With Natasha Willoughby
BHSc (Naturopathy)
Functional Naturopath
Oh, the fascinating realm of blood testing.
My first question is – have you ever been to the doctor and been told that all your blood results have come back ‘normal’, but you still feel like sh*t?
If you thought ‘yes’ – I’d like to encourage you to trust your body in knowing that something isn’t right. Today I’m going to explain the critical importance of testing, what is considered a ‘good’ result and how that compares to standard GP testing.
You’re likely being told that everything is ‘normal’ because the test results have come back within the ‘reference range’. But that doesn’t mean that something isn’t wrong!
This is where the importance of GP reference ranges and Revital Health OPTIMAL ranges come in.
Why we don’t (and won’t) shut up about ‘optimal ranges’…
Before we dive into the intricacies of optimal ranges, it’s essential to understand the role of reference ranges in pathology testing. Reference ranges are established to define the“normal” values for various blood tests (e.g., iron, vitamin D, vitamin B12) allowing healthcare professionals to identify if someone has an ‘abnormal result’ that may validate a diagnosis or required treatment. These ranges are determined by analysing large populations, providing a baseline for comparison.
However, relying solely on these general reference ranges doesn’t allow for you to begin feeling better.
Consider this: a test level falling within the “normal” range may still be far from optimal for an individual’s well-being. This is where the concept of optimal reference ranges comes into play.
As an example.. you want to explore your fatigue and decide to get your iron tested. Your ferritin (storage iron) comes back at 35. The doctor considers this ‘normal’, because the reference range for ferritin is anywhere from 30 to 400. So, you are sent on your way, and your energy just gets worse! 35 is a LOT closer to 30 (low) than it is to 400, and a low ferritin means low energy…
So this is why OUR optimal reference range for ferritin 100 to 250.
Why work with optimal reference ranges?
An optimal range provides a more personalised understanding of an individual’s health status, allowing naturopaths to identify imbalances that may be affecting well-being before they escalate into disease states.
Functional testing with optimal reference ranges empowers us to explore the grey areas that general ranges may overlook. It enables a proactive and preventive approach, identifying imbalances that could be addressed through lifestyle modifications, nutritional interventions, and targeted therapies before they manifest as chronic health issues.
Why test with us?
We don’t just work with optimal ranges; we also do MORE testing than your standard doctor would do.
Here’s an example of what the doctor may run as a general health check-up panel of testing:
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Full blood count (red and white blood cells)
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General biochemistry (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, chloride, urea, creatine, liver enzymes)
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TSH – a poor thyroid marker
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Iron studies
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SOMETIMES B12 (not active B12)
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SOMETIMES cholesterol
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SOMETIMES Vitamin D
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SOMETIMES insulin and glucose
Here’s an example of the panel of testing we do at Revital Health:
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Full blood count
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ESR and CRP (inflammation markers)
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Iron studies
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Liver function test
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Fasting glucose
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Fasting insulin
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Lipids and cholesterol
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Triglycerides
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B12 AND Active B12
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Folate
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Vitamin D
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Cortisol
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DHEAS
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TSH, T3, T4
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Sex Hormone Panel – for female and male
… + more depending on the individual patient!
There’s a lot of room for missed information between these two lists, isn’t there?
This is your first step in getting back to optimal health.
If this topic has piqued your interest, you can book with Natasha for a naturopathic consultation here at Revital Health (Telehealth now available).
