Unique Care
How Is Functional / Precision Medicine Different?
Our North Raleigh practice looks at whole-body systems to find the underlying cause of ill-health. Genetic testing, muscle testing and lab work, including blood, stool, urine and saliva tests are used in diagnosing. Dr. Carrick’s goal is to help patients reach an optimal level of energy, mental clarity and immune-system strength. She uses strategic nutritional supplements and probiotics (good bacteria) to give the body what it needs to heal itself.
In-Office Testing
Quintessential Applications of Applied Kiniseology (muscle testing): prioritizes what should be done with a patient first, next and last. Providing neurological information from the excitation and inhibition of neural pathways, QA helps to narrow areas of dysfunction and to avoid too-general lab tests. Dr. Wally H. Schmitt: “Muscle testing is an important tool in the decision-making process of what to do for a patient when confronted with a number of different alternatives.”
Menlascan: uses biosensor and LED tech to reveal problems before they develop into pathology. A helpful predictor of future heart, circulatory and lymphatic difficulty, the menlascan reveals reduced blood flow to the brain and other organs and the amount of extracellular water present.
In-Depth Lab Testing Available
- Organic Acids Test: reveals yeast, bacterial overgrowth; high oxalate levels; mold exposure; poor mitochondrial function
- GI Stool Test: looks at overall gut health, such as digestive enzymes, immune response, inflammation, hyper-permeability, bacterial imbalance and parasites
- Comprehensive Food Allergy & Sensitivity Testing: a more in-depth test than many allergists use; measures both IgA and IgG immune reactions to either 90 or 150 different foods
- Comprehensive Female Hormone Testing: helpful for anyone who is menopausal or suspects she is in peri-menopause; for those with difficult or irregular menstrual cycles; and for women whose symptoms may point to a hormonal imbalance
- Array 11: shows if environmental chemicals are affecting immune system
- Urine Test for Environmental Toxins: shows what toxins are worse for you
- Immune System Pathogen-Related Test: shows what molds, viruses are affecting you
- Immune System Latent -Antigen Test: reveals if personal-care products (shampoo, etc.) and environmental chemicals are making you sick
- Multiple Autoimmune Reactivity Screen: measures predictive antibodies for autoimmune conditions
- Genetic Testing: reveals genetic variants, such as those that affect homocysteine metabolism. Homocysteine can predict the length of your life. Dr. Carrick has been trained to interpret nutritional needs based on a patient’s genetic variants. For more information, see:
- gettoknownyourDNA.com
PROBLEMS WITH DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER TESTS: Online health tests sent directly to a person’s home, with no doctor involved, are convenient but fail to reveal a condition’s cause or the action to correct it. If iron is low, why? Is it from internal bleeding, heavy periods, or cancer? Dr. Carrick would know what the next steps should be.
Also, some online companies don’t provide reliable data. One company advertised testing the health of a person’s microbiome (ratio of good-to-bad bacteria); but dog excrement was used as the standard for measuring what healthy microbiome for people should be. This was shocking. By contrast, dr. Carrick uses professional labs with a proven track record and is careful in determining what test would be truly helpful.
In-Office Treatment
FREQUENCY-SPECIFIC MIROCURRENT (FSM): a drug-free therapy for patients who have chronic pain (see PAIN in the Menu). FSM is very beneficial for foot and neck pain and helps the vagus nerve to function normally.
PHARMACEUTICAL-GRADE SUPPLEMENTS: may be used when needed, for a period of time; but the goal is for the body to heal to the point where diet and a healthy lifestyle supply what is needed.
DETOXIFICATION DONE RIGHT: not a one-size-fits-all process; everyone is exposed to different toxins and has a different physiology. A detox diet may do more harm than good without proper testing first. Dr. Carrick tests to determine what particular toxins (black mold, mercury, pesticides, etc.) needs to be eliminated and then re-tests to make sure this has been done.
Why is Detoxing Helpful?
Toxins increase the risk for chronic illness, like diabetes. Arsenic keeps the pancreas from making insulin; and other toxins—such as phthalates and BPA (bisphenol A)—block insulin receptors in cells. The body recognizes some toxic compounds and clears them, but unnatural compounds can’t be cleared naturally. Organic Pollutants may take decades to clear. One example is DDT, banned in 1972 but still measurable in every person alive today, as well as polar bears in the Arctic.