Did you know that functional medicine from Toronto offers a comprehensive way to address both symptoms and the root causes of health concerns? As a patient-centred, systems-oriented approach to wellness, the functional medicine model caters to individuality while emphasizing mind-and-body therapies. 

In the realm of integrative functional medicine, longer consultations with a deep understanding of individual health needs can make a significant difference, especially for patients dealing with chronic symptoms like chronic pain. While conventional laboratory tests might suggest that everything is normal, acknowledging and addressing the unique health experiences of each patient is crucial. This integrated method focuses on providing functional medicine testing when needed and listening attentively to individual health concerns. This can provide both validation and encouragement on the journey to wellness.

At the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre (TFMC), we personalize treatments to promote health improvements for your uniqueness. Ample time is given to each patient to understand their biology, medical history, genes, environmental/lifestyle factors – these are some of the constituents that make you unique. This also means that a therapy that works for another patient may not necessarily apply to you, which is why we customize therapies and dosages of IV nutrients for your biology. By embracing functional medicine mechanisms, our clinic can tailor treatment plans and educate patients to inspire them to take control of their wellness. 

Below, we present some notable aspects of this healthcare format. These insights are designed to enhance your comprehension and appreciation of this unique approach to health and wellness.

Top 4 Functional Medicine Facts

1. 1. Promotes patient engagement while drafting a comprehensive treatment plan: Engaging patients plays a role in the functional medicine approach. In some conventional medicine practices, patients are expected to adhere to instructions without their questions and comfort levels being considered. On the other hand, a functional medicine practitioner invites the patient to provide feedback, while taking the time to provide nutrition education to patients. The planning process can motivate patients to adhere to their therapies and make healthy lifestyle decisions for reaching health goals. 
   2. May reduce healthcare costs: According to an article from BMJ Open, it would be ideal for health care systems to prepare for an “…ageing population with risk factors for chronic disease (eg, tobacco use, poor nutrition and sedentary behaviour), a physician workforce suffering from burnout and shortages, and inadequate time to deliver nutrition education necessary to combat chronic disease.” As functional medicine focuses on preventing chronic conditions, it could contribute to saving health care funds down the road. This can especially be encouraged with regular lifestyle interventions, such as consuming nutrient-rich foods instead of processed items. 
   3. Functional medicine principles may be applied to various treatment modalities: This model does not rely on a sole therapy (i.e. prescriptions), as it combines conventional and complementary treatments. Integrating health strategies and lifestyle modifications is needed for addressing physical and mental health concerns and health goals, as the patient is viewed as a “whole” entity under functional medicine. Thus, patients have the option of mixing and matching modalities for a treatment plan. For example, our TFMC intravenous drips and booster shots are dosed individually for each patient’s bodily needs; different supplements may also be recommended for nutritional deficiencies, genetics, or current prescription medications, too. 
   4. Provides comprehensive testing that may not be available from Western clinics: As we explained, some patients still feel unwell when conventional tests report healthy results. Functional health care allows access to lab tests that measure for additional clues that cannot be detected by Western labs. Functional lab tests are disparate from conventional laboratory tests because they pinpoint trends and biomarkers, which are underlying indicators for health issues, such as the low functioning of your thyroid. In turn, these details can help practitioners build a treatment plan to prevent or delay the progression of a condition. Conventional test results can be used to diagnose disease conditions; however, by the time you get a positive result for a diagnosis, there’s a chance that symptoms may have worsened. Thus, functional medicine testing is handy for helping you understand how to prevent or improve disease conditions.

What does your body need to maximize long-term health? If this article echoed some of your current health issues, let’s chat about this! Learn how to become a new TFMC patient below. 

Recommended reading: The Functional Medicine Toronto Approach to Estrogen Dominance

Access a Personalized Treatment Plan at the TFMC

In our Toronto-based practice, we combine integrative medicine with functional medicine therapies to offer you a personalized approach to health care. Our TFMC clinicians can adapt Western medicine, as well as naturopathic medicine, hormone optimization programs, acupuncture, holistic nutrition, herbal medicines, Chinese medicine, intramuscular booster shots and intravenous therapy.  We apply integrative functional medicine to each modality practiced in our clinic. 

The TFMC is also home to our IV Lounge, where we administer IV therapy drips. These are freshly compounded on a daily basis, and supervised by our wellness team (naturopathic doctors, nurse practitioners and registered nurses). When merged with oral supplements, a healthy lifestyle and other health interventions (i.e. naturopathy), IV therapy can contribute to wellness upgrades.   

Our functional medicine providers have 50 years of clinical experience combined, and they can personalize therapies for various conditions, including those linked to hormonal disorders, digestive issues, insulin resistance, irregular periods, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disease, chronic symptoms, abdominal pain, and more. 

So, what are you waiting for? Take action NOW towards optimal health and functioning – simply click here to request a DISCOVERY session for our IV therapy and functional medicine clinic services in Toronto. 

Disclaimer: The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. You should always consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider because of information you have read from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre website or other affiliate media. 

References

Beidelschies M, Alejandro-Rodriguez M, Guo N, Postan A, Jones T, Bradley E, Hyman M, Rothberg MB. Patient outcomes and costs associated with functional medicine-based care in a shared versus individual setting for patients with chronic conditions: a retrospective cohort study. BMJ Open. 2021 Apr 13;11(4):e048294. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-048294. PMID: 33849860; PMCID: PMC8051390.

Bland JS. Functional Medicine Past, Present, and Future. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2022 May;21(2):22-26. PMID: 35698609; PMCID: PMC9173848.

Bland JS. What is Evidence-Based Functional Medicine in the 21st Century? Integr Med (Encinitas). 2019 Jun;18(3):14-18. PMID: 32549804; PMCID: PMC7217393.

“The Problem of Health Care: High Cost and Dependency” from the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), viewed on February 26 2024.