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Labs OfferedCaring Medical offers an abundance of laboratory tests that range from a basic cholesterol screening to the most specialized tests, such as an AMAS test for cancer. The most well known laboratory test we offer is Hauser Diet Typing, a proprietary testing technique that Ross and Marion Hauser developed to scientifically determine which foods are best for each individual to eat. Because many of the tests Dr. Hauser orders are very specific, and often unique to natural medicine practitioners, he will write orders for in-house lab tests only. Often times, outside facilities do not perform the correct tests that are ordered. In addition, outside laboratory facilities, such as hospitals charge upwards of three to four times the cost that we can offer our patients. While we do not write for labs to be done outside of our facility, you can be assured that when you have a lab drawn at Caring Medical, it will be the exact tests the physician is looking for to help diagnose and treat your condition. We should also mention that our laboratory technicians are excellent “sticks!” Read more about some of our lab tests below. If you are interested in having any natural medicine testing done to optimize your health or help diagnose and treat your condition, please email us about becoming a patient.
Guide to General Laboratory Testing
Some of the Labs Offered Adrenal Stress Profile- Do you suffer from low energy, low sex drive and difficulty getting a good night sleep? If you answered yes to all of those questions, then adrenal testing is right for you. The Adrenal Stress Profile is a saliva test that measures the adrenal hormones DHEA and Cortisol along with sex hormones, Testosterone, Progesterone and Estradiol. The adrenal glands located on top of your kidneys produce the complimentary hormones DHEA and Cortisol. Cortisol affects the heart, vasculature, blood pressure, water retention and electrolyte balance. Cortisol also affects mood, gastrointestinal tract, reproductive function and the production of other hormones. During stressful situations, the body attempts to raise cortisol levels to deal with the situation normally. If cortisol levels remain elevated for an extended period of time, it becomes more difficult for the body to maintain proper blood sugar, slow down to rest, recover and repair and get a good night sleep. The adrenal stress profile will test cortisol function at four different time intervals in a single day. Cortisol is normally the highest in the a.m. to allow a person the energy to get out of bed. Cortisol normally decreases as the day progresses and is at its lowest point at night. DHEA is the major precursor of testosterone and the estrogens. DHEA promotes muscle growth and repair of protein tissue and acts as a counter-regulatory agent for cortisol. When cortisol levels are increased for a prolonged period of time, DHEA levels decline. Depressed DHEA levels serve as an early warning of potential adrenal exhaustion. Testosterone, Progesterone, Estradiol and melatonin levels are analyzed as part of this profile. As we all age, it is normal for the sex hormones levels to fall. The reduction in these hormones can lead to low sex drive, decreased muscle mass and irregular menstrual cycles. Melatonin levels are assessed to evaluate sleep and mood disorders, seasonal depression and immune dysregulation. Come in and consult with a Natural medicine clinician today to see if adrenal testing is right for you. Top
For more information: AMAS (Anti Malignin Antibody Serum) - If you have a strong family history of cancer you may want to consider having this test performed. The AMAS blood test can detect cancer cell activity 1-19 months before an actual tumor is formed. This test does not tell the location of the cancer, so further studies such as a CT scan or MRI may be needed if the AMAS test is positive. Top The AMAS test is used by doctors as an aid in the early detection of Cancer. The test measures serum levels of Anti-Malignin Antibodies. Anti-Malignin Antibodies is a well defined antibodiy in which serum levels rise early in the course of disease. This test is used together with other clinical procedures and test which suggest where the lesion is located but does not determine whether the pathology is benign or malignant. The AMAS test is also used to monitor Cancer patients previously treated for the recurrence or remission of their Cancers. The test requires a blood draw and is normally done Tuesday -Thursday preferrably in the morning before noon. Patients can usually expect results in 3-5 business days. Top Arthritis Profile - The arthritis profile is a group of lab tests that along with a physical exam and patient history can help to diagnose arthritis. It consists of the following tests:
