Why am I still sick?! Why can’t I get better? Why doesn’t my doctor believe me??
First of all: you’re not alone. Having a chronic or mystery illness happens to so many people, and the hardest part can be being told by your doctor that they can’t find anything wrong with you. This can make you feel like you’re constantly searching for answers, trying to make sense of unexplained symptoms by going down rabbit holes in Google, struggling to find relief from persistent illness with no real support network. The frustration of going from doctor to doctor without getting any clear answers or solutions is crippling in its own right. This is where functional medicine can help.
Functional medicine is a patient-centered approach to healthcare that focuses on identifying the root causes of illness, rather than just treating symptoms. “Patient-centered” is key here, because when dealing with an undiagnosed sickness, it is the patient who holds all the clues with which to solve the mystery.
So when you meet with a functional medicine doctor, we look at the whole person, taking into account your unique genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. This is a process, based on good communication between us, meaning that our meetings can be anywhere from half an hour to an hour long. By identifying underlying imbalances, functional medicine practitioners can create personalized treatment plans that address the root causes of illness and support the body's natural healing processes.
I have been practicing as a Naturopathic Doctor for over 15 years, and I specialize in helping individuals with chronic or mystery illnesses. My training & experience in functional medicine has allowed me to take a holistic (meaning examining the issue in its entirety) approach to your health, and consider all aspects of your well-being. I have seen many different treatments help people with mystery illness, from hormone rebalancing to amino acid therapy to help repair neurotransmitters, but there is rarely a silver bullet, and I am always open to pivoting or shifting treatments to isolate the best result. By leveraging my expertise, we can work together to unravel the complexities of your condition and develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs.
If you are struggling with chronic illness, unexplained symptoms, or a hard-to-diagnose illness, functional medicine is the answer. Here are some ways that functional medicine can help you stop saying “Why am I always sick?”:
Personalized treatment plans:
Unlike traditional medicine, which often relies on a one-size-fits-all approach, functional medicine takes into account your individual needs and creates personalized treatment plans based on your unique health history, genetics, lifestyle, and environment. No two people are the same, so treatments must change depending on the person.
Holistic approach:
Functional medicine practitioners like myself focus on treating the whole person, rather than just treating symptoms. This means addressing all aspects of your health, including diet, exercise, sleep, stress levels, and environmental factors.
Comprehensive testing:
I use a range of advanced laboratory tests to help identify the underlying causes of illness, including blood tests, urine tests, stool tests, and saliva tests. If we can find clues as to the cause, we will find clues to the solution. Knowing is half the battle!
Lifestyle interventions:
Holistic & functional medicine practitioners will probably recommend lifestyle changes, which should be treated as seriously as prescribed medicine. Dietary changes, exercise programs, stress management techniques, and environmental modifications are all ways to help improve your health and manage your symptoms.
Collaboration:
Here at Solstice Wellness Centre, we work closely with other healthcare providers, including conventional doctors, to ensure that you receive the best possible care. As mentioned before, there’s no one silver bullet that can solve your health issue, so collaborating between multiple professionals each approaching your issue from different angles is sometimes the best way towards wellness.
Living with a chronic illness or unexplained symptoms can be challenging, but it doesn't have to be a mystery. If you are looking for answers, functional medicine may be able to help. By taking a patient-centered, holistic approach, functional medicine practitioners can help identify the root causes of your illness and create personalized treatment plans that support your body's natural healing processes. Don't give up hope – there is a way forward.
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