approaches to the symptoms I’m having. There is so much evidence to suggest that my disease could be treated with a combination of diet and probiotics. My GI doctor gave in to the use of probiotics, but diet? Nope. Still insists that diet has nothing to do with it…my disease just is. Sorry, but I don’t buy it. Pumping me full of drugs just to get rid of my symptoms doesn’t lead to a better quality of life. Seems more like an avoidance from doing what you’re supposed to do as a doctor: practice real medicine! 

Saying that today’s doctors don’t practice real medicine is a harsh statement. But after you spend some time talking with a doctor that practices functional medicine and after you research the results others have had with a more functional approach to chronic diseases the more you realize just how bad today’s system of medicine really is. Seems like every problem these days can be solved with a pill or a drug (as if the glut of drug commercials didn’t give you any clue). Today’s medicine seems to be more reactionary, less proactive, and more about profitability than quality. Question is: How do we fix it?

A functional approach to medicine isn’t necessarily the fix. Even a good functional doctor will tell you that a functional approach isn’t right for everyone. Looking at the bigger picture, functional medicine is just a piece of the puzzle. What is more important is demanding better quality of care in the health care industry. That starts by asking your doctor to treat you instead of just your symptoms, to ask how you are instead of just looking at the results of a bunch of tests, to ask if there’s a better approach to treating you rather than just giving you a bunch of drugs. Quality health care starts with you.