Autoimmunity, Gut Health, Food Sensitivities + Environmental Testing

Autoimmunity, Gut Health, Food Sensitivities + Environmental Testing at The Lee Clinic

The Lee Clinic has been a leader in functional and integrative medicine in Northern Virginia for over 40 years. Founded by Dr. William Lee, MD and now led by Dr. Megan Lee, DO, we take a root-cause approach to health — looking beyond symptoms to understand what is driving them. For some patients, the answers lie in the gut, in what they are eating, or in what they have been exposed to over a lifetime.

Gut Health + Intestinal Permeability

The gut is home to more than 70% of the immune system, and research over the past two decades has firmly established that gut health is central to overall health. When the gut lining is compromised — sometimes called "leaky gut" or increased intestinal permeability — it can contribute to a wide range of symptoms and conditions, including digestive issues, fatigue, brain fog, skin problems, and immune dysregulation.

Autoimmune Chart

Factors that can disrupt the gut lining include chronic stress, medications, poor diet, infections, and environmental exposures. While the science around leaky gut continues to evolve, there is solid evidence that gut microbiome imbalance and intestinal inflammation play a meaningful role in many chronic health conditions.

At The Lee Clinic, we offer comprehensive stool analysis for patients experiencing symptoms such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, gas, or those dealing with IBS, Crohn's, ulcerative colitis, or recurrent gut symptoms. This testing can evaluate microbiome balance, identify infectious pathogens, assess inflammatory markers, and provide information on digestive enzyme function and pancreatic health — all of which can guide a more targeted and effective treatment plan.

Food Sensitivity Testing

Food sensitivities are distinct from true food allergies. Rather than triggering an immediate IgE-mediated reaction, sensitivities involve delayed immune responses that can occur anywhere from a few hours to several days after eating a particular food — making them very difficult to identify through food logs or elimination diets alone.

We offer blood-based food sensitivity testing that uses cell counting and cell sizing to detect non-IgE mediated reactions across more than 200 foods, chemicals, herbs, and molds. This method identifies sensitivities regardless of whether you have recently eaten the food in question, making it more comprehensive than standard IgG testing.

Results are categorized by reaction level, and we review them with you in detail to develop a practical plan. In many cases, reactive foods do not need to be avoided permanently — the goal is a period of removal to allow the gut to heal, followed by careful reintroduction.

It is worth noting that food sensitivity testing remains an area of ongoing scientific debate. We offer it as one useful clinical tool among many, and we interpret results in the context of your full symptom picture — not in isolation.

Heavy Metal Testing

Heavy metals can accumulate in the body over time through everyday exposures — dental fillings, certain seafood, older buildings, cigarette smoke, batteries, and industrial pollution are all potential sources. Over time, this accumulation can burden the nervous system, immune system, and hormonal function in ways that are subtle but significant.

We test for a range of heavy metals including mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, and nickel. If elevated levels are identified, we work with you on an individualized approach to support your body's natural detoxification pathways. For most patients with elevated but non-toxic levels, a gentler and more evidence-based approach focused on reducing ongoing exposure and supporting detoxification is appropriate.

Environmental Toxin Testing

We are exposed daily to a class of compounds known as xenoestrogens — synthetic chemicals that mimic estrogen in the body. These are found in plastics, personal care products, pesticides, fungicides, and petrochemicals, and there is growing evidence linking chronic exposure to hormonal disruption and increased risk of certain hormone-sensitive cancers in both men and women.

Testing can identify the presence of these compounds, and we can work with you on practical strategies to reduce exposure and support your body's ability to clear them. As with heavy metals, the science here is real but nuanced — we present it honestly, without overpromising what testing and treatment can achieve.

Have questions or want to explore whether any of this testing is right for you? Fill out the form below or call us at 540-542-1700.