Functional Pathology testing
We are living in an increasingly toxic world. Most of these toxins are invisible and we sometimes only start thinking about them when things go wrong in our body.
Toxins can be absorbed from the environment through food, water, soil, air and through contact with your skin. Inside of your body, they can cause irritation, inflammation, immune reactions and loss of function. When left untreated, this can lead to a loss of wellness and vitality, resulting in fatigue, dysfunction and ultimately to chronic disease.
Over the last 50 years, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of food additives, antibiotics, herbicides and pesticides as well as numerous other man-made chemicals.
During this period, the incidence of Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders, as well as other childhood disorders and neuro-developmental delay, has also risen dramatically. Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders were almost unheard of 50 years ago. These days, not only have most people heard about Autism, there is a child on the Autism spectrum in almost every classroom now!
The occurrence of chronic diseases in adults, such as cancer, obesity, (neuro) degenerative diseases and auto-immune diseases has increased dramatically as well during the last 50 years.
There is no pill that can cure a chronic disease. However, chronic diseases usually develop slowly and over a long period of time, so there is a lot of time and opportunity for interfering with the disease progression.
How can Functional Pathology testing help?
Toxins, lifestyle, diet, trauma, emotional stress, ageing, genetics, drugs and antibiotics are all stressors that can contribute towards the development and progression of a chronic disease.
A stressor is defined as anything that causes stress to a person. Whether you move in the direction of health or disease, depends on the net result of two opposing forces:
- The sum-total effect of the stressors on your body
- Your body’s ability to deal with these stressors (i.e. your resilience).
When the number of stressors outweigh the body’s capacity to deal with them, things will go wrong. The old saying: Prevention is better than cure, is very applicable in this case. This means, the sooner these stressors are identified and dealt with, the better. Otherwise, the situation will worsen over time and a chronic disease may develop and progress.
Functional Pathology testing, DNA testing as well as Kinesiology testing can all help with the process of identifying these stressors. The key question is though, how do you know which stressor(s) have had the biggest impact on your health?
The answer is: Nobody knows for sure, but as the incidence of chronic diseases has increased alongside the increase in the amount of toxins, it is important to investigate your toxic load first.
Whether you have already developed Autism or a chronic disease or whether you want to prevent disease, identifying your toxic load is the first step to your recovery process. This means, we need to determine the nature and the severity of the toxins, so that the source can be identified and the flow stopped.
Once the flow is stopped, the body can start to remove the toxins that have been stored in your cells and tissues, usually with the help of some extra nutrients.
This will increase the cell’s ability to function, decrease inflammation and irritation (often in the skin) and improve resilience, wellness and vitality.
What can a Functional Pathology test reveal that a blood test cannot?
One of the shortcomings of a blood test is, that there are certain substances, such as Neuro-transmitters and some hormones, that cannot be measured in the blood, because they are broken down almost immediately after they are produced.
Blood tests are also not a good indicator for measuring the nature and severity of your toxic load, because toxins are generally metabolised (changed) by the body, and excreted in the urine, stool, hair, menstrual blood, perspiration or through the skin, but usually not in the blood.
There is a large variety of Functional Pathology tests available. They can be used to test for a variety of substances, such as the presence and level of the breakdown products of Neuro-transmitters and some hormones, as well as the presence and level of toxins, microbes, vitamins and other substances.
Together, these tests can help to provide an insight into the cause(s) of why your or your child’s body is not functioning optimally.
What Functional Pathology tests are available?
The following Functional Pathology tests are available from the Research Nutrition (RNLabs) website. They are all DIY tests that can be done at home or if you prefer, during your consultation with me.
- Urine tests
- The quickest, cheapest and easiest urine test is a Reagent Urinalysis Test. Dependent on the test strip, it can show up to 10 indicators in the urine, such as the PH (acid, neutral or alkaline), hydration status, protein, glucose as well as leukocytes, which are related to an infection. You will receive a free Reagent Urinalysis Test during your consultation with me.
- For a more in-depth analysis, the Organic Acid Test (OAT) is one of the best known and most versatile Functional Pathology urine tests. It looks at 70 products that your body excretes in the urine and will give you a good insight in your energy production, your Neuro-transmitter production, the presence of fungi in your gut and lots more. Click on the following links to read more: https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/organic-acids-test/ or Organic Acids Test (OAT)
You can identify the following toxins in a urine test:
- Glyphosate, the active ingredient of Round-up, is used by many people, councils and farmers as a weed killer. Glyphosate acts like an antibiotic and can therefore have a devastating effect on your beneficial gut flora. It can also have a negative effect on the brain by interfering with brain function and development. This glyphosate test can be done as an add-on to the OAT test at a reduced price. Click here for more information on the glyphosate test: https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/glyphosate-test. You can order this test from: https://rnlabs.com.au/functional-tests/glyphosate/.
- Many environmental chemicals can also be detected in the urine. The kind and amount of toxins that are present in your body can be measured through a GPL-TOX: environmental chemicals test: https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/gpl-tox This test can also be done as an add-on to the OAT test at a reduced price. GPL-TOX: Environmental Chemicals
- If you suspect that you or your child may have been exposed to mould, the GPL-MycoTOX test would be the most suitable test to investigate this further.
You can find more information about this test on: https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/gplmycotox. You can order this test from: https://rnlabs.com.au/functional-tests/gpl-mycotox/
- Stool
- Stool testing. If you would like to assess your or your child’s gut flora, the GI360 test is a great comprehensive test. You can click on the link to find out more: https://rnlabs.com.au/functional-tests/gi360/
- Saliva
- Hormones can be assessed in the blood, saliva and urine. The Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) test is a saliva test. It measures the levels and response of cortisol/cortisone and associated metabolites at awakening.
- The Dutch Cycle Mapping is a urine test. One of the most accurate tests is the Dutch Cycle Mapping plus. It is a combination of urine and saliva testing.
- Hair
- There is a certain group of toxins that can best be measured through the hair, because they are excreted in the hair. These are the heavy metals, such as lead, aluminum and mercury.
These metals can interfere with brain communication, development & function and if the levels are high, they should be removed when and where possible.
The presence and level of these metals can be assessed through a Hair Toxic Elements Exposure Analysis test from Doctors Data: https://www.doctorsdata.com/hair-toxic-element-exposure-profile/
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This test kit is available from me, or you can order it yourself from: https://rnlabs.com.au/functional-tests/elemental-hair-analysis/.
If you want to order a test from RNLabs website using one of the links above, please enter the first 3 letters of my name: KOE as the Practitioner name on the Patient Pathology Request form.
The lab will send a pdf with your test results to me and I will let you know when they have arrived. You can then make an appointment to discuss your results.
Special offer: If you have any queries, please contact me for a free half hour introductory consultation by phone: 61-8-83794755, mobile: 0423763273 or email: akoelman@ozemail.com.au.