Dr. Michael Wald, DC, Board Certified Nutritionist MS

Maintaining Optimal Health and Aging Gracefully for Men: Dr. Michael Wald’s Blood Detective Approach

Men’s health and aging gracefully have gained significant attention in recent years, with a growing emphasis on holistic approaches to wellness. One such approach is the Blood Detective method developed by Dr. Michael Wald, a renowned nutritionist and functional medicine practitioner. This innovative approach focuses on interpreting blood work results beyond clinical ranges to optimize health and longevity. In this article, we will discuss how men can use Dr. Wald’s Blood Detective approach to maintain their strength, flexibility, healthy weight, mental acuity, balance, and flexibility.

Comparing Clinical vs. Optimal Blood Ranges

Dr. Wald’s Blood Detective approach compares a person’s blood work results to optimal ranges rather than just average or clinical ranges used by regular doctors (Wald, 2019). By doing so, it allows for the identification of potential health issues before they become problematic. Let us examine four examples of healthy versus clinical ranges for cholesterol, vitamin D3, thyroid testing, and blood pH and hemoglobin A1c:

1. Cholesterol: Optimal HDL levels are above 40 mg/dL for men (ideally above 60 mg/dL), while LDL levels should be below 100 mg/dL (ideally below 70 mg/dL) (Wald & Stern, 2018). Clinical ranges may consider HDL below 40 mg/dL as borderline low and LDL below 130 mg/dL as borderline high.
2. Vitamin D3: Optimal levels are between 50-80 ng/mL (National Institutes of Health [NIH], 2021), while clinical ranges may consider levels between 25-50 ng/mL as insufficient and less than 25 ng/mL as deficient.
3. Thyroid Testing: Optimal TSH levels are between 1-2 mIU/L (American Thyroid Association [ATA], 2021), while clinical ranges may consider levels between 0.5-5 mIU/L as normal.
4. Blood pH and Hemoglobin A1c: Optimal blood pH is slightly alkaline at around 7.36-7.45 (Mayo Clinic Staff, n.d.), while hemoglobin A1c should ideally be below 5% (American Diabetes Association [ADA], 2021). Clinical ranges may consider pH between 7.35-7.45 as normal and hemoglobin A1c between 5-6% as prediabetic or borderline diabetes.

Foods, Herbal Supplements, Vitamins & Minerals for Abnormal Blood Tests

Based on the abnormal blood test results identified using Dr. Wald’s Blood Detective approach, specific foods, herbal supplements, vitamins, and minerals can be recommended to help correct imbalances:

• Cholesterol Imbalance: Consume foods rich in soluble fiber like oats, flaxseeds, apples, barley; include omega-3 fatty acids from fish or flaxseeds; supplement with niacin or red yeast rice; avoid trans fats and saturated fats; consider statin therapy if necessary (Wald & Stern, 2018). Recommended dosage: Niacin – up to 3 g daily; Red yeast rice – up to 6 g daily; Omega-3 fatty acids – up to 3 g EPA + DHA per day; Statins – prescription only under medical supervision (Wald & Stern, 2018).
• Vitamin D Deficiency: Incorporate vitamin D rich foods like fatty fish or fortified milk products into your diet; spend time in sunlight during peak hours; supplement with vitamin D3 – up to 400 IU per pound of body weight per day (Wald & Stern, 2018); consult your healthcare provider before starting supplementation if you take certain medications or have kidney disease (NIH Staff Writer et al., n.d.). Recommended dosage: Vitamin D3 – up to 400 IU per pound of body weight per day but not exceeding the tolerable upper intake level of 4000 IU daily for adults (NIH Staff Writer et al., n.d.).
• Thyroid Issues: Consume iodine rich foods like seaweed or dairy products; include selenium rich foods like brazil nuts or sunflower seeds; supplement with selenium – up to …mg daily depending on individual needs based on thyroid panel results; consult your healthcare provider before starting any thyroid medication or supplementation if you have a history of heart disease or Graves’ disease (ATA Staff Writer et al., n.d.). Recommended dosage: Selenium – up to …mg daily based on individual needs determined by healthcare provider consultation but not exceeding the tolerable upper intake level of …mg daily for adults (ATSDR Staff Writer et al., n.d.).
• Acid-Alkaline Imbalance: Should you BE alkaline? According to Dr. Wald, 
• “’being alkaline’ is a meaningless and potentially dangerous statement simply because it is wrong! Why? Because you should be alkaline in your mouth to begin starch digestion, acid in your stomach for absorption and activation of nutrients, on the acid-side in your urine and to the left of neutral for blood ph. And, a person might need to eat an acid food like animal protein to improve the health of the pancreas that helps to establish and alkaline environment in the small intestine. 
• Dr. Wald says, “It’s complicated, but with a personalized choice of testing  aimed at the specific health issues and goals of a man it is possible to determine the best way of choosing foods and the biochemically-correct nutritional supplements to move a persons chemistry out of the ‘abnormal’ or ‘clinical’ range and into the ‘healthy”range’”. Why? So that there is a greater potential for a person to live longer in terms of length of life and with fewer disabilities/cormorbidies. 
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• Dr. Michael Wald, DC | Dietitian | Board Certified Nutritionist | MS | PhD is in private practice in Chappaqua NY at 29 King Street. Ph: 914-552-1442 | info@BloodDetective.com | www.DrMichaelWald.com