The Vital Side Podcast 43. Understanding & Reframing Functional Medicine with Omar Akther
Are you overwhelmed by the all-or-nothing approach in functional medicine?? Lindsay is joined by board-certified internist, Dr. Omar Akther, who explains his approach to functional medicine, integrating the best aspects of western medicine combined with a more lifestyle approach. He explains that this is the best approach we can take when dealing with a chronic illness or chronic symptoms & how it differs from other fields of medicine.
Omar also explains how he broke free from the mindset of traditional western medicine and transitioned into a root cause approach, how he balances earning a living while being aware of a client’s financial limitations, and how you should advocate for yourself in a hospital setting. If you have had a negative experience with functional medicine and you’re wanting to truly understand its importance, this episode is for you!
Show Notes:
-Prescription and procedure (P&P) care is great for acute problems
-Chronic disease requires a unique approach to healing - lifestyle medicine is necessary to thrive
-“Localization” no longer exists - the body and brain are always communicating & change with injuries, traumas, and life experiences
-Integrative vs. holistic vs. functional medicine approaches
-Omar’s story & why he feels passionate about functional medicine
-Going beyond the role of a physician - connecting with a deep desire to allow people to heal on a larger scale
-Practicing what you preach - as a practitioner, being able to model health & wellness in your own life & hold yourself accountable
-Many patients can feel disempowered in their healing journeys as a result of an all-or-nothing approach
-Story of a woman in her mid 30’s who suffered from hormonal headaches who was recommended a hysterectomy & didn’t recover from hormonal symptoms
-What to do to advocate for yourself before going into a practitioner’s office - 1. Educate yourself & connect with a deeper-knowing 2. Find a practitioner that takes the time to listen to you & takes one step at a time 3. Building confidence in your own self-worth to ask the hard questions
-Why functional medicine practitioners throw so many supplements, IV therapies, and modalities at someone with chronic symptoms. The reason? More = better in our society.
-Taking a gentler approach & 1% approach to healing, introducing lifestyle medicine
-Adding 1-2 lifestyle changes at a time.
-When it comes to labs and diagnostic testing, pay attention to your body prior to testing.
-More information does not lead to better care.
Resources:
-Visit Omar’s Website
-Visit Omar’s Facebook
-Visit Omar’s LinkedIn
-Omar’s Instagram: @dromarakhter
-Lindsay’s Instagram: @myvitalside
-Visit Lindsay’s website
-Cait’s Instagram: @caitrossco
-Visit Cait’s Website
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