Laboratory Tests
The Rockwood Natural Medicine Clinic offers a variety of laboratory tests to assess nutritional status, coronary artery risk, hormone function, exposure to heavy metals and environmental toxins, digestion and food allergy assessments. Questions regarding any lab tests should be directed to your physician.
Dietary Serotype Panel – tests for cellular markers that influence dietary choices through lectin/cellular interactions. The results of the panel are highly individualized and the test is used as a screening tool for the elimination of food allergies. Based on the work of Dr’s James & Peter D’Adamo, the results are specific to the individual person.
Spectracell Nutrient Analysis and Antioxidant Assessment – Utilizing state of the art testing procedures, white blood cells are cultured and exposed to various nutrients, then examined for growth. The test measures intracellular levels of the various nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidant levels. It is a more accurate assessment of individual nutrient needs.
Lipoprotein Particle Profile – the LPP provides a better assessment of risk for developing coronary artery disease and heart attack as it quantifies the various lipoproteins and their all important sub categories. Simply knowing the total cholesterol, HDL and LDL levels routinely performed on standard lipid panels does not provide enough information because the sub-particles of HDL and LDL are not provided. An assessment of the subcategories of HDL and LDL are needed in order to assess risk. It is entirely possible to have normal cholesterol, HDL and LDL and still be at high risk for CAD and heart attack. The LPP provide this.
Urinary Indican – tests for the presence of toxic waste products such as indole, skatole, phenol and hydrogen sulfide that are by products of abnormal bowel flora. The Obermeyer test is a quantitative analysis for these substances preformed on first morning urine.
Salivary Hormone Testing – used to assess Adrenal function, Female Hormone function, and Male Hormone function. Salivary levels of these particular hormones provide a more accurate assessment of hormone activity at the cellular level than does blood analysis. While blood values tend to remain stable, salivary levels will fluctuate depending upon cellular use and patient needs. Therefore they provide a better clinical correlation with presenting symptoms.
Heavy Metals Toxicity – exposure to environmental toxins has increased considerably over the past 25 years so that now most everyone will show some level when tested. Simply testing without utilizing a chelating agent usually results in a negative test and a false sense that there isn’t a problem. A heavy metals challenge test will remove any toxic metals present in the body and let you and your doctor know how much of what is present. Once this is known, and elimination program can be developed.
Environmental Pollutants Exposure Panel – environmental pollutants such as benzene, xylene, styrene, phthalates, parabens, and toluene are becoming more prevalent due to their incorporation into many common products in use today. Small amounts of these organo-toxins can build up in the body and have been associated with the development of various diseases such as depression, anemia, cancer and a host of others.
Telomere Testing for Cellular Ageing– cellular age and chronological age do not always match. Some people age much faster than others in part because of stress, environmental pollutants, and poor diet. By examining the telomere length of dividing cells we are able to determine cellular age. Cellular age is thought to correlate with longevity and some studies seem to bear this out. Telomere length is another way to assess over all health.
Food Allergy Testing IgG & IgE Rast – utilizing blood, the IgG & IgE Rast Test provides clinical assessment of current allergies to foods. The IgE provides your doctor with information about food sensitivities while the IgG lets us know what you have developed antibodies to. We combine this test with the Dietary Serotype Panel if there are still problems following an elimination and reintroduction program.
Candida Antigen Test – the Candida Antigen Test is the best examination available for the assessment of a systemic Candida infestation. It is more specific than the Candida antibody test as almost everyone has some level of antibodies. If the antigen is positive, then we can be certain there is a current infestation that needs to be treated.
Comprehensive Stool Analysis – as the gastrointestinal tract is in and of itself a dynamic organism that lives in a symbiotic relationship with us, an imbalance can cause any number of problems such as maldigestion, diarrhea, gas and bloating, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and Crohn’s disease. If any of these conditions are present, a comprehensive stool analysis can help to determine the underlying dysfunction allowing the physician to provide the proper therapy to restore balance.
Comprehensive Drinking Water Analysis – a number of environmental pollutants have been found in water supplies, as have antibiotics. If you are not filtering your water then there may be some contamination. This analysis will let you know what is there.
In House Testing – in addition to the routing lab studies sent out to our commercial laboratory, RNMC offers a number of CLIA waived in-house testing. These include:
Routine Urinalysis – an inexpensive and excellent screening or diagnostic test.
Wet/Potassium Hydroxide Preparations – for scabies, skin fungus, yeast, parasites or lice.
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate – a measure of inflammation, it is often used to assess therapeutic response with inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Fecal Occult Blood – a good screening procedure for colon cancer.
Pinworm Preparation – a specimen collection device is obtained from the lab and examined upon return.
Please contact our office to discuss these specialty tests in more detail with Dr Kruzel, Dr Eischens, or Dr. Thaker.