In the Functional Medicine world - you will often hear the phrase:
Test, don’t guess!
And here’s why - Functional lab testing and evaluation provides data as a critical component in gaining a more comprehensive understanding of how your body is functioning. So, instead of simply guessing why you’re experiencing things like digestive upset, headaches, acne, and panic attacks - you can test!
Knowledge is power when it comes to health and wellness. Having the ability to test for instead of just guess what nutrient, microbial, and hormonal imbalances are present is invaluable to creating the most targeted, individualized, effective healing strategy.
Functional laboratory testing may include blood, stool, urine, saliva, or hair samples to provide information about a variety of systems including metabolic, nutritional, endocrine, gastrointestinal, hormonal, immune, detoxification.
In my practice, I utilize the following labs:
IgG Food Sensitivities Test + Candida
If you are dealing with pesky issues like headaches, brain fog, fatigue, or eczema - this test can often identify the trigger for those symptoms.
The IgG Food Sensitivities test measures your body’s IgG reaction to 190 foods. In laymen's terms - an IgG reaction is an allergic reaction that is delayed by several hours or days and often reveals itself as chronic, non-life-threatening issues. In contrast, an IgE food antibody reaction happens almost immediately and can cause acute issues like trouble breathing and anaphylactic shock.
The most common symptoms of an IgG reaction include:
asthma, coughing, ringing in the ears, chronic fatigue, headaches, gas, bloating, diarrhea, skin rash and itching, inflammation, and nasal congestion
Thyroid, Adrenal, Hormone, Vitamin D, Blood Sugar Lab (Stress Evaluation)
If you are a woman, you need to take this test. It’s that simple. There are so many women walking around today that have almost zero education on the status of their hormones, adrenals, and thyroid and yet they control some of the most important functions in your body like your period, metabolism/weight issues, energy levels, mental health, fertility, libido, and SO MUCH more.
The lab markers for this test include:
Estradiol
Progesterone
Pg/E2 ratio
DHEA
Testosterone
Cortisol curve (4 markers)
Vitamin D2, D3, and total vitamin D
TSH
Free T3
Free T4
TPO Ab
Insulin
Hemoglobin A1c
Stool Analysis (Measures Key Markers of Digestion, Absorption, and Inflammation)
If you’ve been experiencing bowel dysfunction, fatigue, mood issues, skin rashes, or unexplained body pain and headaches, microorganisms that have become out of balance in your intestines could be to blame.
While a number of microorganisms are commonly found in our intestines, it is possible for them to fall out of their “normal” limits. What’s more, we can acquire microorganisms that should never be present in our bodies through things we ingest. In either case, a GI tract out of balance can lead to a number of health issues. This easy, at-home lab test gives us an accurate measurement of healthy and pathogenic bacteria, parasites, yeast, and occult blood in your GI tract that can help pinpoint the causes of gastrointestinal symptoms and other chronic conditions.
Organic Acids Test (Provides Gut Profile, Vitamin & Mineral levels, and Neurotransmitter Levels)
If you were to run only one lab test to assess the overall state of your digestion, microbial probiotic balance, and gut health, it would be this lab. With over 75 biomarkers, the Organic Acids Test will show you exactly what your deficiencies are in terms of vitamins, energy mitochondria producers, neurotransmitter metabolites, and detoxifiers.
I will run this lab if symptoms such as digestive issues, bloating, gas, acid reflux, constipation, diarrhea, mood irregularities, and immune dysfunction are present.
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (Detects Mineral Levels and Heavy Metals)
If someone tells me are stressed, tired, anxious, and overwhelmed - I strongly suggest this lab.
The reason for this is that if you are not balanced when it comes to your electrolyte and mineral levels you will not be able to adequately deal with stress in your life.
This is the test that will enable you to see how well your nervous system is handling stress, what stage of adrenal dysfunction you may be in, what your mineral reserves are like, and if you’re dealing with higher levels of toxic heavy metals which can lead to issues like: high stress, anxiety, learning disabilities, mood disturbances, high/low energy, headaches, skin rashes, and poor sleep.
Omega-3 Lab (Gauges Inflammation and Omega Levels in the Body)
This lab will help you understand your Omega-6 to Omega-3 fat balance. If this ratio is less than optimal, inflammation can arise within the body which can lead to many pro-inflammatory conditions such as:
Cardiovascular Issues
Blood Pressure Imbalance
Joint Pain
Low Mood
Hormones Imbalances
Systemic Inflammation
Fatigue
Allergies
Asthma
Childhood Mood Disturbances
Muscle Inflammation
Premature Aging
All of these labs are easy, at-home lab tests that are shipped to your door and include pre-paid shipping labels to send back to the labs for processing. Once the lab is ready for evaluation, the results are sent directly to me where I can begin looking them over.