Interpreting Your Labs Holistically: A Faith + Function Approach
- Wanda Simmons Clemmons, MD
- Sep 17
- 4 min read
Ever walked out of your doctor’s office thinking, “Wait, so… now what?” The nurse smiles, hands you a paper, and says, “Everything looks fine.”
But inside you know. You’re exhausted. Your weight won’t budge. Your brain feels like it’s stuck in molasses. Fine? Shut up, Wanda. Because fine doesn’t feel fine.
Here’s the truth: your body is always talking. Labs aren’t the enemy. They’re clues. And when we hold them up to God’s Word, they stop being scary numbers and start being a roadmap. A roadmap to wholeness.
Emily’s Story: Functional Medicine Meets Prayer
Emily (name changed) came to me frustrated. Her doctor told her she had high cholesterol and wrote a statin prescription. She said no. Then came the offer of Repatha injections. Again, no peace.
That right there? That’s the Holy Spirit. Sometimes the biggest “lab result” is a lack of peace.
Emily and I went deeper. Here’s what we found:
Her LDL-P small particles were over 3,000 — the kind strongly tied to plaque and stroke risk [1].
Imaging confirmed plaque in a brain artery.
Insulin resistance was present.
Her total cholesterol? 259. Barely changed from her starting point. HDL and LDL looked “fine.” By conventional medicine, she “still needed” meds. But the real risk wasn’t in total cholesterol — it was particle size.
We built a plan: nutraceuticals, food swaps, movement. We prayed at every session, asking God for wisdom. Some days we dealt more with soul wounds than supplements. Because trauma weighs on the body too.
Twelve months later, Emily’s LDL-P small dropped by 61% — from 3,000 to 1,300. Her fasting glucose came down from 143 to the low 100s. And her spirit? Lighter.
Knowledge + God’s wisdom = freedom. Period.
My Story: When God Told Me to Rest
I’ll be real. I’ve struggled with sleep since childhood. When I’m creating, sleep is the first thing I sacrifice. I fasted, ate clean, checked every box, but still couldn’t lose weight.
Then my hormone labs came back. Cortisol? Elevated all day. I stared at the paper like, “What the heck?”
God whispered: “Rest.” Not just sleep. Rest.
That meant facing trauma I didn’t want to face. But with prayer and gentle practices, I started resetting my nervous system: 4-7-8 breathing, chamomile tea, Epsom salt baths, and learning to say no.
The results shocked me. When I rest, I routinely lose 0.4–0.6 pounds in 2–3 days. Not from another diet. From obedience. And obedience really is better than sacrifice.
Why “Normal” Lab Results Can Still Miss the Mark
Most annual labs? CBC, CMP, lipid panel, thyroid, maybe A1C. Helpful, yes. But they miss so much. You can have “normal” cholesterol and still carry dangerous plaque. You can feel awful while your labs look “fine.”
That’s because these tests only scratch the surface. They don’t measure inflammation (hs-CRP, homocysteine) [2]. They don’t reveal how well you’re methylating (B12, folate) [3]. They don’t tell the deeper story.
Essential Functional Medicine Labs Beyond the Basics
When interpreting labs holistically, I recommend starting with:
CBC — anemia, immune, allergies.
CMP — detox pathways.
hs-CRP & homocysteine — inflammation + cardiovascular risk [2].
IGF-1 — hormones, nutrition, inflammation.
NMR lipoprotein profile — cholesterol particle size [1].
Fasting insulin, HbA1C, fructosamine — insulin resistance.
B12 & folate — methylation, DNA repair, detox [3].
Uric acid — kidney + cardiovascular stress.
Vitamin D (25-OH) — immunity, insulin, bone.
Urine microalbumin — early kidney stress.
These aren’t “extra.” They’re essential if you want the real picture.
Labs as Communication, Not Condemnation
Labs don’t define you. They communicate with you. They’re a roadmap, not a verdict. And when paired with prayer and God’s Word, they can point you back to covenant wholeness.
“Pay attention to what I say… for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body” (Proverbs 4:20–22).
FAQ: Holistic and Faith-Based Lab Interpretation
Q: What Is LDL-P Small and Why Does It Matter?A: They sneak into arteries and cause plaque, even when total cholesterol looks “normal” [1].
Q: Can prayer and trauma healing really change lab results?A: Yes. Stress and trauma increase inflammation and blood sugar. Healing the soul lightens the body — and often shows up in labs.
Q: My doctor says I’m fine. Should I get advanced labs?A: If your body’s still speaking through symptoms, yes. Advanced labs reveal what “normal” misses.
Your Next Step
Emily’s story. My story. Maybe yours too. They all prove the same thing: knowledge + God’s wisdom = freedom.
Start here:
Schedule a Lab Consultation — I’ll order, interpret, and walk you through your results.
Join the 5-Day Temple Reset Challenge — A monthly rhythm to realign your health with God’s design.
Bring your labs to your PCP — Show up empowered and informed.
Your labs are communication. Your symptoms are communication. But the final word? That belongs to God. Period.
References
Otvos JD, Mora S, Shalaurova I, Greenland P, Mackey RH, Goff DC Jr. Clinical implications of discordance between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and particle number. J Clin Lipidol. 2011;5(2):105-13. doi:10.1016/j.jacl.2011.02.001.
Ridker PM. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein and cardiovascular risk: rationale for screening and primary prevention. Am J Cardiol. 2003;92(4B):17K-22K. doi:10.1016/s0002-9149(03)00788-6.
Frosst P, Blom HJ, Milos R, et al. A candidate genetic risk factor for vascular disease: a common mutation in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. Nat Genet. 1995;10(1):111–113. doi:10.1038/ng0595-111.ut the final word? That belongs to God. Period.
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