What is Functional Medicine?
Functional medicine is personalized medicine that
deals with primary prevention and underlying causes
instead of symptoms for serious chronic disease.
It is a science-based field of health care that
is grounded in the following principles:
Biochemical individuality describes the importance
of individual variations in metabolic function
that derive from genetic and environmental differences
among individuals.
Patient-centered medicine emphasizes "patient
care" rather than "disease care,"
following Sir William Osler’s admonition
that "It is more important to know what patient
has the disease than to know what disease the
patient has."
Dynamic balance of internal and external factors.
Web-like interconnections of physiological factors
– an abundance of research now supports
the view that the human body functions as an orchestrated
network of interconnected systems, rather than
individual systems functioning autonomously and
without effect on each other. For example, we
now know that immunological dysfunctions can promote
cardiovascular disease, that dietary imbalances
can cause hormonal disturbances, and that environmental
exposures can precipitate neurologic syndromes
such as Parkinson’s disease.
Health as a positive vitality – not merely
the absence of disease.
Promotion of organ reserve as the means to enhance
health span.
Functional medicine is anchored by an examination
of the core clinical imbalances that underlie
various disease conditions. Those imbalances arise
as environmental inputs such as diet, nutrients
(including air and water), exercise, and trauma
are processed by one’s body, mind, and spirit
through a unique set of genetic predispositions,
attitudes, and beliefs. The fundamental physiological
processes include communication, both outside
and inside the cell; bioenergetics, or the transformation
of food into energy; replication, repair, and
maintenance of structural integrity, from the
cellular to the whole body level; elimination
of waste; protection and defense; and transport
and circulation. The core clinical imbalances
that arise from malfunctions within this complex
system include:
Hormonal and neurotransmitter imbalances
Oxidation-reduction imbalances and mitochondropathy
Detoxification and biotransformational imbalances
Immune imbalances
Inflammatory imbalances
Digestive, absorptive, and microbiological imbalances
Structural imbalances from cellular membrane
function to the musculoskeletal system
Imbalances such as these are the precursors to
the signs and symptoms by which we detect and
label (diagnose) organ system disease. Improving
balance – in the patient’s environmental
inputs and in the body’s fundamental physiological
processes – is the precursor to restoring
health and it involves much more than treating
the symptoms. Functional medicine is dedicated
to improving the management of complex, chronic
disease by intervening at multiple levels to address
these core clinical imbalances and to restore
each patient’s functionality and health.
Functional medicine is not a unique and separate
body of knowledge. It is grounded in scientific
principles and information widely available in
medicine today, combining research from various
disciplines into highly detailed yet clinically
relevant models of disease pathogenesis and effective
clinical management.
Functional medicine emphasizes a definable and
teachable process of integrating multiple knowledge
bases within a pragmatic intellectual matrix that
focuses on functionality at many levels, rather
than a single treatment for a single diagnosis.
Functional medicine uses the patient’s story
as a key tool for integrating diagnosis, signs
and symptoms, and evidence of clinical imbalances
into a comprehensive approach to improve both
the patient’s environmental inputs and his
or her physiological function. It is a clinician’s
discipline, and it directly addresses the need
to transform the practice of primary care.
Lab Testing: (Can be added to
any program)
What is the fee for an initial consultation?
The fee for an initial consultation is $150, and
the duration of the consultation is 45 60 minutes.
During this time Josh will determine the appropriate
lab tests you should to address your specific
health concerns.
What are the fees for follow up consultations?
The fee schedule is as follows:
30-minute consultation: $75
60-minute consultation: $150
Do you accept insurance?
No, we do not do any insurance billing.
What information do you need from me?
Prior to your initial phone consultation we need
your completed New Patient paperwork, which will
be sent to your via email. Once you are done,
please mail it to:
EastWest Healing and Performance
3129 Tiger Run Ct, Suite 115
Carlsbad, Ca. 92010
You are also welcome to send us any previous
test results that you would like reviewed.
What labs do you use for testing?
We use BioHealth Diagnostics (www.biohealthinfo.com),
Metametrix (www.metametrix.com)
and Diagnos-Techs, Inc. (www.diagnostechs.com)
labs.
Where do I go to have testing done?
We will send you the test kits that you need.
With the exception of a test that requires a blood
draw, you will complete your tests at home. Should
you purchase testing that requires a blood draw,
you will need to arrange to have your blood drawn
by contacting your M.D.'s office, or by making
an appointment with a phlebotomist or other medical
professional authorized to draw blood. Please
note that most labs will not draw blood for our
tests.
What is the cost for testing?
The average cost for a test is between $50 and
$350, depending on the tests and how many tests
ordered.
How long does it take for you to receive
the results of my tests?
Depending on the test, it takes 8-14 business
days for us to receive the results of your tests.
Can I purchase the supplements that are
recommended from my local health food store?
As part of your program I may recommend that you
purchase nutritional supplements. These may include
specific vitamins, minerals, herbs and natural
plant based hormones. All of the supplements recommended
are from nutrition companies that only sell their
products to licensed practitioners. These are
the highest quality products available. They contain
only the purest pharmaceutical grade nutrients
(nutraceuticals) and the potency of each product
is guaranteed. In the past when designing nutritional
programs, in an effort to save clients money,
many doctors have suggested that patients purchase
products at local health food
stores. While this seems to save people money
in the short run, the results of these
programs have been inconsistent and less than
would be expected had we been using physician
only brands. Therefore, it is in many ways more
sensible both financially and in terms of consistent
results to use the highest quality products available.
Please call to set up your FREE consultation!
760-597-9727
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