Right now we have access to a host of testing that is able to give us insight into why we suffer from various chronic diseases. And that is of course really amazing. I am talking about testing stuff related to toxic load i.e. pesticides, chemicals, heavy metals, mycotoxins, bacteria imbalances, microbiome, genes and so forth.
However, the question is always WHAT are we not testing for today (and thus largely going undetected, undiagnosed and untreated).
Following are the parameters I foresee will play a big impact in the near future once wee begin to figure out ways to measure how a person is impacted by them.
This is especially true when it comes to figuring out causes of adrenal/chronic fatigue, stress, insomnia and stubborn issues still left unresolved by today’s methods.
Biofilm: a hugely overlooked factor both by nutritionists and doctors alike. If we do not treat biofilm, we can’t treat the bacterial issues inside the biofilms. This means our treatment methods just doesn’t reach the predators cause we are not breaking down the protective wall they have built around them. 80% of bacterial and fungal issues will create biofilm and we should include treatment for this, as testing is not yet a possibility for biofilm. (1,2)
Halogenic chemicals: such a bromide, chlorine, fluoride. We talk a lot about avoiding these substances in our drinking water and even toothpaste. Yet it becomes very tricky to figure out just how much these things play a burden, when we can’t measure them. Once supplementing with iodine, this will typically cause a foul-smelling detox reaction that indicates the person is detoxing bromide (mostly an issue in The States as bromide is not yet widespread in Europe). The other toxins don’t really smell, so difficult to figure out whether a person is suffering from toxicity due to fluoride and chlorine. Regardless, this will be a future hot-spot, as we deal with exposure of these chemicals from so many places and they affect thyroid function. Low thyroid is epidemic today. (3)
EMF load: the science is out there that it is not harmless. EMFs impact our immune system,, making us more susceptible to viruses, bacteria and biotoxins, and also potentiate the virulence of those pathogens. However, we can’t yet measure the impact on an individual level, which is key to understand how our own issues might be caused by EMFs - especially when it comes to all things related to hormones, mental health, reproductivity and insomnia. (4)
Vibrational imbalance: earthing is no longer just for the hippies. Humans are vibrational beings, and we know that earthing or our disconnect from same, plays an impact in inflammation. The research suggests that this disconnect may be a major contributor to physiological dysfunction. Reconnection with the Earth's electrons has been found to promote physiological changes and well-being. What we need is better understanding of how much is needed for optimal health, how to best implement it, and a measurement tool to see where each one of us stands (5).
Timing/Chronobiology: there is a perfect time for everything, and this varies slightly for males and females. Understanding our body’s inner clock and how that relates to the release of neurotransmitters, hormones, blood sugar fluctuations, digestive enzymes is key to optimize muscle gain, fatburn, sports performance and mental clarity. It is not simply what we do, but when we do it, which makes all the difference. There is much science supporting the theory of chronobiology, what we need might be more details on individual differences, yet if we follow basic Ayurvedic principles, this will help us with aligning our life according to “the science of perfect timing”. (6)
Vagus nerve resetting: breath-work is the best way we currently have to work on this. When we have more dialed in treatments for this, this will be huge. Especially cos everybody is dealing with a degree of stress and being too much in the sympathetic nervous system these days. Worth noting is that our body cannot detox properly, if we are in fight-or-flight mode. So all our healthy eating and expensive supplements can’t outweigh lack of stress management. (7)
Regarding future advances in testing methods, I have been using mass spectrometry for the last decade in addition to standard lab testing.
This method is currently becoming more widespread and used at top-notch Swiss clinics and by many of the pioneers in biotoxin treatment incl. Dr. Klinghardt. I am convinced we will see mass spectrometry utilized to a much larger degree, as this non-invasive and precise test-method is offering unsurpassed ways of getting a clinical picture with no waiting around for labs to get back.
And then there is all the stuff about peptides for pain mangement, repurposed drugs, stem cells (to regrow damaged teeth not to be missed), nootropics, psychedelics for trauma work, eating seasonally and cycling carbs/protein/fat naturally and so forth. The future is the end for one-size-fits-all nonsense diets, and more and more science supporting time-tested ancient wisdom from Ayurvedic traditions. Using our common sense will be back in fashion, and some of us wonder, how did it ever get out of fashion.
1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6312881/
2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4930275/
3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6309358/
4) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3344267/
5) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3265077/
6) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3553574/
7) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553141/