When it comes to overall health and well-being, times have changed. People are much more tuned into their health than ever before and are actively seeking answers and treatments that don’t just offer short-term improvements, but lasting results. Functional medicine, while still a relatively new term for many people here in the UK, has become popular as it seeks to find balance and overall health in the body. Because functional medicine addresses so many common health concerns, it makes sense that the appeal is growing.
Here we’ll take a look at some of the reasons you may want to visit a functional medicine practitioner here in Edinburgh and what to expect from the visit.
Understand What Functional Medicine Can Do for You
Visiting a functional medicine practitioner for the first time can be a bit of a learning experience, especially if you’re not familiar with what functional medicine Scotland means. A functional medicine professional is someone who has been trained to treat all kinds of common issues that people deal with.
Some of the health issues a functional medicine practitioner can assist with include:
- Chronic digestive issues
- IBS
- Candida
- SIBO
- Autoimmune diseases
- Hormonal dysfunction
They can look at the whole picture when it comes to well-being in health. Treatments tend to include lifestyle and nutrition changes so that the entire body benefits. It’s all about finding the root cause of a person’s health issues rather than just putting a bandage on the symptoms. Because of that, people can expect longer-lasting benefits that aim for equilibrium in the body.
Practitioner’s Take a Patient-Centric Focus
Another big benefit of visiting a functional medicine practitioner is the patient-centric focus they take. It’s not about dictating a set treatment plan; instead, they work with each patient to develop a customised plan. What works for one patient isn’t necessarily the best answer for the next. As a patient, you can feel confident that your medical history and concerns are being listened to and addressed specifically.
There Is a Strong Focus on Dietary Changes
Another thing you should expect when visiting a functional medicine practitioner is recommended diet changes. A person can suffer from an array of digestive health issues, with IBS being among the most common. An Edinburgh nutritionist, or a functional medicine practitioner, can provide customised solutions that look at gut health and strive to find balance.
It may be that your Edinburgh nutritionist identifies a gut dysfunction which is then affecting your ability to absorb and even digest nutrients. A quick fix isn’t the goal; it’s about identifying the core issues. It’s not enough to have good and bad days, as digestive health needs to improve permanently. To help identify the specific digestive issues, it may be necessary to do microbiome testing, a candida test and a SIBO breath test. These help to shed more light on your gut health.
The fact is that better health could be just around the corner, and visiting a functional medicine practitioner in Edinburgh could open the door to an array of effective solutions and treatments.
