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Functional Testing

he TEST - DON’T GUESS

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Throughout my 15 years of practice I unfortunately have seen how many medical, nutritional and digestive conditions are difficult to catch because the symptoms are scattered and varied. For example, someone suffering from chronic fatigue, restless sleep and strong sugar cravings, might not relate these symptoms to a fungal infection in the gut or an autoimmune disease in development.

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That is why testing can shine a light on conditions whose explanation has evaded diagnosis. A set of functional nutrition lab tests is the fastest and safest way to stop guessing what the problem is and start the proper treatment by addressing the ROOT CAUSE of the symptoms.​

Getting to the Root Cause through Functional Testing and changed Elaine's life forever

ABC7 Interview - Root Cause of Diabetes

Tracy: Testing Revealed the Root Cause of Her Physical Issues

Here are a few of the conditions that we can test for:

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  • Nutrition Deficiency Status & Metabolic Efficiency Profile 

  • Comprehensive Metabolic, Microbial and Detox Assessment 

  • Gut Imbalance 

  • Autoimmune predictive screening 

  • Vitamin and mineral deficiencies

  • Inflammatory balance 

  • Genetics - test over 130 genes 

  • Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) Test

  • Food Sensitivities and allergies

  • Leaky Gut Panel

  • Hormone Testing 

  • Adrenal Function

  • Conventional blood test including

  • Toxin assessment​

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Test, don't guess! Get in touch with me if you have any questions.

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Gut Bacteria/Microbiome

 

GI Map (Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory)

  • The GI Microbial Assay Plus is a DNA test for microbes.

  • It is very specific and sensitive.

  • It measures pathogenic bacteria, parasites, fungi, worms, and viruses as well as opportunistic bacteria, SIgA, elastase, calprotectin, and antibiotic resistant genes.

  • We use this information to reduce, monitor and manage the effects of gut microbial imbalance. 

  • Imbalances in your gut may lead to GI symptoms/IBS, autoimmune disease, nutritional or vitamin deficiencies, skin conditions, food intolerances, inflammation or joint pain, low energy levels/fatigue, and ADHD or autism spectrum, and more. 

  • If imbalance is detected, we can customize your treatment to rebalance the microbiome and relieve you of any related symptoms.

 

GI Effects Comprehensive Stool Profile (Genova)

  • This Comprehensive Stool test detects the presence of pathogenic microorganisms such as yeast, parasites, and bacteria that contribute to chronic illness and neurological dysfunction.

  • The test will evaluate beneficial bacteria levels in the GI tract, intestinal immune function, overall intestinal health, and inflammation markers that will help guide appropriate treatments. It also assesses which herbal treatment the detected pathogens are sensitive to; allowing for faster and more successful treatment.

 

SIBO Breath Testing

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is defined as an excessive number of bacteria in the small intestines.

  • The increased bacterial load in the small intestine results in excessive fermentation and inflammation, leading to a variety of clinical complaints ranging from mild, non-specific symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and flatulence (passing gas), to more severe symptoms such as malabsorption, fatty liver and weight loss.

  • Symptoms of SIBO outside the GI include, but are not limited to: headaches, muscle pain, joint pain, neuropathic pain, and cognitive complaints including brain fog.

  • SIBO bacteria produce hydrogen (H2) and methane (CH4) gasses as a result of disaccharide metabolism.

  • These gasses are measured during the glucose breath test.

 

Food Sensitivity Testing

 

  • Food sensitivities are your body’s immune response to certain foods. Irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, fibromyalgia, reflux, chronic fatigue, skin conditions, joint pain, autism and ADHD are often directly related to reactions to the foods we eat.

  • Vibrant Wellness’ Food Sensitivity test checks for IgG and IgA antibodies to 96 different foods across all food groups. IgG antibodies indicate mucosal damage while IgA antibodies protect against this damage.

  • Vibrant’s Food Sensitivity test is completed via a blood draw. Vibrant is the only company that utilizes a chemiluminescent method of detecting food sensitivities on a silicon chip enabling Vibrant’s proprietary technology to provide the highest sensitivity of detection.

  • Once we know which foods you are reacting to, we can customize your nutritional plan to heal your intestinal lining, relieve any related symptoms and lessen your immune response.

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Wheat Zoomer/Leaky Gut Panel (Vibrant)

  • This is the best gluten sensitivity test available anywhere. It also tests for leaky gut.

  • What Vibrant says:

    • Wheat Zoomer is a comprehensive health analytics tool designed to determine the spectrum of wheat and gluten related disorders. It aids in the specific recognition of antibodies to wheat peptides – including gluten and non-gluten components along with 8 markers for intestinal permeability all via a blood test.

    • Vibrant technology utilizes a microchip platform, which synthesizes entire proteins, as peptides, and offers very specific antibody-to-antigen recognition.