For more information: B 12 & Folic Acid- Vitamin B 12 is essential for normal nervous system function and blood cell production. Vitamin B 12 & folic acid testing is normally ordered by your doctor to help in the diagnosis of macrocytic anemia (a drop in red cells caused by Vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 & folic acid can be used to evaluate the general health and nutritional status of a patient with signs of malnutrition or malabsorption such as in Alcoholism, Celiac disease, Crohns disease and cystic fibrosis. B12 levels may also be used to help diagnose the cause of metal or behavioral changes, especially in the elderly. Top For more information: Babesiosis - An infection also spread by ticks that causes similar symptoms as Lyme. Also treated with specific antibiotics and natural remedies. Top Biological Aging Panel - Have you ever wondered how old you really are? Hormonally speaking that is! This test checks the levels of all of the hormones needed to feel young and age gracefully. Wouldn't you like to turn back the clock? Top Bio Chemical Profile1 - A basic blood and urine test that looks at 70 variables of health including cholesterol levels, blood sugar, kidney and liver functions, thyroid hormone levels, red and white blood cell counts, platelets, and checks for infection in the urine. This is a good test for an overall wellness check. Top Bleeding Time- Bleeding time test is a simple test used to measure the speed in which the small blood vessels close off to stop bleeding and used to evaluate platelet function. Bleeding time is also useful in detecting bleeding tendencies. Normal bleeding time is between 1-7.5 minutes. Natural medicine physicians ideally want a patient’s result to fall into the upper end of the normal range. If the patients bleeding time is higher than normal it means that the patient’s blood is thin which decreases the patient’s risk for heart attack, blood clots and stroke. If the results are below normal, this typically means the patient’s blood is thick and at an increased risk for heart attack, stroke and blood clots. Lifestyle, dietary, nutritional supplementation and or medication therapy can be started to decrease the person’s risk. Top Blood Hormone Panel- Hormone levels are used to determine a person’s sex, thyroid, and adrenal gland hormone status and/or to monitor the progress in those patients receiving hormone replacement therapy. Hormones play a vital role in overall health. They are key to a person feeling energetic and being happy. Low hormones can contribute to lack of energy, decreased libido, depression, bad memory, low muscle mass, poor healing, increased heart disease risk, and bone loss. Top
Breast Cancer Panel - A blood test that looks at all of the cancer markers that are used for breast cancer. Top Cancer Markers - The following tests are used to diagnose and assess different types of cancer:
Candida Profile - Have you been on a lot of antibiotics over the years? Does your immune system seem to be less resistant to the flu and other illnesses? You may have candida or more commonly called a fungal infection. Candida or fungus may appear on nails or as a vaginal infection, then again, you may have no symptoms other than fatigue. Top CBC- A blood test that measures the body’s amount of white blood cells, red blood cell, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelets. The test is useful in helping the doctor evaluate anemia, leukemia, reaction to inflammation and infections, state of hydration and dehydration, platelet evaluation and the management of chemotherapy decisions. Top CDSA (Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis) - A stool is collected at your home and shipped to the lab to check for fungus, bacteria (good and bad), and undigested food. May also be ordered to check for parasites. Top Cortisol- A blood test that measures the amount of cortisol in the blood stream at the time of the blood draw. The test is useful in the diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency, Addison’s disease and Cushing syndrome. Top For more information C-Reactive Protein- a blood marker used to asses active inflammation in the body. CRP is useful in monitoring patients with autoimmune diseases, arthritis, infection and post surgical procedure to evaluate wound healing. An elevated CRP result is indicative of infection or inflammation in the body. Top For more information: Cardiovascular Risk Panel- A group of blood test including a 1 ½ Glucose Insulin Tolerance test that will asses a persons risk of coronary artery disease. Top Dihydrotestosterone- Dihydrotestosterone or DHT is a hormone converted from testosterone that is thought to increase prostate growth in men and male pattern baldness. In Fetuses, DHT is responsible for the development of the prostate gland and the descent of the scrotum. As men age, the levels of testosterone decline, while DHT is thought to increase causing the prostate gland to grow larger in size slowly over the years. Natural medicine physicians use DHT to monitor the progression of prostate cancer. Top Elements, RBC packed cells- Assessment of toxic and essential elements inside of the red blood cell. The test is an excellent diagnostic tool for assessing anti inflammatory processes, immune function, glucose tolerance and mineral deficiency associated with poor wound healing and sexual impotence. Top Epstein Barr Virus panel- Epstein Barr virus (EBV) is a member of the herpes virus family and one of the most common viruses. It is estimated that as many as 95% of adults in the U.S. between the ages 35-40 have been infected. EBV is responsible for causing infectious mononucleosis and implicated in some nose and throat cancers. The panel is useful in determining acute or chronic EBV infection. Top Food Allergy Testing- A food allergy test is also important when determining the foods that will give you the maximum amount of energy. What we actually test are antibody levels, or which foods your body is making antibodies against. In other words, which foods does your immune system see as an invader, thus, mounting an immune attack against them. Eating these foods will not give you the optimum energy you desire, but will take energy away from you. If you have a sensitivity or allergy to a particular food, it could be causing symptoms like low energy, headaches, inability to heal properly, mental fog, and weight gain, among others. It is sometimes hard to know you have a food allergy, but once you eliminate the allergy, you will notice the difference. Our food allergy test will test for 190 of the most popular foods. This way we can appropriately determine what foods you need to eliminate from your diet that could be causing other health problems.Top
