Measuring Blood Health

Throughout the years, I've met many people who have overcome disease. Some have used the HHI principles, and others have not. What I have found is that there is more than one answer when it comes to healing. A person must find out what works best for them on an individual basis.

So the question is: How do you know if what you are doing with your diet and health program is working for you? The reply I often hear is, "Because I feel good." The problem with that answer is how we feel can be very deceiving because the body has an amazing power to adapt to its environment and diet. I know many people who eat an unhealthy diet but feel great. Yes, it can and often does catch up with them later in life. "Feeling good" should always be carefully considered in regards to health. However, I have found that there are more important factors to consider when determining whether what we are doing is working for us. These factors include: sleep, digestion, stress, blood work, etc. All of these are important, but to me the most significant factor that determines whether the healing methods are working is the blood.

The blood is the messenger of the body. It tells us what's happening and helps us monitor our progress in our health journey. One issue, though, is that many doctors do not understand how to properly read blood test results. Another issue is that not all laboratories use the same methods to achieve their results. Both these issues can leave a person very confused, and, even worse, they can give them a false idea of what is really happening.

Averages for blood tests are usually sampled from the general public, not just "healthy people." Let's say a healthy raw foodist takes a blood test and appears to be low in a certain vitamin. It is possible that everyone who was sampled to obtain this "healthy average" was eating an unhealthy diet, resulting in a skewed measurement. The healthy raw foodist?s sample may be okay, or they may actually be too low in this vitamin. How does a person know?

It is important to search and find a doctor or professional who understands a healthy diet versus an unhealthy diet and can translate the blood tests correctly. There aren't many people out there, but I've been blessed to find several doctors and specialists who understand these factors. I list them on my website www.paulnison.com. I am a very big advocate of blood testing and I understand how important it is to have the right person interpret the results. Please do not just let any doctor look at the paper and potentially misinterpret your results. There is more to the big picture.

The laboratories often use different averages to decide what a "normal" range is. It is important and helpful to study, understand and be consistent in where you get your blood work done.

For me personally, I was blessed to find Dr. Schandl in Hollywood, Florida: www.americanmetaboliclaboratories.net. I conducted a lot of research to find a reliable doctor, and I have not found a better test than the Complete Longevity Blood Test that Dr. Schandl put together to monitor my health.

The most basic blood test can be a waste of money and time because they test for so little. The more testing you can do, the better chance you have at obtaining the most accurate results. I think Dr. Schandl's Complete Longevity Blood Test is a great example of a complete blood profile to help people see the bigger picture.

As a health consultant, I am often asked about the different raw food institutes, retreats and healing centers around the world. What sets Hippocrates Wellness (HHI) apart from the rest is that they test blood work for every guest upon arrival and also during the final week of their three-week stay. Another great benefit is lifelong, periodic written counsel for Hippocrates alumni who wish to send their blood results to the institute for analysis, free of charge.

So what results will you obtain from your blood test? Having blood work done is a great start to know exactly what nutrients you are missing and what nutrients are being absorbed.

Whole, raw foods are the best way to get most nutrients. The problem is most foods today, even the typical raw vegan foods, can be lacking in vital nutrients. This means even those eating a well-rounded raw food diet probably need supplementation with whole food supplements to make up for what the diet is lacking.

The best supplements are whole foods made into a whole food supplement. The difference between whole food that you eat and whole food supplements is that the food being used to make the supplement is usually of a higher potency than the food most people are able to buy at their local grocery store. The supplement form is also dense, allowing it to deliver some of the nutrients more easily into the system. Supplements can play a big role in healing.

I see too many people just taking supplements without any knowledge of what they actually need. In my opinion, besides a few essential supplements that will help everyone, most people should get blood work done before taking supplements. This will save time, money and maybe even your health.

It is important to note most supplements in the health stores today are unnatural, a waste of money, and in some cases even harmful. I recommend everyone read Brian Clement's book called Supplements Exposed.

Once you are on a healthy diet and supplement program, wait about six months to get another blood test to see how things are working. If you are healthy and have no known issues, then blood testing once a year should be sufficient. However, if you discover an issue or a health problem, you should get tested more often based on your individual needs.

There are no mistakes in nature, and the blood is another great example of the many tools we have to monitor our health. The blood is a sure way to read your nutritional levels and make sure your needs are met, so make sure you do not neglect it.