REDEFINING CHRONIC CARE
Medicine
Vs.
INTEGRATIVE
FUNCTIONAL
What's the
Difference?
Dr. Singla is board-certified in Integrative Medicine, not Functional Medicine. While both approaches incorporate lifestyle medicine and take a holistic view of patient care, they are distinct specialties with different methodologies.
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​Functional Medicine focuses on identifying the root cause of illness through extensive lab testing, examining factors such as biochemistry, genetics, hormone levels, food sensitivities, digestion, parasites, mold exposure, and gut microbiome status. Based on these findings, practitioners develop individualized therapy plans aimed at addressing underlying imbalances.
Integrative Medicine, on the other hand, takes a whole-person approach, considering how various aspects of a patient's life influence their health. In addition to conventional medicine, integrative medicine incorporates evidence-based complementary therapies supported by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).
The goal of Integrative Medicine is to treat the whole person—body, mind, and spirit—to optimize health and overall well-being.
Our Philosophy at
Rheum to Grow
At Rheum to Grow, we do not utilize parasite, mold, heavy metal, or hair analysis/testing to determine the root cause of autoimmune diseases.
Why we don't solely focus on root cause analysis
Autoimmune and immune-related diseases present unique challenges when applying root cause analysis due to their complex and multifactorial nature. These conditions rarely have a single cause and are influenced by:
✔ Genetic predisposition (often involving multiple genes)
✔ Environmental triggers (e.g., infections, toxins, stress)
✔ Hormonal influences
✔ Gut microbiome imbalances
✔ Epigenetic modifications
In addition to the above, conditions related to immune dysfunction are inherently complex:
Self-Perpetuating Cycles
➤ Inflammation leads to tissue damage
➤ Tissue damage exposes new antigens
➤ These antigens trigger further immune responses
➤ The original trigger may no longer be present or relevant
Delayed Manifestation
➤ Autoimmune diseases develop gradually
➤ Symptoms may not appear for years
➤ By the time of diagnosis, the initial trigger may have resolved
➤ Multiple “hits” accumulate over time rather than a single cause
Individualized Immune Responses
➤ The same trigger can cause different conditions in different people
➤ Similar symptoms can arise from different underlying mechanisms
➤ Standard biomarkers and testing may not fully capture disease complexity
The Evolving Nature of Autoimmune Disease
➤ Initial triggers may differ from factors sustaining the disease
➤ The condition can spread to new tissues or systems over time
➤ Treatment responses vary throughout the disease course
Approach
A More Effective
Rather than searching for a single root cause, our approach at Rheum to Grow focuses on:
✔ Identifying current contributing factors
✔ Addressing modifiable lifestyle and environmental elements
✔ Supporting immune regulation and tissue repair
✔ Focus on strategies to decrease future cardiometabolic risk associated with inflammatory conditions
​
This practical and patient-centered strategy helps manage autoimmune conditions more effectively while improving overall quality of life, creating a long-term, sustainable mode of healing.