When we talk about Functional
Medicine Testing by the use of Pathology, then we are basically talking
about the diagnosis and analysis of an entire organ or system rather than look
for a specific disease. There are a number of tests that can be done in this
method of treatment. In this article, we will discuss only a few basic tests
that everyone should get done.
Adrenal
and reproductive hormone levels
You can learn a lot from
this test. The cortisol is the stress hormone so it can be impacted by any factor
which can vary from chronic pain and inflammation to imbalance in nutrition and
sleep problems.
Fluctuations in the levels
of reproductive hormones like estrogen and testosterone can cause a wide range
of problems in both men and women. Some of the problems can be:
- Fatigue
- PMS
- Menopausal Symptoms (sleep and mood disturbance)
- Lack of libido
- Loss of muscle mass
- Gaining weight
Any major illness usually
involves the dysfunction of the adrenal system so opt for pathology testing and
practical medicine treatment.
Testing
for heavy metals
Heavy metals in the system
could be very damaging. This includes lead, mercury, and aluminum. They are
called neurotoxins because they will affect a person’s psychological health. Most
of the disorders today have their basis in the central nervous system, for
example, Parkinson’s disease, MS, autism and Alzheimer’s. Sometimes they affect
the nervous system in a different way. An example of this would be Lyme disease.
It is necessary that you get
done with these tests as soon as possible because toxins like these in the body
will affect the overall health of a person. If they do not cause disease then
their presence alone can become the reason for the loss of focus and
concentration, poor memory, bad vision or hearing.
Food
sensitivity testing
Food allergies are one of
the most common problems nowadays. Many people have underlying food
sensitivities that they are not aware of. Mostly, people are allergic to dairy
products like eggs or milk. There are also other unexpected allergies that
sometimes surprise you like bananas or garlic. It is true that one man’s meat
is another man’s poison. One food that may be healthy for everyone, may not
suit a specific individual.
One method to use pathology
in functional medicine testing for allergies is to
use the elimination and challenge test which is long and not many people have
the patience for it. There is another test which is being used nowadays. It can
assess around 90+ food groups at a time. Unlike the elimination test which
checks IgE reactions, this test checks IgG reactions. These reactions are
delayed, gentle and range from simple fatigue to skin breakouts and headaches.
It may sound
like that allergies are not a big deal but living in ignorance is not going to
do you any good. People only find out about their allergies after they have
consumed a specific food which causes reactions to their skin. But after they
find out, they know that they have to stay away from it and even ask their
physicians about alternatives to the food they cannot eat.
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