Clinical Nutrition and Dietary Therapy
Our philosophy here at the Center is to create a personal approach to patient care. With the advance in understanding how specific nutrients support human physiology, the patient has much more power in their hands to achieve higher levels of health in record time than ever before.
Through the assessment of blood tests, hormone panels, urinary, saliva and other diagnostic tests, we are able to develop a very specific plan of action. Utilizing diagnostic tests, not only allow for focused protocols, but also allows us to track improvements that cannot be assessed in any other way. In the case of weight gain, there are many possible combinations of causes from underactive thyroid, dysglycemia, liver filtration issues as well as allergic responses to specific foods which lead to an inflammatory response. The patterns can go on and on.
What makes the Center unique in its strategy for weight issues is our comprehensive approach that goes beyond treating weight. In other words, to only treat the weight you may get results of weight loss- short term. To address the patterns of why one has gained weight, we are addressing the source of the problem. We assess the same blood test that your medical doctor orders with one critical difference. In addition to ruling out any major red flags, we look at the “functional ranges” in your blood work. This means that we are peering into your blood chemistry panels through a functional and integrative lens, not as pieces but as a whole. Functional blood chemistry analysis is fundamentally about identifying patterns to ascertain probable causes for your health issues.
The transformed mindset of a patient sets the stage for functional integrative medicine by seeking an objective analysis, such as lab tests with additional support like herbs, nutrients, and lifestyle changes. The most important goal of clinical nutrition with the use of blood chemistry analysis is for our team of healthcare providers to empower the patient in identifying patterns. This will allow us to distinguish the probabilities of a disease when confronted with more than one potential cause for an abnormal laboratory marker. A comprehensive & functional blood chemistry analysis provides the patient and the healthcare provider with the peace of mind that the physiology has been thoroughly screened. Laboratory test results are referred to as a “pathological range”, because if the test results are out of range, it usually indicates potential for pathology or disease.
The main difference between the functional and pathological range is the degrees deviation within normal ranges. When lab results fall within the patterns of a functional imbalance, strategies such as lifestyle, diet, nutrition, and other noninvasive therapies may be recommended. Many traditional healthcare providers do not embrace the concept of a functional range. They believe that care should only be provided when disease is present. This view is generally formed from conventional medical training which ignores the philosophies of preventative medicine and nutrition.
‘Traditional’ medical training teaches physicians to evaluate blood chemistry in comparison to ranges that determine pathology. If pathology is not present, the patient is considered ‘healthy’ (the walking wounded!). Those who embrace that prevention and health are ‘more than being disease free’ will embrace the importance of the functional range. Those that view health as only free of disease will only accept the validity of the pathological range. Research regarding functional ranges has been established by the well respected organization of the American Association of Clinical Chemists (AACC).
In addition to the specific nutritional supplements to support the functional breakdowns in an individual’s body, we find it of the upmost importance to educate the patient in the best dietary strategies. Our ultimate goal is to be the bridge for patients on their journey of optimal health. Addressing dietary strategies is critical in that this must be instilled in the patient’s mind as a new way of eating instead of a temporary ‘diet’. Understanding how food affects both physiology and psychology allows to the patient to get back in the front seat of their own health. Clinical nutrition integrated with dietary and herbal therapy combines the 3,000 years of wisdom of Chinese medicine with 21st century technology. End result: the best patient-centered, scientific- and evidence-based care. To get started today, call our team at (619) 287-4005.