As a society, Americans are suffering from complex chronic diseases at an increasing rate. These chronic illnesses include diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, dementia,hormone imbalances, cancer, mental illness and a variety of autoimmune disorders. Conventional medicine practices focus on acute care which revolves around the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses or trauma which is of an urgent nature. Acute care calls for a specific treatment by either a drug or surgery that aims to treat the immediate problem or symptom. This acute-care approach to medicine lacks the methodology or tools to treat complex, chronic diseases.

According to one study, “More than two thirds of all deaths are caused by one or more of these five chronic diseases: heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes.” The study goes on to share some shocking statistics including the fact that chronic diseases are responsible for seven out of 10 deaths in the U.S., killing more than 1.7 million Americans each year. More than 75% of the $2 trillion spent on public and private healthcare in 2005 went toward chronic diseases. ¹

“51.8% of US adults had at least 1 chronic condition, and 27.2% had multiple chronic conditions.” ²

In most cases,the acute care model does not account for each individual’s unique genetic makeup based upon environmental exposures to toxins, emotional experiences, and lifestyle choices, all of which have a direct influence on the rise in today’s chronic diseases. To add insult to injury, it takes many years for cutting-edge research to change the way in which the acute care model treats patients. In many cases this lag in emerging research being integrated into medical practices can be decades! Most physicians are not adequately trained in disease prevention and restorative practices which focus on nutrition, lifestyle choices, emotional and spiritual health, and exercise nor are they trained to assess the root cause of chronic diseases.

“About 80% of chronic diseases are driven by lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise”³

We believe the only way to reverse the epidemic of chronic diseases is through education, with a focus on prevention. The acute medicine model gives the physician the power over an individual’s health and we believe it is time to return that power (and responsibility) back to the individual through education. Functional medicine studies the mind, body, and spirit with the understanding that supporting all three of these areas creates positive physiological change on a cellular level to initiate the healing process. Functional Wellness Consulting accounts for each individual’s unique background and environment, and educates him/her on lifestyle modifications that promote wellness using methods that are scientifically proven. We provide the tools necessary for you to forge a new path towards a better, and more healthy tomorrow.

*Nothing stated above is meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any illness or condition. Consult your healthcare practitioner for further information.

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^{1 Raghupathi W, Raghupathi V. An Empirical Study of Chronic Diseases in the United States: A Visual Analytics Approach. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Mar 1;15(3):431. doi:10.3390/ijerph15030431. PMID: 29494555; PMCID: PMC5876976.}

^{2 Boersma P, Black LI, Ward BW. Prevalence of Multiple Chronic Conditions Among US Adults, 2018. Prev Chronic Dis 2020;17:200130. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd17.200130external icon.}

^{3 https://health.clevelandclinic.org/5-healthy-habits-that-prevent-chronic-disease/}

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