What Is Functional Medicine? Understanding the Root-Cause Approach to Health

In recent years, more people have become frustrated with the limitations of traditional healthcare.

Frequently, they feel like they’re being treated for a condition — taking medication or undergoing procedures — but not with a deeper understanding of why the condition developed in the first place.

That’s where functional medicine comes in. Simply put, this medicine is a healthcare model that asks: What caused this problem? Instead of only managing symptoms, it seeks to understand underlying imbalances in your body, your lifestyle, your environment, and your genetics — and then create a personalized plan to restore health.

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What Is Functional Medicine?

Functional medicine is a modern approach to healthcare that focuses on finding and treating the root cause of illness rather than just managing symptoms.
Instead of asking “What disease does this person have?”, a functional medicine doctor asks “Why did this person develop this disease?”

It looks at how your body’s systems — like your hormones, digestion, immune response, and brain — all work together. If one system is out of balance, it can affect others. The goal is to help your body function properly again by restoring balance through personalized lifestyle, nutrition, and medical strategies.

In short: Functional medicine is root-cause, science-based, and personalized healthcare that treats the whole person, not just the diagnosis.

Discover how our personalized programs can help you restore balance from the inside out! Learn more about Functional Medicine at Curativ.

How Functional Medicine Works

Here’s a simple guide to how functional medicine usually works:

It starts with your story

Every person is unique, and so is their health history. A consultation begins with a long conversation about your lifestyle, nutrition, sleep, stress, emotional health, medical background, and even your environment. The goal is to connect the dots between your daily habits and how your body feels.

Unlike traditional appointments that may last only a few minutes, functional medicine visits often take an hour or more.

This allows your practitioner to really understand you as a whole person — not just as a set of symptoms.

Focus on causes, not just symptoms

Traditional medicine often focuses on diagnosing and treating diseases with medication or procedures. Functional medicine, on the other hand, looks for the underlying causes — like inflammation, poor digestion, chronic stress, or nutrient deficiencies — that lead to illness in the first place.

Comprehensive and advanced testing

After learning about your history, your doctor may order in-depth tests to see how your body is functioning. These can include:

• Gut microbiome and digestion tests
• Hormone and thyroid panels
• Nutrient and vitamin assessments
• Inflammation or toxin markers
• Blood sugar and metabolic function

These tests help identify subtle imbalances that might not appear on standard medical exams. The goal isn’t just to diagnose a disease, but to uncover why your body is struggling to maintain balance.

Finding the root cause

Once the information is gathered, your doctor becomes a kind of health detective.

Instead of saying “You have fatigue,” they ask, “What’s causing this fatigue?”

Maybe it’s stress, nutrient deficiencies, poor gut health, or hormonal imbalance. This medicine looks for these deeper layers — the why beneath the what — to guide your healing process.

A personalized, science-based plan

After identifying the underlying issues, you’ll receive a personalized treatment plan that’s designed specifically for your needs. This plan may include:

• Tailored nutrition and supplements, often paired with an anti-inflammatory diet to enhance recovery and wellbeing that our doctor, Alexandra Jauregui, often recommends to help reduce inflammation and promote long-term wellness.
• Lifestyle changes such as better sleep, movement, or mindfulness
• Detoxification or gut-healing protocols
• Stress reduction and emotional support
• Conventional medication when necessary

Because functional medicine is holistic, it doesn’t reject traditional medicine — it integrates it with natural and lifestyle-based approaches to achieve better results.

Continuous support and long-term care

This kind of medicine isn’t about quick fixes. Healing takes time, and progress is measured in how your body adapts and improves over weeks or months.

You’ll have follow-up appointments to adjust your plan, track improvements, and get the support you need to stay consistent.

This ongoing partnership between you and your practitioner is what makes functional medicine so powerful — it turns healthcare into a collaboration, not just a prescription.

Ready to restore balance and feel your best? Book your Functional Medicine Consultation with Curativ today.

Types or Main Approaches in Functional Medicine

Functional medicine isn’t one specific treatment. It’s a framework that uses different tools to restore balance. Some of the most common approaches include:

Why Choose Functional Medicine? The Benefits

If you’re thinking about functional medicine, here are several significant benefits that many people report.

More comprehensive understanding of your health

Because functional medicine practitioners take time to build a detailed picture of your health — from diet and sleep to gut function, stress, environment, toxins and genetics — you often gain a clearer understanding of what’s really going on.

