Bernadette_Abraham
Forum Replies Created
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Hi @DXB – labs should always be interpreted in the context of the individual. Without additional information or other markers, I’ll provide information based on assumptions.
First, I’m going to assume that these labs were drawn in an overnight fasting state (9 to 12 hours) first thing in the morning, and only water was consumed. Otherwise, lipid results, especially LDL and triglycerides, will not be accurate.
Given the clinically high LDL, getting a more detailed view of the characteristics of the particle size would be helpful to see if they are the “light and fluffy” or “small and dense” type. More advanced lipid tests like the Cardio IQ can shed more light. Did you watch that lesson? High LDL could point to possible oxidative stress, metabolic syndrome, a diet high in refined carbs or possibly fatty liver/hyperlipidemia.
Since Triglycerides are at the lower end of the optimal range, and HDL is in the upper range, I would again be suspicious of oxidative stress and the possibility of autoimmune activation.
This handout shares examples of oxidative stressors. You mentioned that you exercise a lot. Are you allowing enough recovery and different levels of intensity or is it all high intensity go-go-go type of training?
Would you happen to have other test results to share like hs-CRP for general systemic inflammation, a liver panel, thyroid panel with antibodies, blood sugar panel including fasting insulin?
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Hi @Inga-55 – just letting you know that I replied to your other discussion where you clarified that it’s eclampsia and not preeclampsia that your daughter had.
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Hi @Inga-55 – eclampsia is a more severe form of preeclampsia that leads to seizures (convulsions) in a pregnant woman. It can cause serious health problems for both mother and baby, including organ damage, premature birth, and in extreme cases, death. So this is where allopathic treatment is in fact needed and necessary.
Here is an excellent article written by my colleague Sarah Russell who specializes in pre and post-natal health on the topic of preeclampsia. https://buildnurturerestore.com/5-tips-to-avoid-preeclampsia-blood-pressure-ranges/
Aspirin has been used for decades and is well researched, and while there may be natural alternatives to aspirin, none of them have been tested the same way aspirin has in terms of efficacy.
buildnurturerestore.com
5 tips to avoid preeclampsia blood pressure ranges
Preeclampsia is a serious and complex condition that can lead to severe pregnancy complications. In my previous two blogs, I discussed blood tests to help predict the risk of preeclampsia and risk…
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Hello @LAK – if you can please provide more context, we’ll be able to better guide you. Here are some guiding questions:
- How old is your son?
- Why were these tests done?
- Does he have any symptoms?
- Was he sick at the time of testing?
- What time were these tests taken and was he fasting overnight (only water)?
- Does he take any supplements, multi’s?
- What’s his diet like?
In terms of B12 specifically, we actually aim for a level above 600 pg/ml, so it doesn’t really seem concerning even though it’s flagged outside of “normal” reference ranges. Is he taking any multi’s or even powders that may contain B12?
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Hi @naslam1603 – when looking at enzyme supplements, each unit reflects the enzyme’s ability to break down its specific substrate. So it helps you gauge the enzyme’s potency and effectiveness.
So for example, protease is an enzyme that helps us break down our proteins. Now to be able to quantify how well the enzyme works in testing conditions, they use hemoglobin as the protein that will get broken down as a consistent way to compare enzyme activity.
So the HUT unit for protease stands for Hemoglobin Unit Tyrosine Base. It’s measuring how much 1 unit of protease can break down hemoglobin into tyrosine.
So let’s take a practical example. If your bottle says Protease (5000 HUT), that means for every gram of the protease enzyme, it has the activity to produce 5000 units of tyrosine equivalents from breaking down hemoglobin.
And the same goes for the other types of enzymes and their substrates.
So lactase breaks down lactose, the sugar found in milk. The units are called Acid Lactase Unit (ALU). Lactase (1000 ALU) means that it can break down 1000 units of lactose.
Amylase breaks down starch into simple carbs. Its unit is called Dextrinizing Unit (DU). It measures how much starch can be broken down into dextrin by the amylase enzyme.
Lipase breaks down fats (triglycerides) into fatty acids and glycerol to help with fat digestion. Its unit is called Federation Internationale Pharmaceutique (FIP). So Lipase (1000 FIP) means the enzyme can breakdown 1000 units of fatty acids from fats.
Etc..
Does that make sense?
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Hi @sheetalramchandani1 – you can send an email to support@bbettermembership.com with the list of tests you need.
Also please provide your full name, email address, date of birth, billing & shipping address (if different) to open the requisition file. You can then order the tests directly with the lab.
Specify if you want the GI Map with or without zonulin.
