Functional Lab Testing

Dr. Jennifer Strider, ND is trained in many diagnostic tools including symptom evaluation, physical exam, blood work analysis and functional lab testing. Functional lab tests are tests that look at the root cause of disease by looking at specific areas of health like gut health, hormone balance and causes of inflammation.

Blood work

As licensed primary care doctors, naturopathic doctors are able to order blood work to learn more about your health. Dr. Strider will review with you what is considered in the normal range and what is the optimal range for your labs. Blood work can often provide us with insight into how your body is functioning especially your ability to absorb certain nutrients and how certain organs are working. Dr. Strider is well trained in explaining to you what your lab results mean so you can understand. Educating each patient about how their individual body is working is the best way to help you to prevent disease and make healthy choices.

Saliva Hormone Testing

Many people ask why not just use the blood work for hormone testing? Hormone blood testing does not provide us with the best information for hormone testing. Hormones work on a circadian rhythm so they fluctuate throughout the day. A blood test can only pick up one piece of the picture while saliva testing is done by collecting your saliva in the morning, before lunch, before dinner and at bedtime. Saliva testing also provides a more accurate level of what is happening in your tissues by measuring the active form of the hormones. You can learn more about our hormone testing by talking to Dr. Strider, ND with a free 15-minute consultation or through our lab here.

Stool analysis and SIBO testing

What does poop have to do with health? Everything!!! Naturopathic doctors like to say “when in doubt, treat the gut!” Without good gut health, you aren’t able to absorb your nutrients and without good absorption, your body won’t be able to complete its optimal functioning. Symptoms of low energy, brain fog, difficulty gaining or losing weight, weird aches and pains, headaches, PMS, infertility and of course gut symptoms like gas, bloating, diarrhea and constipation can all be due to poor gut health. Our stool analysis kits look at your good bacteria, bad gut bacteria, Candida and other yeasts, absorption and digestion markers as well as inflammation markers. You can learn more about them here.

Food Sensitivity Testing

Food Sensitivities are different from food allergies. Food allergies are a specific immune reaction that results in the most severe response that your body can create with a result of hives and anaphylaxis (your airway closing). Food sensitivities are an immune response to a food that results in a lower level of inflammation in the body. Inflammation results in redness, swelling, pain and heat. When a food sensitivity is happening in your body it may result in gut issues but it could also result in swollen tonsils or swollen joints, you could have headaches or PMS issues, you could get brain fog and sinusitis. Dr Strider, ND looks for signs of a food sensitivity during her intake and on your physical exam. She may suggest a food sensitivity test if she sees enough signs that you may benefit from the information. Learn more about our food sensitivity testing here.

Other functional testing that we can support you with:

Genomic testing for Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs) like MTHFR, COMT, CBS, MAOA, PEMT and how to manage them when they come up.

Organic Acid Testing for adults and children on the autism spectrum or with mental health issues. We are happy to help you understand the testing and move forward with a plan.