Functional Medicine FAQ's

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

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What is Functional Medicine?

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Functional medicine is a holistic healthcare approach to assess, prevent, address health issues and optimise overall wellbeing. Instead of looking for a specific diagnosis and "controlling" it with medication, an individual is looked at as a whole. 

 

This is done with in-depth interpretation of testing and health assessment to identify the root cause. Then followed by individualised supplements, diet and lifestyle interventions to give the best chance of restoring wellness. 

 

Functional Medicine is a relatively new model - some call this healthcare 3.0. This has evolved through the efforts of scientists and clinicians from the fields of clinical nutrition, molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, conventional medicine, and a wide array of scientific disciplines. With acute issues, conventional medicine is the gold standard and we work alongside appreciating the wonderful practitioners who take care of us in an acute setting. 

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What are the benefits of Functional Medicine?

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Functional Medicine is individual to each person. It evaluates the body as a whole and considers elements such as genetics, food sensitivities, hidden infections, environmental toxins, metabolic and nutrient imbalances that may adversely affect these relationships.

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How is the Health Institute approach different from that of other practitioners?

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We cannot speak for other practitioners, we understand the importance of a thorough initial evaluation so that any energy applied is targeted to a specific goal and reason. We don’t advise anything unless we believe it will have a real life effect. We deeply believe in the quality of human life and don't want people to waste it.

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Our mission is to identify underlying issues that could be affecting someone's ability to live a free and happy life. We also understand that people with a chronic disease need support through their journey back to health. We also understand that using technology for efficiency allows us to support people remotely. 

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FUNCTIONAL HEALTH CONSULTATIONS

 

Do Dr Sam or Dr Shelley offer in-person consultations?

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Yes, we have a physical clinic in Cambridge, New Zealand

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How do I book a functional medicine consultation? 

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Click here to be taken to the online bookings​

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1. For initial consultations, you will need to select “Initial Functional Consultation”

2. Select a day and time that suits you

3. Fill in your personal information and read and agree to the terms

4. Complete booking

5. You will receive a booking confirmation email and a link to fill out your new patient questionnaire online and a checklist of anything you need to prepare for your appointment

 

How long are the consultations?

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You will have a free 15 minute discovery call before your initial consultation. 

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The initial consultation is 45-60 minutes. Your report of findings appointment is 45-60 minutes.

Ongoing follow up appointments are 45-60 minutes. 

 

How much does it cost for consultations?

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Please see the investment page for this.

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What should I expect in the initial consultation?

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We will go over your chief complaints, health goals, what you have tried so far, budget, timeframe and lifestyle. 

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We then will review your information and make a plan of action. 

You can read more about our full process here. 

 

Why are there so many questions on the New Patient Forms?

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This needs to be comprehensive analysis to get results for you. 

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FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE TESTS

 

How does the testing work? Do I need to go to a lab?

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You will receive a box in the mail with your test kit inside. Once you receive this, please contact our office for an 'unboxing call' where we can go over all the instructions. 

 

 The box has a prepaid envelope for ease of return. All of the instructions will be inside the box. The tests we use are urine, stool, and blood. For the blood tests you will need to go to a lab (a list of labs and locations will be supplied in the kit), all others can be done yourself from home.

 

What laboratories does the Health Institute use and why?

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We use a variety of laboratories depending on what is indicated. We have access to over ten international laboratories. Most are in the United States and we pick the lab that is the best at testing each issue. Modern freight and frozen specimens allow us to utilise some of the best functional labs in the world, from New Zealand.

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How many tests will I need?

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Some people will need none and we start working on lifestyle and other treatments. Some people will benefit from multiple tests, it entirely depends on the individual.

Labs will not be ordered unless justified and with deliberate goals in mind.

 

How much do the functional medicine tests cost?

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Specialised tests can vary from $500 to $1500 each. This is for the tests only, not the consultation fees. .

 

The tests we use are of the highest quality to provide us data for a targeted plan.
 

 

SUPPORT 

 

In our experience people need follow up and ongoing support while going through this process. 

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Expect at least one appointment per month for 6 months to get the most out of this process.

 

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SUPPLEMENTS

 

Do I have to buy supplements from you after the consultation?

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We recommend supplements as part of our targeted plan and we have preferred tested brands. These will be prescribed to you via our certified dispensaries; Nutrisearch or FXmed. We do not have our own brand of supplements. ​​

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GENERAL

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Can I email/contact Dr. Sam & Dr. Shelley with any questions/concerns between visits?

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Due to our practice load, we ask that you contact our office staff with your query to pass to us if required.

 

How much does it cost in total, is it expensive?

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This is an investment. We have chosen to use gold standard testing that we can trust and interventions that will create an impact for our clients. 
 

Why can’t I just get my lab test myself?

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Test results can not be interpreted in a vacuum. Meaning, hundreds of data points. Interpretation is very relevant to the history, function, issues and stage for each person.

 

For example, a story of a person who spent thousands of dollars treating recurring SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth). But there was no consideration of why they had SIBO in the first place. If you don't find the cause in first place, the issue will likely come back.

 

Laboratories only allow health professionals to order tests. It is not due to the procedure, it is relevant to the skills required to interpret the tests effectively.

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Are Dr. Sam and Dr. Shelley medical doctors or GP’s?

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No, Dr. Sam and Dr. Shelley are both doctors of Chiropractic with post graduate Functional Health Certification. They continued their education to study this field after graduation. They are not medical doctors and are not a replacement for your GP. You must treat your GP as your primary healthcare professional in all cases. 

 

Do I need to still see my GP?

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Yes. We will work alongside your GP.