Functional Plant Medicine
Functional Medicine is an approach to healthcare that combines evidence-based medicine with holistic and traditional medicine. It is not so much a specific technique as it is a set of philosophical constructs that distinguish it from conventional Western medicine. It is characterized by the following:
Emphasis on the body as a whole, rather than dividing into specialized parts
Seeks to address the root cause of the condition, rather than masking symptoms
Prioritizes non-surgical, non-pharmaceutical therapeutic approaches, saving these more invasive techniques as a last resort
Informed by evolutionary theory and the mechanisms the body has used to adapt to nature (and vice versa) over millennia
Utilizes functional testing and interprets lab results with the question, “Is this person healthy?”, rather than “Is this person sick?”
Involves the patient in their own healing process and seeks to inspire self-sufficiency, rather than creating dependency on the doctor or treatment modality
Understands that nature provides powerful healing tools that are not “lesser” or “gentler” forms of medicine, but are often equally or more potent and effective than their conventional medicine coutnerparts
Acknowledges that health is a lifelong and dynamic process, and is less interested in concepts like “diagnosis” and “cure”
Read more about Functional Medicine here.
The Plant Difference
The difference between conventional Functional Medicine and Functional Plant Medicine is that the latter uses predominantly whole food and plant-based remedies, minimizing the use of synthetic supplements. This approach maximizes treatment benefit and environmental consciousness, while minimizing side effects.
Plants have evolved over billions of years on this planet, and have developed highly sophisticated systems for survival. These systems have allowed them to adapt to our changing environment with truly astonishing precision. When we consume these plants, either as food, or in supplemental form as liquid extracts, tablets, dried powders or teas, we consume the plant chemicals that drive their adaptation and survival processes, which creates a healing response in the body.
At HeartsongHEALTH, our mission is two-fold: to help our patients get free from pain and illness, but also to empower them with a remembered sense of connection with nature. The absolute best method to achieve both of those aims is through plant medicine.