Hello and thank you for your interest in Christie MD Functional and Aesthetic Medicine! If you are interested in a complimentary 15-minute consultation to learn more about how Functional and Aesthetic medicine can help you, please call 727-220-9080. What is Functional Medicine?
* Functional Medicine is a form of Integrative Medicine. We treat diseases and symptoms by looking at the the metabolic, hormonal and biochemical pathways in our bodies at the cellular level and treat patients with the vitamins, minerals, co-factors and other nutrients that our bodies need in order to function. This treatment method is not done in traditional American medicine. The Functional approach can be applied to multiple diseases and symptoms and uses nutraceuticals, supplements, co-factors, minerals, diet and lifestyle changes to treat and heal the body.
* We also do extensive gut analysis, as many problems can be resolved with healing the gut. In addition to GI health, common body systems that can benefit from gut analysis and treatments include skin, pain syndromes (ie: arthritis, fibromyalgia), and cognition, among others.
* This approach looks at the interconnectedness of our bodies. Instead of treating specific diseases or symptoms, ie: "disease X" with certain pharmaceuticals, we treat these issues with a combination of nutrients and supplements at the root causes in the cellular level of the body vs. Who can Functional Medicine help?
* Everyone! We are all different and will have different nutritional and medical needs and this approach can help all of us. Whether you have multiple chronic diseases, inflammatory issues, such as arthritis or IBD, gut issues, or are already pretty healthy and want to maintain optimal health, the Functional approach can help you.
* Have you had multiple doctor visits for your issues but are not getting better or only covering the symptoms with pharmaceuticals? If you are having health issues that are not being resolved or improved upon by traditional medicine, or want a more holistic approach to health, consider the Functional approach as we do not generally treat patients this way in traditional medicine. When traditional medicine is not working for you, consider a different approach that you may not have tried before. Additional services offered:
* Aesthetics - neuromuscular blockers and dermal fillers, such as Botox and Juvederm. Dermal fillers are used in women of all ages for lip volume as well as for wrinkles caused by loss of collagen and hyaluronic acid. These are the naso-labial folds and marionette lines. Botox is used for wrinkles from facial movement including the forehead, brow region for "frown lines", laugh-lines by the eyes, and "smoker's lines aka: water bottle lines" around the mouth. Other brands in addition to Juvederm and Botox are offered if you have a preference.
* IV Nutritional therapy - coming very soon! As the name states, this is a fast way of getting nutrients into the body for increased bioavailability and bypassing the gut and digestion. We have multiple protocols for nutrition, energy, immune support, and detoxification. This service is also highly rated among athletes as a form of preparation before big events. Who am I?
* Heather Christie, MD - board certified in Family Medicine with additional training in Functional and Aesthetic Medicines as well as Intravenous (IV) Therapy (coming soon). As an MD, I can also write prescriptions when needed, although my focus is on a more holistic approach. I am not anti-pharmaceutical but believe we are ignoring the basic nutritional needs of our bodies.
* Graduated from Tulane School of Medicine 2005, Duke Family Medicine Residency 2008, San Diego State University - Business 1992.
* Throughout my career as a physician, I have continually received recognition from outside entities for improved measurable patient results. Please see my website "About Us" tab for full details.
* I recently returned to my childhood home state of Florida and am exited to start this journey with you!
