By your second appointment, which is typically one month after the first, Dr. Blum or Elizabeth has reviewed the results of any laboratory testing. Armed with this data as well as the results of your physical exam and the information you provided in the first appointment, Dr. Blum or Elizabeth will create your treatment program. She may also refer you to other experts at The Blum Center for Health and/or suggest classes or workshops that may complement your treatment program.

You should expect a thoughtful, humanizing experience that is the first step on your journey to better health. During the hour-and-a-half appointment, you and Dr. Blum or Elizabeth will discuss your symptoms, health concerns, medical, family, social and psycho-spiritual history, childhood, diet, exercise and sleep habits, among other information that will help create your treatment plan. Dr. Blum or Elizabeth will also review any previous lab testing and/or medical records from your primary or specialty physicians so bring these with you if you have them. You will also have a physical exam as well as ample time to ask Dr. Blum or Elizabeth any questions. At the end of the visit, Dr. Blum or Elizabeth will determine which laboratory tests you should proceed with and suggest basic changes in your diet and nutritional supplementation.

At The Blum Center for Health, we have two clinicians treating patients and specializing in Functional Medicine. These include Dr. Susan Blum, our founder and Medical Director who has a full-time medical practice, and Elizabeth Greig, our full-time Nurse Practitioner, who also has her own patients and practice. You have the option of seeing either Dr. Blum or Elizabeth for your appointments. For those concerned about the cost of an appointment, Elizabeth is a wonderful option as appointments with her cost less than those with Dr. Blum, and Dr. Blum will still supervise your medical care. Elizabeth may also have an available appointment sooner than Dr. Blum.

Many of our patients come to us with a chronic health condition, to prevent chronic conditions and achieve optimal health, to focus on women’s health and hormone balance or to create a holistic health plan.

Everyone. The goal of Functional Medicine is not only to improve your health if you have a chronic illness, but to prevent future health issues. It’s a patient-centered approach, where we address the whole person not just your isolated set of symptoms. The result? A program that’s personalized for you, one that will remedy or reduce the severity of your symptoms, help prevent chronic disease and get your body and mind as healthy as possible.

With Functional Medicine the focus is on the underlying factors that are causing symptoms and affecting your health. Then we determine your specific treatment plan which integrates Western medical practices, such as prescription medications, with what are sometimes considered “alternative” or “integrative” approaches like nutrition, botanical medicines, supplements, detoxification programs, stress-management techniques and exercise, among others. In Functional Medicine, there’s no one-size-fits-all treatment so even if you and a friend had the same symptoms or condition you won’t get the same treatment plan. In contrast, most traditional doctors take note of your symptoms and figure out what diagnosis they can bundle those symptoms into and this dictates your treatment. Therefore, if you and a friend have the same symptoms, you often get the same diagnosis and then the same treatment. Also, traditional medical testing can only measure or see cells that have died or are diseased. The testing done in Functional Medicine can show an underlying imbalance.