by Dr. Jon Thomas, DC, PSc.D, Board Certified Chiropractic Physician.
To get an accurate picture of
what’s going on with our patients, Vibrant Life Health Center uses several
tests. These tests are easy. You don’t have to study or bring a number two
pencil.
Micronutrients
Intake of Nutrients, one element
in the SHIFT Paradigm that I recently wrote about, is one of the keys to
maintaining good health. Vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant deficiencies have a
profound effect on the immune system. These deficiencies can leave people
vulnerable to diseases, including cancer, arthritis, diabetes, and heart
disease.
Lots of people think that taking
a daily multivitamin is sufficient to make up for any deficiencies they might
have. However - and this is amazing when you think about it – as many as half
of the people who take multivitamins are still nutritionally deficient. How is
it possible that people who lead relatively healthy lifestyles and take
vitamins still have deficiencies? There are several factors that come into
play.
Biochemical Individuality: Every
human being is biochemically and metabolically unique. None of us are exactly
the same. The micronutrients that one person requires for his or her body to
work well can be very different from the combination of nutrients another
person needs.
Absorption: Even
when people eat a healthy and balanced diet, vitamins, minerals, and
antioxidants may not be absorbed properly. When important nutrients are not
absorbed, they’re not doing a person any good.
Aging: A
person’s needs for micronutrients change as they get older. It’s inevitable
that our bodies will change over time. The micronutrient requirements of
someone at age 30 are very different from what they need at 50. For example,
it’s very common for people to have increasing difficulty absorbing what their
bodies need as they get older.
Lifestyle: Habits
like smoking and drinking alcohol have a significant effect on a person’s need
for micronutrients. Prescription drugs, excessive physical activity or too
little physical activity can also have a serious impact on micronutrient
requirements.
SpectraCell Testing of Micronutrients
Many people are deficient in
micronutrients and don’t even know it. To get an accurate look at how
micronutrients are actually functioning in the patients' white blood cells,
Vibrant Life Health Center can run two excellent tests through SpectraCell
Laboratories. These are the most advanced diagnostic tools available.
The SPECTROX™ panel measures Total Antioxidant Function.
The IMMUNIDEX™ panel measures Immune Response Score.
These tests measure deficiencies
at the cellular level. They provide practitioners with the most comprehensive
nutritional analysis available. We can see how well the body uses 35 vitamins,
minerals, amino/fatty acids, antioxidants, and metabolites. These tests enable
us to provide patients with personalized plans for addressing their
micronutrient deficiencies.
They also help us to assess a
variety of clinical conditions, general wellness, and vulnerability to
diseases, including arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular risk, and diabetes. They
can show immunological disorders and metabolic disorders as well.
Hormone Testing
Hormones play a bigger role in wellness than most people realize.
Hormones are chemical messengers that are secreted directly into the blood. The
blood carries them to organs and tissues throughout the body. Hormones
influence all aspects of health and disease. They can affect mood, sleep,
metabolism, the immune system, the heart, and even a person’s
appearance.
For decades, many doctors have prescribed hormone replacement
therapy as if everyone needed the same thing and in the same dosage. However,
in order to achieve optimal health, one person’s hormonal needs can be quite
different from another person’s needs. An imbalance of a single hormone can
throw a person’s physical and mental health out of balance. This can lead to
serious health problems.
Maintaining a proper hormonal balance is essential to well-being.
Comprehensive male and female hormone testing can reveal the overall state of a
patient’s hormonal balance. Testing enables practitioners to accurately
identify any imbalances, and to develop a plan that will effectively correct
them. Without going into tedious detail, here are some of the hormones that
need to be properly balanced in order to achieve wellness.
Steroid Hormones: Many people think of estrogen as
being a female hormone, and testosterone as being a male hormone. Some people
are surprised when they find out that men and women produce both testosterone
and estrogen. Testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone levels impact mood,
metabolism, and cancer risk.
Peptide Hormones: These are known as regulatory
hormones because they control the production and release of other hormones.
These include follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and lutenizing hormone (LH).
Peptide hormones also regulate reproductive functions in both men and women.
Thyroid Hormones: The thyroid gland produces and
releases thyroxine and triiodothyronine. These regulate basic functions
including metabolism, emotions, and thinking. Thyroid hormones affect every
cell and every organ in the body. Too much thyroid hormone speeds things up.
Too little slows things down. Here’s a more specific list of what the thyroid
hormones do:
- Control the rate at which your body burns calories. Naturally, this affects weight gain or loss.
- Can slow down or speed up heartbeat.
- Can raise or lower body temperature.
- Change how fast food moves through the digestive tract.
In addition to the hormones I’ve already mentioned, there are
several other hormones which are crucial to well-being. There are even hormones
that are essential for the production of other hormones. In that sense, every
human being has his or her own small biochemistry lab running on the inside.
Think about that for a minute! If you have any trouble thinking about it, you
might want to get your thyroid hormones checked out.
The great thing about all of this is that micronutrient imbalances
and hormonal imbalances can be corrected. Accurate testing is required to get a
clear picture of what’s going on. Once a qualified practitioner has the
results, he or she can build the plan which will put the patient on the path to
a truly happy and healthy state of being.
If you would like to have your micronutrient and hormone levels
tested, please contact Vibrant Life Health Center to set up an appointment
---
In this article, I have discussed micronutrients and hormones. A
proper balance of micronutrients and hormones is essential for wellness. Vibrant
Life Health Center uses the best diagnostic tests available to analyze
patients’ hormones and micronutrients. Then we develop a plan to bring them
into proper balance for our patients.
If you have a comment about this article, please leave it in the
comments section below. If you know of someone who might benefit from the
information in this blog, please share it with your friends, colleagues, and on
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At Vibrant Life, we address all of the key elements to add
vibrance and vitality to your life. This includes nutrition, chiropractic care,
and fitness. If you need to consult with a chiropractor about your neck, back,
or any other health concern, please contact our office to set up an
appointment.
Dr. Jon Thomas is a Board Certified Chiropractic Physician. His
practice, The Vibrant Life Health Center, is located in the Mandarin section of
Jacksonville. His interest in health and fitness started early, and his
athletic pursuits have included BMX racing, Professional Snow Skiing, Water
Skiing, Baseball, Weightlifting, and Martial Arts. After studying and learning
from some of the top health experts throughout the world, Dr. Thomas dedicated
his life to helping people of all ages to transform their lives. The objective
for each patient is to initiate the body’s healing and to work progressively
toward a body that functions optimally. Dr. Thomas is seen regularly on TV on
First Coast Living, where he discusses the transformations of his patients. He
also speaks at events throughout the community and writes informative articles
to improve the health of residents throughout Jacksonville.
As we age our bodies need more maintenance. Thank goodness that Chiropractors are there to help us maintain our health as opposed to treating us when we are sick.
ReplyDeleteDid not know you could get this done. I'll bet it can save a ton of money on vitamins and such!
ReplyDeleteMore advancements in science and health I am sure most people have no idea are available to improve their well being.
ReplyDelete