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…

Tags: Menopause, Cardiovascular Disease, Estrogen, Progesterone, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Metabolic Health, Cortisol

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The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease is growing, now affecting 10% of people aged 65 and older. Two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s Disease are women, and African Americans and Hispanics are more likely to be affected than white Americans. Low serum BDNF levels have been observed in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, begging the question: what is the connection between BDNF and Alzheimer’s…

Tags: BDNF, Alzheimer's, Depression, Brain Health, Metabolic Health, Cardiovascular Disease, Hormone Balance, Mental Health

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Here in the Pacific Northwest we love talking about the sun! We grumble about it being hidden away behind heavy rain clouds for months at a time in the winter; we delight in the first breakthrough rays in the spring, realizing our pagan longing for it, watching, as if for the first time, as everything around us wakes up from a deep slumber; we marvel at its delightful, almost intoxicating warmth…

Tags: Vitamin D, Sleep, Depression, PMS and PMDD, Metabolic Health, Melatonin, Blood Spot Testing

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The diversity of the microbiome has profound implications for metabolic health. The micro-organisms that we host in our gastrointestinal tract maintain our gut integrity, break down complex carbohydrates to improve energy extraction from food, produce vitamins and minerals, aid in digestion and absorption, ferment dietary fibers and protect us against pathogens. Maintaining a delicate balance in…

Tags: Menopause, Estrogen Dominance, Metabolic Health, Weight Management, Microbiome

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Many times when I am talking to a practitioner about a patient with PCOS and/or weight issues, I commonly get the response – "His/her blood sugar is normal." However, when we are looking at the health of PCOS and weight-challenged patients, their insulin response is of primary importance, and not just their blood sugar. When we are fasting, both blood sugar and insulin levels should be at a steady…

Tags: Obesity, PCOS, Metabolic Health

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There’s a famous quote that strikes me as particularly appropriate for a conversation about stress. It speaks to what is most surprising about humanity: “Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present…

Tags: Hormone Balance, Weight Management, HPA Axis, Metabolic Health, Adrenal and Cortisol

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Weight management is a topic that generates a lot of questions. There are many contributing factors, and if diet and exercise haven't worked for you, there may be underlying causes to consider. Hormone imbalance is one of them, so I've answered 10 of the most frequently asked questions that arise when patients start to think about getting tested. Let's jump in...1. Why do postmenopausal women gain…

Tags: Weight Management, Hormone Balance, Patient Education, Metabolic Health, Estrogen Dominance, Menopause, Vitamin D

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Last week we discussed how shifting hormone levels can lead to fat storage. This week we continue the discussion on the link between hormones and weight gain. Chances are that many of your patients have never heard of insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome. And yet this cluster of conditions and symptoms has become synonymous in the medical literature with dramatically higher risks for diabetes…

Tags: Weight Management, Hormone Balance, Heart Health, Cardiovascular Disease, Metabolic Health

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