7 Systems Plan
Before & After
We’ve learned in Functional Medicine that the “why” for most chronic diseases stems from dysfunction in one (or more) of the seven major systems in our body. The key to creating vibrant, optimal health, increasing your health span, and feeling younger at any age is to support all seven systems.
The conventional approach to managing chronic disease just doesn’t work. Ignoring, masking, or dampening symptoms doesn’t make them go away. The only way to make them go away is to find and address all of the root causes to truly heal the disease.
Functional Medicine approaches disease by identifying and addressing the root cause.
Instead of asking “what” the disease is, we ask “why” the disease is.
The body is NOT organized the way conventional medicine treats it—into organs, with specialists for every single body part. Rather, it is one unique integrated system.
Instead of treating irritable bowel, joint pain, migraines, depression, and acne each with a separate medication…
Functional Medicine recognizes that ALL these problems are connected and can be treated by getting to the root cause and optimizing your body's systems.
1 - Structural
Structural system (includes your cells, muscles, bones, organs, and tissues): Keep your body healthy by eating whole, real foods, moving daily, limiting stress, increasing enjoyment, and incorporating play and relaxation.
2 - Digestive
Focus on removing the things that damage your gut, like ultra-processed, sugary and starchy foods, damaged fats, environmental toxins, unnecessary medications, stress, etc. and adding in the things that heal your gut, like prebiotic and fiber-rich foods (non-starchy veggies and whole fruits), fermented foods, probiotics, and L-glutamine.
3 - Delivery
Transport system (includes your lymph and vascular systems): Keep your transport system moving by exercising often, sweating frequently, getting a massage, dry brushing, and adding support like CoQ10, high-quality fish oil, and L-carnitine.
Support your mitochondria (the energy-creating organelles in your cells) by eating whole, real foods, loading your plate with colorful vegetables, and eating anti-inflammatory foods, healthy fats, and MCT oil.
4 - Energy
Create a healthy inflammation and immune response by limiting the things that cause chronic inflammation, like dairy, sugar, and gluten, chronic stress, toxins, and food sensitivities/allergies and adding in the things that support immune health, like colorful organic vegetables, quality protein, plenty of healthy fats, wild-caught/low-mercury fish (salmon, sardines, anchovies, etc.), high-quality fish oil, vitamin C, and vitamin D.
5 - Immune and Inflammatory System
(includes your hormones, neurotransmitters, and more)
Focus on lifestyle factors like eating plenty of healthy fats, limiting stress, increasing enjoyable activities (hobbies, creative outlets, connection with friends, building relationships, etc.), limiting processed and refined foods, and adding extra support like MCT oil, magnesium, and vitamin D.
6 - Communications System
7 - Detox
Make sure your body’s ability to remove waste and toxins is supported by reducing your amount of toxic exposure through limiting plastics, BPA-lined cans, artificial chemicals, unnatural ingredients, additives, artificial fragrances, etc. Support your body’s detoxification system by drinking plenty of water, sweating often through exercise and sauna, eating cruciferous vegetables, and having consistent bowel movements.