Everything about Functional Medicine in the Philippines as Pioneered by ROMLAS Health Group
The great Scientist
Thomas Edison once said, “The doctor of the future will no longer treat the
human frame with drugs but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.”
Is this vision of his possible in this lifetime? It’s a fact that even in this
modern world, deaths, in most cases are heavily influenced by lifestyle
factors. Fact, according to the Department of Health (DOH) states that one out
of three Filipinos die before the age of 70 from non-communicable diseases
(NCDs) which is categorized under cardiovascular, diabetes, cancers, and
chronic respiratory diseases. Out of all these, heart disease and cancer are
the two top causes of death in the country, a seemingly preventable one if
treated differently.
The DOH, through its
F1 Plus Program, aims to have better health outcomes, a more responsive health
system, and more equitable health financing, ultimately leading to universal
healthcare for all Filipinos by 2030. The Philippine government has already
taken initiatives towards helping prevent NCDs by taxing sweetened beverages,
and imposing additional taxes on cigarettes and alcohol in the hopes of making
these less accessible, thereby encouraging less consumption.
With regards to treatment,
more often than not, these diseases and other illnesses are dealt with as
symptoms are seen, however, health experts all agree that early detection and
prevention are and will always be key.
With a commitment to
bring the global best practices of healthcare and wellness to the Philippines
and make these available to more Filipinos, ROMLAS Health Group (RHG) has
pioneered Functional Medicine in the country, a revolutionary, evidence-based,
and science-driven approach that enables individuals to optimize their health
even before falling ill.
“Chronic diseases are
among the biggest healthcare challenges in the country today, and we believe
that functional medicine is vital in helping address these. Our focus is on the
fundamental causes of health concerns, and advocating healthier ways of living
such that the approach is more preventive than reactive,” said Michael Genato,
Group CEO of RHG.
“Instead of viewing
health problems based on symptoms, functional medicine treats the entire body,
instead of just one organ relating to a particular symptom. This way, we are
able to fully assess one’s state of health and identify areas that need to be
addressed. It’s not about stopping symptoms from recurring, but identifying the
root cause of these issues and eliminating them at a much deeper level,” Genato
explained.
RHG brings into the
country advanced medical practices and technologies from the U.S., Europe and
Asia. Under RHG are three pillars of functional medicine: as a practice, as a
service, and as a tool.
Functional Medicine as a Practice
LifeScience Institute
Just as early
detection and prevention are key, so is education. In line with this, RHG has
established LifeScience Institute, which is dedicated to equipping medical
practitioners with the necessary knowledge, skills, and the right mindset to
better appreciate Functional Medicine.
LifeScience Institute
provides medical education and training for both health practitioners and
patients on the proper assessment and management of complex chronic health
conditions. They also collaborate with the Institute for Functional Medicine in
the realm of medical research and training to continuously advance the paradigm
of functional medicine, including the areas of nutrition and lifestyle,
microbiome, and toxic exposure.
Functional Medicine as a Service
LifeScience Center for Health and Wellness
Functional Medicine is
an experience all on its own. In 2009, RHG established LifeScience Center for
Health and Wellness in Bonifacio Global City, a venue where individuals who are
interested to live in vitality can start their journey to optimum health and
wellness.
The center itself sets
the mood for its healthcare proposition. LifeScience Center for Health and
Wellness features a warm, homey atmosphere with communal and private areas
where doctors and patients can meet, and an outdoor deck surrounded by greenery
where patients can claim their own patch of calm amidst the bustling city.
Each patient is
received by any of the members of his/her care team of Functional Medicine trained
doctor, nutritionist-dietitian, health manager, and kinesis instructor to guide
them to achieve happier, healthier lives.
LifeScience is
committed to providing its clients with the best care possible by accommodating
the varying needs of each one. The ability for personalization is backed by the
advanced functional diagnostics that lend themselves as tools for one to
understand what to prioritize in accomplishing one’s best health. Whether it be
comprehensive programs that will tackle every aspect of one’s health spanning
nutrition, sleep, stress-management and exercise movement or any specific areas
of concern with deficiencies or imbalances, the value in the care proposition
lies in the ability to progress in one’s health status. The team is also adept
in the use of genomics as a means to further personalize their clinical
intervention through the client’s genetic markers. Ultimately, clients’ take
the lead in taking on their healthcare plan and the
LifeScience team
serves to support and facilitate the further understanding of how to stay on
track.
What makes LifeScience
unique in today’s healthcare is how it champions genuine doctor-patient
relationships. Simply put, a LifeScience care team will guide patients on what
to take out, what to put in, and it will let the body’s intelligent system do
the rest to truly heal.
Functional Medicine as a Tool
Global Medical Technologies
As part of RHG, Global
Medical Technologies is the leading advocate and solutions provider for
functional medicine practitioners in the Philippines. It provides the most
up-to-date medical technologies such as functional diagnostics, vitamin and
nutrient supplements, and medical platforms. GMT also acts as a bridge between
partners and suppliers to create an end-to-end supply network to ease patient
compliance and practitioner access.
Reliable diagnostics
and medical platforms are essential in providing a comprehensive view of one’s
health. Evaluating the unique metabolic, nutritional, hormonal, toxic, immune,
and genetic status of each client, these tools lend a different lens in viewing
the whole body’s system. This will allow physicians to provide personalized
therapies– making a giant step forward in the diagnosis, treatment and even
early detection of diseases.
Taken together, LifeScience
Institute, LifeScience Center for Health and Wellness, and Global Medical
Technologies comprise RHG in the Philippines. The patient-doctor partnership is
geared toward assessing and treating the root cause of the illness allowing for
optimal health. Functional medicine can aid in resolving chronic disease,
getting people off of chronic medications, and helping them achieve optimum
health through early detection, prevention, and management, which can go hand
in hand in conventional medical practices.
“A lot of people may
think that health issues naturally come with age, are genetic or hereditary.
What we want them to realize is that it’s not true that nothing can be done
about it. With the right mindset, combined with the right program and tools, it
is very possible to live long, quality lives free of health concerns we thought
we couldn’t escape.
“Our mission at RHG is
simple. We seek to make a real difference in how people view health and
wellness through functional medicine. This is very much in line with the
government’s vision of a healthy Philippines, and we are happy to do our share
in bringing our local healthcare system into the 21st century,” Genato
concluded.
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