People are fed-up. Our community is tired of paying astronomical amounts to greedy insurance companies for bare-minimum coverage. You should know – as a private medical clinic, we are just as outraged as you are.
So what do we do? Start a rally? Throw our hands up in the air and resolve that’s just the way it is?
We want to offer another solution: understand functional medicine. Learn how your body works. If that feels overwhelming – we are here to help. To educate. To support. Most of all, to heal. Read on to understand why the conventional care model is breaking down and how functional medicine will save our healthcare system.
Capitalism and Care
CNBC offers an interesting take on the current relationship between medicine and money: “Medicine currently follows the capitalistic model of other American industries: A fee is paid whenever a service or good is delivered.” If you have a quality provider, this is not an issue. But, too many times we see patients come in who have over-paid for unnecessary testing or shelled out thousands of dollars for a prescription they either didn’t need OR was making them sicker.
Recently, a patient at our clinic with microscopic colitis discontinued his prescription that was costing him $1,200 per month. Another patient with psoriasis discontinued his prescription that cost him $5,000 per month. That being said, you should never stop a medication without advice from a knowledgeable and experienced practitioner.
How Conventional Medicine Works
You’re sick? Take a pill. Convenient, isn’t it? Fast. You don’t have to think about it. “Hey, doc. I have food poisoning.” You walk out of the office with a prescription for Cipro, stomachache goes away, and you’re moving on with your life.
Then, decades later, you can’t walk because your tendons have ruptured as a side effect from this medication. Sounds like a scary story told around a campfire, doesn’t it? Sadly, this is a real scenario for thousands of people. (Learn more about the devastating effects of Cipro here.)
Conventional medicine works off of a disease-drug model. The patient comes in with a complaint and a diagnosis is established. Then, the diagnosis is cross-checked with the list of medications used to treat that disorder. Most times, the medication treats the symptom and doesn’t address the root cause of the issue.
Is every medication on the market going to disable you? No. Should you do your homework before you take a prescription drug? Yes. We, at The Care Group, firmly believe that medications are a last resort. It’s also important to point out that everyone is human. Even doctors. So, while we could sit here and point fingers to place blame, it is best to apply the old adage “You do better when you know better.”
Why We Know Better
This is not an opportunity to sit on a high horse. It is, however, a chance to say “WAKE UP!” There is a better way. We all feel hopeless about one issue or another, but please hear us: you control your health. You do not need to feel helpless about your wellbeing.
There will always be an exception. Cancer. Car accidents. Tumors. Slipping down a flight of stairs. That’s not a reason to shy away from understanding that the path to optimal wellness is within you.
Functional Medicine is the Future
What a succinct way to describe what functional medicine is. Basically, the functional approach looks at how all of the systems interrelate. We remove what is making you sick and replace what you are deficient in. Through nutrient-dense whole foods, proper supplementation, and attention to the dynamic interplay of mind, body, and spirit, optimal wellness is well within your reach.
When we meet patients for the first time, we tell them: you being here is not an event, it is the beginning of a journey. Our team approach guides patients to take their health meter from wherever it is and bump it up.
For a more in-depth explanation of functional medicine, click here.
If Everyone Took a Functional Approach
Functional medicine has the potential to save our healthcare system because it is a preventative approach. It is low-cost and allows patients to care for their bodies in a way that syncs with its unique needs. By taking proactive steps to manage your health naturally, you lower or eliminate the cost of prescriptions, testing, unnecessary surgeries, etc.
Remember, more healthcare is not better healthcare.
Schedule an appointment today by calling 303.343.3121
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About The Care Group: We promote optimal wellness by providing an individualized, functional medicine approach to address root causes rather than simply treating symptoms. We help patients with a wide range of issues including autoimmune/ inflammatory disease, digestive disorders, hormone imbalances, and mood disorders. To learn more about our practice, click here.
About the Author: Dr. Gerard Guillory, MD is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and has published two books on Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). In 1985, he opened The Care Group, PC. Today, his clinic is a Primary Care facility that is a hybrid of functional and traditional medicine treating patients with digestive disorders, autoimmune disease, and other conditions. You can learn more about Dr. Guillory here.