National Immunization Awareness Month: What that Means for Your College Student

Now that August has arrived, that can only mean one thing — it’s time for your student to start heading back to school! But did you know that August is also National Immunization Awareness Month? Getting immunized against infectious diseases is important for your health, as well as the health of those around you. And with the start of the new school year just around the corner, you may need to make sure your student is up to date on all their vaccinations.

Most colleges, universities and technical programs require students to provide proof of their necessary immunizations. Our titers tests for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella are an easy alternative to tracking down your old pediatrician from 10+ years ago or finding those old medical records you promised yourself you’d get around to organizing. Instead of spending hours searching for lost records, a titers test can quickly and easily check if you are immune to certain diseases. In just one visit, we can have you tested and your results ready to send to your student’s school within 48 -72 hours of testing.

Some health care study programs may require additional tests including proof of immunization for Hepatitis B and C, a yearly flu shot or even drug testing. The good news is, we can provide these, too! Instead of going to your doctor and racking up lots of fees and sitting through several separate doctor visits, why not make it easy on yourself and get everything done at once — cheaply, efficiently and hassle-free!

We know starting the new school year can be hectic. That’s why we at Any Lab Test Now want to relieve some of your stress by offering easy and affordable solutions to all of your most pressing back-to-school health care needs. We can provide proof of immunizations, flu shots and even help you fulfill those extensive requirements for health care study programs. And there’s no additional cost for a physician’s visit — we provide the doctor’s order. So don’t run all over town. We’re your one-source solution at Any Lab Test Now.

February is American Heart Month. Take Care of Yours.

Did you know that approximately 600,000 Americans die from heart disease every year? Reported to be the leading killer in both men and women, heart disease currently accounts for 1 in every 4 deaths. While it is a major threat to the health of many, there are actions you can take to prevent it from becoming a threat to yours.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlines the following steps to take in planning for prevention of cardiovascular disease:

Receive an annual checkup to get tested for high blood pressure and diabetes; two common conditions linked to the disease.
Take part in daily physical activity to help you manage your weight and keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check.
Maintain a healthy diet by avoiding foods high in sodium, saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. By having a well-balanced meal plan consisting of protein, fruits and vegetables, you can lower your risk of developing high blood pressure and becoming overweight; an additional risk factor associated with heart disease.
Limit your alcohol use to avoid an increase in your blood pressure. The CDC recommends that men should have no more than two drinks per day and women have no more than one.
If you have diabetes, monitor your blood sugar levels closely and talk with your healthcare team about treatment options.

Visit your local Any Lab Test Now® to see if you may be at risk of heart disease. Receive a Heart Health Panel to understand your overall heart health or choose a test specific to your personal risk factors such as one of our Cholesterol Tests or Diabetes Lab Tests. Call us today to learn more about how we can help you Take Control of Your Health®.

Ladies, Say ‘I Love You’ This Valentine’s Day in a New Kind of Way

With Valentine’s Day soon approaching, many women are planning out the perfect way to show that special person in their life just how much they appreciate them. Ladies, instead of choosing to treat your other half to the always popular, romantic, candlelight dinner, show your love to them this year in a way that can last a lifetime…by taking care of your heart.

Did you know that heart disease is the No.1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year? Yet, what’s even more startling is that it is 80% preventable. By receiving a regular heart health screening, learning your risks, and managing those risks accordingly, you can avoid this deadly disease that impacts the lives of so many every day.

Go Red for Women is a nation-wide campaign created by the American Heart Association, designed to bring attention to the risk of heart disease in women, encourage women to receive heart health screenings and “lead the charge to end this deadly foe once and for all.” As an effort to raise awareness in the fight against this disease, all supporters of the Go Red for Women movement are asked to wear red on National Wear Red Day.

To show our support, participating Any Lab Test Now® locations will be decked out in red decorations throughout their store on National Wear Red Day, this Friday, February 6th. On this day only, the participating stores will also be offering 50% off various heart health lab tests including a Lipid Panel, VAP® Test, and PLAC® Test.

For this year’s Valentine’s Day, show the person you love just how much you care for them by caring for your heart. Schedule your heart health lab testing at your local Any Lab Test Now® now and remember to wear red on Friday, February 6th. Share photos of you in your red via Twitter @ALTNCorp and check our Facebook page after the event to see how all of our Any Lab Test Now® locations showed their support in the stores.

