Like many women, I suffer from low iron levels. I’ve known this since I was a teen but tried chasing it with supplements, foods, injections and finally IVs. It’s been a very frustrating process throughout the years -and expensive too! I share this because I am not alone in having inappropriate iron levels but, more importantly, iron/ferritin, along with several other nutrients, are not included on a standard CBC (complete blood count) panel. This leaves many individuals not knowing the status of some very important blood markers.

I get a lot of clients coming to me because they are feeling overly tired, losing their hair, experiencing shortness of breath with low exertion, fighting gut issues and hormone imbalances. They will get a blood test just to hear, “Everything looks good”! This leaves them feeling frustrated and hopeless.

Optimal nutrient levels can ward off unpleasant symptoms as well as prevent dis-ease down the road!

In addition to the standard CBC w. Differential, I always recommend my clients ask for the following tests, at a minimum:

Vitamin D
Full Thyroid Panel which includes TSH, Free T4, Free T3, Antibodies- Anti-TPO and TgAB
Iron panel including ferritin

If any of these are low, one would experience fatigue and several other symptoms. Of course there are other markers to look at but this is a great place to start as it is extremely common for them to be low.

Lastly, please remember the range on standard blood test are what are considered “normal.” This normal range does NOT mean “optimal.” Doctors, nutritionists and other health care providers should consider symptoms along with blood test results to come up with a plan of action.

In good health,

Blood Tests : Getting What you Need

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It’s time to commit to yourself!