One imbalance may cause many conditions like inflammation. It can cause heart disease, depression, arthritis, cancer, and diabetes. Or one condition may have its roots in multiple imbalances like inflammation, hormone imbalance, genetics and epigenetics, diet and exercise, mood disorders. But the trained Functional Nutritionist will be able to critically assess the patient using a “whole systems” approach and personalize a nutrition, diet and lifestyle health care plan to restore optimal function and improve the patient’s outcome. 

Functional Nutrition engages both patient and clinician in a therapeutic partnership, empowering patients to take an active role in their own health. Functional Nutritionists spend time with their patients, listening to their histories, and looking at the interactions among environmental, genetic, diet, and lifestyle factors that can influence emergence and progression of complex, chronic diseases.