Functional Medicine
What is Functional Medicine?
The term “functional medicine” refers to an individualized, wholistic approach to health and well-being. It implies the involvement of every aspect of a person’s life and lifestyle to achieve an optimal state of “function”, with the goal of
empowering that individual to make beneficial everyday health decisions. This aligns with Dr. Mary’s philosophy that she is as much a “teacher” as a “doctor”—which is the original meaning of the word!
Dr. Mary has spent more than 30 years working with Functional Medicine. Many of her studies have been with the Kharrazian Institute, the world’s largest online functional medicine platform. While employing the collaborative genius of many conventional and functional doctors, the school also spans the breadth of Dr. Datis Kharrazian’s many years of clinical practice, innovative research, ground-breaking books, and peer-reviewed publications. The Kharrazian Institute has met rigorous standards and criteria for providing quality medical education and is an approved Continuing Professional Development (CPD) provider for medical physicians and healthcare professionals in 50 countries around the world.
Dr. Mary’s approach is to meet the client where she can help them embrace change in a meaningful manner. Small incremental changes are often the most effective. She seeks to engage the individual client in decision-making around personal choices and outcomes. Through her many years of working with people of varied backgrounds she has been become an artful listener and effective communicator.
The functional medicine community understands the importance of a solid metabolic basis for any improvement in health, wellness, and mental/emotional grounding, including stress mitigation. Dr. Mary knows how to identify and assist with what she calls “Do Not Pass Go” issues: subtle forms of blood sugar control problems, mild anemias that often go undetected, sub-optimal thyroid or liver issues, to name a few. She also helps clients identify food and lifestyle choices that can greatly enhance quality of life through the information of how to reasonably make better choices. She takes the time to identify what is realistic for that person to accomplish, and seeks their ongoing feedback to not only serve that client, but to learn how to better serve others as well. She understands that improved metabolic function is the foundation for success in any treatment plan, be it conventionally-based, with medications, or alternatively oriented. A resilient metabolism makes everything function better!
Dr. Mary is also involved with continuing her studies on a regular basis. She likes to call herself a “professional student”, having continuously attended dozens, likely hundreds, of in-person and online classes and seminars through the years. She continues to be engaged in the world of functional medicine, so important in this quickly-developing field. There is always new information!
Feel free to give Dr Mary a call to discuss your unique situation. She offers a complimentary 20-minute consultation to determine whether she can help meet your needs and goals.