Do you really need all those expensive labs? 💸

In the world of holistic, root cause care, it’s easy to feel like healing your hormones or gut health has to start with a cart full of lab tests.

You’ve probably seen the Instagram posts or heard from a friend - DUTCH test. GI-MAP. Mold. Mycotoxins. Food sensitivity panels. SIBO breath test. Hair mineral analysis...

Suddenly you’re $2,000 in — and still don’t feel any better. EEEEKK!! Hate that for you!

Here’s the truth I want my patients to know and for you to know - labs are tools and are certainly NOT the whole picture. It’s just as snapshot of your health on the particular day that you take the lab. Not to mention, there are factors that affect that specific test regardless if its a cool, fun, sexy, hip functional lab panel or a simple blood draw. Like what did you eat days prior to the test? Did you recently take any medications or even supplements that might affect the test results? Did you take the test on the proper day of the month (mainly referring to hormone panels)? How did you sleep the night before the test was taken?

Don’t get me wrong..functional tests can be SO valuable and are fun to go over! Yes I use functional lab testing in my practice and I absolutely find value in them when appropriate.

But more testing isn’t always the answer. It’s often the right counseling based on the person in front of me. And often times, we always go back to the basics - nutrition, digestion, detoxification, movement, stress management, sleep.

You deserve answers — not overwhelm.

When a provider relies only on labs without asking the right questions about your symptoms, lifestyle, and history… something gets missed.

I’ve seen women come to me with stacks of test results, still confused and frustrated.
Why? Because the data was never connected to a meaningful plan.

In reality, your story — not just your labs — tells me the most about what’s going on in your body.

When labs help… and when they don’t.

I do recommend targeted labs in my practice when:

• Your symptoms are complex and persistent

• We’ve already addressed foundational issues

• There are signs of hidden infections, hormone resistance, or nutrient depletions

But before that, most women benefit more from a few smart steps:

• Stabilizing blood sugar

• Building muscle

• Supporting sleep and circadian rhythm

• Calming the nervous system

• Improving gut motility and liver detox pathways

If your body is struggling, the most advanced test in the world won’t matter until your foundations are solid.

Start with what matters most.

You don’t need to drain your savings account to get answers.

If you’ve been told that expensive testing is your only way forward — take a breath. You might not need more data. You might just need someone to help you connect the dots.

That’s what I do.

At Balance & Bloom Functional Medicine, I combine real conversations, personalized care, and selective lab testing (only when it’s helpful!) to help women restore their health in a way that actually works in the real world.

💬 Ready to figure out what’s actually going on?

➡️ Book a free 30 min consultation and let’s talk about how functional medicine works.

You don’t need another lab.

You need a plan that makes sense — and support that works.