A Functional Medicine Approach to Chronic Illness
INTERVIEW
The American Chiropractor
Functional medicine is becoming more popular in the chiropractic profession as more patients are searching for answers to their chronic health problems. When the conventional medical approach fails, consumers look to alternative medicine practitioners to help them get well. Chiropractic physicians with the proper training are in the perfect position to provide answers and help patients restore their health. Functional medicine training is available through live seminars and online courses. In an interview with The American Chiropractor, Dr. Nikolas Hedberg, DC, DABCI, DACBN, answers our questions about his journey and views within functional medicine.
TAC: Can you give us a short summary of your extensive background?
NH: Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from the University of Florida; Doctor of Chiropractic from Texas Chiropractic College; Diplomate American Board of Chiropractic Internists; Diplomate American Clinical Board of Nutrition; Twelve years of private practice in Asheville, North Carolina.
TAC: Can you tell us how you began your career in functional medicine?
NH: I started the chiropractic internist diplomate (D.A.B.C.I.) as soon as I graduated from TCC, so I started practicing functional medicine my first month in practice. I also attended as many functional medicine seminái s as I could, beginning with my first year in practice and beyond.
TAC: What kind of products and services do you offer patients?
NH: I order blood tests on patients through LabCorp and a variety of functional medicine tests from various laboratories. I mainly order stool analyses, hormone testing, and organic acids. Treatment includes nutrition, supplementation, herbal
‘^Chronic stress and traumatic stressful events as a child or an adult can contribute to the development of autoimmune disease. J J
medicine, and lifestyle recommendations.
TAC: Are chiropractors the only professionals that ask you for your services for their patients?
NH: No, I get referrals from MDs, NDs, acupuncturists, nutritionists, nurses, PAs, and psychotherapists. I have many DCs as patients, as well as the professionals listed above.
“I spend many hours on each case analyzing medical records, lab tests, diet, etc., and also a lot of time talking to each patient and taking a good history. ï Ï
TAC: What types of conditions respond best to this approach to care?
NH: Chronic illnesses that conventional medicine has not been able to help. The main conditions I see in my practice are thyroid disorders, autoimmune diseases, and then a variety of ailments related to gastrointestinal dysfunction, hormone imbalances, insulin resistance, and mood disorders.
TAC: What connection or relationship do you see between the autoimmune system, infections, stress, and the gut?
NH: Many autoimmune diseases are triggered by an infection, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Chronic stress and traumatic stressful events as a child or an adult can contribute to the development of autoimmune disease. The intestines are intimately involved in autoimmune disease in many cases since the majority of the immune system is in the gut and the microbiome affects immune function as well.
TAC: You published two books recently on thyroid issues. Can you give us a brief statement on how the thyroid is related to the autoimmune
system?
NH: Ninety percent of hypothyroidism is caused by Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, which is an autoimmune disease characterized by antibody production against the thyroid gland. The antibodies slowly destroy the gland, which leads to hypothyroidism. The key is figuring out what triggered the autoim-
munity and addressing the cause.
TAC: How difficult is it to asses a patient, and how long before you see a positive and optimal outcome for them?
NH: It definitely takes a lot of time and detailed analysis of every case to figure out what is causing their health problems. I spend many hours on each case analyzing medical records, lab tests, diet, etc., and also a lot of time talking to each patient and taking a good history. Most patients start to feel better right away, as long as they follow my instructions.
TAC: Any final last words for our readers?
NH: The real key is finding the right training in functional medicine that teaches you what actually works in practice. A lot of the education out there isn’t practical, so many doctors are left with a lot of information that they can’t apply clinically. Once you learn how to properly assess a patient from a functional medicine perspective, you’ll be able to help the vast majority of patients you see in practice without much difficulty. K£19
Dr. Nikolas R. Hedberg is a \ Chiropractic Physician, and r » he is Board Certified in Nutrition by the American Clinical Board of Nutrition and a Board Certified Chiropractic Internist. Dr. Hedberg is the founder of the Immune Restoration Center located in Asheville, North Carolina where he treats patients worldwide with a variety of health problems. He sees many individuals with thyroid disorders, autoimmune diseases, chronic fatigue, hormone imbalances, depression, weight gain, digestive system problems and many more. Dr. Hedberg is an avid writer, researcher and speaker with regular speaking engagements presenting to doctors on a variety of topics including thyroid disorders and the connection between infections and chronic illness. Dr. Hedberg is the author of the new book The Complete Thyroid Health and Diet Guide (2015) available on Amazon.com. Dr. Hedberg can be reached through his website www. hedberginstitute. com.
