Question: Hello Dr. T- Hope all is going well! Here is a question I just got & thought you could help with a better answer. Thanks - "Lorie".
"Lorie", when you first started on the 100% raw diet, did you consult with a physician and got blood work done to make sure you're on the right track? H. told me briefly about the muscle test and we did read about it online. K. and I would like to know how to monitor our health. We had blood work done in 10/05 and took a Reams Test a few months ago. Both indicated we're in good health. Do you think it's necessary to take another test after being raw for three weeks to see if there's any changes or is it too soon?
"Lorie", when you first started on the 100% raw diet, did you consult with a physician and got blood work done to make sure you're on the right track? H. told me briefly about the muscle test and we did read about it online. K. and I would like to know how to monitor our health. We had blood work done in 10/05 and took a Reams Test a few months ago. Both indicated we're in good health. Do you think it's necessary to take another test after being raw for three weeks to see if there's any changes or is it too soon?
Answer:
Dear "Lorie,"
Going raw is not by itself a reason for special tests. What is "going raw" anyway? It only means that you are not eating cooked foods... but what ARE you eating? Raw cacao beans? Raw processed sugars? Raw meat or sushi? "raw soy products and garnish"? raw poison mushrooms (...)? raw nuts all day long? Can you see that simply "going raw does not tell us a thing about your dietary choices, as it is not a defined "diet"? Can you also see that although generally it's better to eat foods in their natural, unprocessed state, some cooked foods (e.g. steamed greens) are healthier than some raw foods (cacao beans, concentrated agave sugar)?
Since most sick people in the world are not raw, should they not be tested regularly because of their unhealthy lifestyle? Why should a change for the better (eating more nutritious and less toxic unprocessed foods) become a sudden reason for testing? Where is the logic in that? This only makes people who are improving their health suddenly more worried about something they SHOULD have been worried about LONG BEFORE they changed for the better, considering the epidemics of cancer, neurological disorders, degenerative disease, inflammatory diseases, immune disorders, vascular illnesses, liver and kidney dysfunction, and nutritional deficiencies in our society.
There is no one scientific way to monitor the "entire health" of a person. I am not referring here to any unscientific tests that are very popular today (because they are easy to do with no education or health background, and because they are cheap), but to tests that are reproducible, reportable (can be reviewed and exchanged between practitioners), possess validity, and done by authorized licensed laboratories that must adhere to certain biochemical and procedural standards.
There are many tests that are general enough to give good information about specific areas and organs of the body, or about the early development of certain disorders, or about common deficiencies. These tests must be considered based on symptoms, family history, medical and occupational history, toxicological exposures, prior diet, chronic stress, electromagnetic fields and radiation exposure, activity level, sun exposure, etc. It's not a good idea to oversimplify the multi-dimensional complexity of the human body, even if it is convenient to imagine that it is simple and unidimensional.
Some tests that most people should consider (regardless of diet) because of extremely common deficiencies or major health concerns in the general population today are Vitamin D test (25-HydroxyVit. D, serum), B12 test (Methyl Malonic Acid, Urine; Homo-Trans-Cobalamin II, serum), Homocysteine (serum), C-reactive Protein (Cardiac); Fibrinogen; and General Thyroid panel with fasting glucose, Lipids, electrolytes, and urinalysis. These tests can be ordered by contacting us.
Some of the general tests that give a lot of information about general health, metabolism, general nutritional status, toxicity, digestion, immune sensitivities, neurological status, and even genetic susceptibility to disease are Organic Acid Test, Comprehensive Digestive Health Panel, Immune Sensitivity (Food, Molds, and Environmental Chemicals) Panel, Toxic Heavy Metals Urine/hair Panel, Genomic Panel to Assess Genetic Detoxification Capability, and Nutritional Elemental Tests (Red Blood Cell elements, Elemental X-ray Analysis). There are other nutritional tests, such as Amino Acids Panel and Fatty Acids Panel, but these are less important for people without major symptoms and for people who select plenty of nutritious fruits and vegetables while avoiding detrimental eating patterns. Common damaging patterns to avoid include excess protein - which always occurs with flesh and dairy consumption; reliance on seed oils and large amounts of nuts; excess of grains and legumes and their products; and intake of refined, processed, highly-cooked, non-organic foods with toxic additives.
Finally, for those who are concerned about cancer (see Early Cancer Detection Article) there is the AMAS test (of blood serum), which can detect any cancer in the body several years before any other test would. Also, the M2PK test can detect colorectal cancer in the stool more accurately and safely than an uncomfortable, risky colonoscopy would. Additionally, Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging can detect breast cancer more accurately, more efficiently, more comprehensively, and without radiation or compression.
