Who Needs Testing?
While a large majority of people will achieve 90% of their progress from implementing basic training, lifestyle and nutritional changes to their daily lives, sometimes we need to look deeper, beyond what clinical symptoms can tell us.*
As we get older, having regular blood work drawn, to ensure our chemistry is balanced, can go a long way in helping prevent common symptoms and/or chronic deficiencies that may occur as we age. This is just as true for those who are active. While being fit and staying strong is absolutely essential to maintaining our muscles mass, strength, mobility, endurance and overall quality of life, most activities that help maintain our youthfulness are often fatiguing, and can utilize important nutrients at a faster rate than normal. This is even more common and obvious in high level athletes who are pushing their bodies to the limit. Eating the correct balance of the right foods is key, but we can still fall short in some areas. Even the use of popular (and arguably important) supplements, such as multivitamins, fish oil, vitamin D and magnesium, are only going to be beneficial, in the long run, if they are used strategically, within the context of each individuals’ situation and biological requirements.
Some Physicians Do Not have the Time
Science has come a long way in the last few decades and methods which analyze a clients internal chemistry are becoming more useful. Although there are a few standard lab tests offered by most primary care physicians, many clients find it difficult to see their doctors and obtain requisitions for blood work, unless they are chronically ill. Luckily, some alternative doctors, and websites offer very complete blood tests that can be ordered independently of one's doctor, if necessary.
How we can help
We strive to work closely with our clients and any primary care providers they are seeing, in order to ensure that the recommendations made by these physicians, naturopaths, therapists, etc, are not neglected or negated by our efforts to improve the client's overall performance, vitality, health span and quality of life. If a client has a health concern, we can build a conditioning program and make nutritional recommendations around those issues, in order to ensure maximum benefit, while preventing any negative outcomes. We do this by being aware of not only the client's past and present lifestyle and dietary intake, but by also becoming familiar with any blood work they have had completed, since their internal chemistry can strongly influence what direction we go in when prescribing workouts and recommending food/supplement choices.
Using both our experience and educational backgrounds, we help clients understand and apply the results from standard laboratory testing (ie, RBCs, WBCs, Lipids, Glucose, Liver/Kidney Markers, etc). We also have access to less common, functional tests (eg, Organic Acids, Food Sensitivity, and Amino Acid Tests), when necessary, through our friends at Lab Interpretations. Having all of these data points along with the nutrition and lifestyle information we collect from our clients helps us create a program that is very specific to each individual's needs.
We DO NOT diagnose or treat any acute or chronic diseases. We simply help build training and nutrition programs around any current conditions, to create the best possible outcomes to your overall strength and quality of life.
Finally, if you have not had comprehensive blood work (ie, Biochemistry, Haematology, Lipids, etc) completed recently, this is necessary before being evaluated. If you doctor is unable to order this for you, you can do so online.
IMPORTANT NOTE*
This service is ONLY recommended for individuals who already have their sleep, nutrition, training and lifestyle habits set consistently. While it is a good idea to have blood work completed annually as we age, most people do not require this level of analysis unless they have maintained the aforementioned habits for long periods, and are still unable to reach a level of health and performance common to people in their age group.
For those who are prepared for this next step, it can only be provided to individuals who provide us with the necessary information, which includes not only their most current (and complete) blood work, but the nutrition and lifestyle history which goes along with it. This requires that our clients complete a detailed questionnaire, which we will discuss, in order to ensure we have all the necessary information before making any recommendations for training, nutrition, supplement or lifestyle changes.
If you are interested in becoming a member of The Healthy Gym for this or any other service, you can check out our Group Strength Class, one-on-one training option, online training, and clinical nutrition service. You can also contact us here for any further questions you may have.