Alternative Testing

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Some of our patients don't like to participate in Western medicine at all, but we believe it integrates well with complementary therapies, really shining in emergency situations and its wide scope of testing. That being said, sometimes the standard tests used by allopathic practitioners don't go deep enough, possibly missing underlying root causes. Integrative and functional practitioners often branch out to alternative testing methods to get a better understanding of what the body is doing and possible sources of imbalances.

There are a wide variety of tests outside of the usual gamut, but these are some that may be worth researching depending on your health concerns:

• Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) involves cutting a bit of hair near the root to examine the concentration and ratio of minerals in the body. This test may unearth heavy metal toxicities and/or mineral deficiencies and imbalances that can contribute to symptoms ranging from fatigue to infertility.
• Saliva testing can be helpful for more precise hormone measurements, especially those that are known to change over time. (For instance, cortisol cycles throughout the day and female hormones cycle throughout a month.) Collection is very easy - just spit into a little tube - and the results may paint a different picture than blood work alone.
• Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH) also measures hormones in addition to other metabolites to better understand how the body is operating day-to-day. As the name implies, the test involves adding urine to a small piece of paper to then dry and seal to be sent for analysis.
• Stool samples are basically pieces of poop collected in a small container. While the idea may be unappealing to some, the information gleaned from a stool sample can be very useful for those with digestive issues...or even for those with seemingly unrelated conditions. 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut, and the gut contains up to 80% of the body's immune cells. Cells are made from the nutrients derived from food, so even slight decreases in the digestion system's function - regardless of whether or not symptoms are present - can contribute to health problems throughout the body.
• Advanced blood work can also be done to explore markers beyond those found on the routine Complete Blood Count with differential. 

While some allopathic doctors are open to ordering tests outside of the normal gamut, you're often more likely to have access to them if you work with a holistic practitioner.

• A Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) is someone who has completed Western medical school. This type of practitioner can choose to practice holistically, though, and will often have "Integrative" or "Functional" in their clinic name to differentiate themselves.
• Some Doctors of Chiropractic (DC) choose to expand their practice into testing and nutritional guidance instead of or in addition to providing adjustments.
• Doctors of Naturopathy (ND) usually incorporate some kind of testing into their sessions but may be limited in what they can do because of state regulations.
• Health coaches and nutritionists may also go beyond their required education so that they can offer advanced testing to their clients.

If you want to run a test without looking for a practitioner first, Life Extension has a variety of options and can match you with one of their health professionals if you need help understanding your results. (Keep in mind that they will likely recommend their own brand of supplements in their analysis.) They do not have all of the tests covered in this blog, however. If you'd like one that they do not offer, the links included in the last section may lead you to the right resources.

There are many more tests outside of the few we mentioned here, and having a practitioner who knows your history can be invaluable in choosing which ones may be the best for you. We always advocate listening to your body, but alternative testing can sometimes elucidate root issues that escape notice or even uncover imbalances that aren't yet causing any symptoms. If anything, we hope that this blog post shows that there are always more routes to explore when you seem to plateau in your journey to better health. Never give up hope!