"How can we treat what's happening?"

Return to the road wiser Something caused you to disrupt or abandon your healthy routine. Maybe you missed a few workouts or caved into unhealthy eating. Analyze the reasons that may have triggered this setback and forgive yourself. Your personal path to wellbeing is always yours to make. What's in the windshield matters more than the rear view mirror. Now you know what to watch for and can prevent it from happening more easily.

KEY TAKEAWAY: SYMPTOMS

"What is causing what's happening?"

In mathematics, the word "function" means a relationship between inputs that creates an certain outcome. It has a similar meaning when it comes to health. Functional Wellness dives deep into understanding the root cause of health issues (inputs) through systems biology and personalized interventions. It typically views the body as an interconnected system rather than a collection of organs or symptoms. Functional Wellness may use detailed patient histories, genetics, and lab tests to develop a tailored treatment plan. In Functional Wellness, there can be a strong emphasis on personalization, extensive testing (like microbiome or hormone panels), and lifestyle interventions.

The Institute for Functional Medicine puts it this way. "Functional medicine takes a comprehensive approach to prevention, health, and well-being; treats root causes of disease; and restores healthy function through a personalized patient experience."

An article published in the journal Integrative Medicine states it as such. "The functional medicine model for health care is concerned less with what we call the dysfunction or disease, and more about the dynamic processes that resulted in the person’s dysfunction."

KEY TAKEAWAY: ROOT CAUSE

"What else is happening?"

Holistic Wellness focuses on balancing all areas of an individual’s life, addressing physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. It is a philosophy of care that emphasizes treating the "whole person" – mind, body, and spirit – rather than focusing solely on symptoms of a specific disease. It encourages balance in all areas of life and recognizes the interconnectedness of different health dimensions.

American Holistic Health Association (AHHA), also known as KnoWEwell says this in an article "Your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects depend on one another for well-being. When one is disrupted, the others suffer as well. This concept is referred to as a whole person or holistic approach."

KEY TAKEAWAY: WHOLE-BODY BALANCE

"Many things are happening. Let's consider them all (together)."

Luckily, you do not need to choose between the approaches above if you practice Integrative Wellness. An integrative approach often combines Conventional Wellness with Functional Wellness and Holistic Wellness for a more multifaceted care approach. Whether you find this in a single integrative practitioner, or build an integrative care team on your own, this multidisciplinary approach can provide a broader spectrum of wellness support. In an integrative approach, collaboration is key - collaboration between you and your practitioner, as well as other members of your care team.

Here's what the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine & Health has to say, "Integrative medicine and health reaffirms the importance of the relationship between practitioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic and lifestyle approaches, healthcare professionals and disciplines to achieve optimal health and healing."

Mayo Clinic’s Department of Integrative Medicine and Health takes a similar approach "Integrative medicine is an approach to healthcare that includes practices not traditionally part of conventional medicine, such as herbs and supplements, meditation, wellness coaching, acupuncture, massage, movement, resiliency, and nutrition. In many situations, as evidence of their usefulness and safety grows, these therapies are used with conventional medicine.”

KEY TAKEAWAY: ROOT CAUSE