The Importance of Laboratory Testing by Patricia Ryan, MD

We work with several different companies to provide a variety of ways to look at the body from the level of chemistry. Many of you know about hormone testing, but do you know we can do a test that shows how you are metabolizing your estrogen-whether you are converting it into a safe metabolite or a precancerous form? We also have genomics test which looks at your genetic ability to metabolize hormones or toxic hormone-like substances such as pesticides or herbicides. The good news about finding this out is that you will now know what your weaknesses are that you were born with and what you can do about them. There are always nutritional answers to these genetic predispositions.

Everyone wants to know their cholesterol level to determine their risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke. There are however more specific tests for heart disease. We have a CASP device and some new lab tests including LaPLA2. Find out how these can help you change the direction of your health. Michelle and Kathi will cover these in more detail.

Michelle and I just returned from a conference on lipid biochemistry. Lipid biochemistry is the study of fats in the body. Every single cell membrane is made up of fatty acids. There needs to be a certain balance of these to provide adequate function of ALL the cells in our body. In addition, the nervous system is comprised of 80% fat! That means that memory, headaches, insomnia could all be a result of fatty acid imbalance. (of course there are other causes).  

       

One of the primary places where free radical damage occurs is at the level of the cell membrane.  If the fats get damaged, the cell communication suffers. That includes all of your hormone receptors! This is part of how pesticides and herbicides wreak so much havoc in the body. For example, Atrazine, the corn herbicide, is a fat-soluble toxin. It very easily gets through the cell membrane into the cells. There it disrupts insulin function, mitochondrial function, and can also attach to your DNA. Atrazine and all herbicides, pesticides, plastics, and BPA are also estrogen-like and disrupt estrogen, testosterone and thyroid function. What I learned, that was very interesting, is that if you have low cholesterol you are even at more risk to all toxins. Dr. Patricia Kane  (specialist in lipid biochemistry with 40 years experience) said, "Having low cholesterol is like having a screen door for toxins. The person cannot protect themselves now from any toxic substance because the cell membrane integrity is impaired."

We are now offering a test that will look at all of your biochemistry, including an entire fatty acid analysis. This will show if you have the balance of all of the essential fatty acids you need to be healthy. It will also show abnormal long chain fatty acids that should NOT be in the body.  In addition, your blood will be analyzed for specific nutrients deficiencies based on having your CBC and CMP results plugged into a medical software program that has 50,000 literature references. From this information, we can come up with a plan that is specific for your needs. Unfortunately, this lab is not covered by insurance. I have hope some day that our insurance companies will start paying for tests that help you regain your health!  

      

Speaking of brain function, Scott Carlson, LMHT, will be discussing brain mapping as a means to help diagnose ADHD, anxiety, brain injury, or depression. It is a very simple test that provides important information about the current fun tinning of the brain. Where an MRI looks at the anatomy, the brain map looks at the physiology. This is very different information and much more helpful in most cases. And finally, because we are going to get to see the sun shine, our aesthetician Emily will discuss sunscreens and allude to the importance of avoiding toxic ones!