A Patient-Centered Approach in Tampa, FL

What Is Functional Medicine

What Is Functional Medicine

Why Is Functional Medicine So Powerful?

At Peak Brain & Body Institute, we believe that health is wealth… and that everyone deserves vibrant health.

Unfortunately, the conventional medical system wasn’t designed for creating & maintaining vibrant health… it was born out of the need for acute care interventions (think fractures, car accidents, and the like).

In a time where chronic wellness issues threaten to bankrupt millions of families and entire countries, we need an altogether different approach that cost-effectively addresses the underlying factors that create disease… without expensive and toxic prescription drugs that merely mask symptoms.

This new approach is called functional medicine.

In fact, it’s actually not entirely new… it’s how medicine was practiced 4000 years ago.

 

What’s new is that we have brought advanced lab testing and a keen systems-biology approach to medicine – which is short for looking at the body as a system of interconnected organs that need to play in perfect sync to function optimally. That’s what coined the term “Functional Medicine” because ultimately, it’s about restoring proper function to all the body’s systems.

 

A good analogy is your car: For your car to get optimal mileage, you need to maintain it consistently: Change the motor oil, change spark plugs, keep it shined to prevent rusting, and take it to the body shop when the “Check Engine” light is on, fill it up with the appropriate fuel.

 

That’s exactly how to approach your body with functional medicine… it’s not about what to do when your body is broken, it’s about maintaining proper health in the first place, and preventing the body from breaking down.

Key Aspects Of Functional Medicine

Caring for your health properly is so much more than just the basics of eating right and exercising. With current medical research, we have discovered that the body is a complex collection of organs and systems and even bacterial colonies (the microbiome) that greatly impact each other.

 

While the standard of care hasn’t quite “caught up” yet with most of the current science, conventional doctors and “specialists” are still treating parts of the body separately – without taking into account the fact that all these areas greatly impact each other.

 

When you are healthy, they work together like a symphony in perfect harmony – and you have vibrant health. But when one of these systems is off-balance, the whole symphony is out of tune! When you need a “tune-up” so to speak, not only do you need to look at areas that aren’t working right… but also whether the rest of your body is in balance.

 

Sadly, most patients receive instead medications to treat symptoms associated with a body part that “isn’t working” – when all too often, it’s a systemic issue that needs to be treated in a completely different way.

 

In addition, the conventional medical approach also doesn’t consider that each person is born with unique health needs: Based on their genetic factors, the environment they were born into, what kinds of bacteria populate their gut, as well as what they are exposed to as they grow – each person’s body has a very unique health profile which means they need an equally unique healing protocol.

 

It’s no wonder people go from doctor to doctor and never find the answers to their illness!

 

Conventional medicine is missing the mark when it comes to effectively treating many chronic illnesses caused by aging, environment and diet, hormonal imbalances, and food sensitivities because they try to treat symptoms with medication.

 

In fact, we find with our patients that while they may share the same symptoms, they frequently suffer from very different imbalances!

That’s why at Peak Brain & Body Institute, we follow a modern functional medicine approach that is uniquely equipped to resolve chronic wellness issues once and for all… without requiring lifelong dependence on toxic or expensive prescription drugs. It incorporates advanced functional lab testing and relies on current nutritional science to help you rebalance and finally heal.

 

This in-depth approach is the only successful way of treating chronic disorders because most chronic illnesses have many causes, brought on by modern lifestyle choices.

 

Instead of simply addressing different symptoms across separate areas, functional medicine seeks to treat the underlying root cause – while looking at lifestyle factors such as diet, environment, emotional health, and mindset that usually brings on the illness patients are seeking to heal.

At Peak Brain & Body Institute, our programs are a more comprehensive form of care (along with health coaching) to help patients learn lifelong skills on how to upgrade their lifestyle – so they don’t remain stuck in the “chronic illness hamster wheel”.

 

Here are just some of the things we focus on in our program:

 

  • We prioritize quality over quantity with our patients. We will only make a medical diagnosis after listening carefully to a patient’s medical history, reviewing testing, looking at lifestyle factors that are materially contributing to illnesses, then making a personalized recommendation based on each patient’s unique situation.
  • Assessment, natural healing, and prevention are prioritized over wait-and-see treatment approaches.
  • The most modern and advanced medical equipment available is used along with natural forms of healing like upgrading your diet and healing herbs or supplementation with fewer or no side effects.
  • Patients are taught how to take a more active role in their own health and will learn up-to-date nutritional science & lifestyle modifications that can boost their health and overall wellness for a lifetime.
  • Instead of relying on being prescribed medications again and again for temporary relief, functional medicine Dr. Spencer Zimmerman and his team at Peak Brain & Body Institute diagnose problems holistically and arm patients with the modern tools for healthy living.

Conditions Treated

Since the founding of his practice, Dr. Spencer Zimmerman and his team have helped patients heal from life-altering conditions such as:

 

  • Digestive Disorders (GERD, heartburn, IBS, SIBO, Crohn’s, Colitis
  • Autoimmune Conditions (IBD, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis, Multiple Sclerosis, Hashimoto’s Disease, Celiac’s, Crohn’s, Type-1 Diabetes)
  • Hormonal Imbalances (Feeling “tired & wired”, Hypothyroidism, Hyperthyroidism, PCOS, PMS, Hot Flashes, Painful Periods, Mood Swings)
  • Metabolic Syndrome, Obesity & Dyslipidemia
  • Energy Issues, Stress & Chronic Pain (Chronic Fatigue, Adrenal Issues, Fibromyalgia etc.)
  • Cognitive Issues (SCI/MCI, “Brain Fog”, Memory Issues, Alzheimer’s Disease etc.)

TESTIMONIALS

Our Patients Say

“At our dedicated doctor’s office, we take immense pride in the care and service we provide to our patients. Here, you can discover the genuine experiences and heartfelt feedback from those who have entrusted us with their health and well-being. These testimonials offer valuable insights into the compassionate and expert care that defines our practice. We are grateful for the trust our patients place in us and invite you to explore their stories, which reflect the exceptional standard of healthcare we aim to deliver every day.”

“I have known Dr. Spencer Zimmerman (Dr. Z) for over a decade and watched him fine-tune his incredibly detailed approach to overcoming disease and illness. He is not your average physician. In addition to continuing education seminars and conferences, he spends 100’s of hours annually…personally studying and researching the latest cutting-edge, in-depth medical science. He’s a seeker of truth and viable, usable, effective healing solutions. His approach to immunology and rapidly boosting the body’s innate ability to mobilize and defend itself…is novel and highly comprehensive.

Cory C.

Wow were my eyes opened by Dr. Z. I was suffering from daily migraines, neck, back, shoulder, hip pain, vision and hearing problems, and the list goes on. Dr. Z saved my life. No joke. He is super meticulous and very passionate about his work. He is very smart and forward thinking and researches all the time. He genuinely cares about his patients. He’s an amazing and very caring provider and I highly recommend him.

Amanda R.

“Dr. Spencer Zimmerman is phenomenal! In January I found out I have Lyme disease and along with that discovery, I found out that most traditional Doctors won’t/can’t help treat Lyme disease patients due to FDA restrictions. My only option appeared to be a Lyme specialist, which was going to cost enormous amounts of money because insurance doesn’t cover Lyme specialists. I felt hopeless. And that’s when I had the amazing fortune to come across Dr. Spencer Zimmerman. He gave me the hope I so desperately needed. He is very knowledgeable in regards to traditional medicine, but also homeopathic care as well.

Kensi E.

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