Persatuan Pengamal Perubatan Nutrisi Dan Functional, Malaysia
(Association of Nutritional And Functional Medicine Practitioners, Malaysia)
(Association of Nutritional And Functional Medicine Practitioners, Malaysia)
Introduction of Nutritional Medicine
Nutritional Medicine is a branch of complementary medicine which seeks the ultimate cause(s) of a chronic disorder/disease and its practitioners, after thorough history taking and review of existing health/medical records, prescribe therapy scheme(s) that are based on evidence-based dietary/nutritional and lifestyle modifications. Practitioners are trained in advanced search of medical databases to ensure access to latest research findings. By shifting from conventional disease-centred focus of healthcare to a more patient-centred holistic care, nutritional medicine aims to address the whole person, not just his/her isolated set of health symptoms.
The therapy involves designing targetted diet and lifestyle modifications that match the individualised nutritional/physiological needs of the patient, besides supplementation with evidence-based micronutrients targeted at specific chronic health issues. Guidance offered to patients on their dietary plans aim to achieve their desired macro-nutrient needs. |
|
Main Principles of Nutritional Medicine
|
Nutritional medicine is a biological-based natural therapy. Since 1908, dozens of Nobel Prizes in Chemistry, Physiology, or Medicine were awarded for research linked in parts to nutritional medicine (which include use of extracts from spices, plants, berries/fruits, and other edible products).
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 40 million people died prematurely every year from non-communicable (chronic) diseases (NCDs) with the majority of deaths coming from developing and under-developed nations. The 4 shared-risk factors pointed out by WHO are all linked to poor dietary and lifestyle habits. This suggests that preventive healthcare plays a key role in the years ahead. |
|
As a treatment modality, nutritional medicine is compatible to current WHO’s call for a 25% reduction in premature deaths from NCDs by 2025. Its practitioners would look ‘upstream’ to consider the complex web of interactions in their patient’s history, physiology, dietary, and lifestyle factors that could contribute to their chronic disorders. This therapy helps address individual’s unique dietary/lifestyle needs and provides advice on prevention and control through the application of health science and evidence-based nutraceuticals. Such natural treatment protocols can impact on patients’ hormonal, neurological and immune functions (UK Nutritional Therapy Council).
Our Objective
It is a non-profit making professional Association registered with the Registrar of Societies, certificate reference PPM-WKL2743/09 dated April 2010.
Its principal objective is to promote professional development and growth in the evidenced-based practice of nutritional medicine and lifestyle/orthomolecular medicine as adjunct therapy or in the management of chronic health disorders. Entry to this profession is open to only graduates of local or JPA-recognised universities overseas. |
A rapidly growing, educated, and IT-literate middle-class has led to faster assimilation of modern health/medical research information. This in turns creates a stronger demand for natural diet/lifestyle based therapy offering a more holistic approach to managing chronic health disorders.
It is now widely recognised that the strongest defence against illnesses may well be our own natural immunity and healthy production of antioxidants/enzymes. As in developed nations in the West, Malaysia spends the bulk of its annual healthcare budget in managing mainly the symptoms of chronic diseases. The death/disability burden in Malaysia for NCDs is estimated at 71% (Ramli and Taher, 2008) whereas the global average is just 47%. According to local published research, the percentages of Malaysians who use some form of nutritional treatment range from 63% (Hasan et al., 2009) to 88% (Siti et al., 2009) giving an average of 75%. The adjunct cancer therapies cater for a substantial (84.5%) group of consumers in Malaysia (Hamidah et al., 2009). For self-paying patients with NCDs, the percentages are likely to be higher than national averages. Nutritional Medicine, as a modality within complementary medicine, is distinct from nutritional therapy (by dietician) and nutrition (by nutritionist). The latter two professions are regulated under a separate Allied Health Act 2016. |