Women, Don’t Let Your Holiday Season Turn into a Stressful Season

Whether it’s preparing a platter full of baked goodies for the end-of-the-year party at your child’s school or cleaning and decorating the living room in time for your Christmas family dinner, the never-ending list of holiday “to-dos” can easily become a hassle instead of a pleasure. It is important during the hustle and bustle that women especially, sit back and avoid the stress that is so often associated with this time of year. It could do more for your health than you may think.

In a study performed by Dr. Wei Jiang of Duke University’s School of Medicine, researchers noticed that stress, including mental stress, may be more taxing on women’s hearts than compared to men’s. Jiang’s team analyzed the data of more than 300 Americans that encountered a series of stressful tasks. Researchers found that when stress levels rose, women were far more likely to have an ischemic episode than men. Ischemia is known as a dramatic reduction in blood flow to the heart and a major contributor to mortality from heart disease. The study concluded that 57% of women experienced ischemia compared to 41% of men.

So now the question is how can one destress? According to this list published by Harvard Medical School, some ways to destress include focusing on self nurturing via eating healthy food, reading amusing books, or committing to slow down your schedule just once a week.

At Any Lab Test Now®, we encourage all of our readers to manage their stress in a healthy manner, especially during the busy season of the holidays. To evaluate your overall heart health, schedule to have a Heart Health Panel done at an Any Lab Test Now ® near you. This panel will provide you with a clear picture of how well you’re heart is working and if you may be at risk for heart disease.

The Number One Killer of Women Should Be Stopped

WHAT
Heart disease is the number one killer of women; yes, over any type of cancer. It kills approximately one woman, every minute. The prevention and treatment of this disease rests on awareness. For you to know how to beat and prevent heart disease, you must be aware of it and know what’s going on in your body.

HOW
Symptoms can range from chest pain to nausea to shortness of breath and more. A problem is that these symptoms are not uncommon; therefore many women who suffer from the disease don’t know they have it. According to the American Heart Association, over half of women who die from the disease experience little to no symptoms. Women sometimes look to more common issues like the flu or their age. That’s why it’s so important to Take Control of Your Health® and get tested.

WHY
Size and pumping abilities of the heart differ by gender, but there is no definite explanation as to why men and women are affected differently by heart disease. Shining a spotlight specifically on women’s heart health will raise awareness and encourage women to get their heart tested because they might not have thought about their heart’s health before.

Friday, Feb. 7, was National Wear Red Day by Go Red for Women. Check out our Facebook to see all that was going on!

WHEN
Ladies, now is the time to get tested to check your heart health. The Heart Health Panel gives you an idea of your overall heart health. The VAP test includes basic cholesterol tests and identifies abnormalities. The PLAC test measures your arteries and will assess your risk for heart attacks and/or strokes. These are the perfect tests to help you become aware of exactly what’s going on with your heart health. Get tested today and spread the word!

Why You Should Wear Red on Friday

Friday is an important day every year, and no it’s not because it’s time to remind your significant other that Valentine’s Day is next week (even though that’s not a bad idea). It’s National Wear Red Day and this year is especially significant as it marks the 10th birthday of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement.

Watch the video and to see why this is such an important day. Heart disease tends to go unnoticed, so being aware is essential. Take the necessary steps to get to know what’s going on in your body and get you familiar with your overall heart health with ANY LAB TEST NOW®’s Lipid Panel, Vertical Auto Profile or VAP Test and PLAC Tests.

In support of raising awareness for women’s heart health, we’re giving you 50% OFF a VAP or PLAC test, only on February 7th, National Wear Red Day! This makes it easier than ever for you to Take Control of Your Health®.

We are hosting a contest of our own throughout the nation’s ANY LAB TEST NOW® locations. We are decking out our offices in red to raise awareness of Go Red for Women. Join us in supporting women’s heart health by wearing red on Friday and spreading the word. Send us photos of you in your red via Twitter @ALTNCorp.

