All of our bodily processes are supported in large part by the miraculous symphony of biochemical pathways which support growth, development, digestion, and all organ system function. Vitamins and minerals are of utmost importance to our health. They function chiefly as drivers of enzymatic processes in the body. Enzymes are the biologically active proteins which convert one biochemical from one form (substrate) into another form (product).
Traditional medicine looks routinely at a small number of vitamin and mineral levels. Whether you are challenged by disease, or don’t feel as well as you would like to or are simply interested in optimizing prevention, nutritional factors may be at play other than those which are commonly assessed.
Dr. Cooke uses both standard and complementary lab tests for nutritional assessment. As always, a thorough history and examination form the basis for the initial evaluation. Some common suspects which contribute to degenerative disease include suboptimal B-vitamin levels, low vitamin D, or low red blood cell Magnesium, among many others. One patient was able to significantly reduce her antihypertensive medication dose when we found that red blood cell magnesium was low and replaced her accordingly. Another experienced noticeable improvement in energy simply by boosting vitamin D.