Food Sensitivity Panel -Determines the level of sensitivity or allergy to 95 of the most commonly eaten foods. Does not include gluten or casein. Top Fungal Panel 1- A blood test used to aid in the diagnosis of acute or chronic fungal infection. Fungal infections can cause a number of illnesses including, central nervous system problems, menstrual irregularities, respiratory allergies, nail, hair and skin disease, gastrointestinal disorders and vaginal infection. Top Glucose Insulin Tolerance Test- A 1 ½ or 3 hr test that involves consuming a 50-100 gram glucose load and then graphing blood sugar levels in response to the glucose load. Insulin levels are also collected at 30 minutes and 1hr to be interpreted along with the glucose levels. The results of the test can help your physician determine what diet is best for you, diagnose diabetes, hypoglycemia and hyperinsulinemia. Top Gluten/Casein - A blood test to screen for gluten (grain) and casein (dairy) allergies. Grains and dairy are the most common of all food allergies, but are consumed in some form at most every meal. Symptoms of sensitivity to these items can range from dermatitis or hives, to congestion or fatigue. Top H-pylori Rapid Test - is used to detect the bacteria Helicobacter pylori that researchers believe is responsible for a majority of peptic ulcers. Top Hair Analysis - Evaluates mineral deficiencies or overloads and heavy metal toxicity through a small hair sample taken near the scalp. Certain hair tonics and colorings may contain aluminum and other toxic elements. Keep in mind we are not professionals in the "hair cutting" field! Top Hauser Diet
Typing - Diet Typing is a testing procedure that we have
developed at Caring Medical that gives you a better approach
to achieving maximum health. Diet Typing will help determine
what substrate (or food) your body most efficiently burns. What
type of gasoline should you put in your engine? In other words,
what is your Diet Type? What foods give your body the most
energy? If you consume fat is your body able to oxidize it into
energy? If you are unable to convert the fat into energy for
your cells guess what your body will do with it? You got it!
Store it as fat! In other words, the individual whose fat oxidation
rate is low will get fatter and more lethargic by eating fat.
This test will help determine what breakdown of carbohydrates,
protein, and fats you should be eating based on your individual
body type. Hepatitis A,B,C profile- A blood test used to determine acute or chronic infection with the hepatitis virus. The blood test may also be used to screen donated blood to rule out hepatitis infection prior to transfusion. Hepatitis A,B,C are the most common forms of the virus that is spread by sharing needles with someone infected with hepatitis, sexual contact with an infected person and direct contact with infected blood products. Top Homocysteine- the test is used to screen patients at risk for heart disease and stroke. Homocysteine can be considered an independent risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease. Patients with cardiovascular disease including heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease generally have higher homocysteine levels. Top Hormone panel blood- used to determine the sex hormone status of a patient and monitor patients receiving hormone replacement therapy. Sex hormones play a vital role in the overall health of a person. Low sex hormone levels can cause a lack of energy, decreased libido, poor memory, low muscle mass in men and bone loss. Top Insulin Levels- Fasting insulin levels help diagnose or evaluate any abnormalities in the blood sugar levels, along with helping to determine a person’s Hauser Diet Type. Insulin levels measured while fasting can give information about the body’s sensitivity to insulin. High insulin, even with normal blood sugar levels, may indicate that the pancreas is working harder than normal to get the blood sugar level down. Keeping blood sugar levels stable is key to having sustained energy throughout the day.Top Ionized Calcium - Serum calcium is usually measured to screen for or monitor diseases of the bone or calcium regulation disorders(thatis,diseases of the parathyroid gland or kidneys). Calcium is especially important in the structure of bones and teeth. Calcium is vital for muscle contration, heart function, transmission of nerve impulses and blood clotting. The ionized or free form of calcium is metabolically active form of calcium. This free form of calcium is measured when protein bound form of calcium is difficult to interpret due to binding protein increases or decreases in the body. Insulin-Like Growth Factor(IGF-1)- IGF-1 is a