FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE PRACTITIONERS
FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE
Health is the foundation for everything we do. At Body Genius, we believe that the body is a powerful tool that can overcome many obstacles with a little help.
Our functional medicine program is designed to complement the body’s natural healing processes to help you overcome sickness, pain, dysfunction, and other medical conditions.
WHAT IS FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE
Functional medicine is a natural approach to health care which addresses the underlying causes of disease, using a systems-oriented approach and engaging both the practitioner and client in a therapeutic partnership.
Main Systems of the body
| Cardiovascular | Integumentary / Exocrine | Nervous |
| Digestive | Lymphatic / Immune | Respiratory |
| Endocrine | Musculoskeletal | Reproductive |
| Renal / Urinary |
Functional Medicine aims to create balance in these systems to support the healing process.
In this approach, the traditional disease-centred focus of medical practice is shifted to a more patient-centred approach, and in doing so, functional medicine addresses the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms.
How can functional medicine improve your health?
This personalised form of healthcare treats the individual, not the disease.
Functional medicine practitioners spend more time listening to their patients, evaluating their health histories and looking at the interactions among genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors, in an attempt to determine the influence they may be having on long-term health and complex, chronic disease.
The practice of functional medicine supports the natural healing mechanisms of the body, naturally, rather than fighting the disease directly!
Functional medicine practitioners are respectful of individual patient preferences, their needs, and values, and ensure that patient values guide all clinical decision-making. It is in this way that patients are empowered to take ownership of their own healing. Patients who are active participants in the development of their therapeutic plan feel more in control of their own well-being and are therefore more likely to make lifestyle changes to improve their health and wellness.
It is in this way that functional medicine offers an individualised approach to each patient and achieves better outcomes.
- Patient-centred care
- An integrative, science-based healthcare approach
- Integrating best medical practices
Conventional Medicine
“What drug matches up with this disease or set of symptoms?”
Functional Medicine
“Why do you have this problem in the first place? What can we do to restore function?” In other words, functional medicine is a search for the root cause of the problem.
Health is not just the absence of disease, but rather a state of vitality!
What is your health score?
HOW CAN FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE HELP YOU?
When you visit a Functional Medicine practitioner, you can expect to spend a lot more time with them than you would a conventional medical doctor.
A big part of Functional Medicine practice is exploring your personal and family history, the circumstances surrounding your disease or symptoms, and the experiences you may have had with other health care providers.
At the Body Genius Institute, our practitioners will work diligently to uncover the underlying causes of your health problems through careful history taking, physical examination, detailed questionnaires, and laboratory testing.
In addition to taking your relevant history, our practitioners will ask about all of the ‘Foundation Principles’ of health.
Foundation Principles of Health
| Organic Food | Filtered water | Quality sleep patterns |
| Active Lifestyle | Mental Health | Spiritual Health |
| Emotional Health | Optimal Breathing Patterns | |
All of these factors allow the Functional Medicine practitioner to see your health in the context of you as a whole person, not just regarding your physical symptoms.
The Functional Medicine practitioner may do a detailed examination of your body to see if there are any visible signs as to what is going on deeper inside your body.
| Tongue | Fingernails | Feel your pulse |
| Hair | Toenails | Skin appearance |
| Smell your breath | Pinch your skin | Feel your joints |
| Assess your breathing | Temp. of hands/feet | Look in your ears |
| Feeling the texture of your muscles | ||
They may also suggest that you submit samples for laboratory testing:
| Genetic Testing | Blood Tests | Saliva Testing |
| Stool Samples | Hair mineral analysis | Urine analysis |
Once the practitioner has accumulated all of the necessary information and received the results from any laboratory testing, they will ask for your help in designing a treatment plan. This method of planning is empowering for both the practitioner and patient alike and allows a freedom of choice that is rarely seen in conventional medicine.
Most health issues can be successfully treated as long as the right causes are identified. For many people, there is a complete restoration of their health and vitality. For others, they see significant improvement in their symptoms. And for a small group of patients, the goal is to ensure that their symptoms or disease do not get any worse.
The treatment plan you help design will include making some changes in your lifestyle so that you are adhering to the Foundation Principles mentioned above.
- What you eat
- Your level of physical activity
- How you deal with stress
- Your mental and emotional happiness
- Your exposure to potentially toxic substances
- Your spiritual happiness
In addition to lifestyle changes, Functional Medicine treatments may include botanical medicines, nutritional supplements, therapeutic diets, detoxification programs, and/or medical drugs.
What level are you really performing at?
Take our sports questionnaire to find out.
WHY BODY GENIUS?
The Body Genius Institute was formed with the intention of changing the way people view health and wellness. We are a passionate group of individuals whose collective goal is to educate, empower, and inspire people to get the most out of their mind, body, and soul.
We use Functional Medicine alongside Wellness Coaching, physiotherapy, chiropractic treatment, acupuncture & massage, and Movement Coaching to provide a total health experience for clients. Our team is experienced, friendly, and enthusiastic about helping people achieve wellness in their lives.
Organise an appointment with one of our Functional Medicine Practitioners
LOCATION
The Body Genius Institute is conveniently located in Perth, WA. We are just a few minutes’ drive from the CBD and are easily accessible via public transportation.
