| Keeping
Tabs on Your Labs
By Christie C.
Yerby, ND, Peoplesway Science Advisor
One of the best and more reliable ways to monitor health improvements or
declines is the ability to read and understand the conventional and common
lab tests your doctor routinely runs. These are CBCs (Complete Blood Count)
and Metabolic Panels, including lipid, thyroid, and liver tests.
This is an easy way in which we can participate in our own health care,
utilizing the benefits of Peoplesway products, if we know what to watch
for and are able to recognize the markers and red flags for developing problems.
Many people, these days, prefer prevention of illness, rather than treating
a problem once it begins. If you are one within that group, it is essential
that you begin to learn to read your own lab reports and participate actively
in returning abnormal values to normal.
By taking quality supplements such as ProTec and ProTrim Rx we can feel
a difference, but what about other sources of evidence? It is through lab
work results, that we can often see an amazing difference in how we have
helped our health through good supplementation choices. So, here are a few
basic ideas for determining just how you can monitor your health with the
tool available to us through lab testing.
Start by getting into the habit asking that your lab work results be sent
to you after each doctor’s visit. (This is a copy of the actual test with
the name of the testing lab on it.) You will probably have to sign an authorization
for release for them to send or fax your lab results to you. This is easiest
done before you leave your doctor’s visit. Without actually seeing your
results, you may not always get an opportunity to study your results, since
many offices now are just calling to say, “Everything is normal.”
Keep in mind that each lab work is just that day’s snapshot of information.
Your glucose may be in the normal range, of instance, but if compared to
a previous year it may be elevated which, in my mind, makes it a red flag.
The same holds true with thyroid levels, liver tests, and others. All too
rarely do doctors compare one year’s result to a previous year given the
time constraints upon their schedules.
Next, get a file folder and label it “My Health.” Begin to put blood work
results, bone density reports, and any written radiology reports into it.
Do not hesitate to ask for the written reports that must accompany MRIs
and other radiology orders. Learn to read these and keep them in your health
file.
Get a good medical dictionary. This is essential when it comes to deciphering
the terms often used in medical reports. Many of us have learned to read
other complex documents in order to make educated decisions. Lab work should
be no different. Most people are not aware that they can ask for, and get,
copies of your lab work. Each medical office has their own procedures and
some may charge you for the copies and their time to get it for you, but
it is well worth it.
It is helpful to understand which lab values are most important to you.
Make a list of your family’s medical history, that is, what has caused the
death or disease to those in your family. If stroke or heart disease is
common, it is important to monitor your “lipids.” A full lipid panel, after
fasting overnight, is essential for these people. These tests include cholesterol,
triglycerides, LDLs and HDLs. When these are high, veins, arteries, and
capillaries are especially in harm’s way. Both ProTec and ProTrim Rx will
be beneficial for correcting elevated values. ProTec’s help in strengthening
capillaries and ProTrim’s ability to reduce excess body fat often will be
seen in lowered blood lipid levels. Begin to get copies of your labs and
watch for improvement in this area. Remember, though, not to count only
on supplementation for your best health, but to incorporate healthy food
choices as well.
Not usually found on a commonly ordered lab work is C-reactive protein.
Again, with a family history of heart disease, your doctor may order this
test (always ask about insurance coverage if this is important to you).
Another reason for asking for copies is to check “high normals” and “low
normals.” These are levels just within normal reference ranges. This is
especially important for TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) when you have
developed dry skin, fatigues, and weight gain. An elevated TSH means your
pituitary gland in your brain needs to work harder to get your thyroid to
work efficiently causing these symptoms. The energizing herbs in ProTrim
Rx will help boost your fatigue and Oil of Mink will keep your skin from
being dry, but if you do not notice this developing lab report pattern,
and start life style changes that will support your natural thyroid function,
you may continue to move in this detrimental direction. Any TSH reading
of 3.0 and higher is still in the normal reference range for most labs,
but in my opinion it is too high and weight gain, dry skin, and fatigue
may persist if not reduced to closer to 1.0.
Many doctors brush off aches and pains as just “getting old.” Fortunately,
lab work can help to identify levels of inflammation so that the source
of the pain may be identified and it can be corrected. But unfortunately,
this is not a test usually ordered unless there is a family history of rheumatoid
arthritis, or other complex condition. Ask you doctor about a SED Rate test
(also called ESR) but make sure to inquire about insurance coverage. If
your levels are high, consider increasing your dosages of ProTec. All three
ProTec ingredients have powerful anti-inflammatory action. You will also
find benefit if you have been tested for rheumatoid arthritis and have a
positive RA Factor, or if you have an elevated ANA, which is common in Lupus,
Sjogrens, and other connective tissue conditions. Fibromyalgia, not diagnose
with lab work, should also be benefited with the anti inflammatory effects
of ProTec.
By acquiring your lab work reports, keeping them for review and comparison,
we can often find a health problem as it is developing. Quality supplementation
with Peoplesway products to correct these abnormal values is an easy and
economical way to stay looking great, feeling great. Participate in your
own health care, be your own best health advocate, and long life and health
will be yours.
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