The functional medicine perspective is a holistic approach to healthcare that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of illness or disease, rather than just treating symptoms. This approach involves looking at an individual's entire lifestyle, including their diet, exercise habits, stress levels, environmental factors, and genetic predispositions to determine what may be causing imbalances in their body that lead to chronic health conditions. The goal of functional medicine is to help people achieve optimal wellness by addressing these underlying causes and promoting prevention through lifestyle changes rather than just relying on medication or surgery.