The Functional Medicine model is a personalized, patient-centered (not disease-centered), evidence-based approach intended to identify the root causes of "disease" in partnership with the patient to create optimal health. It requires a detailed study and analysis of each patient that involves understanding their unique genetics, biochemistry and lifestyle factors in order to formulate a personalized treatment plan aimed at restoring health and function.

By addressing the root cause of the disease, rather than just medicating the symptoms, the physician focuses on identifying the complexity of the disease and working on all contributing factors.

Please visit www.ifm.org for more information.

The simple answer is: If you have never been to one, you should give yourself the opportunity soon. Our purpose is not only to improve health when you have a complex disease, but also to prevent disease and optimize the body's function in general.

Our expertise are complex chronic conditions, not only "treating" them, but also reversing and preventing them in a personalized way. Our bread and butter is the person who has been to numerous medical specialists with no favorable or desired results, who has been with a condition for years and each visit to the doctor only increases the dosage, changes the medication or adds more medication.

However, you can visit a functional medicine practitioner if:

-You seek to optimize your quality of life and promote healthy longevity.

-You think or feel that something about your health could improve.

-You feel fatigued or your energy is not what it used to be.

-You would like a thorough assessment of your current health.

-You have a strong family history of disease and want to learn how to prevent it.

-It is in your plans to enjoy your body and life without discomfort.

-You want to learn how to make better daily choices that benefit not only your health, but also the health of your family, community and environment.

For any medical emergency, it is necessary to go to your specialist or general practitioner, and in case of emergencies to hospital care. Once the emergency is resolved, we can help to optimize recovery, function and teach you how to prevent it from happening again.

Some examples of when NOT TO go with your functional medicine provider are: heart attacks, trauma, fractures, severe dehydration, anaphylactic shock, hemorrhages, etc. In each of these cases it is advisable to go to Emergency Service in hospital or with your specialist on that area.

A functional physician requires a medical license and completion of a certification programme in functional medicine, such as the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM). In my case, I am a General Practitioner graduated from the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC).

The IFM's functional medicine certification programme includes 6 Advanced Practice Modules (APM) and a clinical practice program:

- Cardiometabolic Advanced Program Module

- Immune Advanced Program Module

- Hormones Advanced Program Module

- Bioenergetics Advanced Program Module

- Gastrointestinal Advanced Program Module

- Environmental Health (Formerly Detox) Advanced Program Module

- Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice

We take all precautions suggested by the World Health Organization and our updated state recommendations . You may be required to wear face masks in our facilities and perform the respective hygiene protocols.

We do not see patients with Acute COVID; Yes, we do see patients with Long COVID.

If you have had contact with someone sick with COVID, have a fever, cough, loss of taste or smell, or any other symptoms associated with COVID, DO NOT ATTEND YOUR DOCTOR'S OFFICE. PLEASE CALL TO RESCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT AND GO TO YOUR GENERAL PHYSICIAN OR PRIMARY HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.

In short, no, it is not. It is evidence-based medicine.

If you consider the science of epigenetics, nutrigenomics, biochemistry, psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology, pharmacology, nutraceuticals, phytomedicine, holistic integrative vision and critical thinking PLUS the knowledge of allopathic (conventional) medicine... all alternative medicine... then yes, it is an excellent alternative to medicine!

Functional medicine is not "alternative medicine," it is an expanded view of medical practice as we know it, and expands and prescription and treatments beyond just the use of pharmaceutical drugs.

There are numerous sources, academies and institutions that teach and certify functional medicine, but due to its high impact and high demand, numerous fraudulent institutions and readings have emerged.

The best place to learn about it with legitimate, authoritative, evidence-based information is the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) www.ifm.org.

Other institutions include Kalish Institute, Kresser Institute, Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, Instituto de Especialización en Medicina Funcional (in Mexico).

If you are a physician, nutritionist, dentist, nurse or other health promoter and are interested in learning more about how you can practice functional medicine in your area, feel free to call or write to me.