Frequent Heartburn? Your Health Could Be at Risk
You know it well: that burning sensation you feel in your chest after a big meal, while laying down or sometimes for no apparent reason at all. This frequent and fiery grip on the center of your chest is known as heartburn, and millions of Americans suffer from it every year.
Even though heartburn seems nearly as commonplace in America as a burger and fries, it is certainly not something to ignore when you experience it yourself. That’s because frequent heartburn is more than just a little uncomfortable — it can cause lasting damage to your body and your health. In fact, the condition of frequent heartburn is considered to be a disease — gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD for short, is diagnosed when heartburn interferes with a person’s daily life. While heartburn can be temporarily dealt with using over-the-counter antacid medications, it is important for your health to determine the cause of the heartburn so you can take the necessary steps toward preventing it in the future.
If left untreated, frequent heartburn can cause a number of painful and even dangerous health conditions such as:
Esophageal Strictures, which cause difficulty swallowing as a result of scarring and narrowing of the esophagus due to frequent exposure to stomach acid. This can result in pain when swallowing, as well as difficulty eating and drinking.
Barrett’s Esophagus, a condition caused by long-term exposure of the esophagus to stomach acid through acid reflux. This is a pre-cancerous condition that occurs in about 1 in 100 people who have experienced chronic heartburn for ten years or more.
Esophageal Cancer, which can develop when the esophageal cells become so damaged by stomach acid over time that the cells become cancerous. Even if found early, the survival rate for esophageal cancer is only around 40 percent.
If you suffer from frequent heartburn, it’s time to find out why so you can begin to recover before it’s too late. Any Lab Test Now’s Heartburn Panel includes three tests intended to give you a comprehensive look at why you may be suffering from frequent heartburn or GERD:
A Complete Blood Count will test for blood disorders that can show signs of leukemia, anemia and blood clotting.
A Chemistry Panel will evaluate your blood sugar levels, liver and kidney function, renal function and electrolyte levels.
And an H. Pylori Test will determine the presence of a destructive stomach bacterium called Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium can cause ulcers, heartburn and even stomach cancer. If discovered, an H. pylori infection is easily treated with antibiotics. An H. Pylori Rapid Result Screen is another option to test only for the presence of H. pylori.
The sooner you know what’s wrong, the sooner you can start taking the steps towards better health. Talk to the experts at Any Lab Test Now today to learn what testing options are right for you.
Stay Heart Healthy This February!
Walk into any retail location and you’ll see red, pink and purple hearts of all shapes and sizes. February is the month of love, and the heart represents this feeling for many people. Did you know, however, that February is also Heart Health Awareness Month?
This year, celebrate your heart by making healthy lifestyle changes and taking action to prevent chronic conditions like heart disease. Heart disease kills more American adults than any other cause of death, including cancer, accidents and diabetes. For this year’s Heart Health Awareness Month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention want Americans to focus on one healthy behavior they can make into a habit to take control of their heart health.
After all, your heart health influences your daily life and everything you want to do. From how often you get sick to how much activity your body can handle, a healthy heart makes your whole body run right. Symptoms of heart disease can be unique for everyone, but will often include fatigue, shortness of breath, angina or pain in the chest, nausea and swelling of feet or ankles (also known as edema). Your heart never rests — and your heart health influences your quality of life even when you’re asleep, so it’s critical that it remains healthy.
Heart disease can be difficult to detect on its own, which is why it’s so important to use laboratory testing and regular visits to your primary care physician to keep yourself on track. To find out what your risk is and begin your journey to a healthier heart, you should schedule a Cardiac Risk Panel at Any Lab Test Now this month. Getting a laboratory test entails a simple, one-time visit that will allow you to see your levels of blood cholesterol, C-reactive protein and homocysteine. These levels are an indication of how hard your heart is working and how much inflammation is in your body. Any Lab Test Now also offers a variety of other heart health related tests to consider, like cholesterol testing.
Once you have your results, you can take them to your doctor to discuss your lifestyle and how you can improve your habits, one step at a time. Suggestions may include dietary changes, increasing the consistency with which you take prescription drugs, increased exercise or quitting smoking.
