Whether you are 6 or 60, experiencing life is best when you are healthy.

Are you healthy enough to experience and enjoy everything that life has to offer? Beginning with a comprehensive blood test, Science Based Nutrition™ trained health professionals perform an in-depth analysis of your total system. Problem areas are identified and carefully documented so that proactive measure may be taken to attain optimal health.

A complete Nutritional Blood Analysis will determine:

• How healthy you really are
• What problems are just beginning
• What diseases you have
• What dietary and lifestyle changes you should make
• If the supplements you are taking are working

After your wellness consultation we will determine the testing that should be done. In addition to blood-work we collect saliva, urine, hair and stool samples and this allows us to do a much more comprehensive in-depth analysis of your body functions than you have been used to getting.  The testing will show where the problem areas are occurring or just developing. Your detailed report will explain your test findings, as well as the nutrient and dietary recommendations based upon your test results.

No general screening test is more efficient, effective and affordable than a comprehensive blood chemistry panel. It allows the healthcare provider to establish a baseline of biomarkers to track your health and nutritional needs.  The appropriate testing is essential to understanding your current level of health.

The Science Based Nutrition™ program is an innovative, science-based look at nutritional strengths and weaknesses through an individual’s blood test and analysis of hair, urine, and stool. This scientific approach can offer a clear plan for your optimum health.

We are a new generation of healthcare professional and we have the tools that can reveal the more subtle imbalances and assist in correcting them.  We believe wellness is a proactive approach, we don’t have to wait until you develop a disease before we start to help.  We believe in identifying and correcting the problem long before it becomes a disease.

Why I Look At Functional Lab Ranges Not Just Pathological Ranges

There are two main types of ranges in the field of blood chemistry analysis: a pathological range and a functional range. The pathological range is used to diagnose disease; the functional range is used to assess risk for disease before the disease develops. The references that are provided with laboratory test results are referred to as “the pathological range,” because if the test results are out of range, it usually indicates potential for pathology or disease.

The main different between the functional range and the pathological range is the degree of deviation allowed within their normal ranges. For example the functional range for glucose may be 85 – 100 mg/dl, but the pathological range may be 65-110 mg/dl. Levels above the pathological range may indicate diabetes. Levels above the functional range, but before they reach the extremes of the pathological range, may indicate insulin resistance and a future risk for developing diabetes.

When I have a patient tell me that they have already had their doctor run labs and they are “normal,” I cringe. Rarely are the labs normal from a functional perspective. The pathological lab values provided on the lab results are actually based on a “bell curve analysis” of all the people that have been to the lab over “x” amount of time. If you go to the same lab in two different cities you will find that the reference ranges are actually different. It is important to have a doctor who looks at functional ranges so you are not considered “normal” or “healthy”, because your lab tests fall in the same range as the majority of the sick people that have been to that lab. The sicker the population gets the wider, and less useful the lab reference ranges become.

Most blood tests are compared to “Normal Ranges” via your results report. If you are within the “Normal Range” you will most likely be told you are normal, which can be confused with being healthy. It does not necessarily mean you are healthy, as many people incorrectly believe.

Why not? The problem lies in how Normal Ranges are determined.

Normal Ranges are determined by taking approximately 100 to 200 people who tested recently with a particular lab (yes, they are determined by each individual lab and not a centralized agency). Thes results are then averaged – this is the middle of the Normal Range. The high and low sides of the Normal Range will be two standard deviations from the average.

Unfortunately, most of the people’s results used in these calculations are flawed because they were having blood tests run in the first place because they already had a health problem!

Clinical nutrition focuses on the optimal functioning of your body’s organs. We use your labs along with other testing (blood, urine, stool, hormones, etc.) to see which systems need to be addressed. We work to find the underlying causes of the problems that you are having, not just cover up symptoms. We look at WHY you have this disease, WHAT functions have been lost, and HOW can we restore function?  We accomplish our goals through diet and nutritional supplementation.

Here are just a few things that can be helped with Clinical Nutrition:

Patients suffering from herniated discs, bulging discs, degenerated discs, sciatica and chronic low back and neck pain are often found to be deficient in certain vitamins and minerals. Sometimes these deficiencies can either CAUSE and or EXACERBATE the low back or neck pain and prevent or slow down healing. Many patients will show improved healing success, faster healing time and more long lasting results by addressing these deficiencies either through a nutritional eating program or through supplementation or both.

First, lighten up your toxin load. Eliminate alcohol, coffee, cigarettes, refined sugars and saturated fats, all of which act as toxins in the body and are obstacles to your healing process.

Greatly Reduce Sugar Intake. High sugar diets are typically deficient in the nutrients needed to prevent the release of chemical irritants. The average American consumes 100 lbs of sugar each year. Dessert foods are high in omega 6 fatty acids which increase inflammation

Reduce Stress. Another deterrent to good health is stress, which triggers your body to release stress hormones into your system. Detoxify stressful life situations along with detoxifying your body. Yoga, massage and meditation are simple and effective ways to relieve stress by resetting your physical and mental reactions to the inevitable stress life will bring.

Every food or drink you put into your body directly impacts your health. Give your body an extra boost of healing power by eating wisely. And while your low back pain or neck pain will not go away with food alone, you can further your body’s innate healing power.

There are times when your health-care professional may recommend nutritional supplements. This is because it is not always possible to naturally ingest the quality or quantity of nutrients that your body needs to heal and function optimally.

