About Functional Medicine

Welcome to Sat Health and Wellness, where functional Medicine Health Coach Udit Satsangi is dedicated to supporting and guiding individuals towards holistic well-being. Emphasizing a client-centered approach, Udit Satsangi creates a safe and supportive space for clients to explore their health challenges and embark on a journey towards comprehensive wellness. By addressing the interconnected aspects of health, including physical, mental, and emotional well-being, clients can experience transformative growth and healing.

What is Functional Medicine?

Functional medicine is a patient-centered, science-based approach that seeks to identify and address the underlying causes of disease rather than just suppressing symptoms. It combines the best of conventional Western medicine (lab testing, pharmacology, surgery) with evidence-based integrative therapies (nutrition, lifestyle modification, dietary supplements, mind-body work).

Who Is Functional Medicine For?

Functional medicine is ideal for individuals seeking a more personalized, root-cause approach to their health. It’s particularly beneficial for those struggling with chronic conditions such as fatigue, hormonal imbalances, digestive issues, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, or skin concerns—especially when conventional treatments have only offered temporary relief. This approach is also well-suited for those who feel unheard or overlooked in traditional healthcare settings and are looking for deeper, more collaborative care.

You don’t have to be unwell to benefit from Functional Medicine. Many people turn to it as a proactive way to prevent illness, improve resilience, and optimize long-term well-being. If you're someone who wants to take an active role in your health, explore sustainable lifestyle changes, and receive support that's tailored to your unique biology, then Functional Medicine may be right for you.

Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, functional medicine looks at the whole person—your history, environment, habits, and goals—to create a plan that works specifically for you. It’s for those who want to feel better, function better, and live better—naturally and holistically

Approach & Method

Core Principles of the Functional Medicine Method:

1. Patient-Centered Care

Treats the individual, not just the disease.
Emphasizes a partnership between practitioner and patient.
Takes into account the patient’s history, lifestyle, environment, and genetics.

2. Root Cause Analysis

Looks “upstream” to find the underlying causes of illness.

Common root causes include:

Inflammation
Nutritional deficiencies
Gut dysfunction
Chronic stress
Hormonal imbalances
Environmental toxins

3. Systems Biology Approach

Views the body as an interconnected system (not isolated organs).
Understands how imbalances in one system affect others.

4. Evidence-Based Interventions

Uses a blend of:

Conventional diagnostics (e.g. blood tests, imaging)
Functional testing (e.g. gut microbiome, hormone panels)
Nutritional and lifestyle interventions
Supplements and botanicals
Occasionally, medications when necessary

5. Lifestyle as Medicine

Focuses heavily on:

Nutrition: anti-inflammatory, personalized diets Exercise: tailored activity plan
Sleep: optimizing quality and duration
Stress Management: mindfulness, breathing, and therapy
Detoxification: supporting liver, kidneys, gut, and lymphatic system

6. Use of alternative therapies such as acupuncture, and other intergrative tools to support healing.

7. Prevention & Wellness: Emphasizing proactive measures (diet, exercise, stress management, sleep optimization) to prevent disease and promote long-term well-being.

Example:

If someone has depression, conventional medicine may prescribe an antidepressant. A functional medicine practitioner would look deeper—investigating gut health, nutritional deficiencies (like B12 or omega-3), thyroid function, inflammation, trauma history, and more.

Aspect

Philosophy

Approach

Diagnosis

Treatment Focus

Practitioner Role

View of the Body

Time with Patient

Use of Tests

Chronic Conditions

Prevention

Functional Medicine

Root-cause oriented

Holistic and individualised

Investigates underlying imbalances and patterns

Supports the body's healing mechanisms through lifestyle, nutrition, supplements, and sometimes medication, if required.

Collaborative partner; patient is an active participant

Sees the body as an interconnected system

Longer consultations to deeply understand history and lifestyle

Advanced lab testing (e.g., gut microbiome, hormone panels, nutrient levels)

Aims to reverse or improve chronic disease by identifying triggers

Strong emphasis on lifestyle and disease prevention

Conventional Medicine

Disease/symptom oriented

Standardized and protocol-driven

Based on symptoms and diagnostic codes

Primarily treats symptoms with pharmaceuticals or surgery

Authoritative expert; patient is usually passive

Views body systems more independently

Shorter visits, often focused on acute symptoms

Standard labs and imaging for diagnosis

Often manages chronic disease with long-term medication

Some preventive care, but often reactive