How to find an integrative or functional medicine doctorįirst, an important note: many of these doctors and practitioners are unfortunately not covered by insurance. I like to leave prescription medication as a last resort, one I rely on once I’ve exhausted all of my other natural resources, tried everything else and still find that I need that extra help. It’s not that I’m against medicine–in many cases, it can be the only option, a life-saving miracle, and a necessary and helpful solution.īut I do believe that Americans are overprescribed, given a slip for a pill before trying anything else, including simple lifestyle and mindset changes. Let's start off by talking about how to find a functional medicine doctor near you.īut first, a disclaimer: I talk A LOT (a lot, a lot, a lot) about holistic health and natural remedies and why my first line of defense is never prescription medication. Well today, dear reader, we're breaking this down for you step by step! We'll share exactly what these types of alternative medicines are, how you can find a practitioner and what you should get tested for optimal health. One of the most common questions I get asked by readers is: How can I find a doctor or practitioner who will actually listen to me and use natural methods to help me heal?
These days, alternative approaches to conventional medicine like functional, integrative, holistic and naturopathic medicines are becoming more and more popular as mainstream medicine is failing many patients, just like it did me (you can read more about my story at the bottom of this post). What is alternative medicine? Essentially, it's a catch-all phrase for hundreds of therapies that are typically excluded by conventional medicine, ranging from ancient modalities to new pioneering methods. UPDATE: This post was originally published in February 2019 and has been updated with the latest helpful information and resources.
Looking for a functional medicine doctor near you? If you're tired of mainstream medicine with all the prescriptions and band-aids for your symptoms, it's time to look into alternative medicine and more natural solutions! In this post we teach you how to go about finding someone who is right for you, plus we break down the difference between integrative, holistic, naturopathic and functional medicine modalities, what qualities and certifications to look for in a doctor or practitioner, and what tests to run.