Unconventional Medicine: Join the Revolution to Reinvent Healthcare, Reverse Chronic Disease, and Create a Practice You Love

The statistics are alarming to say the least. “One in two Americans now has a chronic disease, and one in four has multiple chronic diseases…chronic disease accounts for 86 percent of healthcare expenditures…twenty-seven percent of children now suffer from chronic disease…seven of the top ten causes of death are chronic diseases.”Most people who read this book will be generally aware of the health care crisis we face today. How can we not? The clinician that he is, however, Kresser gives it dimension and offers a blueprint for an alternate way. And it makes all the sense in the world.Our current medical paradigm is disease-based and has a structural and financial bias toward symptom suppression, largely through the extensive use of pharmaceuticals, rather than the discovery and elimination of root cause. He calls his alternative model the ADAPT Framework, a combination of “…Functional Medicine, an ancestral perspective, and a collaborative practice model…”Causal integration is a growing trend in all areas of science today. Richard Thaler was recently awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Economics “for his contributions to behavioural economics,” combining economic theory with psychological reality.The explanation for the misalignment between the dominant contemporary healthcare paradigm and our current reality is both simple and logical. Through advances in science and technology, the evolution of Western medicine has outpaced the evolution of humankind. We have been hugely successful in repairing trauma and eradicating disease, but changes in our social and physical environment have presented new problems that the specialized symptom suppression model is simply not sensitive to.While this book is about medicine specifically, I think Kessler has ironically thrown back the tarp on a much bigger problem that extends well beyond medicine. Rupert Sheldrake calls it “the science delusion.” It is the willingness of those with an agenda (In his case, Big Pharma.) to wrap opinion in a white coat and call it irrefutable.Kresser notes, “In other words, most published research findings support the status quo; they’re not necessarily based on solid evidence.” He cites Marcia Angell, a former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine: “It is simply no longer possible to believe much of the clinical research that is published.” And John Ioannidis, a Stanford researcher, who published a paper entitled, “Why Most Published Research is False.” In it, Ioannidis concludes, “Claimed findings may be accurate measures of the prevailing bias.”I will be interested to see if Kresser can break through the Internet gatekeepers and get the attention he deserves for this book. Unfortunately, the democratization of influence that the Internet promised has yet to be realized as alternative thought is squeezed into obscurity by the sheer volume of attention captured by celebrities and cute cat videos.One concern I do have for the ADAPT Framework is that I don’t see how this medical revolution, as inevitable as it is, can take place given the dismal state of health care insurance in the US. His ideas, it seems to me, will take bold vision and an ironclad commitment. While I agree with Kessler on the long term cost benefits of his approach, I can’t imagine it will be an easy sell to private insurance companies and hospital administrators. The Cleveland Clinic is a crown jewel of American medicine, but it is hardly representative of the health care infrastructure that most of us rely on.A national health care program, it seems to me, will have to be put in place before integrated and functional health care will get a fair hearing. Kresser notes that “Two-thirds of medical research is sponsored by pharmaceutical companies…” “Reimbursement-based medicine,” as he calls it, will not go down without a fight. And when there is so much money involved, we can expect it will be bloody.My other concern is a general concern about dogma itself. The Greek philosopher, Pyrrho of Elis, the founder of the philosophical school of skepticism, noted that once ideas become dogma they tend to become vulnerable to the same lack of conceptual adaptability that made change so necessary to begin with. I am not suggesting that Kresser has done that, but I cringed ever so slightly when he talked about the importance of decorating the waiting room properly.All told, this is a very good book and I hope all that have read it will help to spread the word. Our health really does depend on it.

I have given money to causes I believe in. I have even been part of peaceful demonstrations for change. However, reading this well written and up to date book could bring more real change for more people than most of our efforts. Reading it and passing it on to our own physicians and our Congressional and Senate representatives could effect our country powerfully. I cannot imagine the good that could come from this simple grassroots movement. I encourage you, the reader, to use this book to bring great good to our world. If we can use this book and this moment effectively, not only our country, but the rest of the world will notice that we in the United States were able to solve one of our most difficult national problems. This will aid in bringing greater respect around the world as well as positive application of some of the key elements of success. This is no small book! For all its potential power, Unconventional Medicine, is enjoyable to read. Chris Kresser has given us the truth and knowledge necessary in a very easily absorbable form. He includes memorable examples of the application of these methods in the lives of real individuals as well as the scientific backing we need to evaluate his information. You will not regret purchasing this book and sharing it.

