​​Functional Medicine: A Natural Path for Responders

This episode features an interview with first responder Dr Ken Hoffman, a functional medicine doctor in practice for 20 years. He is Medical Director of SOPHIA Natural Health Center in Brookfield, CT which delivers the most comprehensive scientific, holistic evaluation and treatment that is designed to find, and treat, the root cause of health problems. Functional medicine integrates the ancient wisdom of Chinese Medicine with modern science.

We discuss: What is functional medicine and how is it different from the traditional medical approach? Is there evidence to support functional medicine’s effectiveness? How does Ken work with first responders? What are the biggest challenges to first responder mental and physical health today?  What alternatives would you recommend to first responders who are using prescription medications to handle sleep, depression and attention deficit? How is dealing with veterans, EMS and first responders different than the general public, and what can be done to address this? What unique tools do you use in your functional medicine practice to address emotional trauma or stress?

Ken is a US Army veteran, an active EMT in his town, an Avid Adventure motorcyclist and naturalist and has spent much of his medical career counseling people on stress reduction and emotional energy management concerning their general health. He was instrumental in the acupuncture center set up in Sandy Hook after the shooting.