Brain health is important for overall longevity and quality of life. When one starts to experience memory loss or other forms of cognitive decline, it can be stressful. Early baseline assessment can be helpful to implementing prevention strategies. Conditions that may benefit from brain health testing include:

Alzheimer’s disease
Parkinson’s disease
Huntington’s disease
Lewy Body
VCI/Stroke
Fronto-temporal dementia
Brain metastasis
ALS
Sleep behavior disorder
Brain tumors
Multiple sclerosis
Head trauma/Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)/Concussions
Depression
Schizophrenia
Heart failure
Substance abuse
HIV
And more

The most common signs and symptoms of cognitive decline include:

You forget things more often.
You forget important events such as appointments or social engagements.
You lose your train of thought or the thread of conversations, books or movies.
You feel increasingly overwhelmed by making decisions, planning steps to accomplish a task or understanding instructions.
You start to have trouble finding your way around familiar environments.
You become more impulsive or show increasingly poor judgment.
Your family and friends notice any of these changes.
Depression
Irritability and aggression
Anxiety
Apathy

The principal risks of developing cognitive decline include:

Age & Genetics
Poor Lifestyle – Diet, Lack of Sleep, Stress, Smoking
Microbiome Imbalance
Autoimmunity
Type I: Chronic Inflammation
Type II: Atrophic: nutrient or hormone imbalances
Type III: Toxins: Excess Exposure: alcohol, chemicals, drugs,  medications, mercury dental fillings, microbes, excess consumption of fish at risk of heavy metal exposure

Your Naturopath or Nurse Practitioner will help assess which test is right for you, including an analysis of the most cost-efficient path of testing. We recommend a New Patient Visit with one of our Naturopathic Doctors for the most comprehensive approach to your health or a Pre-Lab Visit for a quick snapshot prior to lab testing as there are many tests available.  Lab testing alone is a one-dimensional picture of your health. The expertise of a health professional is required to create a three-dimensional picture for proper selection, and interpretation of lab testing. To complete your care we recommend booking your Post-Lab consult 2 weeks after testing to review your results and receive your tailored health plan.

Most of the integrative athletic performance testing is not offered under OHIP-based services from your medical doctor who is more focused on assessing disease. Our goal is to assess your health for optimal performance, long-term wellness, quick recovery, and the prevention of conditions including osteoarthritis that athletes may be at increased risk for due to the intensity and repetitive nature of their sport.

Third-party insurance companies may cover all or a portion of your consultations. The MUT and MUT+ may be covered under third party insurance plans under in-clinic tests. Most of the other integrative testing is not currently covered by private insurance companies. Please check with your individual provider for details and how to submit claims.

Your Revivelife clinician will review all findings and create a tailored plan for you based on what are the root causes of your cognitive imbalances. The use of tailored menus, nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, nootropics, (oral or IV), herbs, probiotics, prebiotics, sleep support, stress management, and or acupuncture that promote healing is often advised. Targeted therapy may include vitamin D, as low levels have been linked to a reduction in cognitive function and the development of dementia.1 A study found that older adults who had blood levels of vitamin D less than 20 nanograms per mL lost their memory and other cognitive abilities faster than those with normal vitamin D levels.2 We recommend a New Patient Visit for the most comprehensive approach to your health or a Pre-Lab Visit for a quick snapshot before lab testing and a Post-Lab consult to review your results and receive your tailored health plan. To book an appointment click here.

Miller JW, Harvey DJ, Beckett LA, et al, Vitamin D Status and Rates of Cognitive Decline in a Multiethnic Cohort of Older Adults, JAMA Neurol. 2015 Nov;72 (11): 1295-303.
Sommer I, Griebler U, Kien C, et al, Vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis, BMC Geriatr. 2017;17:16.