The Leeds doctor hosting the first ever Festival of Functional Medicine

Functional Medicine deal with the entire body and helps boost the immune system. Picture: kieferpix - stock.adobe.com

By Catherine Scott

Published 24th Feb 2021, 11:45 BST

Updated 24th Feb 2021, 12:16 BST

Functional Medicine provides a preventative approach to medicine, looking at creating a healthy lifestyle, or getting to the root cause of symptoms if they already exist. Practitioners work to educate their patients and provide them with the tools and skills to be responsible for their own health.

The event marks the five-year anniversary of the opening of the Dr Indra Specialist Functional Medicine Practice, one of the first of such clinics in the north of England to offer a multidisciplinary approach.

“Our immune system and health have been at the forefront of everyone’s mind during this last year,” says Dr Indra Barathan.

“A functional medicine approach is a valuable tool to support your health.

“We want to empower people to be their best selves and FOFM21 is all about education, awareness and celebration. The fact that we can support our fabulous causes at the same time is a bonus.”

Dr Indra graduated from Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School in 1997 and worked as an NHS GP until 2015 when she opened her specialist functional medical practice to support her patients.

Speakers from around the world include those in the field of nutrition, sleep and movement specialists, the day will offer a special insight into some of the common issues which many people face. By using the online facilities, attendees can choose which talk they want to attend and, in the afternoon, can join a group-work taster session to participate in one of the many interactive discussions.