It is estimated that about 80% of all of the body’s immune defenses—the white blood cells—are located in the intestinal tract. These white blood cells are like the bouncers at a club. Their job is to allow all of the good guys into the body—the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids, for example—and to block all the bad guys at the door—the bacteria, toxins, and yeast, for example. The job of these white blood cell bouncers is made easier by the barrier set up by the cells of the intestinal lining itself. The cells of the intestinal lining are connected...

At the Care Group, it is our mission to guide you on your journey to health. In functional medicine, we tend to do more testing than our traditional colleagues. Labs add valuable information, which allows us to pinpoint specific problem areas and guide treatment recommendations. We have created customized testing panels for our patients. One extensive profile is called the Wellness Overview Panel, which provides valuable information about your health including nutrient status, inflammation, blood sugar balance, heart health, liver and kidney function, thyroid status, celiac genes, and more. There are other specific tests that can be added to the Wellness Overview...