Getting labs can be exciting. Do I have inflammation? What else do I have? What about a genomic test? When you get the news, you can explain that your issues were not within your control! Remember, genetics load the gun, but your environment pulls the trigger (thank you, Dr. Stark, for this poignant explanation of that type of testing)
Neither of these types of tests answers the crucial questions How? and Why? At best, they answer the question "What?" But within your sense of "self" are the right answers.
The standard of care relies on answering the question "What?" so you can be put on a symptomatic (and often harmful) synthetic material that seems to make you feel better—at least for the short term. But we all want to enjoy a robust health span, right?
Who is your best doctor? Who can answer the key questions about your health? These questions are:
Why is my health not optimal?
How can I restore my health?
Your doctors—even your functional doctors—may not help you answer these questions if they rely on a myriad of tests that just answer "what?"
I've always been an advocate for health surveys. Yes, it's boring. It's not a scalar energy treatment or a med bed, or some other fancy treatment that has moved far away from what human health really is.
Surveys have their shortcomings. They can be impersonal, and people can "stretch the truth" due to fear that the truth will be used against them. However, in a world where you doctors look at a screen, but not you, at least this is an outlet to tell part of the story of your life and health.
I conducted a test of our health survey versus deep-dive labs. I had a group of 20 people run our chronic disease risk assessment (CDRA) and an extensive panel of labs. I then did a 1-hour health consult with each individual.
First, I ran down the entire survey and put together a plan based on their answers.
Then, I reviewed their labs using our science-based reference ranges.
Guess what? In all 20 cases, I almost made no changes to their plan. The labs added very little insight into "how" to restore/optimize their health. The exceptions were related to pathogen testing, which sometimes led to adding a specific treatment.
We demonize the standard of care, but even a stopped clock is right twice/day. Here is such an important instance. This article was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association!
"Participant‐Reported Health Status Predicts Cardiovascular and All‐Cause Mortality Independent of Established and Nontraditional Biomarkers: Evidence From a Representative US Sample"
Conclusions:
Self‐rated health provides prognostic information beyond that captured by
traditional ASCVD risk assessments and by
nontraditional CVD biomarkers. (fibrinogen, C‐reactive protein [CRP])
Consideration of self‐rated health in combination with traditional risk factors may facilitate risk assessment and clinical care.
Results:
a 1 standard deviation decrease in self‐rated health was associated with increased risk of CVD mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.92; 95% CI, 1.51–2.45; P<0.001),
HAZARD RATIO OF 1.92 MEANS A DOUBLING OF PREDICTING OUTCOMES!
and
this hazard remained strong after adjusting for ASCVD risk and nontraditional biomarkers (HR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.42–2.26; P<0.001).
THIS MEANS THE PERSON/PATIENT WAS RIGHT ABOUT THEIR HEALTH - GO FIGURE!
Self‐rated health also predicted all‐cause mortality even after adjustment for ASCVD risk and nontraditional biomarkers (HR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.35–1.66; P<0.001).
YES, YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE SICK - AND IT MANIFESTS INTO EARLY MORTALITY
Getting biomarkers and other tests into optimal ranges is important, but .....
HOW A PERSON FEELS IS MORE IMPORTANT TO THEIR DAILY LIVING - AND THEIR HEALTH AND LONGEVITY!
How do you obtain self-rated health?
Listen
Survey
Probe (based on survey)
Listen
You have all heart this quote and probably understand its meaning.
"The king is dead; long live the king!" is a traditional proclamation made following the accession of a new monarch in various countries. The seemingly contradictory phrase simultaneously announces the death of the previous monarch and asserts continuity by saluting the new monarch.
So surveying is DEAD (as is focusing on the person/patient) - LONG LIVE THE SURVEY!
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