Functional Medicine is a cutting edge approach using nutritional and lifestyle strategies to improve complex health problems. Dr. Brad Gorski takes a holistic approach to your specific problems. Tests such as bloodwork, inflammatory markers, thyroid, adrenal, leaky gut and genomic/nutrigenomics are used to customize an approach unique to your needs. If you’re ready to increase your energy, lose weight and balance your hormones then contact Dr. Gorski in Charleston, South Carolina, for a functional medicine appointment.
Functional medicine is sometimes referred to as functional nutrition. Functional medicine is a form of personalized health care that focuses on identifying nutrition, diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors that can be changed to improve overall health. Despite its name “Functional Medicine” it is NOT traditional medicine. No medications, drugs, surgeries, injections, etc are used or given.
Instead of treating chronic conditions with medication, functional medicine seeks to understand the underlying causes and to remove factors that prevent healing. In this approach, there is a partnership between the client and the practitioner. The goal of this partnership is to bring the client back to health by identifying what lifestyle factors should be changed based on the unique circumstances of the individual.
Because functional medicine works to assist the abilities your body already has, this approach should be considered for certain problems. This process is an education-based approach so ultimately the client is less dependent on the doctor to maintain their health. Dr. Gorski has created customized programs for the following health concerns:
Having struggled with (and emerging victorious) over a debilitating battle with an autoimmune disorder, Dr. Gorski has embraced his God-given mission to assist others who face similar challenges. He works with clients both virtually across the world and locally in the Charleston office located within Elite Family Chiropractic.
One of the biggest problems in traditional medicine today is that physicians don’t train in nutrition or exercise, yet these two factors are arguably the most important components to preventing disease. This lack of knowledge typically leads to the overprescribing of medications such as:
Pain medications (opioids, steroids, NSAIDS, etc) to treat arthritis, headaches, inflammation and other diseases
This approach can be dangerous for several reasons. Using medicine to mask symptoms does not lead to the resolution of disease. However; masking the symptoms leads to a complacent client while allowing the underlying disease process to continue unabated. Using medications can lead to nutritional deficiencies over time.
These deficiencies end up causing a whole new set of problems that lead to the use of even more medications. A recent study published in the British Medical Journal found traditional medical care to be the third leading cause of death in the US.
Unfortunately, traditional medicine is a drug and symptom-focused model of disease care. Medicine was originally designed for a crisis, to save lives in an emergency which it does well. Drugs are prescribed to mask symptoms without concern for the root cause of the disease. Drug companies have a huge influence over what is being taught in medical schools. More now than ever people are demanding better alternatives like functional medicine.
When working to create a functional medicine program for you, we take a customized approach to meet your exact needs. Depending on your specific problems, these are therapies or testing to consider:
Our perspective on functional medicine is unique and tailored to the individual. We realize each client is unique, with a different set of genetics and biochemistry, as well as a unique set of environmental and lifestyle factors. Because of this, the approach is to identify how a person’s genetics interact with their environment so they can be educated on how to restore this balance.
Functional medicine is not about giving large amounts of supplements to address abnormal blood work. It is instead about identifying and implementing lifestyle changes to address the root cause of your health challenges.
Whether you currently have a thyroid, digestive or autoimmune problem, or a host of symptoms that are not explained by a specific condition, functional medicine could improve your health. To start the initial consultation will last 60-90 minutes to fully understand your concerns.
Functional medicine is not for everybody. Answering “YES” to the questions below will give you an indication:
Functional medicine is NOT for those who want medications, surgery, or quick fixes that require no effort or dedication on your part. For more information visit DrBradGorski.com and apply for an appointment.
*It is important to note that Functional Medicine is not the same as the practice of medicine. Dr. Gorski is not an MD. He will not prescribe medications or treat disease. He will evaluate your health from a natural perspective.
*Notice: Dr. Gorski is state licensed by South Carolina to provide chiropractic health care services and is also licensed by the Pastoral Medical Association to provide natural health services and therapies to registered members of the Member Share Network. Chiropractic and pastoral services are completely separate services and each is provided in strict compliance with the rules and regulations set forth by the separate licensing agencies. If you wish to receive natural health services you must first register. Note that if you have a complaint on our services you must direct complaints to the appropriate licensing board. Complaints regarding natural health services must be directed to the Pastoral Medical Association.
