Functional Medicine - Dr. Lara Litov Functional Medicine Doctor

Functional Medicine

What is Functional Medicine?

Functional Medicine is a systems biology–based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease. I figure out why you are experiencing the symptoms or disease you have, and how the body is creating those. By doing that, I can help those systems work better.

It is focused on the ‘function’ of physiological systems of your body.

Each symptom or diagnosis may be one of many contributing to an individual’s illness and decrease in functioning of the body.

My goal is not just treating a disease, you may have, but optimizing functioning of the body. It is a science, biochemistry, physiology, epi-genetic based method of healthcare.

As we all know, health is not just the absence of disease.

Health is being able to function the best you can.

One example of how I may use functional medicine:

I work with people who have had sepsis, a deadly disease. It is conventional hospital medicine that saves their lives, BUT once they come out of the hospital, people are weak, malnourished, often have cognitive issues, mental health challenges, gastrointestinal, kidney and other organ issues from damage from sepsis.

I do a thorough evaluation of symptoms and medical history and medication history. The check for how the kidneys, liver, heart, muscles, and other systems of the body are working. I do a check on the medications a person is on. Sometimes people get on a medication in the middle of a sepsis crisis, or a medication gets removed, and when they are discharged and are healing that has not been updated. We need to look at that. Physical therapy. Nutrition support.

One of the dangers of sepsis is the elevated risk of getting sepsis again within the first 6 months of discharge of the hospital, so I work with people to pump up their immune system and also remind and educate about prevention of infection and early signs and symptoms to look out for an infection. I work with the person so that the body and each system of the body that was negatively effected is addressed and given the support it needs to heal and function the best it can.

Discuss your health needs, our services and determine whether this is a good fit for you on your health journey

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