Your cardiovascular system is important for your quality of life, so make February the month you take charge of your habits and make an improvement in your health. For more information on how to use Any Lab Test Now’s laboratory testing to determine your risk, visit our website!
Avoid Hormone Chaos with Testosterone Testing
Having low testosterone as a man can throw your whole body into chaos. Your body’s systems rely on hormones to tell them what to do, so if your hormones are not giving your body the right signals, you might notice changes in everything from your digestion and energy level to your sex drive and physical performance. If you have been suffering from unexplained changes in your body, testosterone testing might be the right answer for you.
According to the Urology Care Foundation, about four in every 10 men over the age of 45 experience low testosterone. The condition rarely occurs in men younger than 45, but when it does, it can be both unexpected and frustrating. It is natural for a man’s testosterone level to decrease as he ages, but if it dips too far below the normal threshold, uncomfortable symptoms can begin to occur and affect that man’s quality of life.
Symptoms can include:
an increase in body fat,
decrease in muscle mass,
calcium loss,
loss of bone density,
poor erections,
low sex drive, or
anemia.
The symptoms of a hormone dysfunction are unpleasant, but can be eliminated or reduced through proper treatment. Knowing the source of a hormone imbalance can give your doctor the information he or she needs to resolve your issue. Typically, treatment is managed through testosterone replacement therapy. Using a gel, shots, long-acting pellets, pills or patches, doctors can prescribe testosterone supplementation that restores a man’s testosterone to normal levels and alleviates his symptoms.
A carefully-administered test in a certified and safe laboratory environment is the only way to assure valid results for a testosterone level test. This is important, because treating a man who does not have low testosterone with hormone supplementation can have an adverse effect, and will not address any symptoms he might be experiencing. Supplementing a man’s testosterone when it’s not needed can actually lower a man’s sperm count and fertility. Some of our other panels that you also might want to consider are our Comprehensive Male Panel or Pre-Testosterone Therapy Panel.
Low testosterone can be more than unpleasant. This hormone is necessary for many of the functions in the male body, and lower levels of the hormone can throw the body’s systems out of whack. To resolve the discomfort and confusion, men who have found the aging process to be more frustrating than expected should consider testosterone testing to determine if a testosterone level disorder is the cause. Find your local Any Lab Test Now to schedule a test today!
It’s Thyroid Awareness Month!
Many people have heard of the thyroid, but few actually know how this gland impacts their body. For this reason, January is Thyroid Awareness Month. During this period, both individuals and practitioners are encouraged to become better educated about possible thyroid issues, causes and treatments.
The thyroid is part of the endocrine system. This gland transforms iodine that you consume into two hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine(T3). These hormones are then released into your body when needed to regulate the speed at which the body functions. When too much of the hormone is released, this speeds up the body’s functions and is known as hyperthyroidism. Conversely, when too little of the hormone is released, it slows down the body’s functions. This is known as hypothyroidism.
In both cases, the imbalance of hormones can lead to problems for patients. In those affected by hyperthyroidism, people may experience:
weight loss,
persistent vomiting,
increased blood pressure,
increased perspiration,
enlarged liver,
hair loss, or
a persistently fast heart rate.
When the body’s functions slow down due to hypothyroidism, patients often experience:
fatigue,
weight gain,
a short attention span,
dry skin,
thinning hair,
slow heartbeat,
numbness, or
cold intolerance.
Fortunately, many patients can work with an endocrinologist to re-balance their hormone levels and curtail these symptoms. The first step to healing is understanding your current hormone levels. An easy method for gathering data about your thyroid function is done through the take-home hormone kit. Samples are collected at home and then sent to Any Lab Test Now for evaluation. The test measures the amount of hormone in your bloodstream. It also evaluates the levels of various elements, like iodine, Cadmium, bromine, arsenic, mercury, and Selenium that impacts the production of the T3 andT4 hormones. Of course, other patients simply walk in to Any Lab Test Now for the thyroid panel and the Comprehensive Elements Thyroid Profile hormone kit which provide similar information.