Personalized care

Your diagnosis may be similar to someone else’s, but your treatment plan will not necessarily be the same. Functional medicine acknowledges your uniqueness.

Addressing unresolved or chronic health issues

If you’re struggling with a condition that doesn’t fully respond to standard care (e.g., chronic fatigue, digestive disorders, autoimmunity, hormonal issues), functional medicine may offer fresh avenues by uncovering underlying dysfunctions.

Lifestyle-based and sustainable changes

Rather than relying solely on medication, functional medicine promotes changes in diet, sleep, movement, stress and environment — many of which you can maintain long term and that may prevent future diseases.

Partnership and empowerment

In functional medicine you’re not just a patient “treated” by the doctor; you’re a partner in the process. You’re educated, involved and empowered to make changes.

Prevention and optimization

Rather than waiting until health breaks down, functional medicine helps strengthen your body’s systems so you’re better prepared for challenges and can enjoy better vitality, longer term.

When Should You Consider Functional Medicine

You don’t need to be seriously ill to try functional medicine — it’s helpful both for healing and prevention. You might consider this approach if:

• You have chronic symptoms that haven’t improved with standard care (like fatigue, headaches, gut issues, or hormonal problems).
• You’re managing multiple health problems that seem connected (for example, stress, sleep trouble, and digestion issues).
• You prefer a personalized plan instead of a one-size-fits-all prescription.
• You want to understand your body better and play an active role in your healing.
• You’re focused on prevention, longevity, and overall wellness, not just symptom relief.
• You want care that includes both modern science and natural support.

Functional medicine can be especially useful for conditions like:

• Autoimmune disorders
• Chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia
• Digestive issues (IBS, bloating, reflux)
• Hormonal imbalances or thyroid issues
• Anxiety, depression, or brain fog
• Metabolic concerns (insulin resistance, weight gain)
• Skin conditions (eczema, acne, psoriasis)

If you’ve ever felt like your doctor treats the symptoms but not you, functional medicine may be worth exploring.

How Functional Medicine is different from Conventional and Integrative Medicine

At first glance, functional medicine may sound similar to holistic, integrative, or even conventional medicine — but its focus and methods set it apart.

Here’s an easy way to see the differences:

The key differences can be summed up like this:

• Focus: Conventional medicine treats what you have; functional medicine asks why you have it.
• Method: Functional medicine uses systems biology — seeing your body as an interconnected network, not isolated organs.
• Time & personal attention: Functional medicine doctors usually spend more time with you, diving deeper into your history and daily habits.
• Tools: It uses both modern science and natural approaches — not one or the other.
• Goal: Instead of just controlling symptoms, functional medicine aims to restore your health and prevent future problems.

How to Choose a Functional Medicine Practitioner

When selecting a doctor or clinic, consider these factors:

• Credentials and training: Look for clinicians with recognized functional medicine training (e.g., IFM certification) plus conventional medical credentials (MD, DO, NP) if relevant.
• Collaborative approach: Does the practitioner ask about your lifestyle, diet, sleep, stress, history? Do they listen?
• Transparent plan: Do they explain why they are recommending certain tests or treatments and what the goal is?
• Referrals / communication: If needed, will they coordinate with your other healthcare providers?
• Realistic discussion of cost/time: Do they explain what you’re committing to (time, follow-ups, changes) and the expected timeframe?
• Results tracking: Will they monitor progress and adjust the plan?

Why Choose Curativ for Functional Medicine?

If you’re looking for more than a quick fix, Curativ stands out by offering a truly personalized approach to functional medicine.

We begin with a comprehensive consultation and detailed bloodwork to uncover what’s really affecting your health — from hormone imbalances and metabolism issues to gut and nutrient concerns.

What sets Curativ apart is their commitment to long-term wellness, not short-term results. While many clinics may focus on one symptom (such as weight loss), Curativ’s goal is to help you understand your body as a whole, improve underlying health, and achieve sustainable change.

Additionally, we integrate advanced therapies — including premium oral supplements, IV nutrient therapy, and NAD+ treatments, peptide treatments and hormonal replacement therapy — to support your system at a deeper level. 

All of this means that when you choose Curativ, you’re choosing a care plan tailored to your unique story, your biology, and your wellness goals.