What’s a Functional Medicine Health Coach?

Have you ever come away from a doctor’s appointment feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to start or not fully understanding your diagnosis? Or perhaps not wanting to be on medication long term? As chronic, long term illnesses supersede acute emergencies, the solution lies, more often than not, in identifying the root cause of the problem and implementing critical lifestyle changes.

This is where Functional Medicine comes in. It is a holistic, patient-centred approach to healthcare that focuses on identifying and addressing the root causes of illness rather than just treating symptoms. It considers how bodily systems are connected and how factors like lifestyle, genetics, and environment influence health. It is grounded in science, using evidence-based practices and often extensive testing to inform diagnosis and treatment.

Practitioners of functional medicine aim to understand the underlying imbalances in the body and work collaboratively with patients to restore overall well-being. This approach often results in personalised treatment plans that may include dietary changes, stress management, and other lifestyle modifications.

There is however frequently a gap between what clients know they should be doing to be healthy and the understanding or intrinsic motivation they need to make and sustain those changes. Health coaches bridge that gap.  A Functional Medicine Health Coach has the knowledge to help you understand the ‘why’, and is trained in the ‘how’… behaviour change.

The coaching process is client focused. A health coach is a trusted guide, helping clients to articulate their health aspirations and just as importantly why these goals matter to them. Losing weight or taking up exercise can mean one thing for a client’s health but it could also mean they stand a chance of being fit enough to travel adventurously with their partner or sticking around to watch their grandchildren grow up. Coaches can help clients find their motivation. They can also help clients develop a plan and be a valuable accountability partner – often a critical role to ensuring goals are met.

When it comes to coaching for cognitive decline, coaches have undergone extensive further training to understand the science. In the case of Apollo Health, our training mirrored that given to doctors and Functional Medicine Practitioners. The Bredesen protocol can be challenging requiring extensive lifestyle changes and adherence is critical for success, so having a coach can be extremely valuable at a time when you might be feeling vulnerable and overwhelmed. Coaching for cognitive decline often includes the client’s carer and is especially helpful when it comes to implementing Apollo Health’s ReCode programme.

Coaches don’t diagnose or give medical advice but they are a powerful cog in the wheel when it comes to making change happen.

Explore further: Visit UK and International Health Coaching Association

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