Diagnostic testing for functional medicine

Patients with chronic health problems such as fibromyalgia or irritable bowel disease often have difficulty sorting out exactly what to do for their condition. They are bombarded with different often opposing messages how to self treat. Should they take vitamins? Which ones? Is the problem their liver? Maybe a detox would help. Is it all genetics and there is not much that can be done? Should I go vegan? Maybe the FODMAP diet would help? The questions go on and on with no answers.

There are diagnostic tests that can sort out what treatment is right for the individual.  There is no one answer for everyone. Almost every, if not all, chronic health conditions have a gut component. If you are not digesting your food properly you will not have the necessary nutrients to heal yourself. The gut is often the starting point for systemic inflammation leading to chronic pain and arthritis. So lets start with what we can learn from diagnostic tests for the gastrointestinal system. This test requires a stool sample.

Sample report

Microbiome: This measures the bacteria in your gut to be sure you have the correct bacteria in the right amount. It is good to have a large diverse group of bacteria in your gut. It will see if you have any parasites or excess yeast.

Calprotectin: This test can distinguish between IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and IBD (irritable bowel disease). It is also a measure of inflammation in the gut which relates to gut permeability. If the gut is too permeable it will leak the contents of the bowel into the blood stream causing an autoimmune response leading to thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and many more conditions.

Beta glucoronidase: This is a measure of an enzyme that if it gets too high can interfere with the detoxification process. This can allow toxins and hormones to be reabsorbed into the bloodstream instead of being excreted. 

SCFA (small chain fatty acids) Butyrate, Acetate and Proprionate. When you eat fiber, the good bacteria digest the fiber and produce these short chain fatty acids. These SCFA are used by your body to perform many functions but are very important in producing mucus to protect your intestine.  This test will tell us if you are eating enough fiber and producing this important molecules.

Eosinophil Protein X: This tells us if you are eating foods that you are allergic to. It doesn't tell us specifically which foods you are allergic to. That requires another test.

Zonulin: Zonulin is a protein that modulates the tight junctions between the villi in your intestine. It is a measure of leaky gut syndrome.

Food Allergies

Sample report

This test will tell you what foods to which you are having an allergic reaction.

Organic Acids Test

Sample report

Nutritional Evaluation

Sample Report

A truly amazing test that can be very helpful in evaluating chronic health conditions. Some of the metabolites tested are:

Vitamins A, C and E                     Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B7, B9, B12       Alpha lipoic acid           CoQ10             Magnesium            Manganese             Molybdenum  

Zinc                                                Vitamin D                                                     Glutathione                  

Need for essential fatty acids

Need for antioxidants

Need for probiotics

Need for digestive enzymes

Mitochondrial dysfunction  ( the powerhouse of the cell, creates ATP for energy to perform all metabolic processes)

Need for methylation   (methyl groups are involved in many processes, detoxification and switching on and off genes are among them)

Toxic exposure

Malabsorbtion and dysbiosis markers

Neurotransmitter metabolites

Yeast/fungal dysbiosis markers

Energy metabolism

Fatty acid metabolism

Tyrosine

Creatinine

Amino acid profile

Saturated fatty acids

Cardiovascular risk

Trans fats

Toxic metals: Lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, tin 

Genetic testing

Have you felt there is a genetic basis to your health condition?  Perhaps one of your parents have the same medical tendencies or conditions.  You can have genetic testing done through 23 and me or Ancestry.com. We take that information and analyze it for single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNP's. (pronounced snips) Snp's are what make you different from everyone else however they can cause problems. Instructions for building proteins, (enzymes are hormones) are encoded in your DNA. A snp can mean for example, an enzyme for detoxification is not made properly and doesn't function well. This can be an invaluable piece of the the puzzle with chronic health problems.

Perhaps the best feature of our clinic is the ability to take this information and translate it for you into a comprehensive program to improve your health. You will have a personal health coach to walk you through the process. They will help you with dietary and lifestyle changes that have to be made. Difficulties will arise and they will hold your hand through the process.

Not all patients are accepted. You have to:

1. Have a condition we feel we can help. This is decided after a comprehensive history, examination and evaluation.

2. You have to be willing and ready to make dietary and lifestyle changes.

3. You have to have the support of your family and/or support group.

Interested? Ready to get your life back? Give us a call at 309 6632423 or fill out our patient intake form.  Other ways to contact us.