Lab Tests & Assessments

Symptoms associated with food sensitivities develop slowly over time, creating inflammation and contribute to symptoms of a variety of diseases.

Common symptoms of food intolerance testing include:

• Systemic: Fever, fatigue, chills, sweating and feeling weak.
• Skin: Acne, itching, redness, swelling, and rashes (including eczema).
• Brain: Mood and memory disturbances and behavioral problems.
• Lungs: Bronchitis and asthma symptoms.
• Musculoskeletal: Joint pain, muscle stiffness and swelling.
• Digestive tract: Nausea & vomiting, diarrhea
• Pain: migraines, headaches

The RMA FST™ measures levels of IgG antibodies to up to 222 different foods via blood draw. Antibodies are highly specialized proteins that bind to specific antigens. All foods have antigen molecules on them, and sometimes these food antigens can trigger the production of antibodies. The exact reason why food antigens trigger the release of IgG antibodies is not known.

When it comes to hormone testing, three available options exist: saliva, blood and urine.

Saliva tests measure the amount of free, unbound hormone available to act on a target tissue. Blood tests for hormones accurately test peptide hormones in the body such as FSH, LH, prolactic and fasting insulin. Urine testing is a more dynamic test which tests the metabolites of hormones. This is useful in understanding how you are clearing hormones and the function of your detox mechanisms.

Conditions Associated with Hormone Imbalance

• Endometriosis
• Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
• Anxiety/Depression
• Thyroid Conditions
• PCOS
• Menopause
• Obesity

Types of Hormone Testing: Adrenal Stress Test, DUTCH Test, Female Hormone Panel, Thyroid Panel.

SIBO, or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, is caused when bacteria that are normally present in the large intestine start to grow in the small intestine. This causes problems because many of these bacteria and other single cell organisms called archaea ferment sugars to produce gasses.

Symptoms of SIBO:

• Pain in the stomach, especially after eating,
• Bloating
• Cramps
• Diarrhea
• Constipation

The GI-MAP tests for amounts of good and bad bacteria, H. Pylori, Candida, and other parasites in a stool sample, and in addition, measures leakage due to leaky gut syndrome. It is an improvement on previously standard techniques which relied on culturing a bacteria sample, as unlike a culture, GI-MAP is able to detect species of bacteria which cannot grow under normal conditions. Some conditions that warrant GI Map testing are:

• Autoimmune diseases
• IBS/IBD
• Digestive complaints, diarrhea or constipation
• Brain fog
• Skin problems, like acne and psoriasis
• Mood disorders, depression, and anxiety

Diabetes and weight loss issues

DUTCH exists to make it easier for patients and their healthcare providers to find answers to complex clinical questions through industry-leading functional hormone testing and education.

The DUTCH Test is a comprehensive sex and adrenal hormone test that includes metabolites and organic acids to bring patient hormone status into focus.
In their active form, hormones act as chemical messengers to control, facilitate, or trigger various processes in the body.

As active hormones complete their work and new hormones are produced, active hormones need to be cleared from the body via the urine.

Steroid hormones do not dissolve well in water so they cannot pass directly into the urine. Instead, they must be broken down in the liver and kidneys to form smaller, water-soluble particles (known as metabolites) which can be excreted. Certain metabolites can be harmful if they are produced in excess, which is one important reason to test.

Metabolites are sometimes difficult to detect with traditional methods but can be extremely important indicators for certain conditions. Urine testing is the best method for testing reproductive hormone metabolites. Testing these metabolites can give healthcare practitioners an in-depth picture of why their patient’s overall hormones are elevated, lacking, or point toward specific symptoms.

Approx. 5 to 6 litres of blood circulate constantly in the widely-branched network of your blood vessels – to every corner of your body and every organ. Different illnesses can change the amount of cells and substances in the blood – so your blood provides information about the functioning of your organs and organ systems and whether you have inflammations or risks for a disease. For doctors, blood analysis is an indispensable method of ascertaining the condition of your health.

Your blood values can also be used to analyse which nutrients are not present in sufficient quantities or of which the Metabolic Balance participant has enough. Metabolic Balance requires 36 blood values for your individual nutrition plan.

The results of the blood analysis are then evaluated together with your personal details (e.g. any previous illnesses, dietary preferences such as vegetarian, etc.) and the ingredients of the food you consume. All this information forms the basis of your individual Metabolic Balance metabolism plan.

How can I check my fertility levels before planning a pregnancy?

It is estimated that one in six couples in Canada experience infertility.
Understanding your health and fertility levels can be a great asset in your journey to become pregnant. A key component to understanding fertility levels is to test your Anti-Müllerian Hormones.

Infertility tests are ordered to find out why a woman cannot become pregnant and usually include a physical examination, semen analysis, blood tests, and special procedures.

AMH is one such blood test that is often used to check a person’s ability to produce eggs that can be fertilized for pregnancy. There is a relationship between AMH levels and fertility levels. This test measures the levels of AMH in the blood, the higher the AMH level, the higher the number of eggs in the ovaries.

What is Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) and why is it important?

AMH is a protein produced by granulosa cells in ovarian follicles. AMH levels tend to be at the highest around the age of 25 and then begin to decline after the age of 30.

The level of AMH in the blood stream can be an indicator of fertility. AMH levels are commonly used to assess the reserve of ovarian follicles, and to predict the response to controlled ovarian stimulation during in vitro fertilization (IVF) thereby improving the efficiency and safety of IVF.

What is an AMH test used for?

AMH levels circulating in blood may be used to:

Predict the likelihood of IVF success. (AMH levels correlate positively with the number of retrieved oocytes2 and low AMH levels predict a lower likelihood of follicle response)
Assess the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) caused by an exaggerated response to gonadotropin treatment
Help diagnose polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Predict age of menopause
Confirm diagnosis of premature ovarian failure

Who should get tested?
If you are experiencing difficulty becoming pregnant and considering invitro fertilization treatment (IVF), you should speak to your healthcare provider about whether an AMH test is right for you.

Your healthcare provider may also order an AMH test if they are concerned about:

– the onset of menopause
– ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)
– polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

How can I get tested?

After an Initial Assessment by one of our naturopaths, we will be able to provide you with an assessment and a requisition for blood work.