Services

LiveWell Services

  • Medical Diagnosis
  • Medical Acupuncture
  • Nutritional Consultation
  • Health Education
  • Hospital Consultation
  • Specialized Testing
  • B12 Injection
  • IV Nutrition
  • Medical Evaluations
  • Supplement Guidance
  • Second Opinions
  • Referral Guidance
  • Trigger Point Injections
  • Health Coaching
  • Therapeutic Massage
  • Far Infrared BioMat

Specialized Testing

Functional Medicine laboratory testing is one crucial aspect of creating your personalized, conventional and holistic treatment plan. Blood tests are done in our office, and stool, urine and saliva are done in the comfort of your home with a special kit. Some of the specialized laboratory testing we routinely do includes the following:

Food Sensitivity Test

Are hidden food sensitivities making you miserable? The food sensitivity test is a blood test that checks for individuals who have suspected food intolerance or food sensitivity. This test can help determine if gastrointestinal discomfort, fluctuating weight or fatigue are caused by an intolerance to a particular part of your diet.

Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis 2.0

If you have unexplained constipation, diarrhea, gas, excessive belching/flatulence, bloating or abdominal discomfort, this test might be appropriate for you. This stool test can provide important information in the diagnosis of chronic gastrointestinal issues, acute changes in bowel pattern, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Inflammatory Bowel disease. It employs advanced biomarkers to assess digestion, absorption, pancreatic activity and further inspection of possible yeast, bacterial and parasite overgrowth.

Micronutrient Testing

Nutrient deficiencies may be causing your mood changes, chronic fatigue, allergies, migraines, fibromyalgia, arthritis, low energy and mental fog symptoms. This test measures the function of 35 nutritional components including vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and amino acids within our white blood cells. Once a deficiency is identified, specific supplements can be taken to correct nutritional imbalance. This test is particularly useful for individuals who want to prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease or arthritis and who want to experience more balanced moods, strong bones, healthy skin, vitality and energy with aging.

Leaky Gut or Intestinal Permeability Testing

Leaky Gut, or impaired intestinal permeability, may play a significant role in patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease, food allergies, inflammatory joint disease, chronic dermatologic conditions and autoimmune diseases. Intestinal Permeability Assessment is a powerful non-invasive test which is used to assess the small intestinal absorption and barrier function in the bowel. The small intestine functions as a digestive and absorptive organ for nutrients as well as a powerful immune and mechanical barrier against excessive absorption of bacteria and food antigens. A positive test suggesting a “leaky gut” can indicate an increase in the number of foreign compounds entering the bloodstream, an enhanced uptake of toxic compounds that can overwhelm the hepatic detoxification system and lead to an overly sensitized immune system and lead to autoimmune disease.

Adrenal Stress Test

There are many health conditions which are associated with and impacted significantly by stress. These include depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue, poor immune function, insomnia, obesity, allergies, fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism, PMS and yeast overgrowth to name a few. The impact of chronic stress over a period of time leads to decreased energy, improper glucose/insulin functioning, immune suppression, increased chance of infections, hunger and greater fat accumulation at the waist. A stressful lifestyle can lead to consistently high levels of cortisol and low levels of DHEA (dehydoepiandosterone), which can be damaging to the brain and other tissues. The adrenal stress test is a measure of an individual’s response to stress. By finding the specific pattern of adrenal dysfunction, targeted herbs and supplements can be used to address and correct the hormonal imbalance.

Bacterial Overgrowth of Small Intestine

Small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a common gastrointestinal disorder that often underlies chronic gastrointestinal symptoms of maldigestion and malabsorption, including bloating, gas, diarrhea, irregularity, and abdominal pain. This condition can potentially cause some serious health concerns such as leaky gut, malabsorption, weight loss, anemia, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, etc. This test may be appropriate for patients diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Studies suggest 50-75% of patients with IBS may have SIBO), for those with excess gas/bloating and for patients who are unable to tolerate sweet/starchy/high fiber foods.

Thyroid Testing

This test analyzes serum levels of TSH, free T4, free T3, reverse T3, anti-TG antibodies, and anti-TPO antibodies to assess central and peripheral thyroid function, as well as thyroid auto-immunity. Most conventional practices will only measure the TSH, which may miss cases of subclinical thyroid disease. Symptoms of thyroid imbalance include fatigue, depression, cold intolerance, constipation, headaches, PMS, painful periods, weight gain, anxiety/panic attacks, poor memory/concentration, muscle/joint pain and low libido.

Cardiovascular and Lipid Tests

According to the NCEP guidelines, 50% of people who have a heart attack have normal cholesterol levels. Standard cholesterol testing only gives you part of the picture leaving many people with “normal” cholesterol numbers unaware that they are still at risk for a heart attack. The National Cholesterol Education Program introduced new risk factors that are responsible for many individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease. These risk factors can only be identified with advanced lipoprotein testing.

Telomere Testing

Telomeres are sections of DNA at the end of each chromosome that serve as a cap to your genetic material. Every time a cell replicates, its telomere will become shorter. Shorter telomeres imply a shorter life span for a cell. Age adjusted telomere length is the best method to date to assess biological age using structural analysis of chromosomal change in the telomere. Serial evaluation of telomere length is an indicator of how rapidly one ages relative to a normal population. An inflammatory diet, or one that increases oxidative stress, will shorten telomeres faster. Therapies directed at slowing the loss of telomere length may slow aging and age-related diseases. Aiming for ideal body weight and body composition with lower body fat, regular aerobic and resistance exercise, sleeping for at least 7-8 hours per night, stress reduction, discontinuation of all tobacco products may decrease the rate of telomere loss.

MTFHR

MTHFR is an enzyme responsible for converting 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate to the product 5-methyltetrahydrofolate – it is involved in the metabolism of folate and homocysteine. This test evaluates genetic changes which may cause a reduction in the MTHFR enzyme activity. This in turn leads to increased risk of elevated homocysteine, methylation impairment, including disrupted neurotransmitter metabolism, increased risk depression, schizophrenia, neural tube defects, cardiovascular disease, essential hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, osteoporosis, and possibly even cancers of the stomach. Low levels of vitamins B2, B6, B12, and/or folate often determines the risk of these associated disorders.

Detox Pathway Assessment

This test is used to evaluate (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms) SNPs associated with increased risk of impaired detoxification capacity especially when exposed to environmental toxins. It can also be used to find out whether an individual has potential susceptibility to experiencing adverse reactions to drugs. A simple buccal swab is used to find genetic abnormalities in the Phase I/II Detoxification Pathways. Once identified, targeted nutritional modifications/supplements can be used for support.

* Prepayment price with most insurance carriers. Cash pricing for patients with no insurance may differ.