“Chronic diseases are conditions that last one year or more and require ongoing medical attention or limit activities of daily living or both.”

The list of chronic diseases that I deal with include but are not limited to…

• Type 2 Diabetes & insulin resistance
• Metabolic syndrome & obesity
• Cardiovascular disease & atherosclerosis
• Inflammatory disorders
• Gastrointestinal issues
• Autoimmunity
• PCOS & hormone imbalances (cortisol; thyroid)
• Hypertension (elevated blood pressure)
• High cholesterol & blood lipids
• Fatigue
• Depression & mood
• Poor & inconsistent sleep
• Stress & anxiety
• Mitochondrial dysfunction
• Sarcopenia & muscle wasting
• Premature ageing
• Sexual dysfunction & libido
• Cognitive impairment

Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death in modern societies today and the leading driver of inflated healthcare costs. The underlying causes of disease development can range from poor diet and sedentary lifestyles to social circumstances and life stressors (e.g. isolation, image, finances, long hours, anxiety, peer pressure, sleep loss etc.). Therefore, the vast majority of chronic illnesses develop due to poor lifestyle habits. Fortunately, with professional assistance, the progression of chronic illnesses can be halted, managed and reversed.

It is now understood that chronic diseases are almost always heritable. Fortunately, that does not have to mean you will develop them. Chronic diseases are also preventable via the same kinds of dietary and lifestyle interventions. These interventions are designed to remove the elements that are bringing you harm as well as add functional dietary changes that will help you heal.

If you have been diagnosed with a chronic illness or suspect that you are developing an illness, or you are simply not operating at your best, then functional medicine can identify the root-causes contributing to disease development and help to resolve them.

Functional medicine is a patient-centered approach designed to address the ever expanding issue of chronic diseases by using the latest in science-based evidence, and more. It opens a window into your biology to look past the symptoms of disease and instead explore the underlying biochemical processes that lead to dysfunctions within the body. By identifying and resolving these issues the disease will stop being expressed and you can move to optimising your wellbeing.

Remember, a lifestyle related disease (i.e. type 2 diabetes) can be the result of multiple factors (genetics, diet, exercise, stress, hormones, age etc.) or they can be the result of one factor (i.e. a high calorie diet) which contributes to multiple chronic diseases (type 2 diabetes, hypertension, PCOS, cancer, atherosclerosis, autoimmune disease etc.). Ultimately, everything is connected and functional medicine makes use of this fact. This is one of the greatest challenges in understanding what is making you ill at the individual level and conventional healthcare practitioners simply do not have the time nor training to attend to individualised health interventions.

An additional benefit, and a personal motivating factor, is the reduced need and often complete cessation of taking chronic prescription medications. One or more medications are often the only solution given by doctors to patients with chronic diseases. However, medications only address the symptoms and do not reverse the biological disorders, nor do they address the underlying issues that lead to dysfunctions. Additionally, long-term use often leads to the dual problem of decreased effectiveness and numerous side-effects – which often require additional prescriptions and/or lead to death. By following a personalised functional medicine-based intervention, your prescribing doctor and I will work with you to safely remove your dependency on chronic medications.

In Summary…

• I use the functional medicine methodology to reverse chronic illnesses and optimise health using nutritional and lifestyle interventions
• Nutritional interventions are all Personalised, Preventative and Curative.
• Lifestyle interventions are designed to increase overall Wellbeing, Vitality and Longevity.
• Patient-centred and not disease-centred care. Sessions will comprise of in-depth explorations of how illness has occurred in you, the individual, and rejects the idea of one size fits all and to treat symptoms alone.
• Expert interpretation of laboratory analysis (i.e. blood, urine, saliva etc.). I do not rely on the standard medical charts to find prescription protocols, instead, I take all biological processes into account to generate a more complete picture of your biochemistry.
• I trained to assist you in expressing that best version of yourself, which includes physical, emotional, mental and social wellbeing.