Ep. 295 Which Lab Tests Should You Start With to Figure Out What's Going On?

If you could only run one lab test to figure out what's going on in your body, which one should it be?

I used to make the same mistake many functional health practices still make: cherry-picking lab tests based on whichever symptoms are loudest. If you have irregular cycles, it seems logical to test hormones first, but that's like cleaning trash out at the bottom of the river without ever looking upstream at where it's coming from.

In this episode, I'll explain why the gut sits upstream of nearly everything, and why hormones, thyroid, adrenals, mood, immune health, and even hair thinning can all trace back to it. That's why, if you can only start with one test, I believe a GI map gives you the best bang for your buck, whether or not you have loud digestive symptoms.

I'll share what my own first GI map uncovered, from SIBO to H. pylori to low digestive enzymes, and why gut health is about so much more than bloating and bathroom habits.

We'll also talk about what comes next once your gut is on the right track, including how we decide between options like a DUTCH test, an HTMA, an MRT, or deeper blood work.

At the end I'll walk through why that next step looks different for every person, based on budget, symptoms, and how your body responds to gut improvements.

If you want a personalized roadmap for your labs, this episode will point you in the right direction and show you where to start.

Time Stamps:

(1:58) Happy 2 Months To Marina!

(3:32) What Lab Test Do I Start With?

(9:30) Gut Health and Hormones

(15:52) First GI Map

(18:47) Next Steps

(22:47) Finding Your Roadmap

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