Is your diet making you sick? A functional medicine diet may be perfect for you.  We are all created differently and our dieting should be no different.  Direction may simply come in the form of a functional medicine food plan. Have you been making changes to your diet and seeing no improvement in your health? Or worse yet, feel worse than you did before? There are all sorts of diets being promoted today that are designed to reverse illness, improve gut health and restore vitality. Maybe you have tried a low-FODMAP, AIP, Whole 30 or Paleo diet in an effort to improve your health. While there is nothing inherently wrong with any of these diets, they just don’t work for everyone…nor should they. Many people have benefited from following these diet plans but just as many have not. So what is the “diet” solution?

Functional Medicine Approach Towards Dieting

Let’s begin with one of the most fundamental concepts in functional medicine and integrative medicine…we are all unique. We all have different needs, be it vitamins, minerals, sleep, exercise or food. There is not a single recommendation for any of these that will apply to everyone and this is why many diets fail. Most of these diets are based on beneficial general concepts, but you are not “general” you are YOU…your body does not work like mine or your neighbor’s or your best friend’s.

For most people, making general positive diet changes will help and certainly not hurt them. Most people really do need to cut back on processed and prepackaged foods, consume more vegetables and drink more water. The problem is that making general changes just don’t seem to be enough these days.

People are sicker than ever and exposed to more toxins than ever before. Chronic illness is robbing people of their quality of life. According to the World Health Organization, we are living longer but not living healthier, happier and active lives. Yes, we are ALIVE longer but the quality of these added years may not be what we had hoped for. The point I want to make here is that adding some veggies, eating some fermented foods and cutting back on the junk food is not going to be enough to move you from where you are to where you want to be.  You are unique and you deserve a customized approach with a functional medicine diet.

Functional Medicine Diet

So what can you do? You could start by following a general diet like the ones listed above and if this gets you to where you want to go, then great, problem solved. Or you could seek the help of a functional medicine doctor to help you create a diet and health plan based on your needs. The emphasis here is on “your needs.” What type of diet does your body NEED to function properly. This requires collecting objective information about your body’s current state of health. Are you inflamed? If so, what is the source of it? Is your blood sugar too high or too low? Are you lacking key nutrients? Do you need levels of some nutrients that would be very difficult to achieve with diet alone? Are your thyroid hormone levels off? Do you have a leaky gut and if so what is causing it?

High-Level View OF A Functional Medicine Meal Diet Plan

With a functional medicine food diet plan, you can expect a personalized approach tailored to your unique health needs and goals. Initially, your functional medicine practitioner will conduct a thorough assessment, which may include reviewing your medical history, current symptoms, dietary habits, and any relevant laboratory tests or diagnostic assessments. Based on this evaluation, they will develop a customized diet plan designed to address your specific health concerns and optimize your overall well-being.

Specific Functional Medicine Food List

Your functional medicine food diet plan may include recommendations for specific foods to include or avoid, as well as guidance on meal timing, portion sizes, and meal frequency. Depending on your individual needs, your functional medicine food list may emphasize nutrient-dense whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains, while minimizing or eliminating processed foods, refined sugars, and artificial additives.

Ongoing Support – Its Needed

Throughout the implementation of your diet plan, your functional medicine practitioner at Naperville Integrated Wellness will provide ongoing support, monitoring your progress and making adjustments as needed. They may also offer additional recommendations for lifestyle modifications, supplementation, or other interventions to complement your dietary changes and support your overall health goals. By following your functional medicine food diet plan consistently and working closely with your practitioner, you can expect to experience improvements in your symptoms, energy levels, and overall quality of life.

Create A Customized Functional Food Diet Plan

I could go on and on for days but the point I want to make is that you need a diet plan that is going to address the health imbalances you have right now. You may be trying to fix your health problem but don’t really know WHAT you are trying to fix. The first step of solving a health problem is to identify WHAT is not working right. Only then do you apply solutions…like diet.

Due to your current state of body function, “healthy” choices like fermented foods, nuts, eggs, avocados, butter or fish MAY NOT BE GOOD FOR YOU and actually make you feel worse! There is not a perfect diet for everyone. Maybe you have food allergies or food sensitivities? Do you have leaky gut? Do you have SIBO? Do you have an imbalance of the microbes living in your bowels…bacteria, yeast or parasite? These are just a few conditions that can make your dieting plans fail. You need to know what is going on with your body.

Schedule A Functional Medicine Diet Consultation

If you’re seeking a functional medicine doctor in Naperville, Orland Park, or Geneva, we’re here to assist you on your journey to improved health.   A functional medicine food diet plan is an alternative solution to someone who needs help.  Our weight loss clinic in Naperville focuses on getting to the root of the problem.  Gluten or a food sensitivity may be hurting your ability to hit your weight loss goals.  It’s crucial to gain insights into your current bodily state and its functioning, focusing on the present rather than past years. Your current condition serves as the starting point for your health transformation journey. Wishing you success as you embark on the quest for better health. If you would like more information about functional medicine and integrative medicine, learn more from our integrative medicine doctors, Dr. Sharon Borkowski and Dr. Clint Sexton at napervilleintegratedwellness.com

Take initiative to conduct thorough research, educate yourself, and pose inquiries extensively. While gathering information, it’s imperative to critically evaluate the source. In today’s healthcare landscape, misinformation is abundant, stemming from various respected sources and organizations, often driven by profit motives or biases. It’s important to note that this healthcare approach is not geared towards diagnosing, treating, curing, mitigating, or preventing any disease. This is due to FDA regulations, which restrict the use of these terms solely to drugs. Our approach does not involve pharmaceuticals but focuses on alternative methods.