Let’s Get a Little Larger

Today's article is a follow-up from last week's, which focused on the least expensive tests, while today's will look at some more in-depth testing and supplementation. Last week, I discussed the following testing: Vitamin D, Omega 3, homocysteine, and CRP for inflammation, blood glucose on both finger stick and with a continuous blood glucose monitor, gut permeability testing, and the LPP test to determine the size of your lipid particles. All those tests crack the door into where you stand metabolically and are financially within reach for most patients. 

If you are like me, you might be curious and competitive. The curiosity will lead you to do the tests mentioned above but may also lead you into further testing, especially if you are dealing with unresolved health issues.  The competitive side of things would be getting a test back and then taking the appropriate action to correct an imbalance if one exists. Let's look at the next level of testing to consider.

Food sensitivity testing has been around for a long time. Historically, it would require a blood draw and collection of a vial of blood. Newer technology has evolved, and the test can be done with a finger stick blood spot. The test is looking for IgG antibodies, which create inflammation in our bodies. 

IgG reactions are low-level inflammatory reactions compared to IgE reactions, which are anaphylactic, so they are not nearly as severe but can wreak some havoc on our bodies.

The test results expose foods that are ramping up IgG, creating inflammation. When combined with the Intestinal Permeability test, the food sensitivity test can yield a lot of information about which foods can be causing issues in your system. My main food sensitivities are in the shellfish family and coffee, which I mentioned last week. I will stick to tea for two months, then reintroduce while taking GI Integrity and Colostrum to heal my gut. I'll keep you posted.

Another test we like to utilize is the Spectrocell Micronutrient test, which tests 31 vitamins, minerals, amino/fatty acids, and metabolites in your body. It will also give you a vitamin D level and some baseline Omega 3 information, so rolling those two tests into this one can save you some money. The test will also give you information on your antioxidant and detoxification status. It is the mother of all tests when looking at nutrient levels in your system. 

Genetic testing is another test to consider. These tests were the rage a few years back, and one of the challenges to these tests at that time was the sheer volume of information provided and how to implement changes based on this information

If you took all the recommendations, you would add another 50 supplements to your regimen, which just wasn't possible. My experience has been that companies are getting better at delivering actionable reports for patients. We are all blessed with a genetic makeup that allows us to be unique. However, genes can be responsible for affecting our health adversely. We do have the ability to turn on specific genes and suppress others, and much of that has to do with our lifestyles.

Another test that sheds much light on overall health is the Organic Acids Test or OAT. The OAT test provides a comprehensive nutritional and metabolic snapshot of an individual's health. The OAT measures 76 organic acids from one easy-to-collect urine sample.

Organic acids are products of the body's metabolic pathways. Evaluating these downstream metabolites from various metabolic pathways provides insight into essential areas of gut health, mitochondrial dysfunction, neurotransmitter status, detoxification indicators, macronutrient breakdown, and nutritional status. This makes organic acid testing a valuable tool to assess the functional need for essential nutrients, diet modification, antioxidant protection, detoxification, and other therapies.

The first question from last week's article was, "Where do I start?" The answer is quite simple, and we refer to the starting point as the core 4. We call it "foundational nutrition" because it is the foundation of health, and without a strong foundation, the structure or body can easily crumble. 

The four supplements that comprise the Core 4 are Multivitamin/mineral, Vitamin D, omega-3 Fatty Acids, and Probiotics. Below is an explanation of the Core 4, along with a way to monitor levels in your body.

As stated above, the Core 4 is foundational nutrition, and building a regimen that is where a personalized protocol comes into play.  That protocol could include joint health, gut health, inflammation, stress, or immune health, to name a few. Treating each patient as an individual needs to happen because we are unique. One of the challenges is meeting the patient where they are in their health journey. Here are a few examples of that:

• How often can they take their supplement? 

• What can they afford to spend on a regimen? 

• And lastly, what are their expectations? 

Regarding expectations, consider the following: "Your health is like a train speeding down the track at top speed. If you are in poor health, the train is going in the wrong direction. My job is to help you go from top speed, slowly decelerate until you stop, change tracks, turn around, start moving, and get you back to top speed on the healthy track." How long will it take for this to happen?

There are a lot of people who are competitive in many ways, and knowing about these tests and foundational nutrition will drive your competitive spirit into bettering your health.

If you would like a different look at how to address chronic disease and illness, stop by or call the pharmacy (701-483-4858).  Please visit my website at www.irsfeldpharmacy.com to find this and other archived articles in the blog section. 

Until next time, be vigilant about your health!