    • Wheat Zoomer Intestinal Antibody Detection includes: all known deamidated gliadins, alpha, alpha-beta, gamma and omega gliadin, HMW and LMW glutenin family, Zonulin protein and actin, tTG-DGP Fusion Peptides, Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), differential transglutaminase: 2, 3, and 6, Non-gluten wheat proteins (including farinins, globulins, serpins, and amylase/protease inhibitors, and total IgA and IgG.

    • Wheat Zoomer Intestinal Permeability Panel includes: Lipopolysaccharide IgG/IgM/IgA, Zonulin, Anti-Actin IgG/IgA, and Anit-Zonulin IgG/IgA.

    • This test will help us identify any of the following conditions: celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, wheat allergy, dermatitis/eczema (skin), and intestinal permeability.

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Food Zoomers (Including Egg, Corn, Dairy, Peanut, Seafood, Soy, and Tree nut) (Vibrant)

  • The zoomers are unique and cutting edge in that they break apart the food into many peptides (sections of proteins) and test your reaction to those. This is more accurate than exposing your blood to a whole intact protein.
     

    • The Vibrant Egg Zoomer can help differentiate egg sensitivity from other food sensitivity symptoms. Moreover, it will distinguish between immune reactivity to the egg white or egg yolk antigens.

    • The Vibrant Corn Zoomer can definitively detect whether patients are sensitive to proteins in corn. The Corn Zoomer has an exclusive antibody panel which includes 13 major corn protein families and Cry Proteins used in genetically modified (GM) corn at the peptide level. The peptide-based microarray technique eliminates the requirement of testing different forms of corn (raw vs. cooked) and removes the false positives caused by cross reaction with pollens often seen in raw extracts. Also, since the test is at a peptide level, it will show every part of the corn plant (starch, syrup, etc) that has contact with the corn protein.

    • The Vibrant Dairy Zoomer is a comprehensive peptide-level test used to detect, with the highest sensitivity and specificity, whether an individual is sensitive to any of the multiple peptides found in cow’s milk.

    • The Vibrant Peanut Zoomer is an innovative tool that measures IgG and IgA antibodies to peanut antigens. Unlike peanut allergy (which produces IgE antibodies), an individual produces IgG and IgA antibodies against peanut antigens in peanut sensitivity and early detection of a sensitivity can help determine an individualized management plan.

  • All Vibrant Zoomers are unique in their analysis at the peptide-level, allowing for more specific and accurate testing results.

  • These are whole blood tests.

  • The more of the tests in this panel that you do, the more discounts are applied.

 

Food allergy Testing (Vibrant)

  • Your blood is tested for allergy (IgE) reactions to a wide panel of foods.

  • This test can be added onto any other Vibrant test (i.e.: food sensitivities, food zoomers, micronutrient test, conventional tests).

 

Hormone Tests

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DUTCH is a Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones and is the world leader in sex and adrenal hormone panels.

 

The DUTCH Complete

  • This test offers an extensive profile of sex and adrenal hormones. 

  • More specifically DUTCH testing provides analysis of 35 different hormones: estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA-S, and cortisol along with their metabolites, as well as daily free cortisol patterns to provide insight into adrenal insufficiency or symptoms of chronic stress.

  • DUTCH complete also includes organic acid analysis that includes markers of oxidative stress, melatonin, and six organic acid variables including markers for vitamin B12, vitamin B6, glutathione, dopamine and norepinephrine/epinephrine.

 

DUTCH Plus

  • which adds salivary measurements of the Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) to the DUTCH Complete test to bring another important pieces of the HPA axis function into focus.

 

DUTCH Cycle Mapping

  • This maps the progesterone and estrogen pattern throughout the menstrual cycle. 

  • It provides the full picture of a woman’s cycle to answer important questions for patients with month-long symptoms, infertility and PCOS. 

  • Nine (9) targeted estrogen and progesterone measurements taken throughout the cycle to characterize the follicular, ovulatory and luteal phases.

 

DUTCH Adrenal/Cortisol 

  • Adrenal function is essential to good health, as the adrenal glands produce important hormones such as cortisol (which is a stress hormone), DHEA (which is a precursor to sex hormones), and adrenaline (the hormone in the “fight-or-flight” response). 

  • Since hormones fluctuate greatly over the course of the day, this comprehensive test of adrenal function includes 4 measurements of cortisol levels timed throughout the day as well as measuring DHEA. 

  • From this, fatigue can be explained and resolved with diet, lifestyle and targeted supplementation. 

  • This is a saliva test. This test is not something that can be done through a conventional physician.


