Detoxification requires a good deal of energy. Unfortunately, the accumulation of toxins can damage the mitochondria that provide that energy for our cells, and this can initiate a downward cycle, so many individuals need assistance to support detoxification.

The theory behind the diet is that there are certain foods and components of foods that lead to inflammation and toxicity and cause a wide range of symptoms from fatigue to headache to joint pain to intestinal symptoms ...

Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases have been found to involve inflammation and oxidative stress (damage from free radicals) and it has been hoped that use of anti-inflammatory or antioxidant agents might reduce the development or severity of Alzheimer’s. Studies have been done with a variety of antioxidants such as Vitamin E,C, Carotenoids, Lipoic acid and Coenzyme Q10. 

The term Preventative Medicine is usually applied to the use of mammograms, colonoscopies, PAP tests, etc. but this is actually early detection rather than true prevention. Whereas these tests can be valuable and even life saving, what we’re addressing here is an effort to prevent the initiation of cancer.

There’s a common association between abdominal obesity and insulin resistance, and the theory is that inflammation messages from fat cells lead to the insulin resistance. But fat cells may not be the only source of inflammation.

In the case of autoimmune disease there are many studies showing that intestinal bacteria are related to inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis. Probiotics can be as effective as medication for treatment of IBD, but the microbiome’s effect on the immune system goes far beyond the intestines.

My basic rule about drugs is to use them in a comprehensive healing program that addresses the underlying reason(s) why you’re sick. I prefer to use more natural, less toxic alternatives if they are available and efficacious. However, sometimes drugs are lifesaving, especially in acute situations.

The current epidemics of ADHD/ADD and autism offer a perfect example of the difference between conventional/pharmaceutical medicine and integrative/functional medicine. Watch Dr. Bock discuss ADHD and Nutrition

Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) may not cause symptoms, but it’s become the most common liver condition in the West, affecting as many as 30% of individuals. It can progress to Non Alcoholic Steatohepatis (NASH), which causes liver inflammation and can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer in about 10% of those affected.