Armed with data about thyroid and element levels, an endocrinologist will recommend the right course of action for bringing hormone levels back into balance. Options may include a variety of drug treatments, iodine treatment or (in extreme situations) surgical removal of the thyroid. Typically, it takes several weeks of treatment for the symptoms to subside. It is also important to note that dosage levels frequently need to be adjusted when a patient is first undergoing treatment because each body has very specific hormone needs to stay in balance.
As we enter January, and help to spread the word about Thyroid Awareness Month, we encourage anyone who may be experiencing hormone-related symptoms to stop in to their local Any Lab Test Now location for testing. A quick test may put you on the path to reduced symptoms and healthier living!
Tests to Consider for the New Year
This time of year, many people are making resolutions to change their lives for the better. Resolutions give people a sense of new beginnings for themselves, and a chance to look forward to the progress they will make toward becoming a healthier, happier individual. Most people who make a New Year’s resolution are thinking of their health – they want to make positive changes in their appearance and overall livelihood.
But what many people don’t realize when they’re staring in the mirror is that good health starts on the inside. To appear healthier on the outside, you must first make healthy, internal changes. If you’re looking to make a change, but don’t know where to start, Any Lab Test Now has several tests that can help you accomplish your resolutions for 2017:
Sensitivity and Intolerance Tests
One great way to make a healthy change is to finally find out what’s been causing your unexplained ailments or discomfort. Often, people with a food sensitivity or intolerance don’t realize what is causing their health issues. That’s because it’s hard to isolate just one food as the cause of your pain. This is where Sensitivity and Intolerance Tests can help! These tests can help you determine any food sensitivities or intolerances you may have, letting you get to the bottom of what is causing your health problems.
Sexual Health Lab Tests
If you are sexually active, it is important to make sure you are healthy and disease-free. Most people know they should get tested for STDs, but continually put it off. The thing is, by putting off getting tested, you’ll continue to feel that nagging worry in the back of your mind – “Do I have a disease?” Give yourself peace of mind by finding out for sure in 2017, and taking care of your health from head to toe. Any Lab Test Now’s Sexual Health Lab Tests will help you check off that big “to-do” item lingering in your thoughts.
Diabetes Lab Tests and Cholesterol Lab Tests
Before you can look healthy on the outside, you must address the issues going on inside your body. If you are concerned you might have high cholesterol, diabetes or pre-diabetes, it’s time to get tested and find out for sure. Dangerous complications can arise from having these conditions, including a higher risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Make 2017 the year you take control of your heart health, starting with a Diabetes Lab Test and Cholesterol Lab Test.
Get started on your 2017 New Year’s resolution to be healthier by getting some much needed answers to your nagging health questions. Once you better understand your health today, you can start taking steps towards achieving better health this year. Talk to the experts at Any Lab Test Now to learn what testing options are right for you, and take the first step towards a healthier, happier you.
Five Recommended Tests for the New Year
Each January, people across the country resolve to get fit and improve their health. From increasing exercise and reducing stress to taking vitamins and eating right, people understand the importance of taking care of their bodies and minds. Taking care of oneself is a goal that has positive impacts on every area of life.
Of course, any time you set a goal, it is important to figure out how you will track your progress and measure the impact of the actions you take to reach the goal. When it comes to goals related to good health, there are tests that can help you evaluate where you are today and what your personal areas of focus should be.
In 2017, the top five suggested tests for men and women are:
Basic Check-Up Panel – This grouping of tests helps you evaluate your overall health. From liver function to blood pressure, this panel gives you a high-level view of your health today so that you can better pinpoint what is working well, what isn’t, and identify areas for improvement.
Comprehensive Female Panel – This is the most comprehensive panel for women. Not only does it evaluate your overall health, as in the Basic Check-Up Panel, but it also measures hormone levels, nutrition status and thyroid function.
Male Panel – Like the Basic Check-Up Panel, this gives you a good overview of your health. In addition, however, it evaluates adrenal functions that are specific to men and testicular health.
Nutritional Panel – Often, health and wellness issues can stem from having too much or too little of a nutrient in one’s body. Evaluating and monitoring the level of various nutrients in your body is a good first step to making sure your body has what it needs to perform at its best.
