The Gastrointestinal Health Panel™ The gastrointestinal tract is essentially an external part of the body. This is the reason we do not have to sterilize our food, but only be sure it is clean and wholesome. Presently, the risk of being infected or infested by pathogenic organisms through food and water is ever increasing. This is due to several reasons: immigration; frequent overseas travel; importation of vegetables and fruits; lack of a public health policy to screen food handlers for transmissible pathogens; outdoor and wilderness excursions; alternate life- styles; agricultural pollution; pets at home, etc.

Parasite Mode of transmission & who is at risk
The predominant method of transmission of parasites is the fecal- oral route through hand contact with infected individuals or via contaminated water and food. Many parasites are highly transmissible within a household environment. All family members should be tested if one member is positive for GI infection.

People with suppressed immunity, eg. T-cell (white cell) dysfunction and defects in intestinal antibody (IgA) secretion, are predisposed to protracted and heavy infections with GI pathogens. Individuals with cancer and those receiving chemotherapy for cancer are very susceptible to parasitic infection(s). Frequent and excessive overutilization of antibiotics renders the GI tract more susceptible to chronic overgrowth of harmful micro-organisms. These can produce a wide range of systemic toxins and/or cause severe irritation of large areas of fragile, nutrient absorbing intestinal tissue.

Prevention of Parasites

• Observe strict personal hygiene habits
• Eat cooked food, when outside your home
• Wash fresh fruits & vegetables with soap & water
• Avoid drinking potentially contaminated surface water
• Before overseas travel, contact the CDC for tips
• Restrict pets to designated parts of the home
• Wash hands after touching pets

Clinical Indications
The GI Health Panel™ is worth considering for:

• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Chronic loose stool or constipation
• Fat, grain, and food intolerance
• School & pool associated GI problems
• Chronic abdominal discomfort/pain
• Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia
• Excessive eating pattern/Anorexia
• Post travel loose stool/diarrhea
• Sudden changes in bowel habits
• Bloating, maldigestion, heartburn
• Excess gas and flatulence
• Chronic skin conditions
• Hyperactivity
• Poor sleeping habits

Test Includes:
Stool culture for yeast
Ova & Parasites
Bacterial stool pathogens
Clostridium difficile Antigens
Giardia Antigen
Cryptosporidum Antigen
Ameba histolytica Ab
H. pylori Ab
Chymotrypsin
Occult Blood
Fecal pH
Total Intestinal Lysozyme
Alpha Anti-Chymotrypsin
Gluten Intolerance Test

Treatment & Prevention of Parasites
Detection and specific diagnosis of the pathogens, including a broad spectrum of microfora and common parasites is of paramount importance. This is because successful therapy is dependent on two primary issues. First, accurate and specifc diagnosis of causative agent in a patient who presents with otherwise general and non-specifc complaints and symptoms. Second, specific therapeutic agents can be targeted to eradicate offending micro-organisms with an extremely high success rate, with minimal side effects.