New Year's Resolution Panel

NUTRITION

Vitamin D

70% of Americans are deficient in this Vitamin. Are you? Optimal levels of Vitamin D may reduce your chances of developing certain types of cancer. Autoimmune diseases, like lupus, thyroid disease, and bowel disorders, occur less frequently in those with plenty of Vitamin D. There is also less depression, improved mood, and better blood pressure. It is also thought that Vitamin D improves the pancreas' function by making insulin more sensitive. When insulin works better, our metabolism works better.

Vitamin B12
Are you vegetarian and concerned that your diet may not be providing an adequate amount of B vitamins? Low B12 can affect our energy levels, while optimal Vitamin B12 levels may be essential to rev up your metabolic rate.

Serum Ferritin

Are you vegetarian? Or do you have heavy periods? If so, you may have very low ferritin. Ferritin is a protein that stores iron in your body’s tissues. Research has shown that ferritin is a reliable indicator of the status of your body’s iron stores. People with very low or very high ferritin levels may have a condition that results in fatigue. Interventions can be done to correct iron levels.

Magnesium

Are you taking medication that lowers your body’s stores of magnesium? Or are you worried you are not getting enough in your diet? Magnesium is an important mineral in our body and is very important for sleep, mood, and metabolism.

CMP - Comprehensive Metabolic Panel

Want to measure the health of your liver and kidneys? Are you a drinker and want to see how your alcohol consumption is affecting your liver? The comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) evaluates the function of your liver and kidneys and the amount of electrolytes in your bloodstream.

Zinc

Can you improve your immune system? This test evaluates your zinc levels since the body does not store this important mineral. Interestingly, low zinc levels have been associated with altered taste and smell.

Iron and TIBC

Want to take a deeper dive into your iron levels? Checking your iron directly and measuring the amount of iron bound to protein (TIBC) helps physicians determine the cause of anemia.

INFLAMMATION

hs-CRP

Do you feel inflamed? High-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) is one of the significant markers of inflammation. Researchers now believe that inflammation is the root cause of many diseases. The higher your hs-CRP level is, the greater your risk for cancer, heart disease, stroke, and autoimmune diseases. Be on the cutting edge of your health and check out your inflammation.

Homocysteine

Do you have a family history of Alzheimer’s, early stroke, or heart attack? This amino acid can build up in our bloodstream and can be predictive of future problems. Finding out your results and implementing changes may help dodge devastating diseases. What is your measurement?

METABOLISM

Fasting Glucose

Tired, sluggish, thirsty? (Is there too much sugar in your bloodstream?) Fasting sugar levels above 125 can indicate the presence of diabetes. Levels between 100-125 are suggestive of prediabetes. What’s your level?

Hemoglobin A1c

Do you consume too much sugar daily? Do family members have sugar problems? This test indicates how well-controlled your sugar levels have been over the past three months and can indicate a prediabetic or diabetic condition.

Fasting Insulin

Are you having trouble losing weight? Are you concerned about your metabolism? Elevated fasting insulin levels may indicate insulin resistance syndrome, a condition that, unless addressed, can promote continued weight gain.

THYROID

TSH

Are you concerned about your thyroid, or are you on thyroid medication? Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) is a hormone released by your brain to signal your thyroid gland. It can be used to monitor your thyroid medication's dosing or as a screening test for thyroid disease.

Free T3

Symptoms of hypothyroidism include tiredness, weight gain, constipation, depression, sleepiness, memory loss, decreased sex drive, and more. All these may be symptoms of low thyroid that may be missed unless the active thyroid hormone (free T3) is measured. High levels may indicate hyperthyroidism. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include fatigue, anxiety, sudden weight loss, rapid heartbeat, irritability, more frequent bowel movements, difficulty sleeping, sweating, and tremors. Free T3 is an advanced screening biomarker that helps screen routinely missed thyroid issues.

Free T4

Are you concerned your thyroid is not making enough thyroid hormone? The thyroid makes predominately T4. Free T4 is what your body uses to make the active thyroid hormone called free T3. These are advanced biomarker tests, not routinely done, but very helpful to determine if the thyroid can be affecting how you feel.

TPO Antibodies

Do you have a family history of thyroid problems? Are you concerned about inflammation in your thyroid gland? Thyroid disease has become very common, and we can often pick up inflammation years before the thyroid fails. This is important because natural interventions may help reverse the inflammation of the thyroid gland.

Thyroglobulin Antibodies

This is another test that can be positive in people with inflammation of the thyroid gland. It can be seen years before complete thyroid failure, giving you time to take action!