How I Choose the Right Labs

You don’t need more tests. You need the right test, at the right time, for the right reason.

This page explains — in plain English — how I decide which labs are useful, and why I don’t order everything at once.

The Big Idea

Your symptoms usually point to a system in the body that’s under stress, not a diagnosis.

Different systems need different kinds of information. Labs are simply tools I use to confirm what your body is already telling us.

We always start with the most important question first.

Step 1: We Identify the System That’s Asking for Help

Instead of asking, “Which lab do I need?” we start with a much simpler question:

What feels most off in your body right now?

Most symptoms tend to group themselves into a few common areas:

🧠 Brain, mood, focus, or sleep
Anxiety, brain fog, poor concentration, or disrupted sleep

😴 Fatigue and low resilience
Exhaustion, low stamina, poor recovery, feeling depleted

🍽️ Digestion
Bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, or discomfort after eating

🤷 Food reactions or inflammation
Foods that suddenly don’t agree with you, headaches, joint pain, skin reactions

🩸 Hormones
PMS, cycle changes, weight shifts, perimenopause or menopause symptoms

🧬 Long-standing sensitivity
Patterns you’ve had for years, or strong family health trends

Even if several things are going on, we choose one primary focus to start with.

Step 2: We Ask the Right Question for the System Involved

Each body system raises its own clear question.
The goal is to identify which question needs to be answered first.

For example:

Is stress overwhelming the nervous system?
Does the body have enough energy to heal or detox?
Is the gut contributing to inflammation or toxin load?
Are hormones being processed properly?

We focus on one system and one primary question at a time, even when multiple symptoms are present.

This matters because asking the wrong question too early can create confusion — or even make symptoms worse.

Step 3: We Use One Targeted Lab

I don’t run labs just to “see what comes back.”

I use one carefully chosen test to answer the specific question we’re asking right now.

This approach helps us:

Avoid overwhelm
Reduce unnecessary cost
Move in the correct order
Build a plan your body can actually tolerate

More testing can always come later — once your system is ready.

Why I Don’t Test Everything at Once

Running many labs at the same time often creates more problems than it solves.

It can create conflicting information, increase anxiety, lead to aggressive protocols too early, and miss the true root issue.

Healing works best when we respect sequence and capacity.

What This Means for You

✔ You don’t have to guess
✔ You don’t have to understand every lab
✔ You don’t have to “do it all”

My role is to translate your symptoms, choose the right tools, and guide the process step-by-step.

The Labs I Use Most Often

I don’t use every lab available. I rely on a small number of well-validated tools, chosen based on symptoms, systems involved, and timing.

Below are the tests I use most often, along with when and why they’re helpful. Each one is selected intentionally — never all at once.

DUTCH Hormone Testing
Used when hormone symptoms are persistent or complex, especially when stress, sleep, cycle changes, or detox sensitivity are involved. This test helps evaluate hormone metabolism and cortisol patterns, not just hormone levels.
👉 Learn more

GI-MAP
Used when digestion, immune activation, chronic inflammation, or gut-driven toxin burden may be contributing to symptoms. Helpful for understanding microbial imbalances, pathogens, and gut inflammation.
👉 Learn more

Organic Acids (OAT)
Used when fatigue, brain fog, poor resilience, or detox reactions suggest issues with energy production, nutrient sufficiency, or metabolic stress. This test offers insight into mitochondrial and biochemical function.
👉 Learn more

Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA)
A foundational option that may be used independently or alongside consultation. HTMA helps assess mineral balance, stress patterns, and long-term metabolic trends that influence resilience and detox capacity.
👉 Learn more

Neurotransmitter Testing
Used when mood, focus, motivation, sleep, or emotional regulation are primary concerns. This test can help clarify neurochemical patterns that may be contributing to anxiety, depression, or cognitive symptoms.
👉 Learn more

SIBO Testing
Used when bloating, gas, constipation, or food reactions occur shortly after eating, especially when fiber, probiotics, or detox protocols worsen symptoms. This test helps assess bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine.
👉 Learn more

EnviroTOX Burden® Panel
Used to assess exposure to environmental toxins, including chemicals, mold toxins, and heavy metals, when symptoms suggest detoxification strain, poor resilience, or multi-system stress.
👉 Learn more

Nutrition Assessment
Used to evaluate nutrient status, dietary patterns, and functional needs when symptoms suggest deficiencies or imbalances that may be affecting energy, hormones, or healing capacity.
👉 Learn more

Important note
Not every test is appropriate for every person. Advanced and specialized testing is selected through consultation, based on symptoms, readiness, and clinical relevance.

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re not sure where to begin, that’s completely normal.

The first step is simply identifying which system needs attention first.

👉 When you're ready, we begin with an initial consultation to determine which data is needed first, including whether Hair Mineral Analysis or other testing will be most helpful.