FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

Functional Medicine Q&A

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What is Functional Medicine?

Functional Medicine is an individualized, patient centered approach to WELLcare that assists the body to reverse the disease process. Rather than prescribe medications for every ailment or illness in order to suppress the symptoms, Functional Medicine provides a personalized roadmap to finding and correcting the root cause of the disease using food - not drugs - as medicine. This puts patients in control of their own health and decreases the risk of future disease processes.  As you learn about proper nutrition, exercise and lifestyle changes you will witness the transformation in yourself as you regain your health and discover a more energetic and healthy YOU!

 

How does Functional Medicine differ from regular medical visits?

Our current healthcare system is a sick-care based approach. Once you are diagnosed with a disease, you are prescribed medicine, medicine, and more medicine which only worsens your health and increases your need for more medicine. The only ones benefiting from this “sick-care” are the pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies who both charge an exorbitant amount of money to keep you on the sick-care merry-go-round!

Most people have gotten so used to “popping a pill” for every symptoms they experience, they have forgotten how to change habits to allow the body to heal itself. The vast majority of providers are not educated on how to treat or prevent illness without a prescription pad. 

 

Functional Medicine is a true Health-care approach to treating and preventing the disease process. Most diseases are reversible with the help of an experienced provider trained in Functional Medicine. Using FOOD as medicine provides an avenue to heal and regain wellness! Functional Medicine offers people the ability to learn what foods best fit their needs in order to regain and maintain their health. The visits are individualized and are not done in the typical 10-15 minute intervals. The visits are detailed in order to understand your unique issues and to provide the best possible care for positive outcomes by educating you and increasing your knowledge of what causes the disease process and how to reverse it naturally. 

 

Does insurance cover Functional Medicine visits? 

We work for our patients. We do not work for insurance companies!

After years of trying to work with/for insurance companies to provide the best possible care, we have found that it is simply not possible. They are not in the business to keep you healthy. They are in the business to keep you sick. There is no money in the wellness model for insurance companies. If you are not sick they make no money. 

 

What do the treatments look like in Functional Medicine?

The team at The Practice of Health and Wellness takes a preventative approach to your Health-care. Dietary changes, lifestyle modifications, supplements, IV vitamin therapy, injectable vitamins, Himalayean Salt Therapy and Infrared Sauna Therapy are utilized to allow you to regain a state of health by increasing trace minerals, detoxing the body, neutralizing the positive ions in the body and decreasing inflammation - all of which improve your ability to get and stay healthy!

Your treatment plan may include: 

• Diet modification

• Exercise program

• Smoking cessation

• Limiting alcohol consumption

• Stress reduction through meditation, yoga, reiki

• Supplements and IV therapy to help detox the body to reduce inflammation which is the major cause of the disease process

• Infrared Sauna to help detox the body which assists in weight loss

• Himalayan Salt therapy to help decrease the risk of cancer by neutralizing the positive ions in the body which is the major cause of cancer.

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Small changes have a dramatic effect on your overall health. Dr. Cipriano and her team create a personalized plan that fits your needs and lifestyle to help manage your personal goals. 

Because Dr. Cipriano is a nurse practitioner, she is able to prescribe medications if and when necessary. For a comprehensive well-care visit, call The Practice of Health and Wellness, or request an appointment online. 

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