Learn the Difference
Functional Medicine VS Conventional Medicine
In conventional medicine, there’s a doctor for every part of your body: cardiologists for the heart, gastroenterologists for the digestive system, neurologists for the brain and nervous system, podiatrists for your feet, and ophthalmologists for your eyes. Due to this siloing, conventional medicine focuses on individual body systems, but does not look at the whole person to understand the interrelated causes underlying disease and chronic illness. Rather, it generally evaluates symptoms in order to name a disease and find a corresponding drug.
In functional medicine, we see the body as an interconnected whole within a larger environment. We recognize that in order to treat one part of the body, all other parts must also be considered. This breaks apart artificial divisions of the body. Functional medicine looks at underlying phenomena that occur across specialties (inflammation, oxidative stress, toxicities, cellular energy problems, etc.) in order to understand the root cause of disease and find the right tools, at the right time, individualized for each person. Contact us today to see why WellCentric Health is your top choice for functional medicine and naturopathy in Reno, NV.
| Functional Medicine | Conventional Medicine |
|---|---|
| Health Oriented | Disease Oriented |
| Patient Centered | Doctor Centered |
| Biochemical Individuality | Everyone is Treated the Same Way |
| Holistic | Specialized |
| Cost Effective | Expensive |
| Looks at Underlying Causes of Disease | Diagnosis Based on Symptoms |
| Preventative Approach | Early Detection of Disease |
| High Touch/High Tech | High Tech |
Additional Functional Medicine Focus Areas
Alzheimer’s is a type of progressive dementia that leads to changes in behavior, memory, and cognition. The most noticeable symptoms of the disease are experiences of memory loss and confusion which often lead to struggles in one’s daily life. Caused by an irregular build-up of proteins in or around brain cells, Alzheimer’s significantly affects your cognitive health. The build-up of protein creates amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles that disrupt healthy brain function, resulting in the progressive and early onset of dementia.
To fully understand Alzheimer’s and its symptoms, functional medical practices such as WellCentric use the Bredesen Protocol to properly assess the disease. The Bredesen Protocol is a therapeutic program, specifically designed and personalized to the patients’ needs, that identifies and treats the root cause of Alzheimer’s and other forms of cognitive decline. This functional approach targets the cause of the disease rather than just masking its symptoms. We can help you learn more about your condition and provide you with the tools you need to preserve function and quality of life.
If you or someone you care for is at risk or is showing signs of cognitive decline, contact us today.
An autoimmune disease causes one’s immune system to wrongly attack healthy cells and tissues in the body. When you develop an illness or virus, your body works to fight off the infection. Those with an autoimmune disorder, however, mistake some healthy cells in the process, resulting in a weaker immune system. Many autoimmune disorders lead to serious health complications and put patients at risk of contracting more harmful illnesses. Significantly impacting the lives of over 23 million Americans, autoimmune diseases are also one of the leading causes of disability in the United States.
A functional medicine approach to autoimmune diseases focuses on healing the body rather than suppressing symptoms. Conditions such as Crohn’s, Multiple sclerosis, Hashimoto’s, Lupus, and Rheumatoid arthritis are just some of the many autoimmune diseases affecting lives across the world. Much can be done to bring better control over the damage and symptoms of these diseases, and reduce the elevated risk of developing a second or third autoimmune disease.
If you or someone you care for is at risk or is showing signs of an autoimmune disease, contact us today to work with an autoimmune disease doctor.
Cardiovascular disease is a class of health conditions involving the heart and blood vessels. It’s known as the leading cause of death in the United States affecting nearly half of all American adults. Some of these conditions include cardiac arrest, high blood pressure, stroke, congestive heart failure, arrhythmia, and coronary artery disease. Fortunately, simple lifestyle changes such as implementing a healthier diet and exercising regularly can significantly reduce the risk of cardiac diseases and prevent severe symptoms from occurring.
When it comes to heart health, a functional approach to treatment may be able to reverse some effects of the condition by targeting the root cause of the disease. Whether you have known heart disease or simply wish to avoid this number one killer in America, we can help you manage and reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and metabolic disease.
If you or someone you care for is at risk or is showing signs of cardiac disease, contact us today.
Optimal gut health relies heavily on a well-balanced diet and good nutrition. This helps create a balance of good and bad bacteria in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract which is necessary for the proper function of those organs. One of the most common causes of disturbances in healthy gut function is inflammation. Inflammation in the gut can lead to several complications including a weakened immune system, fatigue, and a host of GI-related issues.
We take a functional approach to aiding digestive issues by performing a comprehensive analysis of your condition to identify the root causes of your symptoms. This will help us determine the most appropriate strategies for resolving your GI issues to promote optimal gut health. Disturbances in the balance of this important organ system can lead to problems such as increased gut permeability (“leaky gut”), irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, dysbiosis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. Diseases of other organ systems such as the brain, skin, and joints may also be affected by an imbalanced GI system.
If you or someone you care for is at risk or is showing signs of a gut-related issue, contact us today.
The road to optimal health isn’t always easy to navigate. When it comes to diagnosing a health issue, identifying its cause, and developing a treatment plan, you need a team of trained professionals who will consider all parts of the body to find the best solution. We take all of your concerns and health needs into consideration when creating your plan of care. Our health coaching services support patients in creating specific action steps in four main domains: nutrition, stress reduction, sleep optimization, and physical activity.
Health coach Mishell Gallio is one of the few nationally certified health advisors in the country. As a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBCHWC), Mishell is experienced in developing health treatment plans for all patients. Health coaching engages the patient in their treatment and encourages changes in health behavior. You want success. We want you to be successful. Because we understand the value that health coaching adds to your likelihood of success and satisfaction, we build it into most of our programs. This also gives you the tools you need to continue living a healthy lifestyle.
