During the cold, rainy month of January, at least where we live in Portland, Oregon, it’s fitting to address thyroid health. As Goldilocks said of her porridge, this one’s too cold, this one’s too hot, and this one’s just right. If your body isn’t making the right amount of the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), you’re likely to find yourself on either side of “just right”.…
Tags: Thyroid Health, Selenium
When getting to the root of health issues by accurate laboratory testing of hormones and other analytes, it’s important to distinguish theories from facts and make sure that our interpretation of the science is valid and corresponds with what is seen clinically. This month, as the weather and the time of year put us in the middle of winter, let’s take a critical look at a hormone sometimes…
Theories abound on the origins of most major diseases, and many share one factor in common: inflammation. The biological consequences of inflammation are at the root of virtually every human malady from the common cold to cancer, allergies to arthritis, and headaches to heart disease. Yet inflammation is a natural, self-protective response of the body with the best of intentions. Inflammatory chemicals…
Tags: Alzheimer's, Brain Health
We are heading into the new year with a goal to strengthen our understanding of hormones, neurotransmitters, and heavy metals and the influence they have on our overall health and wellness. As we welcome 2019, we would like to take a moment to look back at our most popular blog posts from last year. Serotonin, or rather its deficiency, frequently…
Tags: Depression, Neurotransmitters, Stress, Mental Health, Heavy Metals, Sleep
We step into 2019 with open minds ready to make new discoveries to improve our overall health and wellness. But first, we would like to take a moment to look back at our most popular blogs of 2018 for patients. Vitamin D: What Level is Normal vs Optimal? If you have ever had your level of Vitamin D tested, depending on which lab you used, your report showing whether your level is low, normal, or…
Tags: Vitamin D, Sleep, PTSD, Testosterone
The Alzheimer’s Association states that “the greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer’s is increasing age”, leading many to presume that a diagnosis is inescapable. Sadly, it is not only the uninformed expressing this cynicism; even highly-educated medical professionals have slumped in defeat. Of the leading causes of death in America, Alzheimer’s Disease stands alone as the only malady largely…
Tags: Alzheimer's, Brain Health, Heavy Metals
Lead is everywhere. It was commonly used in paint, gasoline, plumbing pipes, jewelry, bullets, fishing weights, glazes, and cosmetics. Some regulations are now in place to eliminate lead’s incorporation into these products, but in many cases, it is still being used. I watched a special on wine in Washington State, and the host explained why leaded crystal glasses are ideal for tasting because of…
Tags: Heavy Metals, Lead
News media are replete with alarming statistics about the current and future incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease. A recent CBS headline announced the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control predicting already troubling rates will “soar” in coming decades, with the number of cases potentially doubling by 2060 to almost 14 million Americans. With its impact going significantly beyond a…
Tags: Alzheimer's, Brain Health
I watch a bit of television now and again, and repeatedly see a commercial for a birth control pill. It looks quite glamorous to be taking it. Granted, at the tail end of the commercial it states many of the bad things contraceptive pills are widely recognized to cause. But the real impact of what birth control pills do to female bodies is never discussed and what is discussed is completely…
Tags: Hormone Balance, Estrogen
The decision to start a regimen of iodine supplementation should be based on a detailed nutritional, physical, and laboratory assessment. Once the need is established, some clinicians go straight for supraphysiologic dosing while others may implement a diet rich in sea vegetables to get the job done. How do you decide where to start? The first step is understanding the different supplement forms…
Tags: Iodine, Elements Testing, Thyroid Health
Call us at 866.600.1636 or email info@zrtlab.com