Cortisol Total Test – Cortisol is the hormone your body releases in response to stress. When cortisol levels are too high for an extended period, they can contribute to health issues. Monitoring your cortisol level is a good starting point if your goal is to reduce stress.
When it comes to good health, making the decision to take control is step one! Step two is learning about how healthy your body is today so that you can find specific areas for improvement. From there, you can establish a plan that meets your personal health needs. Then, when 2018 rolls around, you are sure to find yourself fitter and healthier!
Last Minute Gift Ideas — Take Home Hormone Kits
The world is full of balance — Yin and Yang, day and night, good and evil. Without balance, we have chaos and unpredictability. And just as the world needs balance, so does your body in order to thrive. Many people have a hormone imbalance in their body and don’t even know it — all they know is that something just feels…off.
They may feel like they’ve been battling unexplainable skin ailments, and that nothing they do seems to work. Or maybe they suffer from insomnia and just can’t achieve a restful, relaxing night’s sleep no matter what they do. Perhaps they struggle with overwhelming levels of stress, anxiety, allergies or even illnesses. They may struggle with maintaining a healthy weight, or even experience sudden weight gain despite every effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle. All of these problems can seem vastly unrelated, yet they all have one thing in common: they may be caused by a hormone imbalance.
If someone in your life is experiencing these or other unexplainable health issues, they may be suffering from a hormone imbalance. This holiday season, consider helping your loved one finally take control of their health, once and for all, with a Take Home Hormone Kit from Any Lab Test Now. Show your loved one that you’ve been listening to their concerns, and that you care about their health and happiness.
Give the gift of good health with any of these hormone testing kits available at Any Lab Test Now:
The Skin Vitality Take Home Hormone Kit is perfect for the loved one who feels betrayed by their own skin. Imagine the happiness they will feel when they can finally understand why they have been suffering from excessive dryness, wrinkling, discoloration or acne.
The Sleep Balance Take Home Hormone Kit is ideal for the loved one who just can’t get a good night’s rest. Bring joy to their holiday season by helping them finally learn why they are suffering from insomnia, and giving them the help they need.
The Adrenal Stress Take Home Hormone Kit is the perfect gift for the loved one who feels overwhelmed by stress and unexplainable health problems, from anxiety to allergies and even infertility.
The Elements-Thyroid Take Home Hormone Kit is a great option for those who are wondering if they are experiencing undiagnosed thyroid disease or dysfunction, which can present itself in many different symptoms.
The Weight Management Take Home Hormone Kit is a wonderful choice for the loved one struggling to maintain their ideal weight, despite every effort to do so. Show your loved one you care about their concerns by helping them take the first step toward a real solution and a happier life.
This holiday season, help your loved ones start feeling better all year long. Contact the experts at Any Lab Test Now to learn which hormone testing kits are right for you.
Do You Have Signs of Menopause?
Imagine sitting at work when all of a sudden a whoosh of heat races through your body, causing you to perspire and your heart to race. The first time this happens, you may attribute it to anxiety, poor dietary choices or lack of sleep. Chances are, however, that it will happen again and you may start to question if you’re entering menopause.
Menopause is the phase of a woman’s life where ovarian functions begin to shut down. As this happens, her period comes to an end and she is no longer able to conceive children. It is a perfectly natural change that happens to women around the age of 50, although it may start as early as 35 or as late as age 60. A woman has officially gone through menopause once she has gone 12 months without having a period.
Of course, the changes that take place in a woman’s body during this time do not happen all at one time. This often results in erratically timed menstrual cycles and a variety of physical, mental and emotional symptoms that are driven by the changing hormone levels in a woman’s body. This is known as perimenopause. While in perimenopause, it is important that women continue to be careful during intercourse, because their bodies are still capable of becoming pregnant.
Each woman experiences perimenopause and menopause differently, but the most frequently talked about symptom is known as “hot flashes” or “night sweats”. This happens when the changing hormones make it difficult for the body to regulate its temperature, resulting in a flush of heat that can last anywhere from seconds to a few minutes. That said, there are actually 34 potential symptoms that a woman may experience during this time in her life, ranging from panic attacks and hair loss to bloating and trouble sleeping.
