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Blood Testing

Here at Windward Healthcare, we offer blood testing to check for food sensitivities and hormone levels. When your hormone levels are low, it can lead to lethargy and trouble sleeping as well as mental cognitive issues. Food sensitivities can lead to weight gain and intestinal discomfort.

Food Sensitivities

Food Sensitivity It is important to understand that a food allergy is not a food sensitivity. A food allergy causes a response from your immune system as if the offending morsel were a virus or bacteria, and some allergic reactions can be life threatening and require immediate medical intervention.

Food sensitivities, on the other hand, do not cause immune system responses. Instead, they make the individual moderately to severely uncomfortable. Symptoms include cramping, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, gas and acid reflux. While these symptoms are not life-threatening, they can be annoying and prevent you from eating healthy, exercising, going to work and performing your daily tasks.

Foods that cause insensitivities and intolerances include eggs, milk, tree nuts, shell fish, wheat and soy. Some people can also be sensitive to certain spices, preservatives and additives, including MSG and tyramine.

We can perform blood tests to determine if the foods you are eating are making you sick. When you eat foods that you are sensitive to and that cause intolerance, your intestines rebel, which makes it hard for your body to absorb vitamins and minerals from your diet.

Once your food sensitivities have been diagnosed, our chiropractic doctor will explain various treatment options, including avoiding the foods that make you sick, reading nutrition labels and ingredients and taking supplements. We can also provide guidance on eating a healthy diet while still avoiding the foods that make you ill.

For example, if you are lactose intolerant or have a sensitivity to milk, there are numerous other drinks and vegetables that provide calcium and vitamin D, including vitamin fortified cereals and grains, almond milk and orange juice, rhubarb, currants, spinach and collard greens and broccoli.

If you are allergic to fish and shell fish, taking omega-3 acid supplements and finding other sources of lean protein can make up the loss of fish from your diet.

Hormone Levels

When your hormones are outside of the normal range, it produces a wide variety of symptoms, including night sweats, hot flashes, weight gain, insomnia, exhaustions, mood swings, low libido, depression and memory difficulty. These symptoms make it hard to eat well, stay in shape and perform daily tasks.

Our hormone blood testing screens for estrogen, testosterone, progesterone and stress hormones as well as many other hormones. Once the results are back, our doctor will recommend a course of treatment that is specific for your needs. Typical treatment options include supplements, diet changes and hormone replacement therapy. Most individuals notice a significant reduction in symptoms after just a few weeks.

For more information on our blood tests or to schedule an appointment, call our Alpharetta office at 678-566-3030.