FUNCTIONAL LAB TESTING

Ordered & overseen by Carina Hart, our Certified Integrative Health Practitioner & 
Transformational Nutrition, Wellness & Life Coach

OATs, Mycotoxins, Heavy Metals, IgG Food Allergy, Candida, Hormones, Comprehensive Stool Tests, DNA Methylation & more


Have you heard something like this (below) before, from your Doctor(s), yet are still suffering?

"Your blood work is normal." 
or 
"Your labs look good. There's nothing "clinically" wrong with you."

I (Carina) can't tell you how many times I heard variations of these statements from the majority of my conventional Doctor's during my own chronic illness journey. It didn't matter to them that I was SO incredibly ill, in pain 24-7 and practically bedridden, if according to them, my blood or scans work looked "normal" than they deemed my symptoms "all in your head," or "it can't be that bad."

How's that for a limited approach. 

I also can't tell you how many of my clients tell me that their Doctor told them this as well.
But, guess what! Your symptoms are NOT in your head, you are NOT "crazy" and your suffering is in fact, REAL. 
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1. Conventional tests are designed to look for significant pathology that mark "serious states" and more menacing conditions after they've already become full-blown "diagnosable diseases."
2. Your blood is only ONE method to analyze what's going on inside your body. ONE. That's IT.
(there is also urine, dried urine, saliva, hair, muscle testing)
​
Suffering is suffering. Pain is pain.
You do NOT need a human-labeled "diagnosis" to validate it. PERIOD.
​
Conventional tests, while necessary in many circumstances - are not designed to give us the information we need to identify the ROOT level imbalances such as mycotoxins/toxic molds, hidden infections, chemical toxicity, proper function of our sex, adrenal & stress hormone analysis etc that actually CAUSE the chronic symptoms which, when left unresolved, turn into serious & even terminal diseases & conditions. 
​
Plus, chemicals like heavy metals, hidden infections like Lyme & viruses are extremely intelligent and prefer to live in your bones, organs & tissues rather than in your blood! This is why even something like Heavy Metal Testing is more accurate through hair & urine than it is via blood! 


FUNCTIONAL TESTS = PHYSICAL ROOT CAUSE IDENTIFICATION 
​
Functional Medicine Testing fills in the blanks where Conventional Testing leaves question marks. These Functional Tests are used by a host of Doctor's, Practitioners, Naturopaths & Nutritionists to delve deeper into one's health scape. They uncover imbalances that negatively affect your health & well-being and CAUSE chronic issues or symptoms which, when left unresolved, turn into serious & even terminal diseases & conditions. These imbalances include biochemical, hormonal, metabolic, nutritional as well as hidden infections, toxic molds, heavy metals, environmental chemicals & more. 

I don't always recommend Functional Tests for my clients, especially since we utilize Kinesthetic Response Testing as well, however for more complex cases or multi-symptom/condition cases, Functional Testing can be immensely helpful in understanding pertinent information into the body that we wouldn't otherwise know, and allows us to utilize this information during Kinesthetic Response Sessions that further help narrow down a unique path to healing for each client. 

COMMON TESTS I USE

Below are some of the more common tests I use however not limited to these! 
I also recommend Combo-Panels (multiple tests combined at a lower price) for more complex cases and for clients who would like to cover all their bases to see on paper whats going on within their body. 
  • OATs (organic acids test)

    The Organic Acids Test (OAT) offers a comprehensive metabolic snapshot of a patient’s overall health with 75 markers.  It provides an accurate evaluation of intestinal yeast and bacteria.  Abnormally high levels of these microorganisms can cause or worsen behavior disorders, hyperactivity, movement disorders, fatigue and immune function. Many people with chronic illnesses and neurological disorders often excrete several abnormal organic acids in their urine. The cause of these high levels could include oral antibiotic use, high sugar diets, immune deficiencies, acquired infections, as well as genetic factors. Our Organic Acids Test also includes markers for vitamin and mineral levels, oxidative stress, neurotransmitter levels, and is the only OAT to include markers for oxalates, which are highly correlated with many chronic illnesses.


    The OAT is strongly recommended as the initial screening test.


    Test Type: Urine

    COST: $315


    CLICK HERE for more information

  • MYCOTOXINS (toxic mold)

    MycoTOX screens for eleven different mycotoxins, from 40 species of mold, in one urine sample.


    Mycotoxins are some of the most prevalent toxins in the environment.  Mycotoxins are metabolites produced by fungi like mold, which can infest buildings, vehicles, and foodstuffs.   A majority of mycotoxin exposures are through food ingestion or airborne exposure.  In the European Union, 20% of all grains harvested have been found to be contaminated with mycotoxins.  Unfortunately, mycotoxins are resistant to heat and many processing procedures.


