Part 1: What’s Functional and what’s not

‘Functional’ has become a buzzword in the health industry lately.

And for good reason. Practicing Functionally can help you in several ways…

• Identify the root causes of your clients issues, and bring them resolution (so they feel better, and your business grows.)
• Know a system that works all of the time instead of using formulas that work some of the time, or chasing research and superfoods that go in and out of style constantly.
• Relax into knowing that you really do know enough to help the population you want to help, no matter who they are, and no matter what your scope of practice is.

But just like an “All Natural” label can be found on products with MSG, GMOs, hormones, pesticides, and more, the term ‘functional’ is being thrown around and put on products, services, and trainings that really aren’t functional.

So, how are you, a hardworking practitioner who’s dedicated to learning the most useful tools to help your clients, supposed to separate the wheat from the chaff?

What’s Functional and What’s NOT

There are 3 tenets of a Functional practice, and unless the programs you’re taking, processes you’re using, and people you’re following are using these 3 tenets, they aren’t functional.

Functional Tenet #1: Root Cause Resolution

Practicing Functionally means that we’re not chasing symptoms.

Instead we’re using tools to get to the heart of what’s really going on, so we can bring resolution to the cause of someone’s symptoms, not just squelch the symptoms alone. (The latter “solution” doesn’t last very long.)

Let’s take two women with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Symptoms include diarrhea, constipation, (often both!), abdominal cramps or pains, bloating and intestinal gas.

What’s NOT Functional…
Treating the symptoms of IBS alone, such as using enzymes or chamomile to relieve abdominal pain.

Temporary relief? Maybe
Root cause resolution? Nope.

What IS Functional…
Paying heed to the context of the IBS—the history and environment in which the illness arose for each woman, the diet and lifestyle factors that cause the symptoms to flare, and the interventions that truly enable internal healing to occur.

Once you know the context, you can confidently move in the direction of root cause resolution instead of just chasing symptoms.

The tool you need to determine(and to make your practice Functional!) is called the Functional Nutrition Matrix. It’s THE tool that will make your practice Functional, and Functional Nutrition Lab is the ONLY place to learn it.

Check it out:

I developed the Functional Nutrition Matrix, along with several other tools and systems, to help practitioners like you have the success in practice that I’ve had.

The world needs people who are willing to go beyond the quick-fix, beyond dietary protocol, to truly practiceFunctionally.

Are you ready to get to the root cause and make your practice Functional?

Join me and the thousands of practitioners who are changing the way we do healthcare. Your first step is easy:

Click here to chat with an Advisor about whether our Functional Nutrition immersion program is right for you.

It’s not Functional Nutrition unless you’re using the Functional Nutrition Matrix.

[bctt tweet=”It’s not #FunctionalNutrition unless you’re using the Functional Nutrition Matrix. ” username=”AndreaNakayama”]

And stay tuned…

Functional Tenet #2: Systems & Tools

Functional Tenet #3: The Therapeutic Partnership

Be sure to tune in again soon so that we can talk about the other 2 tenets of a Functional practice. Remember, if the programs you’re taking, processes you’re using, and people you’re following are not using these 3 tenets, they aren’t Functional.

We can change that.

By: Andrea Nakayama, FxNA Founder & Functional Medicine Nutritionist

Functional Nutrition Alliance provides the comprehensive online Functional Nutrition training in the Science & Art of the Functional Nutrition practice. Learn to address the roots of your clients’ suffering with client education, diet & lifestyle modifications.