"The Functional Medicine model is an individualized, [client]-centered, science-based approach that empowers [clients] and practitioners to work together to address the underlying causes of disease and [to] promote optimal wellness. It requires a detailed understanding of each [client's] genetic, biochemical, and lifestyle factors and leverages that data to direct personalized treatment plans that lead to improved [client] outcomes. "By addressing root cause, rather than symptoms, practitioners become oriented to identifying the complexity of disease. They may find [that] one condition has many different causes and, likewise, [that] one cause may result in many different conditions. As a result, Functional Medicine treatment targets the specific manifestations of disease in each individual." --The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM)