Diagnostics
Dr. Natalie will assess your health concerns and perform a physical exam. Please bring a copy of any past or recent blood work or lab results. She may recommend certain diagnostic tests in order to determine the root cause of your health problems. They are usually an extra charge but some may be covered by your extended health insurance plan.
Blood Spot Tests
Blood Spot is the future of blood testing and is a convenient form of health and wellness testing. The development and application of blood spot testing allows monitoring of hormone levels, cardiometabolic markers and Vitamin D. The convenient collection of blood from a tiny nick of the finger, allows for flexibility of testing at the right time of day, month or following hormone therapy. Blood Spot testing provides results on par with those from serum tests but without the cost and inconvenience of conventional blood draws, making it beneficial for both patient and practitioner. New! Simple. Reliable. Easy.
Food Intolerance Tests
Are foods making you sick? Inflammation and chronic activation of the immune system due to food intolerance has been linked to: digestive disorders, migraines, obesity, chronic fatigue, ADD, aching joints, skin disorders, arthritis, and many more…
The immune system is a double-edged sword. It should react appropriately and protect against infection when confronted with harmful invaders or “infectious agents” like viruses or bacteria. Unfortunately for some, exposure to common foods, chemicals, and moulds may trigger chronic activation of the immune system.
The core technology is a blood test that measures the body’s cellular response to challenges from a wide array of substances including various foods, additives, colorings, and chemicals. Following testing, a 4-Day Rotational Diet is recommended to the patient.
Other food sensitivity tests available in this office are IgG Food Allergy Blood Spot and IgE Serum Food Allergy test. Your Naturopathic Doctor will determine which of these tests are recommended for you.
Comprehensive Stool Analysis
Gastrointestinal complaints are among the most common reasons that patients seek medical care. Symptoms associated with GI disorders include persistent diarrhea, constipation, bloating, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and malabsorption.
The Comprehensive Stool Analysis with Parasitology may be used to assess digestive and absorptive functions, the presence of opportunistic pathogens and to monitor the efficacy of therapeutic remediation of GI disorders. The Comprehensive Stool Analysis with Parasitology is an invaluable non-invasive diagnostic assessment that permits practitioners to objectively evaluate the status of beneficial and imbalanced commensal bacteria, pathogenic bacteria, yeast/fungus and parasites. Precise identification of pathogenic species and susceptibility testing greatly facilitates selection of the most appropriate pharmaceutical or natural treatment agents(s).
Saliva Hormone Tests
Saliva testing is a convenient, inexpensive, and above all, accurate means of testing steroid hormones. Scientific studies have shown a strong correlation between steroid hormone levels in saliva and the amount of hormone in the blood that is active or “bioavailable.” Saliva is an ideal diagnostic medium to measure the bioavailable levels of steroid hormones active in the tissue. It is this fraction of total hormone that is free to enter the target tissues in the brain, uterus, skin, and breasts.
Saliva testing can be done anywhere anytime. Testing that relies on blood drawn in the doctor’s office makes it harder to obtain samples at specific times (such as in the early morning) or multiple times during the day. In addition, hormones in saliva are exceptionally stable and can be stored at room temperature for up to a week without affecting the accuracy of the result.
Urine Toxic and Essential Elements
Urine toxic and essential elements analysis is an invaluable tool for the assessment of retention of toxic metals in the body and the status of essential nutrient elements. Toxic metals do not have any useful physiological function, adversely affect virtually every organ system and disrupt the homeostasis of nutrient elements.
Analysis of the levels of toxic metals in urine after the administration of a metal detoxification agent is an objective way to evaluate the accumulation of toxic metals. Acute metal poisoning is rare. More common, however, is a chronic, low-level exposure to toxic metals that can result in significant retention in the body that can be associated with a vast array of adverse health effects and not chronic disease. One cannot draw valid conclusions about adverse health effects of metals without assessing net retention. For an individual, toxicity occurs when net retention exceeds physiological tolerance. Net retention is determined by the difference between the rates of assimilation and excretion of metals. To evaluate net retention, one compares the levels of metals in urine before and after the administration of a pharmaceutical metal detoxification agent such as DMSA.
Neurotransmitter and Hormone Testing
Medical research has established a definite link between neurotransmitter and endocrine imbalances and numerous health conditions. The ability to assess the levels of various neurotransmitters and adrenal hormones offers healthcare practitioners a useful tool in addressing neurotransmitter-related conditions such as: anxiety, general malaise, fatigue, adrenal dysfunction, poor concentration, impulsive behaviour, muscle problems, mood disorders, depression, restlessness, forgetfulness, insomnia, movement disorders, and other neurological dysfunction.
Hormone imbalances can lead to many symptoms including, but not limited to: insomnia, anxiety, lethargy, hot flashes, mood swings, acne, thin and/or dry skin, ovarian cysts, infertility, depression, headaches, unexplained weight gain, and low libido. Salivary hormone testing is frequently used to assess baseline free hormone levels.
Additional Tests: The sleep profile measures salivary hormones cortisol and melatonin, and urinary neurotransmitters related to sleep. This profile is ideal for individuals experiencing difficulty falling asleep, maintaining sleep, or having restless sleep.
Organic Acids Test
Organic acids are nutritional and metabolic markers. The report includes: nutritional deficiency markers, a new marker for bone disorders, intestinal dysbiosis markers, oxalate metabolism, indications of detoxification, amino acid metabolites, neurotransmitter metabolites, ketone, and fatty acid metabolism.
Iodine Testing
Iodine plays many different roles in optimizing health and preventing disease. As a result, it is essential that proper iodine intake is maintained and problems associated with either inadequate or excessive iodine levels are identified. Deficiency in particular has become a global health problem. Accurate diagnosis may often be overlooked because the symptoms overlap with those of other illnesses, perhaps masking the problem.
Testing Iodine levels and treatment for both excessive or deficiency is an emerging area of science that holds potential for improving your health and longevity.
What is Biofeedback?
Biofeedback provides a holistic approach to recovering balance within the body. It focuses on understanding the current stress status of the individual and the proper selection of the best modes of therapy for the elimination of stressors.
The BodyScan 2010 and the EPFX are state-of-the-art biofeedback devices used to determine conditions of stress and to isolate specific stresses to the body. Testing is totally non-invasive, and requires only five comfortable straps at the wrists, ankles, and forehead. The device measures, compares, and provides feedback on hundreds of energetic signatures of items in the software program using voltage, current potential, and skin resistance. The scan will show stressed or fatigued responses to different stimuli.
Your naturopathic doctor will use the biofeedback scan along with relevant blood work, urine tests, and saliva tests to uncover the root cause of stress imbalances. You may require retesting from time to time to monitor your progress and identify new stressors.
Is Biofeedback for me?
Biofeedback testing is safe for all ages. You should not be tested if you have a pacemaker. The test takes about 15 minutes to perform, and a report is printed out immediately. You will receive a summary report of your unique stressors, and areas of imbalance. Your naturopathic doctor will design a protocol that will address each major area of stress in your body. You may be required to retest 4-6 weeks later.