Why bloodwork?
- Bloodwork is reliable, inexpensive, and the most scientifically backed testing that exists.
- You’ll get a lot of insight into your health status.
- Getting a full functional picture requires a bit more than just a CBC and a basic Comp14.
- I am looking for a personalized path to better health. This is not one-size fits all process. Nothing with health ever is because biology is individual. Your body is not the same as someone else’s and neither is your environment.
- For example: We look for liver congestion or fatty liver. We seek to understand WHY you have blood sugar issues or anemia. We can better target your nutritional needs with this information.
- I want you to feel better right out of the gate.
- My goal is to focus on raising energy levels, mental focus, and emotional balance so that you have the best start you can have.
What we talk about in your private session.
- We’ll discuss optimal ranges rather than lab reference ranges. An optimal range is a smaller range that tells you how far off center you are. These ranges are derived from research.
- Lab ranges are assigned by labs. They find the mean value of the tests run through that single lab and then they build a range above and below the mean value. This is why reference ranges are different when you do testing with a different lab. They are looking for a yes or no answer. Do you fall into a disease category?
- I am not an MD. I will refer you back to your MD if a medical issue appears on your bloodwork. But you’ll be armed with a better understanding of it!
- We are looking at physiology to support your biology through diet and lifestyle. We will not be treating medical issues.
- This is a different lens. Functional medicine is about understanding physiology — how is your body working?
Example — Iron is a good way to demonstrate how a functional interpretation works.
- Iron is a mineral, but the body handles iron differently than other minerals. People can be anemic for different reasons, and sometimes it’s not because of low iron.
- During highly inflammatory states or bacterial infection, the body pulls iron out of the blood and stores it to protect you because bugs eat iron to get stronger. Taking iron can make those conditions worse, and is not always the answer, even if serum iron levels are low.
- The iron may be there, but your body is “handling it” to protect you. You never want to override the wisdom of the body.
- A functional interpretation of bloodwork gives clues as to what is causing anemia.
- Understanding physiology (function) gets you some very helpful information.
- Blood sugar and lipids are also good examples of this. There are relationships in the body that push and pull these levels.
- Having comprehensive testing like the one you get in the Nourished Journey is going to give you a wealth of information.
- This is about education so that you are armed with understanding.
The great news!
Food and lifestyle can turn these trends around. In some cases, you can prevent them from developing into an illness. This is the value of having bloodwork done at the beginning of the program.
What about functional tests?
If you’re not familiar with the term “functional testing,” it is lab tests that are designed to reveal some kind of physiological insight, such as how the gut is functioning, for example.
Examples are saliva hormone testing, the OAT test, intestinal permeability testing, and many more.
I have access to all of that testing, and I am trained to do all of it. If you are interested in any of it, ask me about it, and we can talk more. In some cases, I believe hormone testing may have some value. And there are autoimmune profiles, and gluten testing that can be necessary if you have a deeper issue going on.
I have gone back to basic bloodwork as the foundational basis of my practice. Once in a while, we go beyond that. I have put most of my efforts and training into using bloodwork, for the reasons I list below.
There just isn’t a lot of research backing the functional tests being offered, and there are a lot of problems with it.
- It’s very expensive. And I mean VERY! In many cases, you will get over $1,000 in functional tests before you even talk with a practioner, buy supplements, and get a protocol. That bothers me.
- Many of the tests having to do with hormones or amino acids are unreliable, not because the labs can’t find that number, but because those values can change in an instant in the body. You’re only testing the moment you took your saliva. They’ve tried to get around that by taking four samples throughout the day, but that can also change dramatically from day to day.
- There are other problems, but that’s enough. You see the difficulty.
- Bloodwork is pretty stable, and the markers have been studied extensively. We can be sure that it’s reliable in most cases. If it’s not reliable, that, too, has been studied.
- Understanding physiology is the engine in the functional world, and all we have to do is use a different lens with the best testing available.
- On occasion, your symptoms and bloodwork might indicate a need for further testing. The most common issue is gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. We’ll talk about the possibility in your session if your situation might warrant that, and we’ll talk about the best way to look at that issue. You can make an informed decision, and that’s how I like it.
- Bloodwork is the best foundation for all of that information.
When will I get my results?
It takes about a week for all the markers to be processed. The results are posted on Evexia, and I will download them and send you a notice that your results are in.
This is going to be good!
You’ll gain a lot of information you won’t get anywhere else right from the start in the Nourished Journey. This bloodwork with a functional assessment would cost you anywhere from $400 to $600 if you were just to do this one part of the program and set up a program with a nutritionist. This type of functional labwork and assessment is only available from highly trained practitioners because the training is a bit hard to come by.
I went to get a master’s in nutrition because I wanted training in all the functional labs available. After that, I realized I needed training in basic bloodwork! I am now working with a doctor to obtain my CNS designation in nutrition. It’s been a really great ride!
My greatest priviledge is helping others feel better … and understand why, because then it’s repeatable!