Now that I run blood work and review labs for clients on a daily basis, there is so much I wish I could tell myself when I was struggling to get answers and navigate the conventional health system.
But I can’t go back in time - so here are 4 things I want YOU to know when you get your blood work done:
1. Conventional testing ranges are WIDE
They are based on the testing population and other pharmaceutical interests – NOT based on what you need for optimal health. This means that it’s very possible for everything to be “in range” and yet you’re still experiencing symptoms of low thyroid, insulin resistance, inflammation, immune issues etc.-- just not feeling your best!
2. You’re often not getting a complete picture:
In my experience, getting an annual blood draw from a primary care provider doesn’t provide nearly enough information to understand how the most important systems in your body are working. For example, fasting glucose does NOT give you the full blood sugar story. You’re really going to want to be looking at fasting insulin, your hemoglobin A1C and LDH in order to understand the full picture. The same thing goes for your thyroid, TSH is NOT going to give you the full picture– you’re really going to want to be looking at T3, T4 and thyroid antibodies to understand your metabolic health a little bit better
Even in a “non-standard” doctor’s visit like when you really suspect something is off, you’re often left with some form of “everything looks normal” or “come back if it gets worse”. I don’t want to wait until it gets worse, and I want to have some sense of how I can better support my body!
3. Getting comprehensive testing
If you want certain markers tested and you’re being met with resistance, you can ask your doctor to write the refusal in your chart. Simple things like a fuller blood sugar panel (listed above), a full thyroid panel (listed above), or even getting tested for Vitamin D can be hard to get tested for. Some insurance companies don’t even cover Vitamin D testing unless here’s a “history of low Vitamin D” So we want to make sure that your doctor is on your side to be able to order that for you.
4. Your blood work tells a story
It’s not a matter of adding another medication for every marker that’s “out of range”, like a statin for high cholesterol, a beta blocker for high blood pressure, or Levothyroxine for low T4. By looking at the whole picture, we can understand which foundational systems are out of balance, and that’s where our work begins!
A functional approach to blood work can help you pick up on those subtle clues, before there’s full blown disease and make recommendations that support your system as a whole.
If you have questions about ordering your own comprehensive blood work and being guided by a functional approach, schedule a complimentary consult to learn more.