Approach
Functional Medicine takes a very unique approach to health assessments and treatments. I was trained and certified through an organization called the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM). They have been training doctors, therapists, nutritionists, chiropractors, and nurse practitioners among other disciplines for over 30 years. They are integrally involved with the Cleveland Clinic for Functional Medicine . The following concepts are what I learned through the Institute for Functional Medicine and all credit for developing these tools goes to them.
Time Line
IFM’s approach includes taking a patient’s comprehensive health history from pre-birth to present time and arranging the information in a time line. This allows the provider and the patient to “see the big picture” and to identify when and how the health problems began. This is the basis for “root cause” medicine.
With this information, the provider helps the patient identify which aspects of their life are Antecedents (predisposing factors), Triggering Events (activating factors), and Mediators/Perpetuators (factors contributing to dysfunction). Knowing this information can help direct the treatment plan. For example, one cannot change an antecedent, but knowing that it is something that happened in the past may guide the journey to change. Another example is knowing which triggering events cause which problems will help the patient to avoid those eventsin the future.
Matrix
Antecedents, Triggering Events, Mediators/Perpetuators (ATMs)
Clinical Imbalances (Nodes)
All important aspects of the health history are then categorized into groupings called “nodes”. The nodes represent bodily functions. While conventional medicine will focus on the disease in organs, Functional Medicine which is patient centered and patient driven, focuses on Clinical Imbalances in these various nodes. The 7 nodes are Assimilation, Communication, Defense and Repair, Biotransformation and Elimination, Transport, Structural Integrity, and Energy. By grouping the causative factors and symptoms into this arrangement, the patient and the provider can best see the greatest Clinical Imbalances.
Throughout your treatment program we will be visiting and re-visiting these areas of imbalance to assess for improvement or worsening of symptoms.
Modifiable Lifestyle Factors (MLFs)
A foundational element of Functional Medicine is the concept of Modifiable Lifestyle Factors (MLFs). Providers have long known the value of lifestyle changes affecting health. Functional Medicine takes those Factors, formally assesses them and puts the Modifications into practical use.
These 5 areas are Nutrition, Exercise/Movement, Stress Reduction, Sleep Hygiene, and building Social Relationships.
Focusing on the MLFs is the basis of my program. Much progress can be made on the path toward wellness simply by addressing these 5 areas. Medication, supplements, lab tests, and imaging studies are secondary to these Factors. The ultimate goal is to make you feel better. Please visit my Keys to Happynesss page for more information.
The Center
The “Center of the Matrix” addresses the fundamental concepts of Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Assessment and Care. These make up the essence of our being and when there is imbalance in these areas – bodily functions are affected.
These four areas (ATMs, Nodes, MLFs, and MES) make up “The Matrix”, a working tool that IFM has developed to help the provider and the patient see the health story on paper. It assists in organizing and prioritizing the plan of care.
GOTOIT Heuristic
Another very important tool in the assessment and treatment of a patient is the GOTOIT Heuristic. (A Heuristic is an approach to problem solving.)
Gather This is about Gathering Information, but also about Gathering Oneself.
Tell Tell the story back to the patient for accuracy. Enlist input for corrections.
Organize Organizing the Gathered information on the Time Line and Matrix.
Order With the patient, place in Order the areas demanding the most attention.
Initiate Initiate other Assessments, provide Education, & make fitting Referrals.
Track Track follow-up assessments and effectiveness of treatment plan.
There are 100s of other tools and forms created by IFM at my disposal as an IFM certified practitioner. We will be using these tools throughout this journey to provide the best experience and assessment of your needs.
The Center for Happy-NESSS 