Have Your Doctor Run These 9 Tests!

By: Jade Teta of Metabolic Effect

Health and fitness can be confusing can’t it?  I mean how do you make sense of all the noise out in the blogosphere, online and in the news?  First fat is bad. And now everyone is acting as if butter and bacon are the cure all for everything? Yesterday carbs would kill you and now carbs, as well as gluten, fructose and “toxins” are ripping apart your insides without you even being aware? As a follower of Metabolic Effect you have been learning that this idea that there is one way is really a flawed philosophy.  There are really no such things as bad foods or good foods.  There are only the foods that work for you and the ones that don’t.  It is really all about finding what works for you. Admittedly, that concept can be unsettling for many people.  It is human nature to crave certainty.  We love rules and feel secure when there is a clear black and white distinction between things. The problem is nothing about the way the body works is simplistic or black and white. It is all shades of grey. There are three ways you can make sense of the grey. Three ways to know that what you are doing is working to better your health, fitness and body shape or not. They are: Your HEC is in check You are losing fat and changing your shape in the way you desire Your blood labs are getting healthier HEC In Check HEC is an acronym for hunger, energy and cravings.  These sensations are biofeedback to you that your metabolism is in a balanced state. Most diets teach one-size-fits-all restrictive rules. Instead of helping you learn about your unique metabolic expression, these diet approaches work against your physiology making it virtually impossible to succeed because they keep HEC out of check.  A plan that works is one that keeps your HEC in check. Fat Loss When you are losing fat it is a little different than weight loss. Fat loss means you are losing fat and keeping muscle.  This makes it so instead of going from a large apple or pear shape to a smaller more mushy apple or pear shape, you are able to morph into a tighter more fit hourglass or V-shape. If you can accomplish this, and keep HEC in check, you know you can make it last.  Blood Labs It is great to feel and look good, but the right approach for you will also improve your health.  You will know you have achieved this through looking at blood labs.  While most of the labs you should pay attention to are done by your physician, there are a few you may want to request.  Here are the ones we would recommend having done on a regular basis. A Metabolic Chemistry Panel that includes lipids (cholesterol & triglycerides) A Complete Blood Count (CBC) 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D Hemoglobin A1c hsCRP Homocysteine Insulin TSH A 24 Hour Salivary Cortisol Profile All of these tests except the 24 hour salivary cortisol, can be done through your standard doctor. Here is why you need them. The chemistry panel and lipids covers the basics.  It will give you a good idea of the way your body is processing and burning fat (triglycerides) and sugar (fasting glucose).  It also gives you a good idea of how your liver and kidney are functioning.  The CBC rules out many things, but most importantly it can give you a good indication of several different nutrient concerns including iron and the b-vitamins. The vitamin D test is one I see as critical.  Optimal levels are between 50-100ng/ml and very few people achieve these levels.  We now know that vitamin D is more than a vitamin but actually a vital hormone. It influences the function of other hormones as well, most notably thyroid and insulin. hsCRP is a measure of inflammation.  hsCRP levels should be as low as possible.  Understanding these levels helps you understand your risk of heart disease among other things. Optimal is less than 1, but lower is better. Hemoglobin A1c tells you about how your blood sugar levels have been the previous three months.  Maintaining appropriate blood sugar is a critical step for health and fat loss. Optimal levels are between 4.1 to 5.7%  Homocysteine is a compound that does damage to tissues in the body including the lining of blood vessels.  When high it indicates a need for the b-vitamins folate and b12. Optimal is between 7 & 10. Insulin is a major fat storing hormone and when out of control and too high increases the risk for many diseases.  Knowing your levels is very important. Optimal levels are less than 10. TSH or thyroid stimulating hormone is a screening test for thyroid.  When high, it indicates a slow metabolism and possibly hypothyroid condition.  This is important to know as thyroid issues, even minor ones, can slow or halt weight loss and increase risk of disease. Optimal levels are between 2 & 4  Finally a 24 hour cortisol test can tell you how your body is dealing with stress through the day.  A normal cortisol rhythm starts off high and ends low.  Many people have the exact opposite situation showing that stress is having a negative impact on their health and metabolism. At the Metabolic Effect clinic we use a test called the Adrenal Stress Index or ASI.  I share this with you so you can make sure that you can understand exactly what is required to assess your health and fitness.