How optimal testing can help you deliver improved health outcomes

As a clinician observing the current state of health in the UK, you may well be feeling like the general approach to healthcare and conventional tools available to you aren’t helping you to deliver big changes for your patients. Do you find that your patients keep coming back to you, despite blood results coming back “normal” and getting a clearer picture of what is going on for them feels like an insurmountable challenge? The functional medicine approach and the use of testing that uses optimal ranges could be the answer. Keep reading to discover how optimal testing could help you to deliver improved health outcomes for your patients, with this guest blog post from Jonathan Cohen, Clinical Director at FunctionalDX.

Why we need to adopt a functional approach to healthcare

We’re living in populations that are getting progressively sicker. And with doctors limited to such short appointments with each patient, it’s nearly impossible to take a sufficient look at all aspects of a patients’ lifestyle to make sustained changes that will really make a difference for them. According to the NHS, medically unexplained symptoms account for up to 45% of all GP appointments, and half of all new visits to hospital clinics in the UK. Underlying any of the labels that these conditions may be given is what we term as “the health iceberg”; this could involve gut toxins, inflammation, neurotransmitters, digestion, absorption, life issues etc.

But with your private practice and a preventative medicine approach, you can make that difference. With functional blood chemistry testing and health reporting, you can demonstrate the science behind what your patients are experiencing.

“I’m really excited about FunctionalDX, because this is the blood testing that we use at our practice, and patients find it really eye opening.”

Dr Indra Barathan

What is optimal testing?

This is the revolution in blood chemistry analysis, taking blood testing and turning that into meaningful, individualised reporting. Of course, the first test you always reach for as a GP is a blood test, but one of the problems with conventional tests is that what you get back is just a list of markers.

“Finding what’s going on underneath the hood. That’s really my passion.”

Jonathan Cohen, FDX Clinical Director

Functional blood chemistry is the process by which complex and comprehensive blood biomarkers are organised, analysed and interpreted to provide a comprehensive assessment of the state and trends of the main body systems, the supporting body accessory systems, along with the status of nutrients and trends towards and away from clinical dysfunction. This is not about diagnosis; this is about preventative healthcare.

Conventional GP testing suggests there are two states that exist: sick, or you’re healthy. And when you look at “normal” blood testing, you see that statistically 95% of a population will fall into an area that is plus or minus two standard deviation points, and to be outside of that “normal” range means that a patient needs intervention. The problem is, when the population gets bigger, and the graph and the curve get bigger, then it starts to take in those who would have previously been considered outliers, or not in the normal range. We find that suddenly sick become the new healthy because the ranges change.

Normal ranges really represent average populations, not optimal health. With optimal ranges, we take a functional physiological range where we’ve identified optimal levels and where people fall outside those functional physiological ranges, they become functionally high or functionally low; and we can see where they’re trending.

Putting your patients back in the driving seat

With functional blood chemistry testing from FunctionalDX, your patients can review the report themselves, they can see their markers, they can read about it, and they can start their own research; it’s a great way of educating and getting compliance from patients. Covering 13 body systems, seven accessory systems, seven macronutrient systems, 14 nutrient deficiencies, clinical suggestions, you’ll get a clear picture of what’s going on “under the hood” for your patients.

“When a client comes in, they can see the whole map of their health laid out in front of them.”

Jonathan Cohen

Wellness is a process of becoming aware of making choices towards a healthy and fulfilling life. This is really important for your patients. This about more than being free from illness. It’s a dynamic process of change and growth. It’s important for everyone to achieve optimal wellness in order to subdue stress, reduce the risk of illness, and enjoy positive interactions.

Where to go for optimal testing

FunctionalDX doesn’t provide conventional blood testing, linear reporting, normal ranges or a look at one biomarker at a time. FDX helps you to look at health trends with optimal ranges, interactive and comprehensive reports which demonstrate the status of 13 body systems, 7 accessory systems, 7 macronutrient systems, over 40 nutrient deficiencies, assesses over 40 clinical dysfunctions, and so much more. This is the best and most affordable blood testing and health reporting available anywhere in Europe.