Many of the symptoms people experience are the result of nutritional imbalances and accumulated toxicity. When key nutrients are deficient or out of balance, the body's metabolic processes are unable to function optimally. Our bodies can compensate for imbalances and deficiencies for some time, but if allowed to continue, the result can be hormonal disruption, metabolic disorders, increased toxic load, excess oxidative stress, organ weakness, and other conditions. What modern medicine calls disease is simply what occurs when the body is no longer able to compensate for these aberrations. There is no such thing as medical disease. Functional laboratory testing helps us to identify these underlying imbalances and toxicities and therefore to develop an effective regimen of nutrients that will help to bring the body back into balance. The cornerstone of an effective health strategy is a nutrition and lifestyle plan based on your own unique biochemistry.

The first step in the case review process is to gather information. The comprehensive case assessment involves and in-depth look into your current state of health through the use of laboratory tests and a series of targeted questionnaires. My preferred initial laboratory tests include a comprehensive blood chemistry analysis and a hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA). Taken together, your filled-out intake forms and test results give me a ton of information that will go a long way towards helping us get to the root of your health and wellness issues.

Comprehensive Blood Chemistry Analysis

Over 100 markers are analyzed providing dozens of important clinical data points with which to piece together the picture of your overall state of health. We use functional ranges rather than laboratory ranges, which means that we compare values to what is optimal based on the most current scientific literature. Blood chemistry analysis can help us to identify blood sugar imbalances, electrolyte imbalances, liver dysfunction, vitamin and mineral status, inflammation, and immune activity.

Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA)

HTMA shows us the levels and ratios of both nutritional and toxic minerals in the body, which can help us identify mineral imbalances, deficiencies, or excess. The HTMA covers toxic metal accumulation, overall metabolic rate, stress physiology, autonomic nervous system balance and glandular activity.

Health History & Lifestyle Questionnaire

This questionnaire provides basic personal information such as name, occupation, address, weight, etc. You will be asked about your main health concerns and to list them in order of importance to you. This is also where you will provide information regarding your medical history and list any medications or supplements you are currently taking. The lifestyle questionnaire features questions involving diet, work, stress, sleep, exercise, and toxin exposure. Finally, the Health History & Lifestyle Questionnaire concludes with a short list of subjective questions centered around your own attitudes regarding your current state of health.

Body Systems and Symptoms Questionnaires

The Body Systems and Symptoms Questionnaires are designed to be comprehensive so that I have a clear idea of exactly what current symptoms you are experiencing. Every symptom is a signal or sign of an underlying imbalance and thus every symptom acts as a clue as to what’s going on under the surface. Instead of treating the symptoms themselves with a medical drug, we will be focused on identifying and addressing the underlying imbalances that are driving the symptoms in the first place.

Seven-day diet journal

The 7-day diet journal gives me the opportunity to look in detail at how you are currently eating. This is an important part of the process because I can often draw connections between how a client is eating and the symptoms they’re experiencing. Blood sugar imbalances, meal timing, food choices, macronutrient imbalances, and more can all be assessed and evaluated using a diet journal.  

Additional Testing

Any relevant additional testing can be included in the initial comprehensive case assessment, including recent tests you may have done with another practitioner. Depending on the condition or conditions you are wanting to investigate, you and I may decide to include additional tests in your initial workup, in which case the results from those tests will be covered during our consultation.

Putting it all together

Once I have a clear impression of your current state of health, we will schedule a consultation to go over your report of findings. During the consultation we will discuss your test results and diet journal and how these may relate to any symptoms you may be experiencing. We will then work together to develop a personalized action plan designed specifically to get you to your health and wellness goals as quickly and efficiently as possible. Your comprehensive and holistic program will include nutrition, exercise, lifestyle, and supplement recommendations to improve the way your body functions and help move you towards balance and vibrant health. In some cases, we may also discuss whether and when follow-up testing may be appropriate.