Women’s Health: How to Make the Most of Your Options for Care

Apart from general health issues, women have multiple unique health care concerns throughout their lifespan. Some of these concerns include pregnancy, menopause, breast and reproductive health, and though men and woman share a lot of the same general health concerns, they can affect women very differently. Some of these differences are:

Heart Health – 40% of women do not survive their first heart attack
Mental Health – women are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety
Sexually Transmitted Diseases – the effects of STDs are more serious in women than in men
Bone Density – women make up 80% of the estimated 10 million Americans with osteoporosis
Lupus – women make up 9 out of 10 adults with Lupus

With all of this to consider, it is important for women to remain aware of their state of health with regular visits to the doctor and healthy lifestyle choices, but keeping all of these issues in check can be costly. Between co-pays for doctor’s visits, the cost of lab work and the cost of the follow-up visit, a single check-up could run hundreds, if not thousands of dollars depending on access to health insurance and the level of coverage. To help keep health care costs under control and understanding that women’s health needs are particular, Health Care Reform under the Affordable Care Act has declared a list of eight preventative health services just for women that are available with no cost-sharing or co-payment due upon visit to the doctor*. These services became accessible to women on August 1, 2012 and include:

Breastfeeding: access to breastfeeding supplies as well as comprehensive support and counseling from trained providers for pregnant and nursing women
Contraception: Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling
Domestic and interpersonal violence: screening and counseling for all women
Gestational diabetes: screening for women 24 to 28 weeks pregnant and those at high risk of developing gestational diabetes
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV): screening and counseling for sexually active women
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA Test: high risk HPV DNA testing every three years for women with normal cytology results who are 30 or older
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI): screening and counseling for sexually active women
Well-woman visits: to obtain recommended preventive services

*Coverage by doctors within network. Check insurance coverage policies to confirm Along with this increased standard of care it is also important for women to know that they have choices when managing costs and their level of care. For women with low-income that are possibly unable to afford health insurance, options such as Medicaid have been expanded to offer free or low-cost care, the Bronze plan is available within the Health Insurance Marketplace and covers 60% of health care costs with 40% of costs paid for out-of-pocket and Catastrophic Plans are available for those under 30 years of age and are considered healthy but want to have minimum coverage, “just in case.” Eligibility for these plans depend on income and family size. In addition, there are always Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) linked to high-deductable plans and cover most services such as lab tests, telemedicine services and prescriptions. Simple tips for women that want to keep their health and cost for care in check are:

Make healthy lifestyle choices such as healthy eating habits and dedicating to regular, moderate exercise
Create a calendar for the year for all necessary, preventative “Well-Woman” services and include a budget for each visit
Pay for affordable services out of pocket, such as lab testing whenever possible
There is no longer any need to go to your doctor for a baseline of your health – pay for cholesterol, heart health, hormone and wellness tests out-of-pocket or with an HSA or FSA at your local affordable, direct access lab testing facility ANY LAB TEST NOW®.

Take Control of Your Health® and stay up-to-date on the latest in women’s health issues by visiting our site regularly at www.anylabtestnow.com, by “liking” our Facebook Page, or following us on Twitter, and Pinterest.

Raising Awareness for Health Centers During Health Center Week

Have you ever noticed that when you get sick you always feel the need to find out what’s wrong? Who wants to go another day with a tummy ache, a sore throat or the dreaded sinus headache and congestion? Believe it or not that’s one of the many benefits provided by health centers. You might start asking yourself… “But I don’t have insurance, so how can I get service?” The good news is you have options at your disposal that will empower you to Take Control of Your Health® whether you have high deductible insurance, a Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account, or if you are uninsured.

A great example of available options is ANY LAB TEST NOW®. Though ANY LAB TEST NOW® does not treat or diagnose, it does empower its customers to be proactive about managing their health by providing direct access to blood tests, DNA tests, drug and alcohol testing as well as other lab testing services. After you get your lab test results, you can quickly call a physician with our AmeriDoc telemedicine services program. The doctor is just a phone call a way, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and can treat many non-emergent care issues by phone, video call, or chat.

According the National Association of Community Health Centers, there are around 44 million people in the U.S. that are currently uninsured with another 56 million with high deductible insurance. This often makes health take a back seat to cost, which stresses the importance of price transparency. Can you take more good news? ANY LAB TEST NOW®’s affordable, transparent prices fit into a person’s healthcare budget, providing a solution that continues to support overall health and wellness. Don’t let your health take a back seat, without it we are nothing.