    Fungi are able to grow on almost any surface, especially if the environment is warm and wet.  Inner wall materials of buildings, wall paper, fiber glass insulation, ceiling tiles, and gypsum support are all good surfaces for fungi to colonize.  These fungi then release mycotoxins into the environment causing symptoms of many different chronic diseases.  Diseases and symptoms linked to mycotoxin exposure include fever, pneumonia-like symptoms, heart disease, rheumatic disease, asthma, sinusitis, cancer, memory loss, vision loss, chronic fatigue, skin rashes, depression, ADHD, anxiety, and liver damage.  With our new MycoTOX Profile, we can identify mycotoxin exposures and make recommendations for detoxification treatments that have been effective.


    Test Type: Urine

    COST: $305


    CLICK HERE for more information

  • GPL-TOX (environmental toxins)

    GPL-TOX screens for 172 different environmental pollutants using 18 different metabolites, all from a single urine sample.


    Every day, we are exposed to hundreds of toxic chemicals through products like pharmaceuticals, pesticides, packaged foods, household products, and environmental pollution.  As we have become more exposed to chemical-laden products and to toxic chemicals in food, air, and water, we have been confronted with an accelerating rate of chronic illnesses like cancer, heart disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, chemical sensitivity, autism spectrum disorders, ADD/AD(H)D, autoimmune disorders, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. 


    Because exposure to environmental pollutants has been linked to many chronic diseases, The Great Plains Laboratory has created GPL-TOX, a toxic non-metal chemical profile that screens for the presence of 172 different toxic chemicals including organophosphate pesticides, phthalates, benzene, xylene, vinyl chloride, pyrethroid insecticides, acrylamide, perchlorate, diphenyl phosphate, ethylene oxide, acrylonitrile, and more.  This profile also includes Tiglylglycine (TG), a marker for mitochondrial disorders resulting from mutations of mitochondrial DNA.  These mutations can be caused by exposure to toxic chemicals, infections, inflammation, and nutritional deficiencies.


    Test Type: Urine

    COSTt: $225


    CLICK HERE for more information

  • HEAVY METALS

    Heavy metals toxicity caused by increasing levels of pollution and use of chemicals in industry is a growing threat to our health and development of our children. High levels of toxic metals deposited in body tissues and subsequently in the brain, may cause significant developmental and neurological damage.


    A Metals Hair Test is ideal for checking current exposure to toxic metals. Hair provides important information that can assist the practitioner with an early diagnosis of physiological disorders associated with aberrations in essential and toxic element metabolism.


    As protein is synthesized in the hair follicle, elements are incorporated permanently into the hair with no further exchange with other tissues. Scalp hair is easy to sample, and because it grows an average of one to two cm per month, it contains a “temporal record” of element metabolism and exposure to toxic elements.


    Nutrient elements including magnesium, chromium, zinc, copper and selenium are obligatory co-factors for hundreds of important enzymes and also are essential for the normal functions of vitamins. The levels of these elements in hair are correlated with levels in organs and other tissues.


    Test Type: Hair Test 

    (also can do Heavy Metals URINE) 

    Cost for HAIR: $145 


    Cost for URINE: $190


    CLICK HERE for more information

  • IgG FOOD ALLERGY W/ CANDIDA

    IgG (immunoglobulin G) test results can aid in the structuring of elimination diets that may relieve symptoms of many chronic neurological, gastrointestinal, and movement disorders. IgG antibodies are present in all body fluids and serve as a first line of defense against infection, but do not release histamine or produce the familiar immediate hypersensitivity reactions of itching, hives, flushing, or sneezing associated with classic IgE allergic reactions. In contrast, IgG antibodies may have more subtle immune effects, ranging from gastrointestinal bloating and nausea to headaches, mood changes, and fatigue. Unknowingly, people may continue to eat “offending” foods, not connecting delayed reactions to the foods eaten perhaps hours or days before.  


    By measuring IgG antibodies specific to antigenic food proteins, it is possible to identify which foods may be responsible for hard-to-define symptoms. The 93 foods tested in the IgG Food Allergy Test w/ Candida include representatives of major food groups common in the western diet.  Elimination of IgG-positive foods can improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, autism, ADHD, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and epilepsy, according to numerous clinical studies.


    Please note that the elimination diet is based only on IgG testing. To be safe, testing for IgE antibodies to food allergens should be considered PRIOR TO BEGINNING an ELIMINATION DIET. If a patient has negative results for IgG antibodies, it does not necessarily mean he/she is negative for IgE, IgM, or IgA antibodies.


