About Us

Binyan Shaleim looks to get to the root of a problem, and develops develop a health plan which brings conventional and complimentary medicine together in a coordinated process designed to help him or her achieve optimal wellness

Binyan Shaleim embraces the principles being espoused by the likes of the Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins University in that these medical centers are shifting from the current disease-centered focus of traditional medical establishments to a patient-centered approach which looks to identify genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors that may shift a person’s health from illness to well-being, improving the management and prevention of chronic diseases including metabolic health and mental health.

Modeled after the renowned Johns Hopkins Food, Body & Mind Center, Binyan Shaleim maintains a model of care that focuses on the nutritional, genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that have been scientifically shown to trigger physical and mental disease. An example of this approach is the emphasis given to the gut-brain connection – the effect good and bad bacteria in a person’s body – on a wide range of psychiatric and physical conditions, such as depression, autism, heart disease, diabetes and even cancer.

Patients coming into the center are evaluated by health professionals who, through in-depth personal interviews and a review of pertinent medical test records, get to the root of the symptoms to develop a health plan which brings conventional and complimentary medicine together in a coordinated process designed to help him or her achieve optimal wellness.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.How is functional medicine different from conventional medicine?

While conventional medicine treats symptoms of physical and psychiatric disease with a one-size-fits-all approach, functional medicine follows a personalized model of care that examines a patient’s diet, lifestyle and toxic environmental exposures to get to the root cause of the illness.

Indeed, as reported in prestigious, medical journals such as Lancet and JAMA, there have been numerous peer reviewed studies in support of the idea that even genetic conditions can be influenced by lifestyle and diet choices.

2. Is functional medicine meant to take the place of conventional medicine?

No.
Through an integrative, patient-centered approach, including mental and emotional support, functional medicine strives to bring conventional and complimentary medicine together in a coordinated process.There is no question that we need our doctors to treat acute symptoms of illness, usually with medications or, when necessary, surgery. But functional medicine believes that wellness is best achieved by treating the whole person, not just the diseased organ.
To that end, functional medicine focuses on nutrition, exercise, stress management, sleep habits — even the building and maintaining of healthy relationships and positive self-esteem– in both treating and preventing disease.

3. Who is the typical Binyan Shaleim patient?
An individual may come into our center with no specific complaint—just a desire to prevent illness and increase vitality by living a balanced and healthy life. Another may be under the care of a specialist for a psychiatric or chronic illness, but is seeking ways to decrease the need for medications by making basic diet and lifestyle changes. Yet another may be looking for new ways to address fertility issues or optimize the chances of a smooth pregnancy and post-partum recovery and, of course, a healthy baby.
Bottom line: There is no typical Binyan Shaleim patient.
4. Is functional medicine recognized as an accepted model of care by the wider medical community?
Functional medicine has been introduced in prestigious institutions like the Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins Hospital, the Mayo Clinic and many others. As evidence of the efficacy of functional medicine continues to grow, functional medicine private practices are increasing across the country, and the demand for trained clinicians continues to expand.
5. How can Binyan Shaleim help the average healthcare consumer learn more about functional medicine?
Community education regarding functional medicine and its capacity to improve our lives is a major component of the Binyan Shaleim mission. To that end, the center regularly sponsors public health symposia and lectures by renowned experts from across the healthcare spectrum.
732.884.1800 | 500 River Avenue, Lakewood, NJ 08701