34 replies to this topic

[alternativista]

Tests you can do yourself, things you should monitor yourself, what/how to interpret/use info from tests, etc.

Because you need to take charge of your own health care. And always get and keep copies of anything your doctor has done.

First of all, you can get quite a few things on Amazon. And some things at your drugstore.

I got this one in a newsletter today:
http://www.canaryclu...oid-tests.html#

They have quite a few endocrine and nutrient tests available. Not an endorsement.

Also, a nurse practioner I've seen has everyone pee on this stick that tests urine for quite a few things. I don't recall what all, but recall her saying it only cost about $7. Different spots change color to indicate results for each test. So why can't these things be available for home use? To do every few months or so?

Edited by alternativista, 01 January 2012 - 03:26 PM.

[alternativista]

More testing available from http://www.johnleemd...prod_stest.html

Saliva and blood tests for hormone related issues such as adrenal function. $30-$180

[alternativista]

Vitamin D levels:
http://www.zrtlab.co.....aminD Council

ZRTlab has other blood and hormone testing as well:
http://www.zrtlab.com/Page.aspx?nid=4

[alternativista]

Urine test strips that sound like what I mentioned in the first post.

http://www.healthwar...sis-strips.html

And even cheaper:http://biousa.com/mu...CFQ0MDQod1ldcnw

Tests for ketones (carb & fat metabolism), glucose, nitrites (indicates urinary tract infection), Protein, Bilirubin, Specific Gravity, Blood, pH, Urobilinogen, Leukocytes (urinary tract infection).

More info about what these things tell you http://www.webmd.com...ides/urine-test

• Color. Many things affect urine color, including fluid balance, diet, medicines, and diseases. How dark or light the color is tells you how much water is in it. Vitamin B supplements can turn urine bright yellow. Some medicines, blackberries, beets, rhubarb, or blood in the urine can turn urine red-brown.
• Clarity. Urine is normally clear. Bacteria, blood, sperm, crystals, or mucus can make urine look cloudy.
• Odor. Urine does not smell very strong, but has a slightly "nutty" odor. Some diseases cause a change in the odor of urine. For example, an infection with E. coli bacteria can cause a bad odor, while diabetes or starvation can cause a sweet, fruity odor.
• Specific gravity. This checks the amount of substances in the urine. It also shows how well the kidneys balance the amount of water in urine. The higher the specific gravity, the more solid material is in the urine. When you drink a lot of fluid, your kidneys make urine with a high amount of water in it which has a low specific gravity. When you do not drink fluids, your kidneys make urine with a small amount of water in it which has a high specific gravity.
• pH. The pH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline (basic) the urine is. A urine pH of 4 is strongly acidic, 7 is neutral (neither acidic nor alkaline), and 9 is strongly alkaline. Sometimes the pH of urine is affected by certain treatments. For example, your doctor may instruct you how to keep your urine either acidic or alkaline to prevent some types of kidney stones from forming.
• Protein. Protein is normally not found in the urine. Fever, hard exercise,pregnancy, and some diseases, especially kidney disease, may cause protein to be in the urine.
• Glucose. Glucose is the type of sugar found in blood. Normally there is very little or no glucose in urine. When the blood sugar level is very high, as in uncontrolleddiabetes, the sugar spills over into the urine. Glucose can also be found in urine when the kidneys are damaged or diseased.
• Nitrites. Bacteria that cause a urinary tract infection (UTI) make an enzyme that changes urinary nitrates to nitrites. Nitrites in urine show a UTI is present.
• Leukocyte esterase (WBC esterase). Leukocyte esterase shows leukocytes (white blood cells [WBCs]) in the urine. WBCs in the urine may mean a UTI is present.
• Ketones. When fat is broken down for energy, the body makes substances called ketones (or ketone bodies). These are passed in the urine. Large amounts of ketones in the urine may mean a very serious condition, diabetic ketoacidosis, is present. A diet low in sugars and starches (carbohydrates), starvation, or severe vomiting may also cause ketones to be in the urine.
• Microscopic analysis. In this test, urine is spun in a special machine (centrifuge) so the solid materials (sediment) settle at the bottom. The sediment is spread on a slide and looked at under a microscope. Things that may be seen on the slide include:
• Red or white blood cells. Blood cells are not found in urine normally. Inflammation, disease, or injury to the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or urethra can cause blood in urine. Strenuous exercise, such as running a marathon, can also cause blood in the urine. White blood cells may be a sign of infection or kidney disease.
• Casts. Some types of kidney disease can cause plugs of material (called casts) to form in tiny tubes in the kidneys. The casts then get flushed out in the urine. Casts can be made of red or white blood cells, waxy or fatty substances, or protein. The type of cast in the urine can help show what type of kidney disease may be present.
• Crystals. Healthy people often have only a few crystals in their urine. A large number of crystals, or certain types of crystals, may mean kidney stones are present or there is a problem with how the body is using food (metabolism).
• Bacteria, yeast cells, or parasites. There are no bacteria, yeast cells, orparasites in urine normally. If these are present, it can mean you have an infection.
• Squamous cells. The presence of squamous cells may mean that the sample is not as pure as it needs to be. These cells do not mean there is a medical problem, but your doctor may ask that you give another urine sample.