 

Conventional Blood Tests

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Functional Nutrition & Wellness Vibrant Custom Panels

These panels include ‘conventional’ tests but are custom designed by Functional Nutrition & Wellness and use Vibrant America Labs. We have found that conventional doctors and labs simply won’t run some of these crucially important markers. The following are several examples. Conventional doctors only test TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) but T4 and most importantly T3 are the ones that are directly affecting your cells. Leptin is a hormone that keeps you full, so if you are low it would explain cravings and weight gain. Most doctors don’t test for leptin. Similarly, insulin is not a marker that is tested in conventional medicine. They test for blood sugar (glucose) but sometimes the glucose is normal, but the insulin is high. This is a pre-pre-diabetic state where insulin has to be made more and more to keep the glucose level normal. This would explain weight gain and other symptoms. It can be very frustrating when doctors and insurance companies won’t order these tests!

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To ease the stress on our patients we have opened up this option of ordering with us. There is no insurance coverage, but if you need the tests done, you now have an option that you didn’t have before! The price is the final price and includes the lab fee. There no hidden insurance fees, no subsequent invoices from the lab, and no insurance paperwork hassle. You will find that these panels are extremely comprehensive and thorough.
 

Panel 1: Women’s Health

  • Women’s Health Panel includes: A full anemia panel (4 markers of iron and anemia status), folate, Vitamin D, B12, leptin, glucose, HbA1c, insulin, and inflammatory markers. 

  • A full thyroid panel: TSH, T4, Free T4, T3, Free T3, Reverse T3, Anti-TPO, and Anti-TG markers.

  • And a full sex hormone panel: estradiol, estrone, estriol, DHEA, Cortisol, Testosterone, Free testosterone, progesterone, DHT, SHBG, and pregnenolone.

 

Panel 2 Women’s Health + Cholesterol

  • Women’s Health plus cholesterol includes:A full anemia panel (4 markers of iron and anemia status), folate, Vitamin D, B12, leptin, glucose, HbA1c, insulin, and inflammatory markers. 

  • A full thyroid panel: TSH, T4, Free T4, T3, Free T3, Reverse T3, Anti-TPO, and Anti-TG markers.

  • A full sex hormone panel: estradiol, estrone, estriol, DHEA, Cortisol, Testosterone, Free testosterone, progesterone, DHT, SHBG, and pregnenolone.

  • And the full cardiovascular health panel: all markers of cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, Apolipoproteins A & B, and lipoprotein a.

 

Panel 3: Men’s health

  • Men’s Health Panel includes:Vitamin D, leptin, testosterone, free testosterone, progesterone, DHEA, SHBG, DHT, glucose, HbA1c, insulin.

  • A full thyroid panel: TSH, T4, Free T4, T3, Free T3, Reverse T3, Anti-TPO, and Anti-TG markers

  • And the cardiovascular health panel: all markers of cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, Apolipoproteins A & B, lipoprotein a, and inflammatory markers.

 

Nutrition Status Tests

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Micronutrient Testing (Vibrant)

  • This is the most accurate and helpful nutrition status test available.

  • Micronutrients, as opposed to macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fat), are comprised of vitamins and minerals which are required in small quantities to ensure normal metabolism, growth and physical well-being.

  • Vibrant Wellness’ Micronutrient tests intra- (inside your cells) and extracellularly (in your blood) to identify both deficiencies and high levels of 32 different vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fatty acids and amino acids. This is via a blood draw.

  • Knowing both your extracellular and intracellular micronutrient levels are key to a thorough understanding of your nutritional requirements at a foundational level, which may contribute to your risk for disease, while simultaneously and positively impacting your overall health and well-being.

  • Extracellular testing gives us a picture of your current diet while intracellular testing shows us your nutritional status over a 4-6 month time frame. This allows us to personalize your diet and supplement intake.

 

Comprehensive Metabolic, Microbial, and Detox Assessment

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Organic Acids Test

  • The Organic Acids Test provides a snapshot of the metabolism, based on a comprehensive assessment of unique urinary metabolites (blood tests are not reliable as these acids are not extensively reabsorbed in the kidney tubules after glomerular filtration). These small, discarded organic acid molecules are by-products of human cellular activity, the digestion of foods, and the metabolism of gastrointestinal flora. 

  • Vibrant’s organic acid test is the most comprehensive test of its kind as it evaluates yeast and bacterial overgrowth, vitamin and antioxidant levels, fatty acid metabolism, neurotransmitter levels, inborn errors of metabolism (including oxalate levels), mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, detoxification, and much more. 

  • Specimens from individuals with a chronic illness, allergic condition, or neurological disorder often have one or more abnormal organic acids. Some organic compounds are produced by an overgrowth of gastrointestinal yeast and/or bacteria species (called dysbiosis) due to impaired immune function or exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotics. Identification of this yeast or bacterial overgrowth, paired with successful treatment can eradicate or markedly reduce patients’ symptoms.

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