Functional Testing and Laboratory Assessment

 When encountering health challenges, laboratory testing can be helpful to assist in creating a treatment protocol and diagnosing illness. As regulated healthcare providers, Naturopathic Doctors can order specific laboratory tests to diagnose your health concern.  At Naturopathic Solutions Family  Health Clinic both conventional tests and functional medicine testing is available to you. 

 Traditional medical laboratory testing via blood and urine is used at Naturopathic Solutions Family Health Clinic to screen for disease as part of your naturopathic assessment. Tests are ordered through licenced laboratories in Ontario. Blood test results provide information on everything from cholesterol and blood glucose, to more specific markers of disease and imbalance. Results will be received and reviewed by your Naturopathic Doctor and discussed at subsequent visits. 

 Saliva or urine hormone testing can assess hormone imbalances in your body leading to hot flashes, decreased sex drive and mood changes. The test analyzes the levels of hormones in saliva and results provide information regarding menopause, PMS, menstrual irregularities, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, fibrocystic breasts, andropause (male menopause), infertility, stress and thyroid function.

Weight gain, hot flashes, insomnia, depression, low sex drive, anxiety, mood swings, prostate enlargement and erectile dysfunction can all be attributed to hormone related imbalances.

Test results will assist your Naturopathic Doctor with various treatment options to balance your hormones. Hormonal balance can be achieved with diet and lifestyle changes, herbal medicine, homeopathy and acupuncture. Bio identical hormones may also be recommended based upon outcomes of the saliva or urine hormone test.

 Many foods can cause an allergic reaction or hidden inflammation in the body. Often food sensitivity symptoms may seem like common symptoms that are often overlooked. Patients can become accustomed to having these inflammatory symptoms and do not realize that the symptoms are caused by something they are eating. Food sensitivities can attribute to fatigue, headaches, mood swings, anxiety, hyperactivity, eczema, psoriasis, rashes, inflammation, pain, digestive disorders, abdominal bloating, constipation, and many more. A food sensitivity test will identify which foods are causing inflammation in your body via a simple blood draw. 

 Optimal digestion is an important part of your health. The proper digestion of food, the absorption of nutrients, the elimination of pathogens and the elimination of waste via regular bowel movements is essential for good health. Poor digestion and the inability to absorb vital nutrients can lead to degenerative diseases, nutritional deficiencies, inflammation and a compromised immune status. The inability to absorb nutrients may be due to an overgrowth of ‘bad’ bacteria, low stomach acid production, food sensitivities, pathogenic bacteria, yeast or parasites, or the overuse of medications such as antibiotics or NSAIDS.
A comprehensive stool analysis can be used to assess digestive and absorptive functions in the intestinal tract as well as the presence of opportunistic pathogens such as parasites. This test is also used to monitor the improvement of gastrointestinal disorders once a treatment plan is in place.
The test is non-invasive and allows your Naturopathic Doctor to evaluate the status of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria, yeast, fungus and parasites in your gastrointestinal tract. 

BIA is a method of measuring your body composition including your body fat percentage, your lean body mass percentage, your percentage of body water and distribution of water within your body.

A bioimpedence analyzer uses electrodes, which are similar to EKG electrodes, to take measurements. The machine passes a safe level of electrical current through your body. Lean body tissue contains 80% water which makes it a good electrical conductor. The resistance to the flow of the electrical current is used to calculate your body composition. The procedure takes a few minutes and the results can help optimize your health status.

  Micronutrient blood testing can help uncover underlying nutritional deficiencies that may be contributing to the underlying cause of your symptoms or disease state. This test will help your Naturopathic Doctor evaluate your overall nutritional status and your need for dietary and lifestyle counseling along with nutraceutical supplementation. This testing is an effective tool not only in the management of current symptoms but also effective in the prevention of disease. 

  If you experience excessive gas or bloating, the inability to tolerate starchy foods, fiber or sweets and/ or have irritable bowel symptoms (ie. abdominal pain, bowel irregularity etc.), then this test may benefit you. This simple, non-invasive test is performed via breath test and will detect bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine. If bacteria are detected then a treatment plan outlining diet and digestive support via nutraceuticals will be discussed to treat the bacterial overgrowth. Once the bacterial overgrowth has been eradicated, presenting symptoms will be reduced much more effectively than most other IBS treatment strategies. 

 Toxins are a warranted concern today. With the widespread exposure to air and water pollution, nuclear power and radiation, food additives, chemicals, refined sugar, trans-fats and refined foods, our body has to work harder than ever to eliminate these toxins. Toxic overload can lead to many chronic and degenerative diseases such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, Parkinson’s, obesity and osteoporosis, to name a few. Assessing for toxic burden via urine is a valuable tool to detect toxic burden on your liver’s detoxification pathways. Potentially toxic elements such as aluminum, arsenic, lead and mercury etc. are analysed and if elevated a treatment plan will be put in place to enhance your body’s detoxification pathways in the elimination of these potentially harmful heavy metals.