DR. BERZIN'S DESK

Dr. Berzin’s Blood Test Results

by
Robin Berzin, MD
Doctor
February 8, 2018

People always ask me what I eat in a day. What they really should be asking is what are my health stats.

You all are too polite to ask so I’m forking over the details voluntarily, just to satisfy your curiosity.

But actually, it’s to show you that the way that I eat and live —and the way we teach you to eat and live at Parsley delivers the goodies: actual results. At Parsley Health we believe in transparency and authenticity, two qualities that are sorely lacking in health care today.

As an act of love, I’m going full monty with my results so you can see how deeply I believe in and live this medicine that we bring to our Parsley Health members every day.

Here are my lab results from January 28th, 2018. I did the testing at Bioreference Lab. The results are selected from our Parsley Health Baseline Panel which is our proprietary basic lab set (that goes way beyond what conventional doctors order), our Female Hormones Panel, and our Baseline Heart Health panel which is an in-depth look at cardiovascular disease.

Here are the highlights

Thyroid

Many people have covert thyroid disease that gets missed , resulting in fatigue weight gain and constipation.

I am making good levels thyroid hormone and converting free T4 to free T3 well, likely because I am not deficient in key nutrients like iron and selenium, and have low levels inflammation . My goal free T3 number for patients is at least 2.8 and ideally above 3, as free T3 is the active form of the thyroid hormone. I’m also happy to see I don’t have any antibodies against my thyroid, a sign of autoimmune activity I routinely test for because if caught early it can be reversed.

  • TSH – 1.72
  • Free T4 – 1.23
  • Free T3 – 3.1
  • Anti-thyroglobulin and Anti- TPO antibodies – negative

Inflammation

When your body is in a chronic state of inflammation, it can have serious effects on your cellular health and has been linked to degenerative diseases including cancer, heart disease, diabetes. Mine is essentially zero. Now, these tests are only two very basic measures of inflammation but they are important ones and I am clear.

  • hsCRP – 0.75
  • Folic acid – 22 (goal >20)
  • Ferritin 70 (a measure of iron storage, goal at or > 50 but less than 200)

Cholesterol

My total cholesterol perfect at 175, LDL ideal at 87 (goal is < 100) triglycerides nice and low at 43, and my HDL – my good cholesterol – is on point at 87 (goal is 70-90).

Female hormones

I tested my hormones on day 3 of my menstrual cycle out of curiosity to make sure that my FSH and Estrogen levels were on target for fertility . While no guarantee, my FSH of 10.7 and estradiol of 55 are where I want them to be, and they signal that my body is preparing for ovulation.

Learn how we've helped our members reduce prescription drugs by 700%.

Learn More

Where did I fall short?

My free testosterone was low at 0.48, but I know that this is because my Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG), the school bus like protein that ferries your sex hormones around the body, was a little high, and so much of my free testosterone was on the bus instead of out in the body doing work.

That can happen if you’re taking a hormone (like the birth control pill or thyroid medication), which I’m not. In my case, I know my SHBG is high because I eat a plant-heavy diet and no dairy . To bring it down I plan to take cod liver oil each day to get my healthy fat intake up.

Experiment with your health levels

Here’s an important question: Is my highly plant-based diet , punctuated by healthy fats like olive oil and coconut oil and avocados, lots of clean fish, and very occasional grass-fed beef the right thing for you? Not necessarily.

You have to live your own experiment and in the best case scenario, you don’t experiment alone. You experiment with testing from a functional doctor and team like the one we provide at Parsley, a team which can guide you if you’ve gone astray and can help you not only have good stats but feel great for the long term.

The level of care we offer at Parsley Health for $150 a month would cost over $10,000 at most doctors. Our mission is to make this medicine available to everyone at an affordable price in a modern, convenient and efficient way.

We’ve done that and I hope you’ll join us this year. Do it as an act of love for yourself — and for all of the people who will benefit when you are feeling as good as your numbers say you are.

Sign up for our membership here  or if you’re not ready for the commitment, try out my Daily Essentials Bundle and experiment with how you feel.

by
Robin Berzin, MD
Doctor

Dr. Robin Berzin is the Founder and CEO of Parsley Health, America's leading holistic medical practice designed to help women overcome chronic conditions. She founded Parsley to address the rising tide of chronic disease in America through personalized holistic medicine that puts food, lifestyle, and proactive diagnostic testing on the prescription pad next to medications. Since founding Parsley in 2016, Dr. Berzin has seen 80% of patients improve or resolve their chronic conditions within their first year of care, demonstrating the life-changing value of making modern holistic medicine accessible to everyone, anywhere. Parsley is available online nationwide.

Dr. Berzin attended medical school at Columbia University and trained in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Her book, Prescription for Happiness: How to Eat, Move, and Supplement for Peak Mental Health, was published by Simon Element in January 2022.

Read full bio
readiness quiz

Get a snapshot of your health - right now.

Take our quiz to get your symptom score and start uncovering the why behind your symptoms.

GET SYMPTOM SCORE
Related Posts
12 Gifts For The Well-Being Seekers In Your Life
10 TikTok Health Trends Worth Trying—and Avoiding
How to Select the Right Health Coach for You
Get “Prescription for Happiness” and Reach a New Level of Energy, Clarity, and Calm
Four Smart Ways to Track Your Heart Health Today
Doctor examining patient

WHAT IS PARSLEY HEALTH?

Our leading medical providers and health coaches heal the root cause of health concerns with a personalized care plan and year-round support. Our root-cause resolution medicine has helped thousands feel better, with 85% of members reducing symptoms in their first year.

Parsley Health medical providers are trained to treat the root cause of complex, chronic conditions and symptoms. Ready to start feeling better?