What is Functional Medicine?
It aims to uncover why your body is not functioning properly. No two people have the same genetic makeup, history or life experiences. We are all unique and different. As a result, we need a health plan that addresses these differences. That’s where functional medicine comes in for it’s truly Personalized Health.
Description of Functional Medicine
A Functional Medicine expert is like a medical detective gathering all the clues of your past, such as where you grew up, family situation, traumatic events, health history; and your present, such as your environment and potential toxins in your community, social life, stress level, relationships, your diet (not just what you eat but its quality), your workout regimen, your sleep habits; and your present symptoms, among others factors.
Armed with this information as well as the results of a physical exam, blood chemistry testing and sometimes advanced lab tests, Dr. Serle and other Functional Medicine practitioners try to uncover where and why your body is not functioning right (hence the name “functional medicine”). With Functional Medicine the focus is on the underlying factors that are causing the symptoms and affecting your health.
After finding out the cause or causes, then Dr. Serle will determine your specific treatment plan, which may include an integrative approach like nutrition, botanical medicines, supplements, detoxification programs, stress-management techniques and exercise, among others. And, if you’re taken prescription medications, yes, Dr. Serle will work with you and your present health provider to incorporate functional medicine.
In Functional Medicine, there’s no one-size-fits-all treatment so even if you and a friend have the same symptoms or condition you won’t get the same treatment plan.
In contrast, most traditional doctors take note of your symptoms and figure out what diagnosis they can bundle those symptoms into and this dictates your treatment. Therefore, if you and friend have the same symptoms, you often get the same diagnosis and then the same treatment. This works for traumas or health issues like an appendicitis or broken leg, where certain things like surgery can remedy that immediate problem or symptom. Unfortunately, this approach doesn’t work when you’re trying to treat and prevent complex, chronic diseases (diseases that are more prevalent today than ever before). Functional Medicine expands the physician’s tool kit.
Though it includes elements of traditional medicine, Functional Medicine expands the physician’s tool kit. For example, imagine that your symptoms are constipation some days, diarrhea on others and frequent stomach aches. A traditional doctor would likely give you a colonoscopy or endoscopy to make sure there’s nothing seriously wrong, like cancer. When that’s ruled out, you’re diagnosed with irritable bowel, a condition they can’t do much about. But come to a functional medicine expert with the same symptoms and, though we’d agree that your bowel isn’t functioning properly, our goal would be to figure out why. Is it food sensitivities? Is it problems with digestion? Or is there a lack of good bacteria in your gut? Dr. Serle will do an array of tests that help find these answers and determine your treatment from there. Functional Medicine is personalized medicine.
The goal of Functional Medicine is not only to improve your health if you have a chronic illness, but also to prevent future health issues. It’s a patient-centered approach, where we address the whole person not just your isolated set of symptoms. The result? A program that’s personalized for you, one that will remedy or reduce the severity of your symptoms, help prevent chronic disease and get your body and mind as healthy as possible. For more information on Functional Medicine,
Frequently Ask Questions
The BIGGE approach focuses on the interconnected systems of your Brain, Immune, Gut, Genetic, and Endocrine health. Instead of just treating symptoms, Dr. Serle looks for the root imbalance across these five systems—because real healing starts when we understand the “why” behind your condition..
Functional medicine can support a wide range of chronic issues including fatigue, anxiety, ADHD, digestive problems, autoimmunity, and hormone imbalances. By assessing your BIGGE systems, we can develop a personalized plan to rebalance your health and restore function.
The initial consultation costs $297, and the follow-up consultation costs $100. We do not take insurance.
When ordering blood work (if necessary), Dr. Serle utilizes lab companies (QuestDiagnostics and LabCorp) that accept all major health insurance plans, except for Medicare and Medicaid. For patients with Medicare or Medicaid insurance, the cash price for blood work will be between $250 and $450, depending on the health issues. This applies to patients who have no health insurance as well.
The brain map is also called quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG). Its analysis involves recording digital EEG signals, which are processed, transformed and analyzed using complex mathematical algorithms. The QEEG/Brain map is an extensive exam used at Harvard, UCLA, Utah, South Carolina, and Tennessee. It will provide a picture of the patient’s brain wave patterns and help Dr. Serle determine the areas of concern in the brain.
No, the Brain Map is Non-Invasive. There’s no current going into the brain. The brain map records electric impulses (brainwaves) just like an EKG records electrical impulses from the heart.
Dr. Serle does not treat children less than 16 years old.
Schedule a Consult
with Dr. Serle Today!
He’s helped thousands of people get to the root cause of their condition, eliminating symptoms, and reclaiming their vitality. It will take hard work and commitment but it will be well worth it to you and your family.