December 2011

If your cortisol levels are not within optimal range, you are likely to have troubles with:

1.  Excess Abdominal Fat — Relative to all other fat storage sites in your body.  This is best done with a BioSignature Practioner

2.  Chronic Fatigue

3.  Anxiety

How to get your adrenals tested should you have any of the above three problems:

In my clinic, I give my clients a saliva test kit they can do at home.  Saliva is very accurate for testing cortisol levels and adrenal function.  Blood tests for adrenal and cortisol function are only appropriate for ruling out clinical conditions like Addisons Disease, Cushings Syndrome or an adrenal tumor/pituitary tumor.  For those with chronic fatigue, anxiety or excess abdominal fat, you’ll simply want a saliva test kit.

Below are preparations and procedures of typical saliva testing kits so you can see what cortisol testing involves:

Your test kit will look something like (see image below)

Before you start your collection prodedure, carefully follow the protocols listed below (per BioHealth Diagnostics Laboratory)

1.  Do not drink coffee, tea or caffeinated drinks

2.  Do not take any sublingual (under the tongue products)

3.  Do not eat or drink anything except water for 1 hour before collection

4.  Do not brush or floss your teeth for 1 hour before collection

5.  Collect your saliva samples on what you consider to be a typical day for you (normal workday)

6.   If you are currently taking sublingual hormones, you may take the sublingual orally by doubling the dosage and taking it in water.  This option should be reviewed by your health care professional.

Collection Procedure:

Collect your saliva during the following 4 time periods:

1.  Morning, between 6:00 am – 8:00 am

2.  Noon hour, between 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

3.  Late afternoon, between 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

4.  Nighttime, between 10:00 pm – 12:00 am

• Label the plastic capped vials with the stickers that are included (see image below)

Before collecting each sample, rinse your mouth with cold water and wait 2 minutes before expressing saliva.  If necessary, you may chew sugarless gum to stimulate salivation.  Do not fill vials with throat clearings.

Fill vials a minimum of 3 ml, excluding foam.  Cap vials tightly and insert into biohazard bag.  (See image below)

Shipping is very easy if you are using either BioHealth or Diagnostechs Laboratories:

Insert the return box into the FedEx Clinical Pack (included in your test kit) and then place the billable stamp on the outside of the pack and include the test submittal form (see image below)

If you have central obesity, chronic fatigue and or anxiety, it is important to routinely check your cortisol levels.  Results from cortisol testing will help your health practitioner come up with lifestyle, nutrition and supplementation strategies to bring your cortisol levels to optimal ranges.

Those whom are local and wish to have this test performed an interpreted, feel free to inquire/contact us.  If you are a reader of our blog and have questions, comments are welcome!

Below is a sitemap of my other articles on adrenal fatigue:

http://siliconvalleyfit.com/excess-or-deficient-cortisol/

http://siliconvalleyfit.com/protocols-for-low-cortisol-and-adrenal-exhaustion/

http://siliconvalleyfit.com/protocols-for-low-cortisol-and-adrenal-exhaustion-stage-2-and-3/

http://siliconvalleyfit.com/yet-another-case-study-of-adrenal-fatigue/

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Weight Loss, Rehabilitation, Nutrition and Fitness Services.  Adrenal Fatigue Treatment Expert Adin Smith

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