One Thing Leads To Another
You know the day. You get up just a little late. As you’re driving to a meeting and hurriedly sip your coffee, it splashes on your shirt. While trying to blot the stain, the coffee spills onto your meeting materials. One thing leads to another, and it usually wreaks some kind of havoc while doing so.
The same thing happens with our health. You gain a little weight which makes your biomarker numbers – blood sugar or cholesterol, for example – increase just a little. Your doctor tells you they’re still within the range of normal, but they are a little higher than they were. If you’re seeing a medical provider who practices only Western medicine, your lab results may be within the range of normal. A functional medicine practitioner will approach the results of your blood work a little differently, though, because functional medicine strives for biomarker levels that are optimal, which is a much smaller range than normal.
The Difference Between Normal And Optimal
Traditional Western medicine typically uses wide lab ranges to diagnose and treat diseases. These ranges are derived from statistical averages of the general population, which encompasses both healthy and unhealthy individuals. While this method can effectively identify overt diseases, it often overlooks subtler imbalances that could indicate the early stages of a condition. Functional medicine, on the other hand, focuses on optimal lab ranges, which are narrower and based on what is considered ideal for health rather than merely average. This approach aims to identify and address underlying imbalances before they develop into full-blown diseases.
For example, traditional medicine considers a normal fasting blood sugar range between 65 mg/dL and 99 mg/dL. Functional medicine practitioners consider an optimal fasting blood sugar range between 85 mg/dL and 99 mg/dL, which indicates optimal glucose regulation in the body. A blood glucose (sugar) level higher than 85 may indicate insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes and other chronic illnesses. If someone’s blood work is outside of an optimal range, a functional medicine practitioner can recommend lifestyle changes or other interventions to help minimize or avoid future health concerns.
Benefits of Optimal Lab Ranges
There are numerous benefits to interpreting the results of lab work through the lens of optimal ranges instead of normal ranges. Some of them are:
- Early detection and prevention: Functional medicine’s emphasis on optimal ranges allows for the early detection of potential health issues. By catching imbalances early, interventions can be made to prevent progression to chronic disease.
- Personalized healthcare: Everyone’s body is different. What’s normal for one person may not be for another. Functional medicine recognizes this individuality and uses personalized lab analysis to tailor treatments specific to each patient’s unique biochemistry.
- Comprehensive health assessment: Functional medicine practitioners often order a more comprehensive panel of tests than traditional medicine practitioners do. This thorough approach can reveal hidden imbalances in areas such as nutrient deficiencies, hormone levels, and metabolic functions.
- Root cause resolution: Rather than just treating symptoms, functional medicine seeks to pinpoint and address the underlying causes of health problems. Optimal lab ranges provide a clearer picture of where imbalances lie, allowing practitioners to implement targeted treatments that resolve the underlying problems rather than just alleviating symptoms.
HEBE Aesthetics and Vitality
If you’re in the Atlanta, GA area, HEBE Aesthetics and Vitality, provides a functional medicine approach to your health and wellness, allowing us to customize a treatment plan specifically designed to optimize your health. Contact us for more information. We look forward to helping you!
Disclaimer: The information contained here was not written by a medical doctor and is intended for informational purposes only. This is not a substitute for medical advice.
