The ZRT Laboratory Blog

Having just entered my forties, my radar’s perked for solid information coming out of the research community on the perimenopausal transition. What can I do to make this 10 or so years of transition useful and even helpful to the future postmenopausal me? As women, we’re no strangers to functioning in some level of consistent discomfort – whether cycle-related, birth control related, pregnancy or…

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The decision to start a regimen of iodine supplementation should be based on a detailed nutritional, physical, and laboratory assessment. Once the need is established, some clinicians go straight for supraphysiologic dosing while others may implement a diet rich in sea vegetables to get the job done. How do you decide where to start? The first step is understanding the different supplement forms…

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I’m excited to do this practical piece on iodine therapy because I field a lot of questions on the matter of assessing iodine status, implementing the right iodine supplement, and monitoring that therapy. Iodine performs some crucial roles in the body, but it never acts alone. Therefore, to assess iodine deficiency, it’s imperative to test iodine and its partners - selenium, iron, magnesium, zinc,…

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Gamma-aminobutyric acid, better known as GABA, is the neurotransmitter known for its affinity for GABA receptors throughout the central nervous system (CNS). It acts to inhibit excitatory processes – whether they be normal or pathological. It's synthesized from the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate in a process that requires vitamin B6 as a cofactor. The delicate balance in the brain between…

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Amidst all the hullabaloo about norovirus in the Olympic village, doping in the Russian curling community, and wipeouts of truly epic proportions, the 2018 Games have certainly elevated the entertainment quotient. Norway quietly tops the list for Olympic medals in Pyeongchang this year and as a team, has steadily stepped up their game every 4 years since 2010 which for me raises the question: What…

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The practice of placentophagy – a woman consuming her placenta after she gives birth – is a bit of a hot topic these days. For those of you not familiar with the practice, if you're imagining the Dothraki queen devouring the giant, bleeding heart of a horse with her bare hands, you're probably not alone. In reality, there's much less of a "yuck" factor associated with the process when consuming an…

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It feels like winter is officially looming now that we’ve all turned our clocks back and the days are getting shorter. In the Pacific Northwest, this also brings darkness and rain for many months and for some of us, it brings seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Whether or not symptoms of SAD eclipse your normal disposition, there’s a good chance the sun's vacation this time of year will affect four…

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One of ZRT's most popular tests includes diurnal assessment of a patient's salivary cortisol levels. On the surface, these tests seem easy enough to interpret, but experienced clinicians know there can sometimes be pitfalls. Patients testing cortisol in a clinical setting may take undisclosed medications, live under stressful conditions, have inflammation, genetic variations, tumors, and diseases.…

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“Our sons were both diagnosed with ADHD by kindergarten. More than just dealing with the disciplinary and academic issues at school, my husband and I struggled to maintain a productive and nurturing household with the kids having regular meltdowns and outbursts. Our ability to connect with them became compromised. We were at our wits’ end considering medications and home school. We agonized over…

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We're in a new year now and it seems like everyone's weighing in on the 5 or 10 or 20 things you and I should be doing to improve our health and wellness this year. It is January, after all, and it’s time to start setting priorities. There are tons of great ideas out there! Here are my top 5 for 2017. If you want to improve brain health, you need to make sure it gets enough oxygen, nutrition, and…

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