Hi I'm Marelinke van der Riet

I am your Natural Health Practitioner

Passionate about health – body, soul, and spirit – Marelinke gets to the root of illnesses, treating the whole person by Blood Analysis, not just the symptoms. 

After completing studies in Australia (and many more years of studies in South Africa), she went on to gain experience and training in various fields, effectively allowing her to take an integrative and holistic approach to heal through the combination of pastoral ministry, psychology, natural health, and nutrition. She is currently working towards her Ph.D. in Natural Medicine.

She specializes in nutritional microscopy, more commonly known as live blood analysis.

What is live Blood Analysis?

A drop of blood is drawn through a quick pinprick on your finger and then placed under a microscope. You will see your blood live on the screen that could possibly reveal characteristics like Candida and yeast overgrowths, immune system deficiencies and acidity. Furthermore, it is even possible to pick up on liver congestion, hormonal imbalances, vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Specialists can also detect diabetes, toxicity, parasite infestations, circulation, stress, digestive problems, allergy responses, and other irregularities in the blood. 

After the blood sample has been analyzed, recommendations for natural supplements, possible lifestyle changes, and tailored eating plans are made. Follow-up visits are encouraged as it allows you to see your progress (as previous samples of your blood (photographs are taken at each appointment) are compared to your new sample. Your progress will also be assessed and adjustments to your supplements, diet, nutrition, and lifestyle will be made accordingly.

Blood Analysis

Live blood analysis, live cell analysis, Hemaview or nutritional blood analysis is the use of high-resolution dark field microscopy to observe live blood cells. Live blood analysis is promoted by some alternative medicine. Practitioners who practice analysing blood can diagnose a range of diseases.

Blood Tests

By getting your blood tested, your doctor is able to check for specific diseases and conditions. Blood tests help doctors evaluate how well a specific organ is functioning and therefore help doctors diagnose and treat a problematic area correctly. It can track and show treatment progress, results and effects. Organs that are commonly looked at are the kidneys, liver, thyroid, and heart.

Types of Blood Tests

Complete Blood Count

A complete blood count (CBC) measures the amount of red blood cells, white blood cells, hemoglobin and platelets in your body. It measures the average size of your red blood cells known as the Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV). In addition, the CBC test shows you how much space your red blood occupy in your blood (Hematocrit).

This helps identify blood disorders and/or diseases, like anemia, clotting, inflammation, infection, or even other immune system disorders.

Blood Clotting Test

Also known as a coagulation panel/test, a blood clotting test searches for a specific protein that helps the blood to clot. Your doctor might do this if they suspect you have a blood clotting disorder.

If you are taking Blood Thinning Medications, your doctor will most likely use a specific blood clotting test as part of routine monitoring.

Blood Enzyme Tests

A blood enzyme test measures the levels of specific enzymes in the body. The body produces different enzymes for different reasons and it helps control chemical reactions within the body.

This helps identify specific health problems, like a heart attack. The doctor will check the levels of the cardiac troponin enzyme – an enzyme release when the heart is damaged or in distress.

BASIC METABOLIC PANEL

The basic metabolic panel (BMP) measures the levels of different chemicals found in the blood plasma. The BMP, also known as a blood chemistry 8 test, provides information about the bones, muscles, and organs in your body. Specifically this tests looks at your Calcium levels, Glucose levels, Electrolytes and your Kidneys.

This can identify problems relating to your kidneys and bones like cancer, malnutrition, diabetes, dehydration and other underlying conditions. Your doctor will tell your if you need to fast before tasking a BMP test.

LIPOPROTEIN PANEL

A lipoprotein, or lipid, panel test looks at the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level in your body as well as your total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in your blood.

This can help assess the risk for developing coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease or other atherosclerotic problems. Your doctor will tell you that you need to fast for 8 to 12 hours before taking this test.

Why do some tests require Fasting?

Fasting is when you do not eat or drink anything (other than water) over a long period of time (usually 8 to 10 hours). It is not always necessary to fast before a blood test but your doctor may ask you to fast before you take the test. Most doctors will tell you to not eat or drink anything after 22h00 the night before until you have given them a blood sample the next morning. This makes it less daunting to give up eating and drinking, even if it is only for a few hours at a time since you will be asleep. Blood tests that require you to fast beforehand include Blood Glucose Test, Blood Cholesterol Test, Gamma-glutamyl Transferase Test, Iron Blood Test, Basic or Comprehensive Metabolic Tests, Renal Function Panel, and the Vitamin B12 Test.

When people eat food and drink liquids like alcohol, the food and liquid get broken down in their stomachs and absorbed into the bloodstream. For this reason, anything you ingest can affect the levels of certain substances in your blood. In order for your doctor to correctly diagnose you, you need to be in the right “testing” condition otherwise the test may lead to inaccurate results and eventually misdiagnosis. It can be very dangerous for you and your health if you have been misdiagnosed due to incorrect results.

DO’s:

  • Hydrate: keep drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated. Water does not affect the results of a blood test and is acceptable to drink when asked to fast.

  • Plan: fasting can be anything from 8 to 24 hours, so it is best to plan your day and what time your last meal should be.

  • Medication: keep taking any regular medication while you are fasting, unless you have been given specific instruction by your doctor to do otherwise.

  • Pregnancy: it is usually safe for pregnant women to fast but you should speak to a doctor before the test about the safety precautions.

DON’T’s

  • Do not drink alcohol
  • Do not smoke
  • Do not drink coffee
  • Do not chew gum (yes, it has sugar in it)
  • Do not exercise

Remember if you accidentally ate or drank something during your fasting period, tell your doctor when and what it was and rather let them determine whether or not you can continue with the blood test. People can receive the wrong diagnosis if their blood test results are inaccurate, leading to further health complications.