Your Blood Picture • Observing Free Radical Activity
If you’re ever done any kind of health protocol, therapy or treatment plan you’ve probably asked yourself, “ But is this actually working?” Sometimes we feel better with these treatments and sometimes the difference is so minute it’s hard to tell. When we invest time and money into anything, we want to know what we’re doing is working. Of all the testing I’ve done, having my blood picture taken has probably been the simplest, cheapest and most encouraging.
A blood picture is a test devised to observe free radical activity in the body. Free radicals are highly destructive substances that contribute to many diseases. This test is used to monitor the success of the treatment and as a visual aid for the patient.
The blood pictures shows you the level of toxins you have in your blood which in turn reflects the health of your organs and your body. It also tells you that the doctor’s treatment plan is in fact working and those supplements and diet changes you’ve implemented are paying off.
A few drops from the earlobe are put on a microscope slide, which is put under a microscope, magnified by 200 and then a picture is taken. A photo is taken at each follow-up appointment.
Voilà! So simple.
This photo was taken on Feb 19, 2015. I had already been doing an Ayurvedic treatment for about one year at the point and had eliminated quite a few inflammatory foods (dairy, shellfish, read meat, spicy foods, among many others). This photo was taken just as I’m about to begin a gut healing and heavy metal detoxification plan. This included eliminating more foods like gluten and chocolate and implementing a serious supplements regime. I know, what’s left to eat? The yellow represents free radicals which includes yeast and toxins.
This photo was taken a year later and shows about a 90 percent improvement. I continued with his protocols to heal my gut and remove heavy metals.
This photo was taken a few weeks ago, February 27, 2018 and shows some smaller amounts of free radicals as I continue to detoxify heavy metals from my body.
I first saw Dr. Matsen with the intention of only wanting to heal my fibroadenomas and tumor. I thought everything else worked fine. Wrong! Little did I know, you can’t expect to heal one part of your body without healing it as a whole. Symptoms manifested in one area (like fibroadenomas) are often a sign of a greater imbalance (poor gut health, poor hormonal balance, poor nutrient absorption, high levels of heavy metals and so on). Everything is connected and should be treated as such. I’ve spent the past several years learning how to heal my gut, balance my hormones, reduce my stress, support my thyroid, maintain proper nutrient levels, and how all systems are connected. Being deficient in one nutrient, like zinc, can create imbalances pretty quickly. Unfortunately, few healthcare practitioners look at our bodies as a whole integrated system and treat it as such. It’s worth looking around until you do find someone who practices this approach. Functional medicine and naturopathy have been two areas where I’ve experienced this approach.
Many of these protocols require patience and perseverance. Seeing your results in a photo can breath new life into your healing journey. I can’t recommend this test enough. To actually witness my body heal has been incredibly powerful and has given me renewed encouragement and motivation to keep going. If you’re struggling in your own journey for health and wellness and need a boost, ask your healthcare practitioner if this is something they can do for you. Some of the simplest tools can have the largest impacts.
Tools
Naturopath
Dr. Matsen over at North Shore Naturopathic Clinic is who I’ve been working with in North Vancouver and who offers this test.