BLOOD TESTS
Note: we have explained these tests in "mom language" but have given you additional sites to visit for more detailed and scientific explanations.
Red Blood Cell
The reason why we like this test is it tells you what supplements and/or foods you may need to give more or less of. In addition, it tells you whether or not your child is absorbing his/her supplements. In other words, the test shows how much of 13 different elements (e.g., calcium, magnesium, etc.) are actually making it into the cell to be utilized by the body. With our kids (and people who are not healthy), cells often become rigid and impermeable and therefore, certain vitamins and minerals cannot make it into the cells to be used by the body. Instead, they end up building up outside the cell and causing problems. The test also screens for 5 of the most toxic heavy metals inside the cell (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, and thallium). For a picture of exactly what you get if you order this test, go to the following link.
http://www.doctorsdata.com/repository.asp?id=1150
Omega 3 Profile Plus tm
This test will tell you whether or not your child is getting enough Omega 3s (EPA/DHA) from his/her diet. It is a complete fatty acid (EFA) panel, analyzing 35 EFAs. The test will help you determine the right amount and proper ratios of Omega 3s to give your child. Getting the correct amount of Essential Fatty Acids has been shown to improve: cardiovascular health, immune system health, circulation, brain function, and inflammation. For more information, go to http://www.yourfuturehealth.com/services_aaepa.htm.
25 Hydroxy D
This test test tells you how much vitamin D2, the synthetic form, versus D3, the natural form, is in your body. Having the right amount of Vitamin D3 is critical to improving the immune system. In addition, many studies have linked autism to vitamin D3 deficiency. For more information on Vitamin D, go to Health, then Supplements tab and look up Vitamin D. For more information on vitamin D and autism, go to http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/health-conditions/neurological-conditions/autism/?gclid=CM6loZi4n6wCFQXt7QodbTfACw.
Glutathione
Glutathione helps defend the body against damage from toxins. It protects cells in several ways. It neutralizes oxygen molecules before they can harm cells (i.e., it is a powerful antioxidant). Together with selenium, it forms the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which neutralizes hydrogen peroxide. It is also a component of another antioxidant enzyme, glutathione-S-transferase, which is a broad-spectrum liver-detoxifying enzyme.
Glutathione protects not only individual cells but also the tissues of the arteries, brain, heart, immune cells, kidneys, lenses of the eyes, liver, lungs, and skin against oxidant damage. It is required for carbohydrate metabolism.
Most glutathione is found in the liver where it detoxifies many harmful compounds to be excreted thru the bile. Some glutathione is released directly by the liver into the bloodstream where it helps to maintain the strength of your red blood cells and also protect your white blood cells.
Glutathione can also be found in the lungs and in your body’s intestinal tract system.
Glutathione deficiency maybe indicated by: coordination problems, mental disorder, tremors, twitching, nervous system disorder, and difficulty in balancing. Currently, the deficiency is believed to be caused by lesions in the brain.
http://www.tacanow.org/family-resources/detoxification-glutathione-autism/
The reason we feel a glutathione test is valuable is because you will learn whether or not your child truly has a compromised ability to deal with toxins. If he/she does, then you may want to treat your child more like a "bubble child" until that level improves. It can also be valuable in helping you decide whether or not to continue vaccinating... if your child has a low glutathione level, you may want to consider waiting on vaccinations.
If your child has a low glutathione score, there are many ways to try to raise it. Recommended actions include: IV infusions of glutathione, topical glutathione cream, nebulized gluathione, glutathione supplements, or taking the building blocks of glutathione which are cysteine and methionine. We are not sure of the safety and efficacy of these interventions and therefore, we do not endorse any of them unless you are working closely with a doctor. (Caution: we have read that taking oral glutathione doesn't work because glutathione is too big a molecule to enter the cells. Plus, it is broken down by stomach acids even before it reaches the cells. And for some kids, oral glutathione exacerbates yeast and gut imbalances) http://www.glutathione-for-health.com/glutathione-precursors.html). So what do we recommend?
We feel that the safest way to raise glutathione levels is to: reduce your child's exposure toxins, balance their amino acids through healthy diet, and improve scores as indicated on a Red Blood Cell Test (above). Usually, once those are accomplished, the body is able to make its own glutathione and your child's immune system will greatly improve.
Food Allergy/Intolerance Testing
This test tells you what foods your child is truly allergic to (IgE response) as well as foods that your child does not tolerate well (IgG) response. Food allergies and intolerances drag down your child's immune system and cause several negative health side effects. To understand more about the negative side effects of food intolerances and see a picture of what the results would look like go to:
http://www.gdx.net/core/one-page-test-descriptions/Allergy-Test-Description.pdf.
How/Where to Order These Tests if You Don't Have a Doctor
* If you don't want to pay for a doctor's visit in order to get the prescription necessary to order these tests, we know of a company called Your Future Health that will provide the doctor's prescription for you without an appointment (however, they do not accept insurance because the test is done for educational purposes). In addition, they will talk with you by phone (for free) to explain your test results and answer your questions. They also arrange the blood draw for your child with phlebotomist trained to work with children with special needs and can even have a phlebotomist come to your house, if you prefer. Most of these tests give a "normal range" of what is a good score for the general population. However, Your Future Health (through extensive research) has been able to identify an optimum score for each test which may improve your child's health more quickly than just working to ensure the score is in the "normal range". The company's website is http://www.yourfuturehealth.com/.