Chris Kresser is a trailblazer in functional medicine! This is a great introduction if you are new to functional medicine. If you are already familiar with functional medicine you’ll very likely learn some new information and the case studies he shares are very well done and offer so much hope. As a practitioner this book will give you insights on how to work more smartly in order to help your clients/patients. I really appreciate the discussion about a collaborative practice model where there is a place for doctors, nutritionists, health coaches, and other allied health practitioners.This book has been written primarily for practitioners but if you are a health enthusiast/health advocate who wants to understand functional medicine and traditional/ancestral diets you will find it of value too. And it's a great resource to get your conventional doctor on board with functional medicine.The only section where we have a professional difference of opinion is where Chris states that: “Research suggests that depression is not actually caused by low serotonin.” Based on my experience as a food mood expert working with anxious women, depression/anxiety is not always caused by low serotonin – BUT it can be one of many possible nutritional/biochemical causes. I am so vocal about this topic that I had to mention it because I know my community would call me out on it if I don’t!Trudy Scott, author of The Antianxiety Food Solution

This is a good read, but definitely geared towards practitioners looking to change their practices to a functional medicine approach. Probably need a different book for the average person wanting to learn about functional medicine.

Excelente lectura.Totalmente documentada. Soy médico especialista y sin duda creo que tiene mucho de razón en lo que la medicina convencional representa para las enfermedades crónicas. Nada más y nada menos que un tratamiento casi paliativo en muchos de los casos. Recomendada 100%.

It has good information but a lot is focused on the Author's institutes and other functional medicine's practitioners promotion. But it is a good book to start understanding the right way of viewing medicine and to see that functional medicine is long lasting cure for preventing chronic diseases.

Both a call to action and a roadmap to a more 'common sense' approach to healthcare. A great overview of where our current health care system is at (hint: not good) and where we can hopefully improve. A real eye opener for those who haven't been following along with where the current medical system is at and a must read!

Aunque está genial entender el ADAPT y he recogido conceptos interesantes, los naturópatas hace tiempo que trabajamos de esta forma holística. Entiendo que es un libro más para "no conversos" y médicos convencionales, en parte muy dirigido a USA. Esperaba más información práctica para el trabajo del día a día, y la he obtenido más con los generosos bonus y recursos del último capítulo que con el resto. Igualmente el precio era económico y da gusto leerle.

In diesem Buch geht es darum weshalb funktionelle Medizin (FM) die Lösung für chronische Krankheiten (wie z. B. dem metabolischem Syndrom) ist. Es zeigt sehr deutlich und verständlich geschrieben auf, was mit dem aktuellen (US) System (aber dies gilt leider auch für andere westliche Länder) alles falsch läuft und weshalb konventionelle Medizin mit Ihren Methoden an Grenzen stösst.Dabei ist FM nichts radikal Neues, vielmehr ist es eine Rückkehr zu dem was mal war. Krankheiten werden geheilt weil man auf Ursachenvorschung geht und diese dann beseitigt. Darüber hinaus ist FM ein Konzept (wie traditionelle indische oder chinisische Medizin) welches primär versucht die Gesundheit von Menschen zu erhalten.Die Erhaltung von Gesundheit ist leider im aktuellen Gesundheitssystem weniger wichtig. Vielmehr werden Symptome mit Methoden behandelt welche Probleme nur oberflächlich lösen. Medikamente sollen der Schlüssel zum Ziel sein, dabei maskieren Sie nur was tiefgründig im Körper schief läuft.Chris hebt dabei auch ganz deutlich hervor, dass konventionelle Medizin wichtig und nötig ist. Wenn man akute Probleme hat ist eine Operation oder manche Medikamente nötig. Aber danach geht es eben auch darum einen Lebenswandel zu gestalten welcher dazu führt gesund zu bleiben. FM sieht hierfür eine Kooperation zwischen Medizinern, Pflegern und Life Coaches vor. Jeder spielt dabei eine wichtige Rolle den Menschen wieder auf gesunde Bahnen zu bringen.Im Buch werden viele interessante Beispiele angebracht und das Vokabular ist überschaubar schwierig, man sollte jedoch etwas medizinisches Vokabular parat haben.Dieses Buch ist für jeden geeignet der sich einen Überblick zu FM verschaffen möchte und verstehen will was mit unserem System falsch läuft und was man selbst machen kann um einen Umschwung zu ermöglichen.