Diagnostic Tests

Naturopathic physicians use an array of testing procedures to assess potential imbalances within your body.  Physical examinations, conventional laboratory testing and functional medicine tests are various tools used to provide tangible information and help guide the practitioner in his or her treatment plan.  

Physical Examinations

Physical examinations are a fundamental tool in naturopathic medicine, as it gives insight into how your body is functioning.  Providing not only objective findings, physical exams allow me to engage with you on a holistic level, as your body gives off distress signals in its attempt to regain homeostasis.  During your visit, the following physical examinations may be performed:

• General wellness physical exam:

  • this includes a head-to-toe physical examination as a preventative screening or assessment tool

• Focused physical exams:

  • these are short physical assessments of a specific area of the body (ex. abdominal exam)

• TCM Tongue and pulse diagnosis:

  • Although generally used as a tool to help guide a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) diagnosis, looking at your tongue and feeling your pulse can provide invaluable information into the more subtle discrepancies occurring within your body.

Conventional Laboratory Testing

As a naturopathic physician in B.C, I am registered with LifeLabs - this allows me to order any routine laboratory testing which I may see fit during our visit.  Commonly run labs include:

• Thyroid assessment panel -TSH, free T4, free T3, thyroid antibodies

• Hematology panel - including iron, ferritin, B12

• Blood sugar assessment - including fasting glucose and fasting insulin

Functional Diagnostic Testing 

Functional diagnostic tests tend to look at your body's "terrain" and can spot not only overt disease, but also trends and subtle imbalances within the body.  Testing procedures may include in-office venipuncture (blood draw) or take-home urine, stool or salivary test kits.  Common functional laboratory tests run include:

• SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) breath test

• Food sensitivity panels (IgG serum testing)

• Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis with Ova & Parasite exam (CDSA with O&P)

• Comprehensive salivary and urine hormone panels - DUTCH hormone testing (https://dutchtest.com )

• Organic acid testing ( https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/organic-acids-test )

• Heavy metal toxicity screening (includes pre and post-provocation testing)

• Mold testing -Urine mycotoxin profile ( https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/gplmycotox )

• IgE skin prick allergy testing and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) via Quantum Allergy (http://quantumallergycanada.com )

  • Allergens assessed include: dogs, cats, grass mix, tree mix, ragweed, mold, weed mix, dust mites

If you are looking for a specific functional diagnostic test, please call the clinic for further information: