As a health advocate, I see myself as among those at the forefront of the battle against diseases. Not only does it concern me as a living person and those of my family, but also of every person who literally walks this planet.

However, it was not until last year, 2016, that I stepped on a new ground about health when I attended a seminar involving the so-called Functional Medicine as spoken by Dr. Raymond Joseph Yee Escalona, a functional medicine doctor, who pioneers the practice as an approach to treating many of man’s known ailments or diseases.

What is Functional Medicine?

Functional Medicine may seem like something new—especially in the practice in a local medical community—but behind the terminology is a tried-and-tested principle that had been in operation for 25 years. But it was not until the past 5 years that this holistic approach to healthcare gained traction in the country.

The principle within this new approach to medicine is actually simple and straightforward: treat ailments or diseases at their root and not just alleviating the condition by covering their symptoms. Consulting a functional medicine doctor ensures that treatment focuses on underlying causes rather than temporary relief.

Difference Between Functional Medicine and Conventional Medicine

Conventional medicine is commonly practiced by medical practitioners to improve the patient’s quality of life by simply addressing symptoms that arise. Meanwhile, functional medicine is an advanced holistic healthcare focused on treating any form of malady from its root cause, which also affects symptoms.

Taken as a metaphor, a person’s body is seen under the scope of Functional Medicine as a tree, whose foundation is based or checked not by its trunk, but by the roots and the soil it grows from. Hence, the quality of the tree—which translates as either sick or healthy body—has its bearing from the quality of its soil (the environment) to which its roots (lifestyle, nutrition, stress, and relationship) are entrenched.

Contrary to the conventional approach which gives patients the “what” of their health condition based on existing symptoms, functional medicine is more concerned of “why” the patients have those symptoms and fix them by going to the root, according to Dr. Oyie Balburias.

Difference Against Integrative Medicine

Deviating from, while also encompassing the practice seen in conventional medicine, the integrative medicine is also different from functional medicine in the way they handle sickness towards better health. 

Integrative Medicine, while holistic in its approach such as dealing in multiple factors that affect the person’s natural healings, these approaches were not as explicitly directed towards the root cause unlike in Functional Medicine. Integrative Medicine does not employ treatment modalities as acupuncture, massage, and yoga.

Benefits of Functional Medicine

It does not come as a surprise that the inception of Functional Medicine arose not as a result of coincidence, but out of the need for a more effective means in treating man’s common problems: disease.

While it does not reinvent the wheel, the way medical practitioners see ailments and disease, this proven approach circumvents the way these maladies are removed from the person. In reiteration, Functional Medicine seeks to address a health problem from the roots, just like what functional medicine doctor, Dra. Candy did in my Centro Holistico journey.

Recommended Clinics for Functional Medicine

With Functional Medicine recently gaining ground in the country, a few clinics in the Philippines are among the pioneers of this revolutionary approach to medicine in dealing with sickness.

The following are some of the many clinics using Functional Medicine practice, which are committed to rendering this healthcare service approach:

• Centuria Medical Makati
• Biobalance Institute
• Centro Holistico
• Life Science
• Health Intervention MD
• Integrative Wellness Group

If you are interested in trying out Functional Medicine, check out these clinics and consult with a functional medicine doctor to address your ailments at their roots. If you like insightful content like this, book Toni Miranda as a keynote speaker for your next event!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are answers to some of the most common questions to help you understand more about functional medicine:

What to expect when seeing a functional medicine doctor?

Visiting a functional medicine doctor involves a comprehensive evaluation that considers your lifestyle, nutrition, and medical history. The goal is to uncover the root causes of health issues rather than just treating symptoms.

What is the core belief of functional medicine?

The core belief of functional medicine is that each person’s health is unique and interconnected, and that diseases often stem from underlying imbalances. Treatment usually focuses on addressing these root causes to restore optimal health.

Does functional medicine work? 

Yes, functional medicine has been shown to help some people achieve improvements in chronic conditions by targeting their underlying causes. Although its effectiveness depends on a personalized approach and active patient participation in lifestyle and dietary changes.