As for the micronutrient test, what nutrients are looking to measure? The OAT test does already cover some B vitamins, glutathione and NAC. If you’re looking for mineral testing, here’s a sample report of a dried blood spot and urine test for Toxic & Essential elements. Let me know if that’s what you’re looking for or not.
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Hi @Kkol – In the Thyroid Balance course, I discuss possible reasons for high T4 and low TSH. You can find that lesson HERE. Besides blood testing, was imaging of the thyroid or pituitary ever done for your son?
Also watch the following lesson HERE which discusses possible reasons for nodules & goiters, and the possible nutrient insufficiencies/deficiencies that can lead to these. You mentioned he doesn’t eat well, so nutrient depletion specific to thyroid function may be a possibility.
In the same course, I discuss important foods for thyroid health as well as supplement considerations that you can watch as well.
Hope these help.
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Hi @LAK – definitely worth repeating a full thyroid panel if he’s going to be retested anyway since biotin can interfere with thyroid results. Please watch this video from the Interpreting Basic Blood Chemistry course for tips on how to prepare for a blood test to ensure better accuracy.
There are comprehensive stool tests like the GI Map for example that look for parasites, but no test is fully accurate. Parasites are very quick to shed their DNA once out of their environment so they can very often be missed.
You might find our Parasite Cleanse Program helpful in determining if testing or a cleanse is necessary and whether a person is prepared for a cleanse. It answers questions like “Do I need a parasite cleanse?” and “Am I ready for a parasite cleanse” using symptom questionnaires and also discussing testing options to help you figure out what’s best for your family.
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@naslam1603 have you seen the Digestive Enzyme Support video from the Gut Health Masterclass course? I discuss a variety of different enzyme formulations for different circumstances. Hope that helps.
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Hi @Inga-55 – thank you for sharing more information about your diet and symptoms.
Can you tell us more about these headaches you’re having? What’s the frequency? What’s the timing of the headache? What’s the location of the headache? And what do you do or take to manage the pain?
You mentioned you drink plenty of filtered water. How much?
When did you start Enalapril? Headaches are one of the common side effects: https://www.drugs.com/enalapril.html
Since you mentioned these started after menopause, have you checked your hormone levels recently? Drops in estrogen and even low levels of estrogen can trigger headaches in women, including fatigue so you may want to consider testing sex hormones: estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, free testosterone, DHEA-s
As for your diet, it’s great that you focus primarily on whole foods. Just be cautious with eating tuna frequently, as it is rather high in mercury since it’s a large fish.
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@LAK it’s interesting that you mention he’s thin because his suboptimal high TSH did jump out at me and did make me wonder what may be going with thyroid function.
Although it’s not clinically high, a TSH above 2 uIU/ml may be something to pay attention to. This suggests the pituitary is sensing a need for more thyroid hormone (which raises TSH and can also raise growth hormone). However, his thyroid is in fact producing ample amounts of free T3 and T4 levels (which may make it difficult to gain weight). So there is a possibility of an early thyroid imbalance presenting here and getting a full thyroid panel including thyroid antibodies might be a good idea.
However, you did mention that he’s taking something containing B12. If it also contains biotin, it can interfere with thyroid test results, so I wouldn’t rely too heavily on them.
As for his CBC, two markers stood out: his eosinophil count at 5% and lymphocytes at 51.9%, which is lower than his neutrophils. Typically, neutrophils should be in higher amounts, and when this pattern occurs, it could indicate a viral infection. That’s why I asked if he was sick around the time of testing.
When eosinophils are elevated above 3%, it may indicate that the immune system is responding to parasitic infections or allergies. If parasites are involved, they can contribute to difficulty in gaining weight as well.
Do let us know if you have any follow-up questions.
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@Annie – in an effort to cater to all learning needs, I’ve added this as a future project for my team. We have all the audio files separately, so I’m confident we can find a way to combine them into one big audio file. I’ll keep you updated on our progress and let you know once it’s ready.
Aside from the Gut Health Masterclass, is there another course you’ve started that we should prioritize for you?
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@Annie if you have a normal sized tub, I’d use that over a plastic tub for the purpose of soaking in a bath.
The tub can be filled halfway with warm water, ensuring the legs and waist are fully submerged. Then, between 1/2 cup to 1 cup of Epsom salt is added. A soak for 10-15 minutes is all that’s needed. That’s it!
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@Kkol glad to see his results came back negative. Did you end up pursuing the consultation with the geneticist?
Since the doctor has given your son the green light to go on with life, I would encourage you to address the thyroid autoimmunity and not ignore it. Clearly something in his body or environment is creating a a more hypervigilant immune system, which should be addressed.
Please make time to watch the Thyroid Balance course so that he can start working on digestion/gut health, immune health and removing triggers that lead to that perfect storm called autoimmunity.
