Download our Holiday Weight Loss Survival Guide now! CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Facebook-f Instagram Youtube Linkedin Tiktok
Curis Full Trans
Book An Appointment

Functional Nutrition

Functional Nutrition takes a Personal Holistic Approach to Nutrition

Book An Appointment

What Is Functional Nutrition?

Functional Nutrition seeks to identify and address the root causes of disease and views the body as one integrated system, not as a collection of independent organs divided up by medical specialties. It treats the person as a whole system, not just by symptoms.

Book An Appointment
Nutrition Dr
Nutrition Dr
leaves6
Nutritional
Nutrition Appointment
Nutrition Appointment
Mint Leave 5
Healthy Food

Functional Nutrition Approach

Functional Nutrition addresses the underlying causes of disease, using a systems-oriented approach and engaging both patient and practitioner in a therapeutic partnership. It is an evolution in the practice of nutrition that better addresses the healthcare needs of the 21st century.

 

By shifting the traditional disease-centered focus of nutrition to a more patient-centered approach, Functional Nutrition addresses the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms.

 

Appointments with a Functional Nutrition Practitioner are much more in-depth than a typical allopathic appointment. They include a detailed intake and patient history, and an in-depth review of that information. Functional Nutrition practitioners will order a series of specialty labs to get a comprehensive overview of how your body is performing.

 

Functional Nutrition Practitioners focus on optimal lab values, which are more narrow than the standard lab values used in traditional allopathic nutrition. Anything outside of those optimal values can show patterns and markers that spot trends toward disease. By catching these markers early, Functional Nutrition Practitioners have a chance at reversing or stopping disease progression altogether.

 

In addition to looking at optimal values in labs, Functional Nutrition Practitioners look at other factors like diet, genetics, hormonal changes, environmental factors, and other lifestyle components as potential causes and treatments for patients’ diseases. In this way, Functional Nutrition supports the unique expression of health for each individual.

 

With this unique holistic approach, we believe Functional Nutrition is the future of nutrition.
Book An Appointment

What Conditions Does A Functional Nutrition Practitioner Help?

Most patients who go to a Functional Nutrition Practitioner have a chronic condition. They have tried many traditional treatments yet are still experiencing symptoms and suffering from the condition. They find that the illness affects nearly every aspect of their life. Some patients come to a Functional Nutrition Practitioner for a “mystery illness,” for which allopathic nutrition has no diagnosis. Others who seek out Functional Nutrition want a more holistic and natural approach to their healthcare.

Functional Nutrition Practitioners are like personal medical investigators and are equipped to solve complex and multifaceted health issues. Examples include endocrine disorders, hormonal imbalances, mental health conditions, and chronic pain conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia. They also help autoimmune and inflammatory diseases like multiple sclerosis, Lyme’s disease, celiac, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Patients typically work with their Functional Nutrition Practitioners over several months to address their root cause diagnosis. They implement changes in nutritional and lifestyle factors, alongside specific supplement protocols, to help the body heal.
Book An Appointment
AdobeStock () ()
AdobeStock () ()
leaves6
Nutritional

FAQ

Yes. The large majority of our patients are seen remotely via telemedicine. Telemedicine appointments can be utilized for both initial appointments and follow-up appointments.
The initial appointment is typically around 1 hour. Follow-up appointments typically range from 15-30 minutes, depending on what needs to be covered each visit.

Prior to your initial appointment, you will be asked to fill out an in-depth patient history. This is critical, as it helps the Functional Nutrition Practitioner get a complete picture of your health history. At your initial appointment, you and your practitioner will cover this health history and they will ask you additional questions regarding your health. After that appointment, your practitioner will determine what labs and diagnostic tests to order, to best determine what is contributing to your condition. Once the results are received, you and your practitioner will meet again to review your labs and diagnostics. They will also determine and communicate a course of care to help you with your condition and symptoms. If there are no further questions for the practitioner regarding care, then the finances of the care that they outlined will be covered. We never want to “surprise” a patient with a bill, so we cover the financials upfront. We will also discuss the different payment options available.

Most conditions are seen, and addressed, over a 3-12 month program. The length of the program is determined by the type of condition, the complexity, and how long the patient has had the condition(s). There are some conditions that require periodic follow-ups beyond the 12-month time frame.

Appointment frequency is determined by the Functional Nutrition Practitioner. Obviously, each presenting condition will be taken into consideration. Typically patients will be seen more often initially (every 10-20 days) during the first 1-2 months. As patients begin to improve, visits are moved to monthly, and with more improvement, patients are seen every 1.5-3 months until the condition resolves.

To be eligible for certification as a Functional Nutrition Practitioner you must have a graduate degree in a health-related field with one of the following credentials: Medical Doctor (MD), Doctor of Osteopathy (DO), Doctor of Chiropractic (DC), Naturopathic Doctor (ND), Dentist, Nurse Practitioner (NP), Acupuncturist (LAc), Pharmacist, mental health professional, or an equivalent degree from countries outside of the US.
Physician Assistant (PA), Registered Nurse (RN), Registered Dietitian (RD), Occupational Therapist (OT), and Physical Therapist (PT) must hold at least a bachelor’s level degree in their field as long as their education was completed prior to the entry-level education change.

Insurance does not currently cover Functional Nutrition. However, many patients have found that finally solving their health issues are well worth the out-of-pocket investment. We have many patients who use their Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for Functional Nutrition. We also accept debit and credit card payments for in-office and telemedicine visits. For in-office visits, we can also accept cash and check payments. Finally, we have payment options for varying budgets. We also offer 0% patient financing options (must be approved).
For certain patients, working with a Functional Nutrition Practitioner can literally be life-changing. Patients with chronic and complex conditions can often get to the root cause of their issues and ultimately get their quality of life back.
That is typical for most of our patients. Patients usually come to us once other traditional (and alternative) treatments have failed to provide them the results that they are seeking. Your condition would not be unique to what we experience regularly with patients.

No practitioner, physician, or doctor can guarantee a successful medical outcome. What we can state is that we have helped a large percentage of patients who work with our practitioners. Many patients, prior to working with us, did not know if they were ever going to overcome their condition. The reason for the patient’s success is due to our unique approach, and the dedication of the patient to follow our advice and plan of care.

Traditional medicine absolutely excels in acute and emergency situations/conditions. Traditional medicine primarily uses the “tools” of medications, injections, and surgery to accomplish their outcomes. The shortcomings of traditional care occur with many sub-acute and chronic conditions. We believe that there is a better set of “tools” to use for these types of conditions. Therefore, we utilize this better set of “tools”, and, in turn, have a high percentage of successful outcomes for the patients with which we work. To reiterate, this is a partnership between the practitioner and the patient. Those that follow and implement the care program outlined have the best outcomes statistically.

If you are ready to schedule an appointment, simply click on the “Book An Appointment” button. This will allow you to enter your contact info and schedule your initial appointment.
Book An Appointment

© 2024 Curis Functional Health. All Rights Reserved

Terms • HIPAA Privacy Policy • No Surprises Act • Non-Discrimination Notice