America is sick. According to the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine, our life expectancy is shorter than other developed, high-income countries, and our rate of injury and illness is higher than these countries, also.

While we’re pretty good at delivering acute care, as a country, we fail miserably at promoting wellness. The average American only sees a doctor about four times a year — a drastic difference compared to our counterparts in other countries, including Japan, where the average number of visits is about 13.

But you can break out of the inefficient cycle of traditional medicine with a whole new approach — functional medicine.

At SourceMD: Integrated Wellness Solutions in Encinitas, California, Dr. David Larson and our team of medical experts approach health care differently. Through functional medicine, we help patients achieve true health and well-being by exploring every aspect of their lives that impacts their body and mind.

Functional medicine flips the standard model of American health care on its head and offers a more thorough, compassionate, logical, and integrative way of approaching health and wellness.

Here are three reasons we think you should consider this ground-breaking, health-focused care.

1. Functional medicine focuses on underlying causes, not just symptoms.

One of the main differences between functional medicine and the traditional model is the way in which doctors approach you and your illness.

For example, if you notice the symptoms of hypertension — fatigue, chest pain, nosebleeds, etc., and you go to a traditional doctor, they prescribe medication, tell you to exercise more and reduce your stress, and send you on your way.

While the medication may lower your blood pressure, it won’t solve the problem or problems that led to the spike in the first place — but functional medicine does.

Dr. Larson doesn’t just address your symptoms; he works with you to get the bottom of the problem.

The root cause of your hypertension could be a physical reaction to kidney dysfunction, thyroid problems, or a heart defect. It could be a side effect of certain medications, illegal drugs, or alcohol abuse. Hypertension may also be a consequence of obesity, sleep apnea, or poor diet.

Functional medicine explores all these factors and works to resolve them at their core.

2. Functional medicine is broad-based and integrative.

Functional medicine doesn’t discard the benefits of traditional medicine — it just takes it beyond its restrictive boundaries. Traditional medicine addresses urgent and emergency care well, and there is definitely a place and time for medications.

But functional medicine incorporates alternative therapies as well. Dr. Larson understands that many chronic conditions require a fresh perspective that doesn’t exist in the conventional medical field.

He taps into treatments such as psychotherapy, meditation, stress management, nutritional coaching, sleep studies, and targeted exercise. Dr. Larson is passionate about getting to the root cause of your health issues, which is why he offers specialized testing that exceeds the scope of most traditional physicians.

Instead of just managing your chronic illnesses, functional medicine seeks to eradicate them.

3. Functional medicine is built on personalized patient-doctor relationships.

Nothing is more personal than your body and your health, so why should your experience at the doctor’s office feel cold and impersonal? Traditional medicine teaches doctors to treat symptoms, not patients.

But Dr. Larson sees it differently. He believes there’s more to you than a heart rate and a number on a scale. He also believes that no one knows you better than you know yourself, so he approaches your health care as a partnership.

He takes plenty of time learning about your personal history and your family’s. He also asks questions about your job, your environment, your hobbies, and your relationships, because all these factors make you unique, and they also impact your health in ways that other doctors often overlook.

In fact, studies show that most doctors don’t involve their patients in health care decisions, and when patients do voice their concerns or questions, doctors interrupt after about 11 seconds.

In contrast, Dr. Larson values his relationship with you. He shows it by limiting his practice to no more than 150 patients so he can spend quality time with you and listen to your perspective.

If you’re sick and tired of the downsides of traditional medicine, we encourage you to talk with Dr. Larson and find out how different health care can be.

Our concierge model gives you access to our unique functional medicine approach, including all our advanced technology and state-of-the-art diagnostic tests, studies, and procedures; life coaching; and integrative treatments.

To schedule an initial consultation, call our friendly staff at 760-230-1317 today.

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