Taking time up front, saves you time, energy and money long term.
Test…don’t guess.
Below are the Functional Labs we’ll run to figure out your ‘hidden stressors’ that are creating imbalance in your metabolic health.
Symptoms might seem minor at first but if ignored or simply addressed with a bandaid approach, you’ll never fix the real issues. And over time, your health may continue to decline.
-
Nourish Well: Metabolic Typing
The Metabolic Typing diet centers around the concept that your metabolism—how your body burns food for energy—is unique to you and largely determined by your genetics.
Your metabolism is determined by two inherited factors including the most dominant autonomic nervous system and the rate of cellular oxidation.
When you nourish your body with the right macro and micro nutrients, your body finds its balance, cravings disappear and energy soars.
On-line assessment - Email from Linda
-
Hormone Health
This is a comprehensive dried urine hormone test measuring sex + adrenal hormones along with their metabolites.
Most importantly, it tests your estrogen metabolism pathways to see how well you metabolize estrogen through your liver. This is key for estrogen dominant women (common) as it helps us decipher if phase 1 or phase 2 detoxification is slow and in need of repair.
It measures your daily free cortisol pattern, melatonin (6-OHMS), 8-OHdG and even organic acids:
This is done via urine over a 24 hours period.
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis
Biochemical, physical, and emotional stressors deplete the body of essential nutrients. Over time, chronic illness may develop and environmental illness may arise as a result of exposure to environmental toxins.
In a small sample of hair, quickly learn which minerals your body is lacking and what heavy metals might be contributing to your fatigue.
Scroll down for more on this lab!
This lab can be done from your home and only requires a little bit of hair. :)
-
Metabolic Wellness
The Metabolic Wellness Profile is a dried urine test measuring levels of Indican, Total Bile Acids and 8-OHdG…key metabolic markers of Digestion, Detoxification and Oxidative Stress.
You’ll know how your liver is doing, how you are digesting protein and if you’re body is experiencing oxidative stress. (cellular damage)
This is done via Dried Urine
More helpful labs.
-
Mucosal Barrier Assessment
Typically, when we think of Histamine it’s usually in relation to allergy season.
But know that Histamine plays an important role in our body’s inflammatory processes and has a symbiotic relationship with DAO, the body’s primary enzyme for breaking it down.
Tests that measure the levels of Histamine and DAO can provide important information about gut status that standard food sensitivity tests may not reveal. This is how we can identify leaky gut.
This is done via a Dried Blood Spot
-
Gut Health
The GI-MAP (Microbial Assay Plus) is unique in the field of comprehensive stool testing.
It relies exclusively on quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technology to detect parasites, bacteria, fungi, and more, by targeting the specific DNA of the organisms tested.
It quantitatively assesses the microbiome with attention to bacterial, parasitic, and viral pathogens that can cause disease, disrupt the normal microbial balance, and contribute to chronic GI illness.
Live Blood Analysis is another option
Your blood can be analyzed under a darkfield microscope to use as a preventative tool
You can see imbalances however, this is not a diagnostic tool
A drop of blood is taken from your finger and you see real time how your cells are functioning
-
Food Sensitivities
Food Sensitivities Are Reactions to Specific Foods That Are Triggered by IgG Antibodies.
Once we reduce any stress ‘food’ might be causing the body, energy is freed up for more important healing.
Hair Mineral Analysis
I love the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) for people wanting to try functional lab testing without a huge investment. I get it. Building trust in a different way of looking at health is important.
This test is not only more affordable, you can’t fully support your hormone and gut health without good mineral levels. We need minerals as they are co-factors in many processes. Just like a spark plug for a car.
I want to share some of the important ratios I see in HTMA testing with clients. This will help you understand your results. If you’d like to know your minerals and heavy metals, please book a strategy call here.
It’s important to test for minerals in hair as we store them in our tissues (teeth, hair, bones) and not our blood.
SIGNIFICANT RATIOS ON AN HTMA
Calcium/Phosphorus: The nervous system ratio. Determines your metabolic type (fast or slow burner) as well as protein use
Sodium/Potassium: Vitality ratio. Considers adrenal health, kidneys, stress, immunity, digestion
Calcium/Potassium: The thyroid ratio. High calcium binds to iodine receptors. Low ratio often leads to a sped up nervous system and stress on the thyroid. Potassium helps thyroid hormones get into the cell.
Zinc/Copper: The hormone ratio as zinc helps progesterone and copper helps estrogen levels. Low progesterone? Don’t forget to eat Vitamin C rich foods.
Sodium/Magnesium: Adrenal radio (HPA axis). If you have a low ratio it means there has been chronic long term stress and minerals are likely low. If this ratio is high, the adrenals are fast, in active acute stress state and there’s likely a demand for more magnesium. Don’t forget, magnesium is depleted with stress. Excess magnesium supplementation can lower other minerals too - so check in with your healthcare practitioner. I love topical sprays and epsom salt baths for the majority of people.
Calcium/Magnesium: The blood sugar ratio. This tells me about your blood sugar levels and if you get hungry/angry between meals. If this ratio is high, blood sugars are likely low and you’ll need that snack between meals.
Iron/Cooper: No surprise here, this looks at your iron and a balance between these two minerals is important for optimal levels.
WHY TEST?
Zinc is involved in the production, storage and secretion of insulin and is necessary for growth hormones.
Magnesium is required for normal muscular function, especially the heart. A deficiency has been associated with an increased incidence of abnormal heart conditions, anxiety and nervousness.
Potassium is critical for normal nutrient transport into the cell. A deficiency can result in muscular weakness, mild depression and lethargy.
Excess sodium is associated with hypertension, but adequate amounts are required for normal health.
From a gut health perspective, we need sodium to make stomach acid.
For hormone health, we will have worse PMS if calcium and magnesium are low.
Support your minerals strategically! One sized fits all is not the best approach!
Requirements for testing: un-dyed hair near the root of the scalp for collection. I ship you the testing kit and upon collection you pop it into the mail.
If you’re curious about your minerals and heavy metals over the last 3 months? Reach out to learn more!
Linda Ljucovic, Functional Diagnostic Nutritionist