If you or someone you care for could benefit from our certified health coaching services, contact us today.
Hormones are naturally produced chemicals that are made in the endocrine system and released into the bloodstream. Hormone imbalances can result in a slew of health complications ranging from fatigue to mood disorders. Too little or too much of a hormone can result in an imbalance. The more balanced your hormones are, the better your body will function. Maintaining hormonal balance helps keep you physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is often used to reverse hormonal imbalances. There are very good reasons for hormone replacement therapy and good reasons to insist on bioidentical hormones for your replacement therapy. BHRT uses molecularly identical hormones created to replace endogenous hormones that are creating the imbalance. This method of hormone therapy has a variety of added benefits such as healthier skin and increased mental clarity.
If you or someone you care for is at risk or is showing signs of a hormone imbalance, contact us today.
Testosterone is an important hormone in the male body as it is responsible for maintaining healthy bone density, fat distribution, muscle strength and mass, facial and body hair, red blood cell production, sex drive, and sperm production. The decline of testosterone production can lead to significant body changes including hair loss, fatigue, infertility, reduced muscle bulk and strength, and weight gain. Emotional changes are often present as well with many patients reporting feelings of increased depression and low self-esteem. Some have also experienced a lack of motivation, trouble concentrating, and memory loss.
Mood disorders significantly affect a person’s emotional state, often to the point that it starts to interfere with their daily life. It’s estimated that mood disorders affect over 20 million American adults with anxiety disorders being the most prominent. The most common form of treatment for mood disorders is prescribed medications such as Xanax and various long-term drugs. However, these medications are less effective in treating the root cause of the disorder and instead, simply mask symptoms.
We use a treatment method that has radically changed the face of mood disorder treatment and care. Severe depression, anxiety, PTSD, and more can be dramatically improved in as little as two to three weeks with this functional approach. If you have struggled for months or years with depression or other mood disorders you will not find a safer, faster, and more effective treatment modality.
If you or someone you care for is at risk or is showing signs of a mood disorder, contact us today.
Having a healthy diet throughout life will promote optimal development, living, and aging. Maintaining a healthy weight isn’t the only reason you should prioritize proper nutrition. Your diet can significantly impact how well your body functions and defends itself from illness. Food is medicine, and eating the right foods and giving your body the proper nutrients is key. From helping navigate our unhealthy food environment to correcting the course of disease, nutrition is a foundational element of good health.
National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBCHWC), Mishell Gallio is a certified health coach dedicated to helping patients develop healthy eating habits. Our nutrition counseling services help people sort through the confusion of how to properly fuel their bodies with food. We’ll help guide you to the proper diet for your unique body type while teaching simple tools to implement successful changes so you stay on track for long-term results. Working alongside a clinician, health coaches and nutritionists advise and motivate patients to change unhealthy lifestyle habits and manage chronic conditions by providing them with tools and support to navigate their health and wellness outside of our doors.
If you or someone you care for is in need of nutrition counseling services from a certified health coach, contact us today.
Pre-diabetes is a condition in which blood sugar levels are high, but not high enough to be considered diabetes. Affecting 1 in 3 Americans, pre-diabetes is extremely common in the United States, and when left untreated, can quickly turn into type 2 diabetes. Likewise, type 2 diabetes is quite common with millions of Americans being at risk. These are ravaging diseases that will significantly alter the course of your life if not managed very well. Treatment for diabetes conditions varies, but the most conventional methods are medication and insulin therapy. However, the functional medicine approach to diabetes includes a full range of solutions including diet and exercise.
Pre-diabetes and even type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes can be improved and even eradicated with aggressive treatment. You need a team and an approach to help reverse this scourge of our modern food environment and lifestyle like those at WellCentric.
If you or someone you care for is at risk or is showing signs of pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes, contact us today.
Today’s environment requires knowledge, discipline, and often a little extra help to live our best and enjoy maximum health and life-span. With functional medicine, we’re not looking at each patient’s illness as though it’s a textbook case. But, rather, there’s an understanding that each person experiences illnesses and health problems differently. Instead of looking at symptoms, we look at the root causes of your illness, so that we can treat them more effectively and prevent further damage from aging and other illnesses.
WellCentric Health’s guidance and therapy options can help ensure you get the best out of your time here on the planet. We’ll provide you with the knowledge and resources you need to prevent age-related and other progressive diseases or illnesses so you can live your best, healthy life. At WellCentric Health, we take the time to really listen to how your health impacts you. We emphasize the importance of preventative care and create effective methods for treating illnesses.
If you or someone you care for is interested in managing and preventing future health concerns, contact us today.
Face-to-face time is enriching, but not always convenient or even possible. Telemedicine services provide the remedy needed to reach patients who are unable to visit their physician in person so that anyone may receive quality care from the comfort of their home. With online doctor visits, you won’t have to sit in waiting rooms long after your scheduled appointment time. You won’t even have to waste time traveling in between other commitments of your busy schedule to get quality care. Simply join a call from your smartphone, laptop/desktop, or tablet and be connected with our top functional medicine practitioners.
Many of the services WellCentric Health provides can be conducted by means of private telemedicine. We’re able to provide the same quality of service through our virtual portal as one would receive in the office. Our telemedicine services are just one more convenience we offer to give you quality care with less hassle.
If you or someone you care for is in need of telemedicine services, contact us today.
Dealing with excess weight can be extremely difficult to manage on your own. Not all diet and exercise plans are made the same, and you require a plan of action that is uniquely designed for your needs. Excess weight contributes to disease, early aging, decreased cognitive function, and more, which is why it’s so crucial that you maintain a healthy weight. The amount of excess weight a patient carries can be directly linked to a slew of health complications, affecting one’s quality of life and resulting in irreversible damage that lasts a lifetime.
