You might have heard people talking about functional testing, but do you sometimes wonder what it’s all about?
Functional testing is something I use a lot in clinic as it can unravel the secrets of what might be going on in your gut.
It’s not your typical health check; it goes beyond just looking for diseases and dives into how your gut is actually working and responding to the foods we eat, which can give your nutritionist clues as to what might be driving these responses. A couple of the most popular in my clinic I’ve outlined below:
The Comprehensive Stool Test takes a close look at your gut buddies, the microbes hanging out in your digestive system. Think of it as a microbial neighbourhood. Functional testing checks if there’s a good balance between the friendly neighbours and any troublemakers. If there is an imbalance it ight mean too many bad guys or not enough good guys, giving you a heads up about potential issues.
Then there is the detective work on your gut lining. We can see if there are any leaks which might be letting bad stuff sneak into your bloodstream, causing inflammation and all sorts of problems. In other words, we can see if your gut’s defenses are up or if there’s a chink in the armour.
Let’s not forget about the digestive enzymes - the superheroes of breaking down your food. The Comprehensive Stool Test looks at these enzymes to make sure they’re doing their job right. If they’re slacking off, it could mean trouble with absorbing those nutrients.
I love the Organic Acids Test, I call it the Sherlock Holmes in understanding the nitty gritties of your body’s biochemistry.
In a nutshell it analyzes the byproducts of your body’s metabolism. These byproducts, known as organic acids, can provide clues about various metabolic functions and nutrient levels. It’s like your body leaving breadcrumbs of information about what’s going on inside.
Think of it as a comprehensive report on how well your cells are doing their jobs. If you’re struggling with issues such as fatigue, brain fog, headaches, constipation or diarrhea, reactions to a wide range of strange foods and even skin health issues, this test is brilliant in detecting markers relating to the breakdown of neurotransmitters in your brain chemistry, or the byproducts of bacterial breakdown in your gut chemistry, helping us to pinpoint imbalances.
Functional Tests are like getting a backstage pass to your body’s biochemical concert. They are a valuable tool if you are wanting a detailed look at biochemical processes, which can help us to tailor lifestyle, dietary and supplement choices specifically to suit you for optimal wellbeing.
These are just a couple of the myriad of tests available and I will only recommend tests for you that I think will be most useful for your case.
To discuss (no strings attached) how you might be able to work with me to get to the bottom of your gut health issue, book in for a free introductory chat using the link below:
