Functional Medicine

In this episode, I interview Chris Kresser!

We discuss his new book, Unconventional Medicine, and everything he is doing over at the Kresser Institute, including his new health coach training program. Chris is changing the face of medicine with his new paradigm. Listen in to find out why I told him that in the 2020 presidential debates, I expect the candidates to be debating how many jobs Kresser created over the last four years.

You can buy his new book, Unconventional Medicine, on Amazon. If you’re interested in becoming a health coach, or if you already are one and wish to undergo his new training to get his functional medicine perspective, you have up until June 3 to enroll. You can sign up here.

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In this episode, you will find all of the following and more:

00:37 Cliff Notes

11:46 Introduction

12:29 Alternative medicine’s critique of conventional medicine and what Chris Kresser has to add to that critique

15:41 Why hasn’t alternative medicine outcompeted conventional medicine?

18:42 The differences between alternative medicine, integrative medicine, and functional medicine

25:14 The functional medicine approach to headaches

27:03 The California Center for Functional Medicine’s intake process for new patients

34:32 Why taking medications to reduce fever might be a bad idea in most cases but can be helpful in some rare cases

37:27 How we can justify the costs of testing in functional medicine. Using type 2 diabetes as an example, investing $5,000 up front for one patient can save half a million dollars in the long run.

42:01 Who will end up paying for functional medicine?

47:38 What Chris Kresser is doing to spread the functional medicine approach to healthcare: his book Unconventional Medicine; the California Center for Functional Medicine; his program with the Berkeley Fire Department; and the Kresser Institute’s physician and health coach training programs.

52:53 Why doctors still need people skills

56:21 The importance of allied health providers, such as health coaches, nutritionists, and nurse practitioners, and how they can make longer appointments with physicians economically feasible

1:10:07 Advice for starting a career in functional medicine and deciding what degree to pursue

1:16:05 Advice for physicians who want to start practicing functional medicine

1:17:55 Who should read Unconventional Medicine and where to get it

Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here:

https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/051-chris-kresser-on-unconventional