Often, your ability to fight off illness depends on getting the right nutrients. That’s why you should test yourself now to see what nutrients you are missing. Don’t wait until your nutrient deficiency becomes a serious problem.

As you know, it is wisest not to wait until disease is fully manifest to start learning and doing something about it. The German physician Franz Mesmer (1734-1815) is reported to have said: “In the beginning, disease is difficult to recognize but easy to cure. In the end, disease is easy to recognize but difficult to cure.” I want to discuss important lab tests that can point out the specific micronutrients your body needs most for optimal health.

Where To Begin

You know that each of us carries genetic codes that determine our health. These same codes determine our illnesses; but many genes can be turned on or off, depending on our diet and exercise choices. For example, the type 2 diabetic who begins to eat mostly raw whole foods usually will not have active diabetes anymore just from that lifestyle change.

While a nutrient-rich diet is often all it takes to turn off genes programmed for disease, there may also be individual nutrients that can make a significant difference. How would it be if you could find your specific micronutrient needs from testing and then just use targeted nutritionals along with mostly raw whole foods to conquer illness? So what about micronutrient testing: Is it valuable and affordable?

Micronutrient Analysis by Spectracell labs in Texas has something exciting in this field of directed nutrient supplementation (www.spectracell.com).

In addition to classic vitamin-deficiency syndromes such as scurvy or beriberi, we know that suboptimal intake of certain micronutrients and vitamins is a risk factor for several chronic diseases. Inadequate intake of particular vitamins contributes to coronary heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis. In fact, almost all chronic diseases and symptoms of illness stem from nutritional causes that are mostly overlooked by traditional modern medicine. This problem is especially evident in the elderly, although the deficiency begins early in life when disease is developing but before symptoms or signs manifest.

Risk Factors

Authors of an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association JAMA (2002) state, “Suboptimal folic acid levels, along with suboptimal levels of vitamins B(6) and B(12), are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, neural tube defects, and colon and breast cancer; low levels of vitamin D contribute to osteopenia and fractures; and low levels of the antioxidant vitamins (vitamins A, E, and C) may increase risk for several chronic diseases. Most people do not consume an optimal amount of all vitamins by diet alone.” [1] Furthermore, they write, “Physicians should make specific efforts to learn about their patients’ use of vitamins to ensure that they are taking vitamins they should.” [2]

Consider chromium, an essential trace mineral that plays an important role in optimal insulin function and helps regulate blood glucose levels. Chromium may assist in lowering cholesterol and, therefore, help slow atherosclerosis development. In addition, chromium plays an important role in nucleic acid (DNA) synthesis.

Vitamin E

The antioxidant vitamin E is another crucial nutrient. It helps protect against heart disease, cancer, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. Supplementation with alpha-tocopherol vitamin E is useful to treat diabetes, fibrocystic breast disease and symptoms of menopause while also having applications in Parkinson’s disease and arthritis. Add to that the fact that vitamin E is important to immune function. Some known symptoms of vitamin E deficiency include nerve damage, muscle weakness, poor coordination, weakened red blood cells and anemia. However, a vitamin E deficiency could play a role in many other illnesses and symptoms not studied.

Available Tests

The micronutrients that can be tested at Spectracell Laboratories:

This particular lab requires your physician to become a client by contacting new client services at 800-227-5227. Then your physician will be able to order serum testing with blood draw done at a phlebotomy station near you or in your physician’s office. The comprehensive panel (listed above) is currently a $370 test, but very worthwhile in my opinion.