Sina Health Centre

Specialized Laboratory Tests

 

Specialized Laboratory Tests

Food Reaction/Immunology Tests

Information

IgG food Sensitivity Finger prick blood test sent to Rocky Mountain Laboratories for analysis of food sensitivities and candida yeast build up in the gut. Options to test 96 foods or 5 foods plus candida.There is a growing body of evidence to support the clinical benefits of eliminating IgG reactive foods from the diet. IgG food sensitivities have been implicated in migraine headaches and irritable bowel syndrome (alternating diarrhea and constipation).  Bloating and indigestion are also common food sensitivity reactions, as is fatigue.  Continued consumption of reactive foods may contribute to weight gain and/or difficulty losing weight.  Eczema is also commonly associated with food reactions. Because IgG food reactions take hours or days to develop, this makes it difficult to determine which food is responsible for the reaction without doing testing.
IgE Food Allergy The IgE panel offered by Rocky Mountain Analytical may be useful for identifying IgE reactions to regularly eaten foods responsible for unexplained symptoms like: abdominal pain, diarrhea, eczema, heartburn, nausea, vomiting
IgA Food Reactions Elevated IgA to specific foods is widely believed to be a sign of damage to the mucous membranes in the gut.   Individuals with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, or even those with suspected leaky gut may benefit from testing IgA food reactions.
Celiac The Celiac Profile tests for gliadin antibodies, to determine if gluten sensitivity is the problem – along with tissue transglutaminase antibodies to diagnose for celiac disease.
Candida Panel The Candida Panel measures levels of IgG, IgA and IgM antibodies to Candida plus Candida antigen in a blood strip sample.

Environmental/Nutritional Tests

Information

D-Spot In Canada, a lack of direct sunlight in winter means we do not make vitamin D from October to April. Only about 1/3 of Canadians have vitamin D levels* above 75 nmol/L, the minimum considered optimal for health.  A 2010 study estimated that 37,000 deaths could be prevented every year if the Canadian average vitamin D level was 105 nmol/L.Ideally you want to know what your vitamin D level is after sun exposure, and after little or no sun exposure.Many experts recommend testing twice a year – at the end of winter (March) for the lowest levels, and again at the end of August to see levels at their highest.   If you supplement with vitamin D, any time of year is a good time to test, but if you have recently changed your dose of vitamin D, wait at least 4 weeks before testing.
Environmental Pollutants Urine test for common pollutants in the environment found in the urine (PCBs, benzenes, etc). Because the human body breaks down pollutants and eliminates them in the urine, measuring the metabolites of these pollutants in urine is an effective way to assess the level of exposure.
Fatty Acid Profile The Fatty Acid Profile helps by measuring your fatty acid levels and letting you know how your numbers stack up compared to a normal population.   And, if you start supplementing with fish oils and avoiding those trans and saturated fats, you can always retest and see how well you’re doing.
Hair Element Analysis Predictive test for nutritional mineral status and toxic metal burden. Hair element analysis is an easy and inexpensive way to assess the levels of essential and toxic elements. Less than one gram of hair is needed to test for 45 essential and toxic elements.  Rocky Mountain Analytical provides a custom interpretation that explains the patterns  of element levels in hair.
Urine Element Analysis A small sample of urine can be used to look for essential element deficiencies and for the presence of toxic elements. A chelating agent could be used to release toxic metals from hidden places in tissue so they can be eliminated in urine.
Urine Iodine Bromine Iodine deficiency is on the rise for two reasons:  decreased intake of iodine, and increased intake of bromine. The Iodine Plus urine test can help determine whether you have sufficient iodine and whether excess bromine could be negatively impacting your iodine status.  Iodine Plus also includes selenium and cadmium.  Selenium is an essential element for thyroid function, and cadmium is known to interfere with the actions of selenium.