Frequently Asked Questions
- 1. How is Functional Medicine different from traditional medicine?
- 2. Who can benefit from a Functional Medicine & Nutrition Consultation?
- 3. Why do people typically come to The Blum Center for Health?
- 4. Who will I see at my first appointment?
- 5. What happens during my first appointment?
- 6. What happens at my second appointment?
- 7. Will there be a conflict between The Blum Center of Health and my primary care or other specialty doctor if I’m on medication?
- 8. What happens during a visit to a Clinical Nutritionist?
- 9. What are your office hours?
- 10. What kind of insurance do you take?
- 11. How do I pay for my visit?
- 12. What kind of laboratory testing do you do and is it covered by insurance?
- 13. Why doesn’t my regular doctor do the same tests you do at the Center?
- 14. How do I know which BlumKitchen class is most appropriate for me?
- 15. Do I need to be a member of The Blum Center for Health to sign up for a cooking class?
1. How is Functional Medicine different from traditional medicine?
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.
2. Who can benefit from a Functional Medicine & Nutrition Consultation?
Everyone. The goal of Functional Medicine is not only to improve your health if you have a chronic illness, but also 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.
3. Why do people typically come to The Blum Center for Health?
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.
4. Who will I see at my first appointment?
At Blum Center for Health, we have multiple clinicians treating patients and specializing in Functional Medicine & Nutrition. This includes the doctors, nurse practitioners and nutritionists. For those concerned about the cost of an appointment, you will have the option to see the clinician of your choice that best suits your financial circumstances.
5. What happens during my first appointment?
You should expect a thoughtful, humanizing experience that is the first step on your journey to better health. During the appointment, you and your clinician 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. Your clinician 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 your clinician any questions. At the end of the visit, the clinician will determine which laboratory tests you should proceed with and suggest basic changes in your diet and nutritional supplementation.
6. What happens at my second appointment?
At your second appointment, which is typically 5-6 weeks after the first, your clinician will review the results of your laboratory testing. Armed with this data as well as the results of your physical exam and the information you provided in the first appointment, the clinician will create your personalized treatment program. In addition to targeted nutritional recommendations, we use vitamins, minerals, herbs and targeted supplements to treat the underlying cause of your health issue. Your program might also include a referral to other experts at Blum Center for Health and/or classes or workshops that may complement your treatment program.
7. Will there be a conflict between The Blum Center of Health and my primary care or other specialty doctor if I’m on medication?
Our clinicians have an integrative approach to practicing medicine. The treatment plans they create combine Western medical practices, such as prescription medications, with what are sometimes considered “alternative” or “integrative” approaches like nutrition, supplements and stress-management techniques. As a result, the clinician understands the medications you are on and can work with you as a complement to your current medical regimen. That said, they are always working to help you get off prescription medication by treating the underlying cause of your illness, and will work with your prescribing doctor toward this goal. They will never change your existing medication; your prescribing doctor will change it if he/she determines you don’t need it anymore. For example, as you and your practitioner work towards lowering your cholesterol, and your levels drop on lab testing, then you can talk to your doctor about reducing your cholesterol-lowering medication.
8. What happens during a visit to a Clinical Nutritionist?
During your initial visit, which will last from 1.5 to 2 hours, the clinical nutritionist will ask you questions about your medical history, family history and personal lifestyle. She will also review any recent blood work (so bring this with you), a one-day food diary that you should keep prior to your appointment and any herbs, supplements or medicines that you take regularly (so please make a list of these or bring the actual bottles with you). This will provide a full picture of your nutritional lifestyle that will help her create your nutritional program.
9. What are your office hours?
The Center is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8am – 6pm, Wednesday from 8am – 8pm, and Friday from 8am – 4pm.
10. What kind of insurance do you take?
While Blum Center for Health doesn’t accept insurance, we are happy to provide you with the appropriate documentation and properly coded forms for you to submit to your insurance company. Most patients with out-of-network benefits, who satisfy their deductible, are reimbursed. Medicare patients will not be able to submit their visit as all clinicians at Blum Center for Health are opted out of Medicare.
11. How do I pay for my visit?
Full payment is expected at each visit by cash, check or credit card.
12. What kind of laboratory testing do you do and is it covered by insurance?
Typically, we do our best to make sure that any blood work that is requested from a lab that is on your insurance plan is covered. However, depending on your insurance plan, this is not guaranteed and we recommend you check before your blood draw.
13. Why doesn’t my regular doctor do the same tests you do at the Center?
Most traditional doctors don’t do this testing because they don’t have the experience or training or are too busy or skeptical to invest the time to learn.
14. How do I know which BlumKitchen class is most appropriate for me?
You are welcome to choose which cooking class to take based on your personal choice of the theme of the class and the menu. Remember, all of our classes are gluten, dairy, soy, corn, and egg free and they are all designed to follow the basic anti-inflammatory diet that Blum Center recommends.