Functional Medicine in Montana
Functional medicine seems like it’s a growing buzz word recently. Maybe you’ve heard of it? Functional medicine in Montana is still growing as more practitioners are slowly discovering this holistic approach to care.
What Is Functional Medicine?
According to the Institute for Functional Medicine, “functional medicine takes a comprehensive, whole health approach to prevention, health, and well-being; treats root causes of disease; and restores healthy function through a personalized patient experience — all while being a vital partner to conventional medicine.”
Functional medicine is the way that medicine should be practiced (in my opinion). It takes into account the entire person, their whole body health, their environment, their stress levels, their history, and their health goals to truly find the root causes of disease. From there, a comprehensive approach aims to address the root cause, which usually leads to multiple issues/conditions/diseases resolving simultaneously. The functional medicine toolbox includes nutrition, lifestyle, movement, stress reduction, sleep, and more. However, functional medicine can still be used in conjunction with conventional care.
How Can I Find Functional Medicine Near Me?
Finding a qualified practitioner is always important. A great starting place is the IFM Practitioner Directory, where you can find qualified practitioners that have taken training through IFM.
If you’re local to Montana, I’d love to connect with you! I specialize in treating women’s hormones, especially natural fertility optimization. The functional medicine model provides such a valuable approach to women’s hormone health because our hormones are so intertwined in all aspect of our health. We have to take a holistic approach to hormone health if we truly want to balance and optimize hormones naturally without just a bandaid fix like birth control or hormone replacement therapy (HRT). You can learn more about me here.
Why Aren’t More Doctors Using Functional Medicine?
Functional medicine is quickly growing in Montana and we are seeing more doctors and healthcare providers using this approach - yay! However, many doctors are restricted from utilizing this model if they practice within a convention care or insurance based healthcare setting. Sadly, insurance dictates much of the care that we receive. Insurance plans place restrictions on the amount of time spent with patients, the treatment plans, and the next steps in many care plans if providers or facilities want insurance to cover the costs.
Healthcare needs some major reform and I think functional medicine provides a path to better health care. If you’re looking to truly optimize your health, I encourage you to seek out functional medicine. If you’re looking for functional medicine in Montana, I’d be honored to work together! I connect with women virtually all over the state. I invite you to book a free 15 minutes consult.