Edited by alternativista, 01 January 2012 - 03:47 PM.

[neverforget]

I like where this thread is going. I'll keep an eye out for it. Thanks!

[alternativista]

Allergic reactions can be immediate and cause a severe reaction or delayed and not cause a reaction you can clearly identify as allergy such as fatigue, headache, IBS. Either way, they cause inflammation which is the root cause of degenerative diseases and accelerate aging. Inflammation also contributes to acne and worsens scarring.

ALCAT food and environmental hypersensitivity testing.

http://www.alcat.com...i...dex&cPath=1

Measures leukocyte cellular reactivity in whole blood, which, as I understand it, is the final pathway of all kinds of reaction types. Such as delayed and immediate reactions. Those involving IgE and IgG antibodies. Unlike most other tests most of which test only IgE which is the antibody involved in immediate and severe reactions that most people think of as allergies.

The Elissa or Elisa test is much cheaper and measures IgG but the Alcat people say presence of IgG antibodies doesn't accurately indicate intolerance, only exposure.

[alternativista]

Zinc Taste test - because zinc affects sense of taste. Might be worth a shot.
http://www.diagnose-...at/T291481.html

[meat_pirate86]

i wonder what other types of tests are possible at home or even online?

[alternativista]

Not home testing, but FYI, more and more options for getting tests done so you can monitor your own health are opening all the time.

A flyer for this place was put on my doorknob yesterday:

www.anylabtestnow.com. Starts at $49 but many are not cheap. Site could be a resource for information on what different tests tell you. Not in depth info though. They do have tests for micronutrients ($400), heavy metals ($500), Growth Hormone which means IGF-1, a factor in acne, inflammation markers...

In addition, there are minor care clinics that also do all kinds of screenings in pharmacy chains like Walgreens, some supermarket chains like H.E.B. here in Texas. Probably a better option as there is usually a practitioner of some kind you can talk to although they probably don't offer as many tests.

Edited by alternativista, 16 May 2010 - 01:40 PM.

[alternativista]

So DNA testing for genes identified as being involved in breast cancer, Alzheimers, and such were going to be available at Walgreens, but the FDA put them on hold for now.

In the news reports I saw, all kinds of doctors were opposed saying the tests without guidance would cause all kinds of unnecessary panic because diet and lifestyle have a bigger impact on your likelihood of developing these conditions than your genes. Which is odd, since they aren't so vehement about telling people how important diet and lifestyle are any other time. Just like with acne.

Edited by alternativista, 01 January 2012 - 05:56 PM.

[alternativista]

Self test for sinuses:

I just saw an episode of Dr. Oz on sinus problems and he said to put a small flashlight under your upper lip near your canine and shine up towards the sinus cavity next to your nose. He said if you can see the light, they aren't filled with fluid.

Edited by alternativista, 24 February 2012 - 12:24 PM.

[Dotty1]

With the ALCAT test, you might want to list LEAP testing which has been found to be more accurate than ALCAT (ALCAT has a reproducibility rate of around 45% but LEAP's mRT test has a reproducibility rate of 92%). I just did the LEAP test and was more than satisfied with my results. I found what foods were causing many of my symptoms.

ALCAT and LEAP are for food sensitivities, not allergies. Approximately 20% of the population has food sensitivities, compared to the 3% who have food allergies (hives, rash, throat closing up).

LEAP: http://www.NowLEAP.com
I believe you must call the phone number at the bottom of their website.

Both LEAP and ALCAT are the same price: $500.

