Kamloops Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. Kayla Ruschkowski, ND is trained to focus on disease prevention. It's even one of the principles of naturopathic medicine!
Preventive medicine first involves understanding your health history, identifying risk factors for disease, and completing relevant physical exams and lab work. Preventive treatment strategies include optimizing diet and lifestyle, nutrient status, and when possible using gentle treatment options first (such as botanical medicine) to treat the underlying cause of symptoms.
Kamloops Naturopathic Doctor, Kayla Ruschkowski, ND can recommend strategies for health optimization without running lab work; however, in many cases lab work offers information to create a better personalized treatment plan. For example, suboptimal B12 or Vitamin D levels can be easily corrected, which can result in better energy and mood. Using labs, insulin resistance can be identified at an early stage so that a person has the best chance of reversing it and preventing type II diabetes. Some cardiovascular risk assessment labs, such as a cholesterol panel and a diabetes screening test, are recommended at regular intervals depending on a person's risk factors and age. Kamloops Naturopathic Doctor, Kayla Ruschkowski, ND is a primary care provider that is trained to interpret these screening tests, and refer when needed.
LifeLabs offers lab panels geared towards preventative health. They are called the Healthy Living Assessment and Enhanced Healthy Living Lab Assessment. The panels offer an extensive way test health markers related to a variety of body systems. Kamloops Naturopathic Doctor, Kayla Ruschkowski, ND often recommends these panels to people wanting to work towards preventive health and health optimization because the information gained from these labs guides a personalized, effective treatment plan.
It is a great time of year to consider lab assessments, because as we head into the colder months, Vitamin D levels are dropping. By testing Vitamin D in the late fall we can create a dosing strategy to prevent deficiency throughout the Winter months.
If you would like to discuss preventive health, lab testing, or any questions about naturopathic medicine, see the link book a free 15-minute consultation with Kamloops Naturopathic Doctor, Kayla Ruschkowski, ND.