Red Blood Cell
The reason why we like this test is it tells you what supplements and/or foods you may need to give more or less of. In addition, it tells you whether or not your child is absorbing his/her supplements. In other words, the test shows how much of 13 different elements (e.g., calcium, magnesium, etc.) are actually making it into the cell to be utilized by the body. With our kids (and people who are not healthy), cells often become rigid and impermeable and therefore, certain vitamins and minerals cannot make it into the cells to be used by the body. Instead, they end up building up outside the cell and causing problems. The test also screens for 5 of the most toxic heavy metals inside the cell (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, and thallium). For a picture of exactly what you get if you order this test, go to the following link.
http://www.doctorsdata.com/repository.asp?id=1150
Omega 3 Profile Plus tm
This test will tell you whether or not your child is getting enough Omega 3s (EPA/DHA) from his/her diet. It is a complete fatty acid (EFA) panel, analyzing 35 EFAs. The test will help you determine the right amount and proper ratios of Omega 3s to give your child. Getting the correct amount of Essential Fatty Acids has been shown to improve: cardiovascular health, immune system health, circulation, brain function, and inflammation. For more information, go to http://www.yourfuturehealth.com/services_aaepa.htm.
25 Hydroxy D
This test test tells you how much vitamin D2, the synthetic form, versus D3, the natural form, is in your body. Having the right amount of Vitamin D3 is critical to improving the immune system. In addition, many studies have linked autism to vitamin D3 deficiency. For more information on Vitamin D, go to Health, then Supplements tab and look up Vitamin D. For more information on vitamin D and autism, go to http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/health-conditions/neurological-conditions/autism/?gclid=CM6loZi4n6wCFQXt7QodbTfACw.
Glutathione
Glutathione helps defend the body against damage from toxins. It protects cells in several ways. It neutralizes oxygen molecules before they can harm cells (i.e., it is a powerful antioxidant). Together with selenium, it forms the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which neutralizes hydrogen peroxide. It is also a component of another antioxidant enzyme, glutathione-S-transferase, which is a broad-spectrum liver-detoxifying enzyme.
Glutathione protects not only individual cells but also the tissues of the arteries, brain, heart, immune cells, kidneys, lenses of the eyes, liver, lungs, and skin against oxidant damage. It is required for carbohydrate metabolism.
Most glutathione is found in the liver where it detoxifies many harmful compounds to be excreted thru the bile. Some glutathione is released directly by the liver into the bloodstream where it helps to maintain the strength of your red blood cells and also protect your white blood cells.
Glutathione can also be found in the lungs and in your body’s intestinal tract system.
Glutathione deficiency maybe indicated by: coordination problems, mental disorder, tremors, twitching, nervous system disorder, and difficulty in balancing. Currently, the deficiency is believed to be caused by lesions in the brain.
http://www.tacanow.org/family-resources/detoxification-glutathione-autism/
The reason we feel a glutathione test is valuable is because you will learn whether or not your child truly has a compromised ability to deal with toxins. If he/she does, then you may want to treat your child more like a "bubble child" until that level improves. It can also be valuable in helping you decide whether or not to continue vaccinating... if your child has a low glutathione level, you may want to consider waiting on vaccinations.
If your child has a low glutathione score, there are many ways to try to raise it. Recommended actions include: IV infusions of glutathione, topical glutathione cream, nebulized gluathione, glutathione supplements, or taking the building blocks of glutathione which are cysteine and methionine. We are not sure of the safety and efficacy of these interventions and therefore, we do not endorse any of them unless you are working closely with a doctor. (Caution: we have read that taking oral glutathione doesn't work because glutathione is too big a molecule to enter the cells. Plus, it is broken down by stomach acids even before it reaches the cells. And for some kids, oral glutathione exacerbates yeast and gut imbalances) http://www.glutathione-for-health.com/glutathione-precursors.html). So what do we recommend?
We feel that the safest way to raise glutathione levels is to: reduce your child's exposure toxins, balance their amino acids through healthy diet, and improve scores as indicated on a Red Blood Cell Test (above). Usually, once those are accomplished, the body is able to make its own glutathione and your child's immune system will greatly improve.
Food Allergy/Intolerance Testing
This test tells you what foods your child is truly allergic to (IgE response) as well as foods that your child does not tolerate well (IgG) response. Food allergies and intolerances drag down your child's immune system and cause several negative health side effects. To understand more about the negative side effects of food intolerances and see a picture of what the results would look like go to:
http://www.gdx.net/core/one-page-test-descriptions/Allergy-Test-Description.pdf.
How/Where to Order These Tests if You Don't Have a Doctor
* If you don't want to pay for a doctor's visit in order to get the prescription necessary to order these tests, we know of a company called Your Future Health that will provide the doctor's prescription for you without an appointment (however, they do not accept insurance because the test is done for educational purposes). In addition, they will talk with you by phone (for free) to explain your test results and answer your questions. They also arrange the blood draw for your child with phlebotomist trained to work with children with special needs and can even have a phlebotomist come to your house, if you prefer. Most of these tests give a "normal range" of what is a good score for the general population. However, Your Future Health (through extensive research) has been able to identify an optimum score for each test which may improve your child's health more quickly than just working to ensure the score is in the "normal range". The company's website is http://www.yourfuturehealth.com/.