During the week of August 11 – 17 the nation celebrates Health Center Week. Why not take the time during this week to stop by a health center near you, check in on your health and thank them for helping to empower you and your loved ones to Take Control of Your Health®?

To learn more about ANY LAB TEST NOW®’s lab testing options stop by an ANY LAB TEST NOW® near you or visit www.anylabtestnow.com

Celebrating National Men’s Health Week

Guys, your week is here! We are celebrating the big Y-O-U. We understand that being the man of the house, the big Kahuna is not an easy task. You fulfill many roles – provider, superhero dad, husband, official household security guard, handyman and many more. So why not make sure that you are healthy so the ones you love can continue to have their superhero around?

We get it, with all these roles, you are BUSY. Being busy should not be used as an excuse to have your health take a back seat. Many have a habit of saying “I don’t feel sick, therefore I’m healthy.” Sadly this is not always the case. According to the CDC, 12.5% of men 18 and older are in poor health and the vast majority of illnesses are preventable.

You take your vehicle for routine maintenance more than once a year in order to keep it from breaking down. Why not do the same for your health? Routine lab testing can help you establish a baseline. This way when you do feel like something is not right or if your numbers have changed you can visit your physician and prevent an illness from taking over. You may ask yourself, “How do I do this? How do I check in on my health while carrying on with my hectic schedule?” The answer is simple… visit ANY LAB TEST NOW®!

ANY LAB TEST NOW® can help you Take Control of Your Health® by not only offering you a variety of lab testing tailored to your needs to establish your baselines, but also by having you in and out in 15 minutes or less! Our men’s health screenings include but are not limited to prostate screenings (PSA); testosterone and other hormone tests, heart health and many more. As National Men’s Health Week draws to a close take the opportunity to Take Control of Your Health®, get your baseline and then you can get back to business!

For more information on men’s health screenings visit an ANY LAB TEST NOW® near you or visit www.anylabtestnow.com

Sports & Adderall Abuse

In the world of sports, an athlete deals with a number of pressures besides winning or losing the game. Not only does the athlete have to make sure that he or she is in optimal physical condition in order to perform, but they also feel the pressure from teammates and the expectations of those who follow them. In a day and age when there seems to be a medicine available for just about everything, it is not surprising that people, including athletes, start experimenting and discovering alternative uses for such prescriptions.

An example of this is the infamous prescription drug, Adderall. Known as the “study drug”, for those who actually need it the drug becomes a medicine that helps them focus on the task at hand. For those who don’t need it, the drug becomes a powerful stimulant that can be used as a performance enhancer or a pick-me-up.

Since studies have shown that the drug improves hand–eye coordination, strength and acceleration, there’s no surprise as to why this specific drug has gained popularity amongst athletes. To an athlete, Adderall gives them an edge with an energy boost in order to “rock” the game and go for the big win. The drug itself has become so popular in the world of sports that even national leagues like the NFL and the MLB as well as the NCAA have been forced to take action against those who test positive for the drug and have not been prescribed by a physician, resulting in a number of suspensions.

On many occasions, whether it be the desire to hang onto one’s youth or the constant pressure of needing to stay on top of your game, these athletes forget about the long-term side effects that a drug like Adderall could have on their health especially in those who don’t really need this prescription. The long-term side effects include risk of cardiovascular problems and stroke, depression, hostility and paranoia. Since May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, why not take the opportunity to help your athlete Take Control of Their Health and take a peek at their current state of health. ANY LAB TEST NOW® understands that achieving peak performance and optimal results takes more than just physical fitness. It’s a matter of getting the inside facts about your body’s true state of health. In addition ANY LAB TEST NOW® can be your partner in making sure your athlete stays in tip-top shape without any enhancers through one of our many drug testing options.

During National Physical Fitness and Sports Month Take Control of Your Health® and your athletic career; whether you are an athlete or you manage one, having the opportunity to know what’s going on inside your body, empowers you to Take Control of Your Health® with a well-rounded, drug free, comprehensive health and wellness approach. For more information visit www.anylabtestnow.com or stop by an ANY LAB TEST NOW® near you. Also, take the time to learn more about The Partnership at Drugfree.org’s Medicine Abuse Project, and help stop the abuse of prescription medications.