Has this ever happened to you? Your doctor tells you that all your blood work looks normal and to keep on doing what you’re doing. And you say to yourself, how can that be? I feel horrible. I can’t sleep.  I’ve gained weight. I have no energy. I’m in pain. I have no sex drive and I’m supposed to keep on doing what I’m doing?!?  

Annual blood tests are an essential part of maintaining and optimizing your health, especially if they’re thorough tests. But the REAL value is in the interpretation of these tests from a healthcare practitioner who understands optimal levels and can translate them into a personalized plan by correlating your test results and your real live symptoms.

This is where a Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis (FBCA) report gets pretty exciting! The in-depth information this report gives, points to imbalances long before they manifest symptomatically. You can purchase just the report (which is a great tool in itself) or opt for the report plus a consultation linking your symptoms and health history with your lab results to receive a personalized protocol. Click here to view a sample report.

To order your FBCA report and/or gather a little more information, please click here.  Once you choose the option that’s best for you, you’ll be prompted to schedule a session with me to determine additional labs needed for you to receive a comprehensive report tailored for you.

Going back to the importance of getting complete and thorough lab work: Most doctors annually request pretty basic labs which give only a cursory overview. And that’s not enough. The labs I’ve listed below are what I recommend for most of my clients.

These lab tests are crucial in pinpointing where things are beginning to go south, even though there may not be symptoms yet. It’s called preventative care and looking for the root cause which is what Functional Medicine is all about.

  1. Broad Thyroid Panel

If you’re lucky, your doctor will check one or two thyroid markers, usually TSH and/or total T4. These are a glimpse into how the thyroid is perhaps functioning but they do NOT give a complete picture and since thyroid hormones are important to every cell in your body it’s crucial to explore further. Things like sleep, weight, fertility, energy, cholesterol levels are all tied to thyroid. There are 5 additional thyroid-related values that I recommend tested: Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3, anti TPO Ab and anti-Thyroglobulin Ab.

  1. Essential Nutrients: iron/ferritin, Vitamin D, Magnesium

Iron, vitamin D and magnesium are extremely important for optimal bodily function, but they’re usually not checked at a routine primary care visit.

Many people are deficient in these nutrients for various reasons, so it’s imperative these levels are checked. Supplementation with any of these nutrients, if low, can be completely life-altering. I’ve had countless clients tell me how seemingly magical the improvements have been for them.

  1. Complete Metabolic Panel and Complete Blood Count

These two blood tests are almost always ordered at a primary care yearly physical and offer a lot of information. They are essential in understanding a person’s electrolyte and hydration status, kidney and liver function, basic blood sugar regulation, and basic immune function. These values also tell us if someone is fighting an acute or chronic infection, has anemia, or clotting issues and even the beginnings of cancer. There can be a tremendous amount of information gleaned from these panels if they are properly interpreted which is where the Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis (FBCA) comes into play.

  1. Metabolic Markers: Hemoglobin A1c, fasting glucose and insulin, lipid panel

These metabolic markers are essential to understanding how a person is processing the carbs, sugars and the fats they eat which is important in the prevention and management of heart disease and diabetes.

In most primary care visits, a basic lipid panel and glucose level is tested yearly, and if you’re lucky you’ll also get a Hemoglobin A1c.Fasting Insulin, is usually ignored which is unfortunate as it actually tells you more about underlying blood sugar problems than fasting glucose or A1c five to ten years prior to pre-diabetic numbers showing up.

  1. Inflammatory markers: hsCRP, homocysteine

Inflammatory markers like these are almost never checked at a routine primary care visit. CRP is an inflammatory marker which can indicate your general inflammatory status. Even mild increases in hsCRP are associated with increased risk of cardiac events or depression.

An elevation can tell us there is something inflammatory happening in the body that should be addressed, whether it be from physical trauma, emotional stress, oxidative stress, environmental toxicity, gut issues, oral health, or a sedentary lifestyle (yep! Not moving is inflammatory)

Homocysteine is an amino acid that requires vitamin B12 and folate to be cleared.  Elevation of this marker can indicate a multitude of things including increased stroke and heart disease risk, inadequate B vitamin status, inability to remove toxins and make neurotransmitters, and inability to turn off cancer genes. It’s an important marker that we try to get into optimal range by supplementing with B vitamins when necessary.

So how do you get these tests if your doctor won’t order them or your insurance won’t cover the cost? It’s easy. Just use this link to order any of these test from my affiliate online lab at discounted cash prices.

It’s an easy way to get the complete lab work that YOU need, often at a fraction of the cost  you’d pay if going through your insurance. You’ll receive a lab receipt to submit to your insurance for reimbursement or towards your deductible. You may also use your HSA or FSA accounts.  

If you’d like to find out more or would like some assistance and guidance ordering your labs  please schedule a free 15 minute consultation with me.

To order your FBCA report and/or gather a little more information, please click here.  Once you choose the option that’s best for you, you’ll be prompted to schedule a session with me to determine the additional labs needed to receive a comprehensive report tailored to you.

I am committed to helping my clients achieve optimal blood levels and health, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to get started. It’s not hard! You probably just need a little help and guidance to get started. Schedule a time here to chat.

Or click here to schedule a Lab Test Consult. Together let’s interpret your labs and make a plan to move your health status up a few notches!

Consults are virtual via phone or Zoom.

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