Introduction

I'm Ajay, a seasoned Personal Trainer with over a decade of experience working with busy professionals in London and Hong Kong. I've witnessed firsthand the undeniable link between optimised health and success in achieving our goals. In the last two years, I've delved into Functional Medicine, combining it with my expertise to help clients with complex health complaints achieve results they once thought impossible. 

In this post, I'll break down the problems related to conventional health testing, and introduce you to the game-changer, Functional Blood Analysis (FBA), and explain why it's crucial for anyone striving for peak performance and optimal health.

When it comes to your health, don’t settle for average. Break free from the ‘norm’ and read on to see how Functional Medicine can elevate your health and performance. 

Background

We've invested time and effort into improving our health through sleep, nutrition, and various health-tracking & trendy ‘biohacking’ methods. Yet, one underappreciated tool has been right in front of us for decades: our regular blood chemistry.

Your Complete Blood Count (CBC) and Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) are the key to unlocking your true potential.

Blood Panel Overview

When you get your bloods tested, here’s what it looks like. 

1. Your CBC looks at your red (RBC) and white (WBC) blood cells with their differentials

2. Your RBCs responsible for carrying oxygen around the body to create energy and support other bodily functions

3. Your WBCs for assessing your immune response to fight off infections from bacteria, viruses, fungi and other foreign invaders.

Optimising these factors not only boosts overall health but sets the stage for peak performance and resilience against illness and injury.

What Happens if your results are suboptimal? 

If your RBCs are out of range, or the cells themselves are impaired, then your energy levels won’t be as good as they could be. 

If your WBCs are out of range, this could mean that you’re poorly equipped to recover from illness, or even from training, which is also a stress on your body that it has to recover from.

Perhaps worse than that, if certain types of WBCs are out of range, referring to Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, Monocytes, Eosinophils, and Basophils, it could mean that your body is already trying to fight some low level chronic infection, that not only impacts these factors already mentioned, but also comes with a whole host of downstream negative effects on your health and performance.

The CMP dives deep into blood sugar management, kidney and liver function, cardiovascular health, and electrolyte balance, offering a comprehensive snapshot of your body's inner workings. Some clinics go even further, providing insights into thyroid function and iron levels, giving you a more complete understanding of your health.

To make sure no stone gets left unturned, I usually issue a letter with the full list of relevant markers when sending a client to a doctor for their blood panel.

As I said, this routine blood test has been used around the world for decades, since the mid-20th century, BUT the value taken from it in general practice is far short of the value it actually offers us. This comes down to the reference ranges and the medical approach used to make an analysis.

Redefining health assessment: Conventional vs. Functional

Conventional medicine often views health through a narrow lens, focusing on individual aspects in isolation. Reference ranges are based on local population averages, which might indicate 'disease-free', but falls well short of 'optimal health'. This can create a false sense of security, potentially leading to unrecognised health risks.

These ranges are far and wide, and you’re generally only alerted to an area of your health if you fall out of these ranges far enough. Following this, the usual approach is focused on simply addressing symptoms related to that particular area, without considering the bodily systems involved and identifying the root-cause.

There’s little to no guidance on exercise or nutrition, specifically the nutrients involved in the abnormalities of health presented.

Functional Medicine embraces a holistic approach, recognising the intricate web of our bodily systems. Reference ranges are refined and updated to reflect true optimization. This shift in focus empowers us to maximise our quality of life.

Functional Medicine also uses the advances of modern medicine to a fuller capacity. The reference ranges used are narrower, and more up-to-date, being based on what’s known to be optimal.

This changes the focus from your “proximity to disease”, to “maximising your potential and quality of life”.

The blood markers assessed are viewed collectively to identify patterns that then relate to that collection of systems.

 A holistic approach addressing nutritional deficiencies, exercise and lifestyle in more detail for the individual, is then used to address root-cases of suboptimal health, reserving more invasive medical interventions for only when absolutely necessary.

The Key Takeaway: Proactive vs. Reactive

While both approaches have their merits, there's a time and place for each. In emergencies, conventional care shines with its swift reactions.

However, when it comes to long-term health and peak performance, Functional Medicine takes the lead. It empowers us to be proactive, to take charge of our health, and minimise risks while maximising potential.

Embark on Your Journey to Optimal Health

Ready to unlock your full potential? Schedule an appointment with your physician for a regular blood panel, and bring the results to a Functional Health Practitioner. Together, we'll chart a personalised roadmap to elevated health and performance.

Exclusively for readers of Physiologics blogs, I am offering a free 60 min consult to answer all your questions related to functional blood analysis and how it could help you get one step closer to optimal health. 

Click the button below to book your time slot! 

About the Author

Ajay is a seasoned health & fitness coach who’s dedicated the last decade to helping his clients on their journey towards better health. Known for his dedication to continuing education and development in his field, he has ventured into the world of functional medicine to complement his established service offerings, elevating the results his clients are achieving. 

If you feel like your current health habits aren’t improving certain aspects of your health, contact Ajay at ajay@ap-personaltraining.com or go to his website https://www.ap-personaltraining.com/ to get started on a guided path to optimised health and well being.