Mark Hyman at TEDMED. Functional medicine addresses the underlying causes of disease, using a systems-oriented approach and engaging both patient and practitioner in a therapeutic partnership. It is an evolution in the practice of medicine that better addresses the healthcare needs of the 21st century.By shifting the traditional disease-centered focus of medical practice to a more patient-centered approach, functional medicine addresses the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms.t is an evolution in the practice of medicine that better addresses the healthcare needs of the 21st century. By shifting the traditional disease-centered focus of medical practice to a more patient-centered approach, functional medicine addresses the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms.
The maps above show one way to monitor the carbon âmetabolismâ of Earthâs vegetation. They show net primary productivity, which is how much carbon dioxide vegetation takes in during photosynthesis minus how much carbon dioxide the plants release during respiration (metabolizing sugars and starches for energy).
Primary Productivity. The flow of energy through any ecosystem starts with the fixation of sunlight by plants and other autotrophic organisms. In this way the plant accumulates energy and this energy is called primary production. The rate at which this energy accumulates is called primary productivity.