FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE LAB TESTING— SIMPLIFIED
When it comes to our health & wellness, our bodies are very intelligent in letting us know when things are off, giving us signs & symptoms as a red flag waving to warn someone of danger ahead. It’s fascinating that we tend to ignore these signs & symptoms or are convinced that these things are normal, when they in fact, are not. If you listen & sense your body is out of balance, I can assure you there is hope. In the past, I would have turned to doctor google and spent hours filled with anxiety or shear panic about having this or that all while running in circles around treatment options to test out – none of which ever seemed to get me to the true root cause of why I wasn’t feeling well. Luckily, this isn’t my story anymore. Unveiling why you don’t feel well becomes significantly more seamless when you have specific tools & data like functional medicine lab testing to support your journey.
For example, how many reasons are there for bloating? ALOT. Could it be related to food I ate? Do I have a parasite? Is it stress? Do I have a leaky gut? The list can go on and on.. Instead of spending countless hours and money trying different diets and buying random supplements, it’s much more useful to invest in a test that can actually provide you some answers. Some real data that is specific to you and your body. It takes out all the guesswork, and ultimately saves you more time and money down the road.
Whether you have done functional medical lab testing before, or this is your first time hearing about it, root cause healing is what changed my life, & the lives of so many others looking for answers. It’s that tangible evidence that takes the guesswork out, prioritizing your precious time on what is already a limited calendar. No more throwing money out the window for band aid solutions to maybe someday find what is really going on. It’s your time to investigate smarter, not harder, with the functional medical lab testing that’s for your personal wants & needs.
Now, let’s break down my top 7 functional medicine lab tests (yes there’s more tests available to you like DNA, Dutch Plus, etc., but this is simplified remember? Haha.;)) available to you for personalized analysis when you work with Rachel one-on-one. Whether you decide on bundling multiple labs together for a more comprehensive, detailed analysis of your health, or buy individually based on preferences, needs, or finances, they can all be done in the comfort & privacy of your home. Results typically come to you in approximately 4-6 weeks. From there, we review your results and discuss the best personalized protocol to get to the root of healing from the inside out.
FOOD SENSITIVITY TEST
Food can be nourishing to our bodies, but what is commonly pushed to the side is that food, even the so-called healthy whole foods can be the source of high levels of inflammation in the body. You may not even be aware that the foods you eat may be causing your health issues. When you are sensitive to a certain food, every time you eat it, it causes an inflammatory response to your immune system manifesting itself into a wide range of symptoms. The IgG based food sensitivity test applied in this practice is not the same as what you may be thinking for a typical food allergy test, which looks at more life-threatening, or immediate reactions to foods. Typically you are already quite aware of any food allergies you may have, because when you have eaten them, it is an immediate heightened response such as hives, or closing of airways making it difficult to breathe. On the contrary, this food sensitivity test looks specifically at delayed, & not as obvious reactions because of those symptoms occurring 24-72 hours after you have eaten a food. When you take this test, 190 of the most common healthy foods will be tested to provide you with a personalized analysis of which foods you have a low, moderate, and high sensitivity to.
Common Symptoms: Itchy skin, Headaches, Joint Pain, Skin Rash, Low Mood, Irritability, Brain Fog, Inflammation, Muscle Weakness, Learning Disabilities, Mystery Pain & Stiffness
Type of Test: Blood Spot (Finger Prick)
THYROID, ADRENAL & HORMONE TEST
Hormones affect so much in our overall health and daily life including mood, energy and how we age. And when it comes to weight loss, oftentimes you think about the amount of calories you eat and the amount of exercise you perform each week, but in fact, hormone balance, cortisol levels and metabolism are widely overlooked, and oftentimes, the main issue.
In this lab test, you will get a clear picture of measures in your levels of thyroid, adrenal output, and hormones. Additionally, assessment of your blood sugar & vitamin D levels will be addressed that are such huge components of balancing your overall health, anti-aging, & immunity. If you are struggling to lose weight, low energy, depression & low mood, low libido, & anxiety, this could be the perfect fit to help you unveil root causes to these issues, and truly get to a state of balanced hormones.
Common Symptoms: Low Energy, Mood or Libido, Weight Gain, Puffiness, Anxiety, Depression, Brain Fog, Thinning or Brittle Hair/Nails
Type of Test: Saliva Sample & Blood Spot (Finger Prick)
ADRENAL & HORMONE TEST
Are you tossing and turning, overwhelmed, stressed out and struggling to sleep? Does it seem like you can’t figure out why your body can’t rest even when you are just exhausted? Have you been frustrated with loss of energy, low libido which is putting strain on your relationship, & that unwanted weight gain keeps getting more out of control? With the Adrenal & Hormone Test, it measures your imbalances between estrogen and progesterone, along with cortisol levels that you could be facing in your daily life. With the results of this test, you will gain insight on how to move forward in a precise, and intentional plan to smooth out any imbalances that can affect your energy levels and irregular sleep patterns.
