Redefining Chronic Disease

Chronic diseases are viewed not as biological errors but as adaptations to the modern lifestyle, according to a functional medicine perspective. This view suggests that the body's responses, such as inflammation, are survival mechanisms designed to cope with prolonged stressors. For instance, coronary artery disease, a leading cause of heart attacks, is interpreted as the body's way of healing itself after micro-injuries to blood vessels rather than a mere malfunction. Instead of fixing so-called mistakes in biological systems, this approach emphasizes understanding the body's natural adaptive processes to promote health and well-being.