Mental Health Awareness Week

6th May 2024

Optimizing Mental Wellness: A Practitioners Guide to Supporting Your Patients

As we enter Mental Health Awareness Week (May 6th-10th), we wanted to equip you with some valuable resources to empower your patients’ overall well-being. We all know mental health concerns are widespread, and a deeper understanding of the underlying factors that contribute to them is crucial. By addressing these root causes, we can help alleviate often-painful symptoms and guide patients towards a path of greater wellness.

This information serves to provide valuable insights to assist you in deciding what to test for.

_{Lab Tests to Investigate Mental Health}

Gut Health Investigation

Issues of the gut are intricately connected to cognitive and mood disruptions through the gut-brain axis.

GI 360, Doctor’s Data

GI Standard Profile, US BioTek

GI Advanced Profile, US BioTek

GI MAP, Diagnostics Solutions Laboratory

SIBO, UHN (University Health Network)

SIBO, St. Mary’s Hospital

Environmental Pollutants and Toxic Metals

Environmental Pollutants and toxic exposures can lead to a wide array of neurological disturbances, implicating cognitive deficits associated with poorer mental health quality. Testing for levels of exposure can assist in a more focused treatment plan.

Environmental Pollutants Profile (EPP)*, US BioTek

Mercury Tri Test, Quicksilver

Toxic Elements Exposure Profile (hair), Doctor’s Data

Urine Toxic Metals Profile, Doctor’s Data

Toxic & Essential Elements* (18 Essential and 20 Toxic Metals) Urine, Doctor’s Data

Micronutrient and Metabolic Panels

These tools are valuable for evaluating levels of minerals, antioxidants, vitamins and insights into imbalances and deficiencies that could affect mental well-being.

Amino Acids Profile, Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory

Mircronutrients*, Spectracell

Nutristat, US BioTek

Organic Acids Test, Mosaic Diagnostics

Organic Acids Profile, US BioTek

Mycotox*, Mosaic Diagnostics

Neuro Basic Profile*, Doctor’s Data

NeuroAdvanced Profile, ZRT

Food Sensitivities

Some medical literature points to a potential correlation between food sensitivities and mental health conditions (depression & anxiety) comparing concentrations of serum IgG against food antigens in patients with major depressive disorders. Higher serum levels of IgG can indicate a connection between food sensitivities and mental health.

IgG General Food Panel + Candida, US BioTek

240 Food 2 Antibody Combo Panel + Candida, US BioTek

E-95 Basic Foods (95 Foods), Meridian Valley

P88-DIY Dietary Antigen Test, Precision Point Diagnostics