Do you remember when you last felt alive: neither too healthy nor too sick… just right? For many, the voyage to ‘health paradise’ looks like a distant dream as they fight a highly consolidated and complex treatment program that mainly targets the disease and its manifestation rather than the disease process itself. Meet Dr. Chris Chappel, an Australian functional medicine practitioner who is changing lives, one patient at a time, with an innovative, patient-centered model of functional medicine.
Dr. Chris Chappel is not just a doctor but a practitioner who is one of the key pioneers in changing the idea and culture of the healthcare system. With a Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and many more certifications, including Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and IFM Certified Practitioner (IFMCP), Dr. Chappel has enormous experience in functional medicine. More than anything, his focus on the root of the disease, not the symptoms, makes him the real thing.
Evergreen Doctors – A Personal Project
The flagship of Dr. Chappel’s work is Evergreen Doctors – a practice of his own in Sydney. Traditional general practice fuses with functional medicine, making Evergreen Doctors unique because it holistically targets patient understanding. Here, the philosophy is clear: the body is a complex structure, and only when the structure is regarded as such can be recovered. Whether a patient suffers from chronic fatigue or digestive problems, diabetes or obesity, Evergreen Doctors will develop a personal course of action that gives the patient authority over his or her condition.
Dr. Chappel’s step-by-step plan starts with an initial assessment of the patient’s history and surroundings. Current diagnostic techniques, including genetic and metabolic diagnostic tests, reveal the causes of health problems. Such a thorough approach results in individualized plans, including diet changes, lifestyle modifications, and drugs only when necessary.
The Body as a River
Another interesting approach that Dr. Chappel has embraced is the body’s inherent capacity to heal when put in a conducive environment. Using a striking analogy, he compares a polluted lake to a body burdened by disease: “You could take out the visible readily identifiable litter, but unless you check or get rid of the source of pollution upstream, then the lake will always remain polluted. The same is true for your body—simply ‘sprinkling’ medicine is not enough.”
This approach has achieved incredible results for patients. Many patients with certain complaints, such as migraines or digestive issues, come to Dr. Chappel and find out that a combination of approaches addresses not only their pain but also many other aspects of their lives. The effects are pleasing; the patients develop more vitality, mental acuity, and stability, and their skin glows.
Aside from being a practicing clinician, Dr. Chappel is always committed to learning and promoting change. His many certifications in areas such as anti-aging, mental health, and metabolic medicine suggest that, where possible, he is willing and able to implement the latest treatment methods. He has also designed programs on diabetes reversal and sensible weight loss, which indicate his consciousness about a number of current-day health issues.
Family-oriented and passionate about bird watching and having a dog, Dr. Chappel is a man who knows how to balance his personal and professional life and be a nice husband and friend. This balance exists in his practice, and the practitioner focuses on the patient as an individual, not a collection of symptoms.
To most people, receiving medical care is impersonal and fragmented, but thanks to Dr. Chris Chappel and Evergreen Doctors, healthcare is now offered through a refreshing approach. They are the pioneers of integrating traditional medicine with functional medicine and are thus paving the benchmark standard for human health in the future.
