Functional medicine model Flashcards
What is Naturopathic Nutritional Therapy?
It is scientific (evidence based) and non scientific (anecdotal) based on own evidence from clinical practice.
What is functional Medicine?
A dynamic process in which you can apply to chronic disease cases to help to assess, prevent and advise on aspects on the client’s health.
How can we ensure that the principle of ‘treating the whole person’ can be followed?
Asking ourselves what is the health of this person today in relation to their:
physiological
emotional/mental
spiritual
environmental
societal (divorce, relationship breakups, death)
What are the principles of FM?
- We are all biochemically individual based on the concepts of our genetic and environmental uniqueness.
- We use a patient centred approach, not a disease centred approach.
- To help clients find dynamic balance between all aspects of their health (mind, body, spirit) - homeostasis.
- Factors that influence our health is a complex web of interconnections, not a straightforward cause and effect approach.
- Health should be viewed as the presence of positive vitality, not just the absence of disease.
- Promotion of organ reserve as a way of prevention.
What are the physiological processes that determine health or disease?
- communication (in and out of cell).
- Bioenergetics (transformation of food into energy- prep of food, digestion of food).
- Replication(repair and maintenance of structural integrity - cellular and whole body)
- Elimination of wastes (transit time)
- Protection and defence (immune system)
- Transport and circulation (cardiovascular, lymphatic system)
What is the 4P approach?
- Personalised (genetic and environmental)
- Predictive (biomarkers e.g inflammation)
- Preventive (proactive v reactive)
- Participatory (empowers and engages clients)
Describe the functional medicine tree.
Roots - environmental inputs
Trunk - Antecedents, triggers and mediators
Top of tree - Disease process
During a consultation you find out out that there is a structural imbalance who might you refer them to?
osteopath or chiropractor.
What mild-severe symptoms might a client experience with adverse food reactions?
Mild -Indigestion, gastritis, eczema
Severe - coeliac disease, arthritis, chronic infections.
NS - depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue
Name 5 reactive chemical agents released by the immune system following an adverse food reaction.
Histamines Cytokines Prostaglandins Lymphokines Interferons
What are some of the symptoms associated with a true food allergy causing atopic IgE mediated hypersensitivity?
airway closure
throat and tongue oedema
urticaria (hives)
leading to anaphylaxis (shock)
What are some of the possible causes for increase in food allergies and intolerances?
Lack of digestive enzymes or hydrochloric acid in the stomach, coupled with increased intestinal permeability. This may cause larger proteins to break past mucosal barriers where they can interact with the immune system.
Common symptoms of food allergy?
sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes and ears, severe wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, sinus problems, a sore palate and urticaria.
Common conditions associated with food allergy?
asthma, eczema, headaches, lethargy, loss of concentration, digestive disturbances and coeliac disease.
List 5 negative effects of smoking on the body.
Cancers of the lips, mouth, throat and larnyx, lung, kidney and bladder. Poor circulation Strokes Infertility Type 2 diabetes
Name 4 routes of exposure to pesticides, insecticides and chemical.
Food
Air
Water
Consumer products
Name 5 common offenders of toxic chemical exposures
Arsenic Asbestos Fluoride Lead Mercury
What are the best known effects of lead toxicity in the central nervous system?
Lowers IQ
Impairs memory
reduces the ability to concentrate
What does mercury bind to inside cells and what does it cause?
Glutathione, reducing it’s production which may result to a rise in oxidative stress and liver detoxification impairment.
What are amphetamines? Give some examples.
Belong to a group of drugs called ‘psycho stimulants’ - they stimulate the central nervous system and speed up messages going to and from the brain to the body. E.g speed, meth, cystal, ecstacy
What are the long term effects to regular amphetamine users?
Psychosis
Violence
Brain damage
reduced resistance to infections
What are the long term effects of cannabis?
respiratory illness hormones may impair immune system reduced motivation reduced brain function mental disorders
High doses of cocaine can lead to?
tremors and muscle twitches nausea and vomiting rapid and weak pulse arrhythmia chest pain heart attack seizures and stroke
What are the common ‘ACHE’ side effects of the oral contraceptive pill (OCP)
Abdominal Pain Chest Pain Headaches (severe) Eye Problems (blurred vision) Swelling and/aching in legs and thighs
What are the milder symptoms of taking OCP?
nausea weight gain sore or swollen breasts spotting between periods lighter periods mood changes
The ‘ACHES’ symptoms may indicate a serious disorder, name some of these?
Liver disease Gallbladder disease Thromboembolism (blood clots) High blood pressure Heart disease
What are antibiotics?
Drugs derived wholly or partially from bacteria or moulds.
What are the common side effects of antibiotics?
upset stomach
diarrhoea
vaginal yeast infections
What are the more severe side effects of antibiotics?
May impair the function of: the kidneys the liver bone marrow other organs some develop colitis (inflammation of large intestine).
What are the functions of prostaglandins?
- Promote inflammation, pain and fever
- support the blood clotting function of platelets
- protects the lining of the stomach from acids
How are prostaglandins produced?
Within the body’s cells by the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX).
What do NSAIDs do?
Block COX enzymes and reduce prostaglandins throughout the body, reducing inflammation, pain and fever.
Name 5 common side effects of NSAIDs
nausea and vomiting diarrhoea constipation decreased appetite rash
People with which condition are at higher risk of experiencing a serious allergic reaction to NSAIDs?
Asthma
What are statins?
Drugs that lower cholesterol levels in people with or at risk of cardiovascular disease.`
How to statins lower cholesterol?
By inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which is the rate limiting enzyme of the pathway of cholesterol synthesis.
What test should people taking statins take?
A liver function test about 6 weeks after taking statins and again every 6 months for the first year of treatment.
What are the side effects of taking statins?
muscle pain digestive problems headaches rash or flushing rhabdomyolysis (muscle damage leading to liver and kidney failure and death).
What are the core clinical imbalances that we evaluate in FM?
- Immune imbalance/inflammation
- Redox imbalance including oxidative stress and mitochondropathy.
- Digestive/absorptive and microbiological imbalance
- Detox/biotransformation/excretory imbalance
- The importance of structural, boundary and membrane integrity.
- Hormonal and neurotransmitter imbalances
- Mind-body-spirit integration
