The Assessment Process
An integrated, personalised approach to health and stress management needs to
address underlying causes rather than suppress symptoms. The process begins with
accurate individual assessment - using both your subjective reports of symptoms
and objective measures.
York Mind-Body Health uses a range of scientific assessment tools. Clearly not
all tools are relevant in every case.
Office-Based Assessment Tools
- Capnometry - assesses breathing.
- Heart Rate Variability Analysis - this method assesses the
balance in the Autonomic Nervous System, or the balance between the
"fight-or-flight" response and the "rest-and-digest" response - very important
in stress.
- EEG Assessment - looks for patterns within the EEG (brainwaves)
that correlate with symptoms. For example a common marker for depression is a
difference between the left and right sides of the brain, seen in the alpha
and/or beta bands.
- Pulse Wave Analysis - commonly used in hospitals, this method
sends a beam of light through the finger and can estimate the status of the
cardiovascular system.
- Bio-impedance - estimates body composition and tissue status.
Laboratory Testing
I have accounts with several leading private laboratories. Lab tests can assess a
wide range of physiological parameters such as:
- Digestive function
- Cellular metabolic function (energy production)
- Nutritional status (e.g. amino acids, omega 3 and 6 status)
- Hormone levels, e.g. thyroid, adrenal hormones such as cortisol (the most
important stress hormone)
- Detoxification status
- Inflammation markers, blood sugar status, oxidative stress, and more.
Hair Mineral Analysis is an example of an inexpensive lab test that can tell us a
lot about the body's stress response - see box.
The body's response to stress progresses through various stages. The
early or acute stage is characterised by the well-known "fight-or-flight"
response. But if stress is prolonged, the body's efforts to adapt can have
harmful effects, eventually resulting in the exhaustion stage.
Hair Mineral Analysis is a low-cost, simple laboratory test that can
show how stress is affecting your body. These charts show the relative balance
between tha major minerals found in the hair (as in all body tissues) - Calcium
(Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Sodium (Na) and Potassium (K).
The left hand chart shows an example of the acute stage. Sodium and
potassium levels are very high while calcium and magnesium are relatively low.
In the right hand chart we see almost the opposite: calcium has gone off the
scale while sodium and potassium are relatively low. This person has reached the
exhaustion stage.
© Copyright Glyn Blackett York Mind-Body Health, The Biocentre, York Science Park, York YO10 5NY 01904 435 267