Maintaining good overall health through a healthy diet and lifestyle is essential for supporting healthy eyes and good vision. There are many factors at play in assessing the status of your general health. Most of us are familiar with physicals in which a practitioner checks your heart, lungs, reflexes, and performs bloodwork to rule out major illness. Bloodwork generally looks at your electrolytes, blood cells, liver and kidney function, blood sugar, and cholesterol. There are, however, other systems that practitioners are starting to realize hold additional pieces of the puzzle.

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It is becoming more recognized that our microbiome plays a major role in our gastrointestinal function, immune system, and our overall general health. Our gut microbiome, simply put, is the array of bacteria and other “bugs” that live in our digestive system. There are good bugs that help us absorb nutrients and keep our immune system strong, and there are bad bugs which can hinder our wellbeing. Microbiome testing is typically ordered by functional medicine practitioners since many conventional doctors are not yet aware of the importance of the microbiome or they are not trained in ordering and interpreting the test. This test is offered by Insight. You may use it as a baseline assessment for general health or as a tool in the search for possible underlying causes of a particular ailment.

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There are many hidden causes of ailments that are never addressed. Modern medicine often treats only the symptoms of illness without ever looking for the root cause. Another assessment Insight offers is heavy metal testing which looks for mineral deficiencies, imbalances, and overloads as well as exposure to harmful materials. There are a lot of different tests out there that look at similar data, but some are more accurate and useful than others. Accurate testing methods and interpretation is key to the usefulness of such testing.

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Another test available at our clinic is organic acids testing. This test covers a broad array of metabolic functions. The results aid in forming personalized recommendations based on your current needs and your body chemistry. The report offers nutrient recommendations for key vitamins, minerals, and digestive support. It looks for toxic exposures, mitochondrial dysfunction, and methylation support. This test may be helpful for those suffering from long COVID or adverse vaccination effects. It gives clues for possible toxic exposures or detoxification problems.

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The tests discussed above may be ordered as a baseline to give an idea of overall general health. There are other tests available that may be ordered based on need. You may schedule a visit with Dr. Forgione to discuss which test may be beneficial for a particular chronic condition you may be suffering from. There are a lot of systemic health issues and medications that affect the eyes. Getting to the root cause of such conditions can help to find appropriate therapies and may alleviate the need for medications that have negative ocular side effects. As a preventative medicine tool, you may wish to request one or all of these tests to create a map of your systemic health and take the steps necessary to address any early signs of potential problems before they blossom into more concerning issues. These tests provide an excellent baseline in which to craft a wellness plan to keep you well balanced and healthy.