Do you have problems with attention and focus? You (and many traditional healthcare professionals) might assume you have ADD/ADHD, but these symptoms could stem from a variety of other causes, such as underlying Lyme disease, past head trauma, or even gut dysfunction.

Are you filled with sadness and fatigue? It could be due to depression, or it could be a sign of a hormonal imbalance.

Before you start taking Prozac or some other antidepressant, isnt it better to find out if what you really need is progesterone? No one will ever have a Prozac deficiency, but you could definitely have a progesterone deficiency. Progesterone imbalances have been linked to anxiety, depression, insomnia, and premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and balancing hormonal levels has been found to alleviate these symptoms.

Why would you ever want to take a medication or treatment you dont need?

Unfortunately, most primary care physicians and traditional psychiatrists dont look for the root causes that might be lurking behind your symptoms. Most healthcare professionals are likely to listen to you describe your symptomssuch as depression, anxiety, or brain fog and then make a diagnosis and treatment recommendation based on whats called symptom clusters without any further testing.

Because of this, you may be misdiagnosed or given the wrong treatment. Not only can make the wrong treatment make you feel worse, but it can also set you up for additional physical, mental, and brain health problems in the future. As you know, many medications come with a laundry list of side effects. They can make you even sicker and can steal your life.

At the heart of The Amen Clinics Method is the understanding that in order to effectively treat the brain, we must treat the whole person. Our approach to Integrative Medicine (also known as Metabolic or Functional Medicine) puts you at the center and addresses all the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors that can influence your health and sense of wellbeing.

What makes The Amen Clinics Method and Integrative Medicine unique is that we do not simply attempt to fix a short-term problem. Rather we go deeper to address all the causes of your issues, which provides you with not only relief from immediate problems, but also long-term benefits that help prevent other issues from developing throughout your lifetime. Its like an insurance plan for your health and wellbeing for the rest of your days.

Be assured that Integrative Medicine is based on solid science. As science advances, so does Integrative Medicine with more sophisticated diagnostic testing, more effective therapies, and more powerful solutions. This ensures youre being assessed based on the most cutting-edge scientific findings.

Each patient is different, and evaluations are tailored to your individual needs. Based on your particular situation, your integrative evaluation may include:

Brain SPECT imaging: Brain scans allow us to see areas of your brain where there is healthy activity, too much activity, or too little activity.Sophisticated laboratory tests: Diagnostic lab work measures your important health numbers to determine if biological issues are contributing to symptomsNeurotox evaluation: This comprehensive investigation looks into the toxic substances that may be affecting your brain and body health.Neuropsychological testing: this gives us additional information about your cognitive function, including focus, response speed, impulse control, memory, and moreDetailed personal history: this helps to get a complete picture of your healthAutism Spectrum Disorder Evaluation: This includes a specific battery of tests for metabolic abnormalities associated with autism spectrum disorder(ASD), including specialized testing, gastrointestinal function, and toxins associated with ASD behavior.

With the comprehensive testing involved in Integrative Medicine, we can determine the root cause of your health problems. Common causes of symptoms that appear to be mental health issues on the surface can include:

Blood flow problemsChronic inflammationGut health issuesGenetic predisposition for illnessHead traumaExposure to environmental toxins, such as toxic moldOverexposure to alcohol or drugsImmune system issuesInfections, such as Lyme diseaseNeurohormonal imbalancesDiabesity (blood sugar problems and overweight or obesity)Sleep problems

Brain scans can be particularly helpful in determining root causes as they can reveal specific brain patterns that are associated with underlying problems. For example, SPECT images sometimes reveal a toxic appearance, warranting an integrative approach to determine the cause. Brain toxicity can be caused by Lyme disease and other infections, drug and alcohol abuse, exposure to black mold, chemical exposure, celiac disease, or gluten intolerance/sensitivity.

Seeing the brain scan, then following up with appropriate lab testing can be what you need to finally get the answers youve been seeking. When we uncover which issues are contributing to your symptoms, we can develop an effective treatment plan.

In keeping with our Integrative Medicine approach as part of the Amen Clinics Method, we partner with you in optimizing your physical health, mental health, and brain health. In collaboration with you, we create a personalized treatment plan that addresses all of your needs by targeting and treating imbalances within the body and brain.

Its important to understand that Integrative Medicine does not mean that only alternative therapies are used in place of conventional treatment. This practice includes the use of all appropriate therapies, including medications (as needed), as well as a variety of other healing treatments to enhance the body and brains healing response.

We believe in using the least toxic, most effective solutions, such as:

Nutritional supplementsBioidentical hormone replacementBrain health nutrition coachingExerciseNeurofeedbackHyperbaric oxygen therapyPsychotherapyMedications (when necessary)And more

Our Integrative Medicine Evaluation is ideal for anyone who seeks a comprehensive, integrative approach to mental/physical health issues. At Amen Clinics, we see people for a wide variety of concerns, including:

Disease and symptom preventionAnti-agingPremenstrual syndrome (PMS)AnxietyDepressionMood swingsAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)Focus and attention issuesHormonal imbalancesLow libidoFatigueGut issuesMemory issuesLack of motivation

Watch this video for more information about Functional/Integrative Medicine from Dr. Eboni Cornish at Amen Clinics Washington D.C.:

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Integrative Medicine | Amen Clinics