Here are a few supplements that often may be prescribed along with your care plan:

Multivitamin/Multimineral

Multi-Vitamin/Mineral: Due to poor soil content and patients not eating enough fruits and vegetables it is often difficult to ingest all the enzymes, nutrients, vitamins and minerals in our diet alone. A high quality multivitamin/multimineral supplement is often recommended as insurance against any deficiencies as well as a source of the necessary nutrients and building blocks to promote and or speed up healing.

Omega-3 (Fish Oil) for Joint Health

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in walnuts, canola and soybean oils, and coldwater fish like salmon and tuna. Fish oil supplements are also a good source of omega-3s — a fat that plays a vital role in maintaining healthy cells throughout the body, including the joints. They also encourage the production of chemicals that help control inflammation in the joints, bloodstream, and tissues.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D may be a helpful dietary supplement for your lower back pain. A lack of vitamin D may be responsible for your lower back pain. According to the Spine Universe website, if you experience chronic musculoskeletal pain, including lower back pain, you may have insufficient levels of vitamin D. When your vitamin D levels are restored through supplementation, your pain may significantly decrease. Before taking vitamin D supplements for your lower back pain, talk with your doctor about possible side effects and proper dosage.

Bromelain: A Natural Anti-inflammatory

When taken on an empty stomach, the enzyme bromelain, found in the pineapple plant, acts as an anti-inflammatory agent — decreasing arthritis joint pain and swelling, and increasing mobility.

Before you take bromelain, however, check your allergies. Allergic reactions may occur in people allergic to pineapples, latex, and honeybees, as well as birch, cypress, and grass pollens.

Devil’s Claw: Herbal Relief

The herb devil’s claw is a traditional South African medicine used to relieve joint pain and inflammation, back pain, and headache.

Although more research is needed, there is scientific evidence that devil’s claw can help reduce osteoarthritis joint pain and may work as well as anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen or naproxen. In one study, 227 people with low back pain — or knee or hip osteoarthritis — were treated with devil’s claw extract. After eight weeks of taking 60 milligrams daily, from 50% to 70% reported improvements in joint pain, mobility, and flexibility.

Willow Bark

Willow bark may be effective for treating your lower back pain. According to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), willow bark, also known as white willow or Salix alba, contains salicin, which is the phytotherapeutic precursor of acetylsalicylic acid, or aspirin. Willow bark has been used to treat numerous health complaints, including fever, headaches, inflammation, influenza, muscle pain and weight loss. Willow bark acts as an anti-inflammatory by blocking potentially inflammatory prostaglandins. White willow bark is contraindicated, or should not be used, if you have a bleeding disorder, such as hemophilia, or in conjunction with blood-thinning medications. Before taking willow bark for your lower back pain, talk with your doctor about possible side effects and proper dosage.

Turmeric for Joint Pain and Stiffness

The turmeric plant grows in India and Indonesia, and its roots (when ground) serve as the basis for curry seasoning. One of the many active ingredients in turmeric is curcumin; it is used in traditional Chinese medicine and Indian Ayurvedic medicine to treat arthritis. The claims are that turmeric reduces arthritis joint pain, inflammation, and stiffness related to arthritis.

Several studies have shown that turmeric works as an anti-inflammatory and that it modifies the immune system. In a 2006 study, turmeric was more effective at preventing arthritis joint inflammation as opposed to reducing inflammation. A study in 2009 compared extracts of turmeric with extracts of a related plant species, curcuma domestica, containing the same medicinal chemicals as regular turmeric. Researchers found that it worked as well at relieving symptoms of arthritis as 800 milligrams of ibuprofen daily. But definitive studies in humans are lacking, so the benefit of turmeric on arthritis is unclear.

People on blood thinners should use caution when taking turmeric as animal studies indicate it may increase the risk of bleeding. It may also cause stomachache.

Drink Plenty of Water

Daily water intake should be 1 ounce of water for every 2 pounds of your body weight. So, if a patient weighs 200 lbs then they should consume 100 ounces of water per day.

The human body is more than 70% water. Water is needed in the function, repair, and growth of all avascular white tissues, including ligaments, cartilages, joints and spinal discs¹.

Most patients with musculoskeletal problems are already dehydrated, and patients who age more rapidly than their years are often found to have a body composed of 50% water instead of the 70%².

Water and Your Discs. There is no direct blood supply to the discs. At 12 to 14 years of age, the spinal discs blood nutrition supply and waste elimination system atrophies.^4,5 The intake of at least 64 ounces of water or half the person’s body weight in ounces is essential for nutrition delivery and waste elimination for spinal discs, ligaments, joints, and all body functions, that is, it they are to perform at an optimal level.^1,6 Each spinal disc nucleus contains 88% water.^4,7 75% of a person’s body weight is supported by the discs in the low back. If these discs lose water, they will lose height which will subsequently shift the weight load from the discs to the posterior joints ultimately leading to degenerative changes and bone spurring in the spinal canal.

References

¹Balch PA, Balch JF. Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 3rd edition. 2002 Avery New York
²Broody TA. Alkalinize or Die. 1995 Portal Books California
⁶Markoff KL, Morris JM: The structural components of the intervertebral disc. J Bone and Joint Surgery 1974; 56:141-154
⁷Saulter F, Oglive-Harris D: Healing in inter-articular fractures and continuous passive motion 1994

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