hormone produced by the liver and other tissues that affects growth promoting activity and glucose metabolism. IGF-1 is used to diagnose the cause of growth abnormalities and to evaluate pituitary function. Natural medicine physicians monitor IGF-1 levels to determine growth hormone production in the body that is vital to the repair of the body. Top ISAC panel- A blood test used to determine abnormalities in the blood clotting system that may be the root cause of one or more health problems such as chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. Top Lyme Western Blot IgG, IgM with confirmation - Lyme Western Blot is used to diagnose Lyme disease. This test involves drawing one tube of blood from the patient and sending it to lab that performs the actual testing. Western blotting is a technique designed to detect specific protein. In this case, antibodies in the patient blood against Borrelia Burgdorferi, the virus that causes Lyme disease, are detected. Known viral proteins are separated according to size on a gel using electrical current. The proteins in the gel are then transferred (blotted) onto a nitrocellulose membrane. Patient serum is applied to the membrane and incubated. Any antibody to the virus in the patient’s serum will bind to the specific protein it is directed against. A solution is then added that “tags” the bound antibody thus allowing it to be seen. A specific amount of binding indicates a positive result. We like this test because it shows whether the actual bands are positive or negative. We have seen undiagnosed cases of Lyme disease cause a myriad of medical problems for patients including chronic pain, fatigue, all-over body pain, fibromyalgia, and many more. Top For more information:
Metabolic Profile-In addition to the basic metabolic panel, our caring Medical panel also includes a thyroid panel,complete blood count, lipid panel, ferritin, and urinalysis. Abnormal results, and especially combinations of abnormal results, can indicate a problem that needs to be addressed. Top Mycoplasma - This test is used to detect four of the most common forms of mycoplasmas which is known to cause various infections in humans such as rheumatoid arthritis, atypical pneumonia, Gulf War syndrome and a possible cofactor to AIDS. Top Neurobalance Urine Test - A urine test used to determine baseline neurotransmitter levels in the brain and to determine neurotransmitter imbalance. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that relay signals between nerve cells. If neurotransmitter levels are low, signals can become disrupted, distorted or stunted contributing to a patient’s depression, compulsive disorders, anxiety, physical or emotional stress or agitation. It is estimated that approximately 70% of the population has some degree of neurotransmitter imbalance. Top For more information, please see this link: NTx Urine - NTx urine test is used to determine the rate of bone resorption. Bone resorption rates that exceed bone formation results in bone loss and ultimately osteopenia or osteoporosis if left untreated. Top PCR Tests - Checks for the presence of infectious organisms in the blood such as Herpes, Hepatitis, Epstein Barr Virus, Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Lyme, and Cytomegalovirus. Top Platelet Aggregation - This test is used to assess the stickiness of your blood. Sticky blood would cause the cells to clump together and interfere with proper cell function. Stress, trauma, and free radical damage such as iron overload can be the cause of stickiness. Treatment for this may include chelation therapy, dietary manipulation, and nutriceuticals. Top Saliva Hormone Profile (male/female) - Tests male and female hormones along with adrenal hormones. Optimal hormone levels are needed for proper healing and immune function. Top Serum pH and electrolyte panel - A simple blood test used to determine electrolyte, mineral and venous pH levels. The results of the test are useful is helping the doctor determine if mineral deficiencies are present, abnormalities in electrolyte function that could affect heart functioning and hydration status. The venous pH along with other test result can guide the physician is prescribing an appropriate diet for the patient. Top Stool Parasitology- A diagnostic test used to examine the stool for the presence of human and animal-borne parasitic organism. Parasitic infections can cause a multitude of symptoms including, Diarrhea, fatigue, insomnia, leaky gut syndrome, joint pain and allergies. Top For more information: |
Alcat Test - This blood test measures the blood cells’ reaction
to foods, molds, food colorings, chemicals and certain medications.
It is estimated that 80-90% of the population has some form of adverse
reaction to a food, food additive, mold, or chemical that can manifest
into a wide range of disorders such as weight gain, arthritis, fatigue,
depression, ADD, migraine headache, skin disorders and many others.
Traditional skin allergy tests are not accurate for testing delayed
allergy because they only look for IgE molecules associated with
acute symptoms. Delayed symptoms may not become noticeable until
8-72 hours after ingesting or becoming exposed to an allergen. By
avoiding test foods, food colorings, mold or chemicals, the patient’s
symptoms greatly improve, usually in a few days. The Alcat test will
help your doctor tailor a specific food plan designed to meet your
needs. 