NOTE: This test does not include Thyroid, Blood Sugar, or Vitamin D markers tested in the Complete Stress, Mood & Metabolism Test
Common Symptoms: Fatigue, Loss of Stamina, High Stress, Sleep Issues, Memory Loss, Low Libido, Overwhelm, Anxiety, Irritability, Low Mood, Weight Gain, Menstrual Irregularity, Rapid Aging
Type of Test: Saliva Sample
ORGANIC ACIDS TEST
This particular test measures your levels of intestinal yeast, bacteria and fungal numbers, and reveals digestive-based issues that you may be experiencing. The Organic Acids Test has over 75 biomarkers with 12 distinct sections to showcase gut health and specific disturbances that could be causing a long list of symptoms. You will be shown exactly what deficiencies in vitamins and minerals, energy mitochondria producers, neurotransmitter metabolites, and detoxifiers, such as glutathione precursors. If you have an unbalance in microorganisms, it can cause or worsen behavior disorders, digestive issues, fatigue & immune function. Many with chronic illnesses and neurological disorders frequently excrete abnormal organic acids, making this test one of most effective, yet often overlooked & underutilized tests that reveal answers to how your body is functioning from the inside out.
Common Symptoms: Digestive Issues, Bloating, Gas, Acid Reflux, Diarrhea, Constipation, Mood Irregularities, Immune Dysfunction
Type of Test: Urine Sample
HAIR TISSUE MINERAL ANALYSIS
The Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis Test is an incredible test providing you with insight into your nervous system and how it is handling stress. Discover your mineral levels as well as any heavy metal toxicities & how your body is dealing with those markers, along with what stage you are at for adrenal function. Your mineral levels include your electrolytes, a vital component to your pH levels in your blood, & amount of water in your body, ultimately providing you with daily energy charge each day like a battery of the body. When your electrolytes and mineral levels are unbalanced with one another, your nervous system goes into overdrive, your body can’t manage stress in a healthy way. If you have high anxiety, feel overwhelmed, mood shifts, headaches, numbness or tingling, trouble focusing, or poor sleep, the HTMA is a great way to see real data to determine what is causing these imbalances.
Common Symptoms: High Stress, Anxiety, Overwhelm, Mood Disturbances, High/Low Energy, Headaches, Skin Rashes, Numbness/Tingling, Poor Sleep, Learning Disabilities (children)
Type of Test: Hair Sample
OMEGA 3’S AND INFLAMMATION TEST
In our day to day, it is pretty clear how elevated inflammation levels in your body can look like a wide range of health issues. It’s already challenging keeping up with work, life balance, and when these kinds of symptoms turn into reality, it’s so important to get to the root of what is causing that inflammation. Often, the consequences of uncontrolled inflammation don’t reveal themselves until it’s too late. That is why the Omega 3’s Test is so important to being proactive with your health & wellness. When you run this test, it will show Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio, which indicates true levels of inflammation. This is a great test for cardiovascular health, blood pressure imbalances, muscle/joint pain, skin issues, nervous system issues, energy depletion, mood swings, damage to the heart, hormone imbalances, premature aging, & anti-aging remedies for preventative care.
Common Symptoms: Cardiovascular Issues, Blood Pressure Imbalance, Joint Pain, Low Mood, Hormone Imbalances, Systemic Inflammation, Fatigue, Allergies, Asthma, Childhood Mood Disturbances, Muscle Inflammation, Premature Aging
Type of Test: Blood Spot (Finger Prick)
GUT, BACTERIA AND PARASITE STOOL TEST
The overall health of your digestive system stems from a state of how balanced it is, and when it is out of balance, that is when it can lead to a combination of health issues. In the Gut, Bacteria, & Stool Test, you will take a deep dive into measurements of your microscopy, antigens, cultures, and occult blood in your gastrointestinal tract. Digestion, absorption of nutrients, and inflammatory markers are measured to establish how efficient your digestive tract is functioning, along with looking for parasites, yeast, and bacteria markers, such as H. Pylori that can be detrimental to your health, even if you are following a healthy lifestyle & diet. You will go through a three-day period that requires samples collected, which in turn is one of the most accurate tests of its kind on the market today to detect & eliminate any pathogens.
Common Symptoms: Bowel Dysfunction, Diarrhea, Abdominal Cramps, Brain Fog, Chronic Stress, Fatigue, Headaches, Nausea/Vomiting, Blood/Mucus In Stool
Type of Test: Stool Sample
To run any of these lab tests, additional functional medical lab tests , or fitness testing & evaluation, click below to book a consultation with Rachel at Holistic Atelier de Elegance & Holistic Bride, to get started on a deeper dive into your personal health & wellness needs.
