Blood Testing Services Offered at Back to Health

                                                            Why Blood Testing?

At Back to Health Wellness Centre, we like to think of ourselves as a “head to toe health care centre” offering patients a variety of services to help them attain optimal health. One such service is that through our Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. Kathy Van Zeyl, we offer patients a variety of blood testing services.

In November of 2012, the Ontario Medical Association changed their guidelines for the frequency of physical exams and routine bloodwork performed by family doctors from yearly to only once every two years.  This change in combination with the number of patients in Ontario without a family doctor (15.5% of Canadians aged 12 and over as of 2013) has left a huge gap in preventative screening and early intervention of health-related concerns.

Fortunately, Naturopathic Doctors are trained to offer these same services including extensive physical assessments and the ability to order and interpret bloodwork.  By being able to screen early for changes in bodily functions, we can often catch certain illnesses before they become problematic and arrive at a proper diagnosis to enable more comprehensive and accurate treatment.  

Common Types of Blood Testing Offered

Common routine bloodwork testing offered through our Naturopathic Doctor includes:

1. Complete blood count

2. Cholesterol panel

3. Fasting glucose

4. Ferritin

5. Vitamin B12

6. Vitamin D

7. Thyroid panel

8. AM & PM Cortisol

9. Kidney Panel

10. Liver Enzymes

11. Celiac Disease Panel

In addition, the following tests not normally performed through a medical doctor’s office, can be ordered:

1. IgG Food Sensitivity Testing

2. Adrenal Function Panel

3. Salivary Hormone Panel

                                    Specialized Testing

Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is a growing concern amidst the population and involves chronic complications due to persistent bacteria known as Borrelia burgdorferi.  This is most commonly transmitted through a tick bite, especially in wooded areas.  Symptoms may begin with skin changes or a “bulls-eye” rash (which is not always present) and are often followed by flu-like illness including fever, chills, fatigue, headaches, swollen lymph nodes, joint and muscle pain.  If the disease is not detected and treated early it can lead to chronic skin, heart, and nervous system issues on top of the other symptoms previously listed.  This panel involves a blood test analyzed by a specialized lab in California which focuses primarily on Lyme Disease assessment.

Please book an appointment with our Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. Kathy Van Zeyl, ND, if you wish to discuss having one of the bloodwork assessments. 

  

Genetic Testing

Would you like to know what your DNA says about you and what your risks may be for any number of conditions and illnesses? The more you know about your DNA, the more you know about yourself! Please speak to Dr. Barbara Rodwin to find out more and be referred for genetic testing.