By shifting the traditional disease-centred focus of medical practice to a more patient-centered approach, the whole person is addressed rather than an isolated set of symptoms.

Dr. Christie spends time listening to your histories and looking at the interactions among genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that can influence your long-term health and chronic disease. By using this individualized approach your unique expression of optimal health and vitality can be achieved.

Functional Medicine involves understanding the origins, prevention, and treatment of complex chronic disease. Hallmarks of a functional medicine approach include:

  • Patient-centered care. The focus of functional medicine is on patient-centered care, promoting health as a positive vitality, beyond just the absence of disease. By listening to the patient and learning his or her story, the practitioner brings the patient into the discovery process and tailors treatments that address the individual's unique needs..
  • An integrative, science based healthcare approach. Functional medicine practitioners look "upstream" to consider th complex web of interactions in the patient's history, physiology, and lifestyle that can lead to illness. the unique genetic makeup of each patient is considered, along with both internal (mind, body and spirit) and external (physical and social environment) factors that affect total functioning.
  • Integrating best medical practices. Functional medicine integrates traditional Western medical practices with what are sometimes considered "altenative" or "integrative" mediciine, creating a focus on prevention through nutrition, diet, and exercise; use of the latest labratory testing and other diagnostic techniques; and prescribed combinations of drugs and/or botanical medicines, supplements, therapeutic diets, detoxification programs, or stress-management techniques.