Accurate Gluten-sensitivity testing: EnterLab (http://www.EnteroLab.com) $99
It is the most accurate test currently available for gluten sensitivity - even ahead of the traditional blood test and the "gold standard" biopsy.

Soy sensitivity test, Yeast Sensitivity Tests, Egg and Caseine (Dairy):
EnteroLab (http://www.EnteroLab.com) $99 each

Edited by Dotty1, 11 January 2011 - 10:34 AM.

[Tangerine]

How much did the Leap MRT test cost you, Dotty? And how many items did they test you for?

[Thehoper]

Pretty sure Dotty said it cost 500 bucks. It sucks I wish I could get a test done, I'm really interested, but I can't spend 500 bucks on a test. I tried going to an allergist near me, but she wouldn't let me test for anything because she said acne had nothing to do with diet, ha.

[Tangerine]

Pretty sure Dotty said it cost 500 bucks. It sucks I wish I could get a test done, I'm really interested, but I can't spend 500 bucks on a test. I tried going to an allergist near me, but she wouldn't let me test for anything because she said acne had nothing to do with diet, ha.

Yeah 500 is a bit steep. I don't understand why an allergist wouldn't let you do a test... were you willing to pay her?? That's silly.

I spent like... probably $200 to go to Naturopath and get a vega sensitivity test. It was worth the money. These tests are pretty controversial, as people (the quackwatchers) say they aren't reliable at all. But it sure helped me!

[Thehoper]

Yeah I was going to pay lol. I was blown away when she told me she wouldn't allow me to get tested. She just said she would test me for gluten. But she said in order for it to be positive, I would have to go back on a full blown diet. What, go back on a full blown diet, have my skin go back to square one, in order for her just to tell me I am positive?

I guess for me the only real way is do what I do. Trial and error. Would be so nice to really know though, not play the guessing game..

[Tangerine]

Yeah I was going to pay lol. I was blown away when she told me she wouldn't allow me to get tested. She just said she would test me for gluten. But she said in order for it to be positive, I would have to go back on a full blown diet. What, go back on a full blown diet, have my skin go back to square one, in order for her just to tell me I am positive?

I guess for me the only real way is do what I do. Trial and error. Would be so nice to really know though, not play the guessing game..

Oh yeah, I get it. If you aren't eating the foods, the antigens to them aren't being produced in your body and won't show up anyway. So you'd get a negative reading to those foods, even if it was actually positive. I think the vega test is like that too. So I guess she was just trying to save you money?

[alternativista]

With the ALCAT test, you might want to list LEAP testing which has been found to be more accurate than ALCAT (ALCAT has a reproducibility rate of around 45% but LEAP's mRT test has a reproducibility rate of 92%).

Who says? The LEAP people? Because ALCAT tests for a marker that is the end result of all kinds of reactions whether or not the immune system is involved. What does LEAP test for?

[Thehoper]

Yeah I was going to pay lol. I was blown away when she told me she wouldn't allow me to get tested. She just said she would test me for gluten. But she said in order for it to be positive, I would have to go back on a full blown diet. What, go back on a full blown diet, have my skin go back to square one, in order for her just to tell me I am positive?

I guess for me the only real way is do what I do. Trial and error. Would be so nice to really know though, not play the guessing game..

Oh yeah, I get it. If you aren't eating the foods, the antigens to them aren't being produced in your body and won't show up anyway. So you'd get a negative reading to those foods, even if it was actually positive. I think the vega test is like that too. So I guess she was just trying to save you money?

Yeah definitely true. Never thought of it like that. Within a year of continuing the trial and error I will know what foods I can and cannot eat anyway. I already know Gluten, Soy, Red meat, and Citrus fruits give me problems.

[Dotty1]

With the ALCAT test, you might want to list LEAP testing which has been found to be more accurate than ALCAT (ALCAT has a reproducibility rate of around 45% but LEAP's mRT test has a reproducibility rate of 92%).

Who says? The LEAP people? Because ALCAT tests for a marker that is the end result of all kinds of reactions whether or not the immune system is involved. What does LEAP test for?

It has been about 6 months since I researched the topic, but LEAP was found to be more accurate by a third party at the University of Miami (or there abouts). The LEAP test is 15 years newer, was developed by the same man who developed the ALCAT test and tests how much histamine the white blood cells release when in the presence of certain foods.