While symptoms are an important piece of the health picture, they have many potential causes. Testing can help to focus treatment and streamline healing by helping to identify underlying cause/s.

Some patients choose to allow dietary and lifestyle changes to take effect and then use testing to fine-tune or finish up the healing process.

Some, having tried and failed in the past, want to ensure they don’t waste effort/time. Motivation to get well can wax and wane, as can optimal times in our lives that allow for this focus, so it can be critical to make the most of that motivation when it’s present.

Many underlying issues may still be present even after changing diet and lifestyle, based on specific lifetime exposures and genetics. Testing can help to identify underlying issues that may or may not be “felt,” thereby preventing illness or disease later in life.

Whether and/or when to use testing, as well as what test/s to choose, are individual decisions that should be made with your healthcare practitioner’s guidance. Listed below are descriptions of some of the different types of testing we have found to be helpful, and the reasons we utilize them.

GI Map Stool Analysis | Collected at Home

Customizable to include:

Beneficial microbes

Opportunistic and pathogenic bacteria, parasites, fungus/candida

Secretory IgA

Anti-gliadin IgA

Short chain fatty acid production

pH

Digestion markers

Human-specific pancreatic enzyme production

Presence of mucous or blood

Calprotectin

It has been said by many in the integrative health field that disease begins in the colon. GI health is key for good digestion, nutrient absorption, toxin elimination and normal immune response. Poor digestion and malabsorption leads to immune dysfunction, nutritional insufficiencies, food sensitivities/allergies, toxicity and contributes to numerous disease states.

Saliva Hormone Testing | Collected at Home

Sex hormones estradiol, estrone, estriol (collectively referred to as estrogens), DHEA-Sulfate, progesterone and the adrenal hormone cortisol are best measured in saliva, which reflects only bio-available/active hormone levels. Blood testing reflects the total amounts of these hormones, some of which are not bio-available. A person’s ratio of bio-available to biologically inactive hormones can vary significantly. Bio-available/active hormones drive cell processes and symptoms, and are therefore most important to know. 

For patients using topical hormones, saliva testing or capillary blood spot testing (finger stick - dried blood spot) are the ONLY accurate ways to evaluate dosing since both reflect tissue levels. Serum measurement doesn’t reflect tissue levels because once in the blood stream, hormones are quickly delivered to the capillary bed,

Serum Comprehensive Metabolic Panel and CBC| Collected at a Lab

Includes ALT, AST, LDH (liver markers), glucose, hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, MCH, MCHC, RDW, platelets, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, EOS, basos, BUN, creatinine, GFR, sodium, potassium, chloride (electrolytes), CO2, calcium, phosphorus, total protein, albumin, globulin, bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase. These basics are typically included in most routine lab testing. Monitoring trends and recent changes in these values can identify health challenges early in the process.

Fasting required for accurate results of glucose.

Serum Cell Science MicroNutrient Testing | Collected at a Lab

Lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) are used to determine cellular status of vitamins, minerals, specific amino acids and antioxidants, as well as to evaluate immune functioning and cellular resistance to free radical damage. Because the body “triages” nutrients to life-saving functions when levels are not optimal, optimizing nutrient status can help reverse or prevent chronic and degenerative diseases over the long-term, as well as resolve symptoms in the short term. Testing takes about 2 weeks to complete.

Serum Particle Size Cholesterol | Collected at a Lab

Standard cholesterol testing is not a good predictor of risk for cardiac events. Approximately 50% of those who suffer a cardiovascular event have normal or low cholesterol, while 50% with elevated cholesterol never suffer a cardiovascular event. The best predictor of risk at this time is a test that measures the size of cholesterol particles. Larger particles are unable to worm their way into the vessel walls to form plaque, while smaller particles can. Additional markers can be added to help guide specific lifestyle and diet changes and lower risk.

Lyme Disease and Coinfections / Variable Testing Methods

There are multiple ways to test for Lyme Disease. This is a conversation you can have with the practitioner you have established here to learn more.

Urine Neurotransmitter Testing | Collected at Home

Neurotransmitters are the emotion transmitters that help determine mood and personality. Options include epinephrine (adrenalin), norepinephrine (noradrenalin), serotonin, dopamine, DOPAC, 5HIAA, glycine, taurine, GABA, PEA, glutamate, histamine, and histidine. When past therapies targeting mood disorders have been ineffective, measuring urine metabolites and levels of neurotransmitters can guide therapy. Patients with poor absorption/digestion or who are not eating a balanced diet are more likely to have an imbalance since amino acids from protein are building blocks for all neurotransmitters, and vitamins, minerals and healthy fats are required for their manufacture.

Serum Vitamin D | Collected at a Lab

Made from cholesterol in the skin in response to sun exposure, vitamin D is crucial for prevention of heart disease, diabetes, auto-immune conditions, osteoporosis, seasonal affective disorder, many types of cancer, and much more. According to numerous studies, to obtain all the benefits of vitamin D, a blood level of 60-80 ng/ML is required, though current lab reference ranges don’t reflect this. Many factors determine blood levels of vitamin D, and we’ve found most Ohioans who aren’t taking 3000-5000 IU of vitamin D daily are deficient, even in the summer with regular sun exposure. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that relies on good absorption. Sun exposure, genetics and diet factor also into blood levels. The only way to ensure optimal levels is to test, ideally in summer and winter since dosing may differ seasonally. 

Most doctors will order this test with routine lab work. Ask for 25-OH vitamin D.

Mediator Release Testing (MRT) | Collected at a Lab

How does MRT identify food sensitivities?

Most allergy tests utilize antibody measurements, but not all antibody responses lead to inflammation and symptoms. What makes MRT unique is that it measures live white blood cell response to identify foods and food chemicals that create an inflammatory, symptomatic response in the body. Each report comes with a list of the least to most reactive foods/food chemicals and a rotation diet that will prioritize beginning with the lowest reactive foods. Each week, new foods are introduced that are slightly more reactive.

“Despite all of the clinical and immunologic complexities associated with food sensitivities, the single common component of all diet-induced inflammatory reactions is proinflammatory and proalgesic mediator release from white cells. It’s the release of cytokines, histamine, leukotrienes, prostaglandins, etc., from neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils and lymphocytes that lead to all the negative clinical effects a food sensitivity sufferer endures.” (MRT website). That is why the MRT lab takes this approach to testing.