Do you ever wish you had more time at your annual visit with your pediatrician to discuss more attributes of your child health and wellness? In the insurance-based model practitioners often have only 10-15 minutes to discuss the entirety of a child’s health, and all too often those visits are spent filing out forms and discussing vaccines. Epocrates, the father of modern medicine said, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. In our experience from years working in this primary care model, we know the system lacks the capability to follow the wisdom of our founding father, and we offer something different. While we do not want to take away from a child’s medical home and relationship with their current pediatrician, if parents are looking for a more in-depth model for wellness prevention that applies the principles of functional medicine, then they have found the right place.

We believe that health is not merely the absence of disease. All too often we wait until we are sick to seek medical care, although if we were proactive about our health, that day may never come. Our health status is dependent on a multitude of factors, with each body systems working together to express what we call “health” or “disease”. Often these systems can be sub-optimal long before you actually see the expression of a disease, for the risk is cumulative. In our functional medicine wellness approach we can evaluate:

• Genetics/Methylation – Understanding your child’s genetic legacy is critically important to maintaining their health throughout their lifetime. By knowing your genetic weakness, we can utilize tools to optimize those genes, which can truly lead to extraordinary health outcomes.
• Nutrition – Teaching your child foundational principles of nutrition will be the biggest factor in supporting optimal health throughout their lifetimes. Our national health agencies have previously “taught” us how to eat by counting calories and restricting fats, in addition to disregarding warnings about toxic foods such as those genetically modified that are laden with harmful chemicals. This has led to a sicker nation with increased diabetes, obesity, and chronic illnesses. We can debunk old myths and unhealthy habits, and guide your family on a path to healthy eating that will help mitigate disease, control weight, and gain vital health throughout your child’s life.
• Biomedical analysis – Our functional medicine wellness visits will focus on the key areas of understating how all of your child’s body systems are working together for a complete patient picture. This can include the balance of hormonal, immune, gastrointestinal, oxidative stress and energy production, and other body systems, which reduces the risk of chronic illness.
• Movement, Rhythm, and Environment – Health is not solely maintained within the body, but outside influences can have powerful effects. Your child’s sleep, stress, lifestyle, and environment are all crucial components to evaluate to optimize wellness.