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Clinical
Nutrition & Functional Medicine |
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| These
workshops feature expert speakers from the Institute of Functional
Medicine, lead by Dr. Dan Lukaczer (USA), Assistant Director
of Medical Education at the Institute for Functional Medicine
as well as individuals with extensive experience and knowledge
in integrating conventional allopathic medicine with nutritional
protocols. Speakers in this segment include Prof Avni Sali
(AUS), former Head of the University of Melbourne, Department
of Surgery, Dr. Stephen Holt (USA) a Gastroenterologist and
co-author of a number of books on Metabolic Syndrome and Dr
Steven Joyal (USA) an Internal Medicine Specialist and VP,
Scientific Affairs and Medical Development, Life Extension
Foundation. |
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| Functional
medicine is a science-based field of health care
that is grounded in the following principles: |
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Biochemical
individuality describes the importance of individual variations
in metabolic function that derive from genetic and environmental
differences among individuals. |
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Patient-centered
medicine emphasizes "patient care" rather than "disease
care," following Sir William Osler’s admonition
that "It is more important to know what patient has the
disease than to know what disease the patient has." |
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Dynamic
balance of internal and external factors. |
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Web-like
interconnections of physiological factors – an abundance
of research now supports the view that the human body functions
as an orchestrated network of interconnected systems, rather
than individual systems functioning autonomously and without
effect on each other. For example, we now know that immunological
dysfunctions can promote cardiovascular disease, that dietary
imbalances can cause hormonal disturbances, and that environmental
exposures can precipitate neurologic syndromes such as Parkinson’s
disease. |
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Health
as a positive vitality – not merely the absence of disease. |
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Promotion
of organ reserve as the means to enhance health span. |
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| Functional
medicine emphasizes a definable and teachable process of integrating
multiple knowledge bases within a pragmatic intellectual matrix
that focuses on functionality at many levels, rather than
a single treatment for a single diagnosis. Functional medicine
uses the patient’s story as a key tool for integrating
diagnosis, signs and symptoms, and evidence of clinical imbalances
into a comprehensive approach to improve both the patient’s
environmental inputs and his or her physiological function.
It is a clinician’s discipline, and it directly addresses
the need to transform the practice of primary care. |
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