Gone are the days of having a set of routine blood tests taken once a year at your annual checkup. Blood tracking is a far better way to understand and take control of your health. From assessing your risks for certain diseases to monitoring how effective your diet or medications are, regular blood tracking is an important and powerful tool.
Tracking blood biomarkers not only helps in identifying disease helps in optimizing your overall health.
Here are the top ten reasons we believe blood tracking should be part of everyone’s health regimen.
Blood Tracking Will Help You Get to Know Your Body Better
To know what is going on in your body, you need information. And the more information you have, the better you will know your body.
Your body, and how it functions, are unique to you. Blood tests can tell you whether you fall within a normal or healthy range or not based on specific biomarkers. But each test is a snapshot of your health at that time. Your body is always changing. Regular blood tracking means you can compare your results over time making it easier to analyze what they mean for you.
Biomarker testing allows you to understand your risks, your weaknesses, what works for your body and what doesn’t, what has changed and what hasn’t.
You Have a Lot More to Compare Your Results To
Once-off tests look at your results based on a sample population and can only tell you if you fall within a normal or healthy range or not.
A powerful benefit of tracking your blood work is comparing your results with your past results.
Your results can be interpreted based on:
- Diet
- Any lifestyle changes you may have made
- Your response to certain medications
- Family history
- Personal events in your life
Knowing your baseline results is your first step to optimizing your health.
Know Your Risk for Certain Diseases
When it comes to illness, early detection is the best medicine. Over 70% of all chronic illnesses could be prevented if detected early.
Regular blood tracking means being able to pick up any changes in your results almost immediately.
Some biomarkers can indicate underlying problems:
- CRP or C-reactive protein can indicate inflammation.
- Elevated triglyceride to HDL Cholesterol ratios can indicate insulin resistance and risk for heart disease.
- TSH and other thyroid biomarkers can assess thyroid health. Up to 60% of people with thyroid disease are unaware.
Catching issues early can help you control or manage them before they become a more serious problem later.
Check for Pre-diabetes and Manage Diabetes Better
Measuring blood glucose levels over time can give you a more accurate idea of your risks for pre-diabetes or diabetes.
Regular blood tracking that includes your HbA1c levels can show how well your sugar levels have been controlled over a period of 90 days. Not only can this test tell you whether you are at risk of pre-diabetes or if you are facing a more serious diabetes diagnosis, but it can be used to track how well you are managing your blood glucose levels with recommended lifestyle changes.
Blood Tracking Can Help Manage Your Mood and Mental Health Risks
Depression, anxiety, a lack of motivation, and fatigue can affect the quality of life. It is often difficult to understand their cause or make more effective, positive, and lasting changes.
Chemical imbalances in the body can lead to various mental health and mood disorders.
Testing for imbalances in neurotransmitters can help you get a better understanding of various mood or psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, or even ADHD.
Understanding your chemistry can guide more precise and effective treatment plans.
Pick Up on Underlying Deficiencies
With regular blood tracking, you can pick up on deficiencies and imbalances sooner. This information allows you to make the right changes before it is too late.
Regular Vitamin D testing, for example, can alert you of any potential Vitamin D deficiency which can contribute to an overall state of inflammation in your body.
- Vitamin D deficiency is linked to mood swings, depression, or a lack of energy.
- Iron deficiency can cause weakness, dizziness, and fatigue.
- Deficiencies in B vitamins can lead to tiredness, frequent infections, and neurological problems.
Optimize Your Health and Fitness
If you follow a healthy diet or are serious about your fitness and performance, understanding your blood tracking biomarkers can help you make the right choices based on your results.
Different biomarkers may be affecting how well your body reacts to various diets or foods. They may give answers to why your exercise efforts are not working.
For example, consistently high cortisol levels show your body is under stress. These may be related to poor fueling, a lack of recovery from exercise, lack of sleep, or personal stress. A cortisol test will help you measure your adrenal performance.
When you understand what is happening in your body, you can make the changes you need to live better.
Set Goals and Track Your Progress
Routine blood tracking can show you how well you are progressing with your fitness and health goals. Regular testing can show you what is working and how far you are from reaching your goals. It can also help you adjust your training or nutrition plans as needed.
Know When Something is Working and When It Isn’t
Collecting data from multiple tests over time can help you see which actions work and which ones don't.
This is especially important when working with a medical practitioner to find the best medications and treatment regime for certain illnesses. Understanding how your body reacts to certain medications can help you find more effective treatments with the help of your doctor.
If something isn't working for you, regular blood tracking can help you find a new, more effective approach.
Our bodies all respond differently to food, exercise, stress, or sleep. That’s why following the same diet or exercise plan as everyone often doesn’t work.
Create a highly personalized health plan based on unique data from your blood test results. By monitoring your biomarkers, you can easily see what is working and adjust as needed.
Get a More Accurate Picture of Your Health
Some multi-panel blood tests allow you to get a good overall picture of your health. These tests look at various biomarkers so you can see what is going on inside.
- A complete blood count looks at important components in your blood like hemoglobin, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Abnormal levels of any of these may indicate a range of disorders, including nutritional deficiencies, heart disease, or even cancer.
- A complete metabolic panel can help detect kidney disease, diabetes, or hormone imbalances.
- A lipid panel checks your cholesterol and can indicate your risk for heart disease.
