How do you define health? Most people define health as the absence of disease. I believe health is the absence of disease AND having adequate energy levels, healthy digestion, and ideal physiological function. Without these, you place yourself at a higher risk for disease. You are probably thinking, "If I am free of disease, then my body is working properly." This is not always the case. Your body may be malfunctioning long before disease develops. Poor diet, lack of exercises, exposure to harmful environmental substances can damage cells and interrupt normal physiology.
A comprehensive blood chemistry is an inexpensive way to assess major bodily functions. Unfortunately, most healthcare providers today will not order this kind of in-depth testing. Instead, basic blood panels with limited information are commonly ordered. This is likely due to cost, insurance limitation, and a general lack of focus on disease prevention. As a result, important patterns and clues are missed, and the patient is considered healthy when there are underlying problems that could manifest into disease if left untreated. For example, TSH levels(thyroid stimulating hormone- a marker for thyroid function) are commonly tested without testing T4/T3 levels (thyroid hormone). If your TSH levels are within the laboratory range, then you are considered normal. However, your T4/T3 levels may be low, which may indicate an issue in the liver where thyroid hormone is converted. So even though your TSH levels are normal, you will still experience low thyroid symptoms- low energy, hair thinning/loss, mental fog, difficulty losing weight, etc. It is also important to note that most laboratory reference ranges vary from lab to lab, city to city, and are based on population averages. Meaning, as people get sicker lab ranges get broader, and so does the "normal" range. Everybody should consider a comprehensive blood chemistry analysis to achieve optimal health. Ask your doctor or chiropractor today! For more information, click here.
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