I love biology and am a bit of a geek and because of this, I find it endlessly fascinating that with today’s technology we can find out a great deal about what’s happening inside our bodies, before it becomes a real problem on the outside with real symptoms.
When I first started working with Biorna Quantics, their scientific and DNA tests that they offer had me at hello. When I met the MD Dr Justin Gregory, it became apparent to me that if we did all their tests and intervened as required with lifestyle or supplementation changes, then we might never get sick or seriously ill. Obviously not a claim they can openly discuss or brag about, but one I believe nonetheless.
These tests, fill the gap between the tests a doctor would do, to keep you out of the hospital, and feeling great and possibly keeping disease at bay in the future. If you take a vitamin D test at the doctor’s for example, you are seen to ‘pass the test’ if your levels are above getting rickets, however research has shown that higher levels of Vit D are ideal and can prevent tiredness and are linked to the production of other hormones. Something which your doctor may not always tell you.
Offering these tests to help my clients, meant that I needed to take at least one, to see how it worked and to see what benefit I gained from it personally. I first thought that I wanted to take the Simply Fit DNA test, but because I’ve been training for a long time and I think I know my body pretty well, the results would be interesting, but not crucial (I still want to do it later by the way!)
So I decided to take the Essential Body Composition Test. Why did I choose this? I’d been feeling a little tired and my periods were a little heavier and more painful than normal. I’m 45 now, so let’s be honest, this is the time when the wheels start to fall off! I view myself as pretty healthy; at the time I was supplementing with greens powder, probiotics and omega 3. I also decided to conduct an omegas test to ensure my levels were optimal, as I know how important this is to cardiovascular health.
The Tests
I did the body composition and omegas test on the same day. The omegas was a simple bloodspot test (prick your finger with the lancet supplied and bleed onto a card!). The essential body comp test was a bloodspot and saliva test. The saliva part of this test was surprising more painful. I needed to make sure I had a relatively free day and had to fill 4 test tubes with saliva over the course of the day. And that was it!
About 3 weeks later I got my results. My omega 3 levels were optimal (10 on a scale up to 12). For the previous 3 months I’d been supplementing with the lemon smoothie omegas which gives me over 2000 mg of omegas (and v high DHA and EPA levels to boot). I can only presume as my supplementing had been sporadic before this, that the supplement was doing the trick. My omega 6 and trans fat levels were low as well, which is optimal and means I am at a reduced risk for cardiovascular issues. My reason for doing this test was to make sure my levels of supplementation were good (as individuals have different omega requirements) and that I wasn’t pouring money down the drain. Subsequently I reduced my dose of omegas, and this is now saving me money.
Onto the body comp test, so the following was highlighted:
oestrogen was low (this is actually ok)
progesterone was low (not so good)
testosterone was high (good as it means I respond well to training
cortisol levels were a bit out (not so good)
TSH thyroid stimulating hormone- was a little high
Vit D was on the low side
The Meaning
So what does this all mean? It basically means that I’m experiencing a level of adrenal fatigue, probably caused/ perpetuated by a number of things; I got married at the end of last year which was stressful to organise, plus running two businesses, a very stressful accountancy change and dog fighting issues, just of late. Possibly not sleeping enough hasn’t helped either. From what I understand about hormones is that if one is out of whack in can knock others out and this is possibly what has happened with the progesterone/ cortisol/ THS.
Treatment
It was recommended that I do the following:
take Maca powder and DHEA to help with progesterone levels- maca tastes vile by the way!
take adrenotone to support my adrenal glands
take a holiday (whoops not done that yet!)
chill out and rest
take vit D supplement
take a thyroid test to investigate the high TSH
Thyroid test
The essential thyroid function biomarkers is a bloodspot and dried urine test, which not only assesses T3 and T4 and iodine levels, as well as TSH but also heavy metals and essential nutrients which have a role/ impediment in hormone production.
The results of my thyroid test came back with the following:
At time of writing, report was missing T3 and T4 results, so just waiting on lab to get back to me, but apart from that:
reduced Iodine and Selenium
-an increase in heavy metals (currently investigating our water supply as our main source is well water where arsenic is often found). These heavy metals have quite possibly had an impact on my thyroid.
It’s been recommended to supplement with selenium and iodine and to take an under the tongue spray to help with the heavy metals.
Will let you know how the above helps me in my next blog.
So far this experience has reinforced my knowledge that the body is a delicate balance of hormones, which if one is out of whack can have an effect on another. What can appear to be minor symptoms, could manifest themselves to bigger issues in the future if not nipped in the bud. It has forced me to consider that my water supply may not be perfect (101 health stuff!) and also to seriously consider how much I work, to be good to myself, make sure I get enough sleep and rest too.
I consider(ed) myself to eat pretty well and be fit, so it’s interesting that regardless, I’ve experienced these issues. It makes me wonder how much worse I would have felt, had my eating/ fitness etc been worse.
If you’d like to know how scientific testing could help you feel better or help you achieve your goals, then drop me a line or visit www.biorna-quantics.com