The Power of Prevention: Nutrient Testing Benefits for Both Patients and Caregivers

By Dr. Michelle Niesley, ND, MS, FABNO, Chief Executive Officer, and Karen Moore, MLT (CSMLS), Bio-Center Laboratory Manager

In an era where healthcare often focuses on treating disease after it appears, a revolutionary approach is gaining recognition: understanding and optimizing your body’s nutritional foundation before problems arise. At Riordan Clinic, the Check Your Health (CYH) program represents a fundamental shift from reactive to proactive healthcare, empowering individuals to take control of their wellness journey through comprehensive nutrient testing.

Supporting the Caregivers

Healthcare discussions often focus on patients, but Laboratory Manager Karen Moore, MLT (CSMLS), highlights a frequently overlooked population: caregivers. “While we provide excellent integrative care for patients with cancer and other diseases, we are also a resource for those who care for them. Caregivers often neglect their own health, leading to burnout or health issues of their own.”

The physical and emotional demands of caregiving can deplete nutritional reserves, compromise immune function, and increase stress hormone levels. Caregivers need to prioritize their own well-being so they can keep being there for their loved ones. Check Your Health testing can monitor how well they are taking care of themselves.

This perspective recognizes that caring for others requires caring for yourself first. When caregivers maintain their own nutritional foundation, they have the energy and resilience needed to provide sustained support to their loved ones. 

How does one begin this journey?

Beyond Standard Lab Work

Most of us are familiar with annual physical exams and the standard blood work that accompanies them. These conventional tests serve an important purpose: screening for established conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, or thyroid dysfunction. However, Check Your Health testing is focused on preventing those conditions by assessing nutritional status. This distinction is crucial. 

While conventional labs excel at identifying disease, CYH testing examines the nutritional building blocks that support optimal cellular function. The comprehensive panels measure levels of essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, and antioxidants — nutrients that are rarely included in standard testing but play vital roles in preventing future health problems.

The Science of Individual Biochemistry

Every person’s biochemistry is unique, influenced by genetics, lifestyle, environment, stress levels, and countless other factors. What constitutes optimal nutrient levels for one individual may be insufficient for another. This is where the true value of comprehensive nutrient testing becomes apparent.

Rather than waiting for symptoms to develop, CYH testing reveals the subtle imbalances that precede illness. Nutrient deficiencies often develop gradually, sometimes taking months or years before they manifest as recognizable health problems. By the time conventional symptoms appear, the deficiency has often progressed significantly.

One of the most important insights from comprehensive nutrient testing is that symptoms rarely point to a single cause. “Patients often don’t realize that the path to wellness lies right in front of them,” CEO Michelle Niesley, ND, MS, FABNO, says. “Two patients may come to the Riordan Clinic with the same symptoms, but may find that they are caused by very different nutritional imbalances. Check Your Health allows patients to do a deep dive to uncover nutrient deficiencies that could be causing a host of symptoms.”

This individualized approach becomes crucial when we consider how diverse nutrient deficiencies can be. Beyond iron deficiency, several other common deficiencies can have surprisingly wide-ranging effects:

• Magnesium deficiency can manifest as high blood pressure, headaches, menstrual or muscle cramps, insomnia, depression, anxiety, and fatigue, among other symptoms.
• Vitamin D deficiency extends far beyond bone health concerns. Studies show vitamin D helps us to regulate blood pressure and blood sugar. It’s important for strong, healthy bones and also helps control our mood. It supports the immune system, as studies have shown that patients with higher vitamin D levels compared to those with lower levels are 40% less likely to contract the flu if they work in a hospital.
• Vitamin B12 deficiency can present in unexpected ways, particularly as heart palpitations, especially if patients are vegan, or are taking heartburn medications or metformin for diabetes. The immune system (white blood cells) requires vitamin B12 to be made, and diabetic neuropathy symptoms can be lessened with vitamin B12 injections.

These examples illustrate how a single nutrient deficiency can create multiple, seemingly unrelated symptoms, while similar symptoms might stem from entirely different nutritional imbalances in different individuals.

The Prevention-First Philosophy

Check Your Health testing is about prevention. It was designed to help everyone, including patients and caregivers, take control of their health journey by learning about their body’s unique biochemistry. With regular testing, patients can proactively address potential issues before they become serious problems.

This prevention-first philosophy recognizes that optimal health isn’t simply the absence of disease — it’s the presence of vitality, energy, and resilience. 

Certain life circumstances may make testing particularly valuable. Periods of high stress, major life transitions, dietary changes, new medications, or unexplained fatigue or mood changes can all impact nutritional status. However, the goal isn’t just to test when problems arise — it’s to establish your personal baseline when you’re feeling well, creating a reference point for future comparisons.

The Future of Personalized Health

As healthcare evolves toward more personalized approaches, understanding individual biochemistry becomes increasingly important. Nutrient testing represents a bridge between conventional medicine and personalized wellness, offering actionable insights that can be implemented immediately.

The goal isn’t to replace conventional medical care but to enhance it with nutritional intelligence. In a world where chronic disease rates continue to climb, taking control of your nutritional health offers hope and empowerment. 

Through comprehensive nutrient testing, you can discover your body’s unique needs and take meaningful steps toward optimal wellness before symptoms can ever appear.