Dr Amy is a Fellow of the Australasian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine (FACNEM), Fellow of the Australasian Society for Lifestyle Medicine (FASLM), Board Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician and a Member of the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM).
You are UNIQUE! It is important to pursue a personalised approach to health and wellness
A functional, integrative approach requires a comprehensive history and relevant examination because we are trying to look for underlying factors in what is causing the symptoms or condition that has been diagnosed and not merely treating the symptom. This approach takes more time and requires more detective work because everything needs to be taken into consideration from the beginning. There have often been many assaults on the system and then, “it is the last straw that breaks the camel’s back” – the system becomes overwhelmed, manifesting as progressive symptoms or a diagnosis. Nothing has happened in isolation. If we only treat the symptom, we have not necessarily changed what led to it’s onset or changed any conditions that could lead on to developing other issues in the future.
Following this comprehensive process, relevant investigations are arranged so as to assist with diagnosis and optimisation of health.
These may include:
- Blood tests
- Stool analysis (gut bacteria, yeast, parasites, digestive markers)
- Hormone tests (e.g DUTCH profiles for sex hormones, adrenal hormones)
- Organic acids test (OAT)
- Food intolerance/allergy tests
- Heavy metal/mineral testing
- Genetic profiles
Management is based upon these findings, e.g appropriate advice on diet and exercise, sleep hygiene, reducing environmental load and stress management, using nutritional / herbal treatments and referral to other allied therapies so that we can all work together using our respective knowledge and strengths.
Restoration back to optimal health and wellness can take time depending on your individual situation. This is not a magic bullet approach and there are no quick fixes – even in Integrative Medicine. You must be prepared to take responsibility, have patience and be committed to improving your situation because you want to better your health, your life and not accept the limitations (you or others) may have put on yourself.
Our commitment to you is that we will do our best to assist you on this journey. The crucial letters in WELLNESS, are “WE”.