Because menopause is a significant and potentially confusing life change for women, September has been identified as Menopause Awareness Month. This awareness month is intended to help women better understand what is happening to their bodies during menopause, and to be able to realistically manage related symptoms.
If you believe that you are beginning to show signs of menopause, Any Lab Test Now offers quick, confidential, tests like the Menopause Screening Panel or the Comprehensive Female Panel. These tests will help you understand whether your body is nearing or going through menopause so that you can have a more informed discussion with your doctor about any symptoms that you’ve been experiencing.
Introducing Any Lab Test Now’s Take Home Hormone Kits!
Hormones are natural chemicals that direct most of your body’s functions such as moods, sleep, hunger and your response to stress. When the body has too much or too little of a particular type of hormone, it creates a hormone imbalance, and it can cause problems that negatively impact your quality of life. People suffering from hormone imbalances often struggle to feel their best. When an imbalance is suspected, it’s important to do all you can to get to the bottom of what you’re feeling because time spent feeling ill is time you can never get back.
Any Lab Test Now understands the importance of living each day to the fullest and wants to help you understand what’s going on in your body. We are happy to introduce our new convenient Take Home Hormone Kits! These simple take home kits can evaluate your hormone levels overall or can target specific issues that you may be having, including those related to:
Why do you need hormone testing? It is important to remember hormones trigger numerous vital body processes. This means that a hormone imbalance can have a myriad of symptoms. Sleep and wake cycles, metabolism, brain function, sexual and reproductive health are all controlled by the activity of these hormones.
Hormones affect both men and women. Men and women typically experience hormone imbalances differently. For men, their testosterone levels tend to decline slowly as they grow older, which can lead to a loss in muscle mass, a decrease in energy and low libido. For women, their varying levels of testosterone and progesterone, the two primary sexual hormones, can cause symptoms that mimic menopause. These women report experiencing hot flashes, lethargy, bone loss or an increase in body hair. Doctors typically treat hormone imbalances through dietary changes, vitamin and mineral supplements, changes in physical activity and hormone supplements.
If you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms of hormone imbalance, consider a Take Home Hormone Kit today. All you have to do is purchase a kit at your local Any Lab Test Now, complete the test at home at your convenience, and put the kit in the mail. Postage and shipping materials are even included with the kit!
At Any Lab Test Now, we can help you find the answers you need to finally address your troubling symptoms and live your best life!
Top Five Diseases That Affect Women’s Health
As women race through their days, many don’t stop to focus on their own health and well-being. For this reason, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health has designated May 8-14 as Women’s Health Week. This marks the 17th time the week has been recognized in an effort to encourage women to take ownership of their health.
While women’s health concerns may change as they age, five of the top health concerns faced by women include:
Heart disease. Heart disease accounts for more than 22 percent of female deaths according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are multiple contributing factors to heart disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Exercise and other healthy lifestyle choices can help reduce your risk of heart disease.
Cancer. The Susan G. Komen foundation shares that one in eight women who lives to the age of 85 is at risk for breast cancer. Fortunately, with early detection, survival rates can be quite high. To protect themselves, women regularly should be completing self-breast exams, scheduling routine mammograms and seeking testing to see if they have any markers that could signify malignant tumors in any area of the body.
Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases. This is often more recognizable as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and includes both emphysema and chronic bronchitis. While pollutants and chemical toxins may contribute to the development of these diseases, smokers get COPD nearly 12 times as frequently as non-smokers.
Stroke. Strokes are caused by blood clots that prevent blood from reaching the brain. According to Harvard Medical School, high blood pressure is the No. 1 risk factor for developing blood clots. Be sure to have your blood pressure checked regularly, especially if you are a smoker or using oral contraception. In addition, having a healthy lifestyle, which includes not smoking, can help reduce the chance of developing a blood clot.
Alzheimer’s disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Age, family history and heredity are the most common risk factors. While there is still much to learn about the disease, scientists are looking at the impact of exercise, diet and brain-engaging activities as potential ways to help keep the disease at bay.
So, ladies, celebrate Women’s Health Week by becoming more informed about the state of your own health, working with a doctor to address any issues and making lifestyle changes that will help you live your healthiest life yet!
