Ep. 12 - Tracy Harrison, What the Heck is Functional Medicine?

Today I’m excited to have my mentor and instructor, Tracy Harrison, on the show. She is a MIT-educated engineer turned functional medicine advocate and educator. Her school, The School of Applied Functional Medicine, might be the future of health care.   So… what the heck is functional medicine? Functional medicine is the science of identifying the true root causes of disease in each unique person’s body, and working with them to reverse those root causes. Modern medical practitioners are trained to diagnose disease, after it is present, and help people manage it – functional medicine practitioners are trained to help people maintain a state of wellness through personalized nutrition and lifestyle changes. Tracy saw a need for applied functional medicine because the physician-led, prescription-heavy, and one-size-fits-all nature of triage care is, generally, applied to every area of medicine. It’s an incredibly useful system that saves lives in emergencies, but it doesn’t always encourage good health care. Health care – the idea of caring for and maintaining an individual’s health so that they stay well – doesn’t really exist in the United States. However, Tracy is particularly passionate about teaching health coaches because she believes that a combination of functional medicine and coaching will really transform healthcare, and the people being cared for. She doesn’t want to replace the physicians, nurses, or other medical professionals currently helping people... but she does want to supplement those teams with health coaches who can support and advocate for patient wellness.   “We spend a lot of time arguing about who should be paying for healthcare, but what I want is healthcare that is worth paying for and that actually works.” –Tracy Harrison   Resources: Learn more: The School of Applied Functional Medicine | Facebook   Do you want more to empower yourself through healthy living? Is your busy lifestyle an obstacle to your health? Join The Rebel Health Coach community for the support and knowledge you need for better performance, better business and a better you! Click here to join The Rebel Health Coach community now.   -- Disclaimer: The activities and research discussed in these podcasts are suggestions only and are only advised to be undertaken following prior consultation with a health or medical professional. Fitness training, nutrition, and other physical pursuits should be tailored to the individual based upon an assessment of their personal needs.