ROOT
CAUSE
MEDICINE
For Adults & Children

Debbie Lewis
MSW, PGDipNT, IFMCP, MBANT, CNHC Registered
"One of the essential qualities of the clinician is interest in humanity, for the secret of the care of the patient is in caring for the patient"
— Dr Peabody (1927) —
In Functional Medicine and Nutritional Therapy we're looking for the underlying cause of the problem as opposed to just suppressing symptoms. This is what’s called “root-cause resolution.” It’s the difference between turning off the stove and just putting a lid on a boiling pot.
The current medical system is fantastic at acute care and emergencies. However many illnesses in adults and children are now chronic. Our current system for chronic illness focuses on diagnosis then medication to suppress symptoms. It tells us what is wrong. But not why.
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We're looking for the bigger picture. We want to build strong relationships with our patients - taking the time to understand and listen to what is happening in their lives.
We hunt for the reasons why the body isn’t functioning properly - digestive problems, fatigue, skin issues, anxiety, osteoporosis, food intolerance and allergies, autoimmune issues, hormonal imbalances, menopause, diabetes, fertility, weight loss, learning and behavioural issues, unexplained illness... the list goes on. We're not so concerned with the diagnosis, but finding out what the underlying problem is.
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When we look through a systems biology approach restoring health looks different. We're looking to find out how can we help the body heal itself and restore function to the body's systems in order to provide long term, sustainable healing.
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You can hear Debbie talking about the principles of Functional Medicine on the State Of Mind Podcast and there's a good list of Functional Medicine books in our not-for-profit Bookshop.