    The Great Plains Laboratory, Inc. has added Candida to the IgG Food Allergy Test. Candida problems are thought to be caused when the benign yeast form of Candida albicans or other Candida species mutates to its fungal form. Candida can overgrow portions of the intestinal mucosa, causing numerous symptoms.  Candida species can take over areas of the intestinal wall causing numerous symptoms. If allowed to grow out of balance, the toxins produced by Candida can create minute holes in the intestinal lining, leading to “leaky gut” syndrome. When Candida or its byproducts enter the blood, Candida contributes to a chronic inflammatory immune system response (CIRS). A wide range of disorders have been linked to Candida, including autism, multiple sclerosis, depression, and chronic fatigue. Use of oral antibiotics, oral contraceptives, chemotherapy, and anti-inflammatory steroids greatly increase susceptibility to Candida.


    Test Type: Blood Spot

    COST: $180


    CLICK HERE for more information

  • GLYPHOSATE

    Glyphosate is the world’s most widely produced herbicide and is the primary toxic chemical in Roundup™, as well as in many other herbicides. In addition, it is a broad-spectrum herbicide that is used in more than 700 different products from agriculture and forestry to home use. 


    Recent studies have discovered glyphosate exposure to be a cause of many chronic health problems. It can enter the body by direct absorption through the skin, by eating foods treated with glyphosate, or by drinking water contaminated with glyphosate. A recent study (2) stated that a coherent body of evidence indicates that glyphosate could be toxic below the regulatory lowest observed adverse effect level for chronic toxic effects, and that it has teratogenic, tumorigenic and hepatorenal effects that can be explained by endocrine disruption and oxidative stress, causing metabolic alterations, depending on dose and exposure time. The World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer published a summary in March 2015 that classified glyphosate as a probable carcinogen in humans (3). Possible cancers linked to glyphosate exposure include non-Hodgkin lymphoma, renal tubule carcinoma, pancreatic islet-cell adenoma, and skin tumors. Studies have also indicated that glyphosate disrupts the microbiome in the intestine, causing a decrease in the ratio of beneficial to harmful bacteria (4). Thus, highly pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella entritidis, Salmonellagallinarum, Salmonella typhimurium, Clostridium perfringens, and Clostridium botulinum are highly resistant to glyphosate but most beneficial bacteria such as Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Bacillus badius, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, and Lactobacillus spp. were found to be moderately to highly susceptible. Disruption of the microbiome could cause diseases such as metabolic disorder, diabetes, depression, autism, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune disease.


    Another study found that glyphosate accumulated in bones. Considering the strong chelating ability of glyphosate for calcium, accumulation in bones is not surprising. Other results showed that glyphosate is detectable in intestine, liver, muscle, spleen and kidney tissue (5).


    High correlations exist between glyphosate exposure/usage and numerous chronic illnesses, including autism, which is shown in the figure on the first page (9). Other disease incidences with high correlations include hypertension, stroke, diabetes , obesity, lipoprotein metabolism disorder , Alzheimer’s, senile dementia, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal infections, end stage renal disease, acute kidney failure, cancers of the thyroid, liver, bladder, pancreas, kidney, and myeloid leukemia (9). 


    Test Type: URINE

    COST: $105


    * Water Test (to test your water source) is also available


    CLICK HERE for more information


  • Comprehensive Stool Analysis

    The Comprehensive Stool Analysis detects the presence of pathogenic microorganisms such as yeast, parasites, and bacteria that contribute to chronic illness and neurological dysfunction. It provides helpful information about prescription and natural products effective against specific strains detected in the sample. The test also evaluates beneficial bacteria levels, intestinal immune function, overall intestinal health, and inflammation markers.


    Many chronic disorders come from digestive problems and inadequate nutrient absorption. Proper gastrointestinal function is needed to eliminate toxic substances, pathogenic microbes, and undigested food particles from the body to prevent health problems. Nutrients require a specific internal environment to be properly digested and transported throughout the body.


    Abnormal intestinal microorganisms in the GI tract are widely known to cause disease. Research shows a relationship between the GI tract and the neurological, hepatic, and immune systems. For example, excessive yeast produces toxic substances that can pass through the blood-brain barrier and alter neurological functioning causing “brain fog,” behavior problems, and learning difficulties.


    THE COMPREHENSIVE STOOL ANALYSIS INCLUDES:

    Parameters for digestion & absorption


    Cultures for bacteria and yeast

    Parasite testing

    Sensitivity panels

    Inflammatory markers

    Stool metabolic markers

    Infectious pathogens


    TEST TYPE: stool test

    COST: $350


    CLICK HERE for more information

If you would like to order any of these tests or any other tests offered on https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/select-a-test
please book a Mini or Full Consult with me (Carina) so we can discuss your health history/symptoms/situation and determine which test(s) would be most beneficial for your situation. 
*** I can also authorize/order you any test from GPL, even if you choose not to work with me. However keep in mind that the test results should be properly interpreted by a Professional who can also help you determine the next steps to take. 
BOOK A CONSULT WITH CARINA
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