Shortage of the Sunshine Vitamin

It’s hard to imagine it, but even in the middle of summer, there are people who aren’t getting enough sunshine in their life. There could be all kinds of reasons why, but the most likely one is because they are being wise and listening to the well-placed warnings from their dermatologist about skin cancer. So, they slather on sunscreen, suit up in long sleeved shirts and pants and basically avoid the sun when possible. But some doctors are seeing an unintended consequence to this advice: vitamin D deficiency.

What is Vitamin D

According to the Vitamin D Council, D is unlike any other vitamin. Your body can make its own vitamin D when you expose your skin to sunlight. But, your body can’t make other vitamins; you have to get them from the foods you eat.

Basically, when your skin is exposed to the sun, it produces vitamin D and sends it to your liver. Your liver then changes it to a substance called 25 OH D. When your doctor talks about your vitamin D levels you’ll basically be talking about the amount of 25 OH D you have in your blood. You can also get vitamin D from supplements or even small amounts from the foods you eat.

Vitamin D at Work

Vitamin D plays a crucial role in keeping your bones strong. Your body needs it in order to absorb calcium. If you don’t have enough, your bones can become soft, thin and brittle. In children, this is called rickets. In adults, it’s known as osteomalacia. Researchers are also looking into the role that a vitamin D deficiency plays in:

Cancer
Asthma
Type 2 diabetes
High blood pressure
Depression
Alzheimer’s disease
Multiple sclerosis
Crohn’s disease
Type 1 diabetes

Are You at Risk?

A lack of sun exposure due to sunscreen use isn’t the only risk factor for a deficiency. Some people are just more inclined to it. According to the Vitamin D Council, people at risk for D deficiency include:

People with darker skin. The darker your skin the more sun exposure you need to get the same amount of vitamin D as a fair-skinned person.
People who spend a lot of time indoors during the day. For example, if you’re housebound or work nights and spend the day sleeping.
Older people, because they have thinner skin and may not be able to produce as much vitamin D as younger people.
Pregnant women and breastfed-only infants.
People who are overweight.

The symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency are so vague you might not have a clue. They can range anywhere from tiredness and general aches and pains to a pain in your bones and weakness. Some people don’t even have symptoms at all.

Testing to Know Your Levels

Testing to find out your levels of this important vitamin is as simple as going to your local Any Lab Test Now location. The test you’ll want to ask for is the Vitamin D 25-Hydroxy Test (25 OH D). It’s a simple test that requires no fasting and results generally take between 24 to 72 hours. Our experts have found that people who take the Vitamin D 25-Hydroxy Test (25 OH D) will also request one of the following relevant tests as well:

If your levels are abnormal a trip to your doctor is in order. They can talk to you about safe and sensible sun exposure and supplements. Having plenty of the “sunshine vitamin” can really be the key to feeling sunny every day!

Understand the Impact of Nutrients on Your Body

Understand the Impact of Nutrients on Your Body

Do you know what’s happening in your body when you eat? What you eat and how well your body digests it can have a far-reaching impact on your health and everyday wellbeing, so it’s important to know what’s happening internally. There’s a lot of information that can be revealed when you take time to be tested for nutrient absorption, which is why nutritional testing at Any Lab Test Now is important.

What is Nutritional Testing?

By analyzing blood chemistry, these tests reveal more than simple digestive trouble. The cellular composition of your blood, including levels of hemoglobin, red and white blood cells and platelet counts, can give you helpful hints about health conditions you might be experiencing. Nutritional testing can also examine levels of vitamins, minerals and enzymes in your blood and compare these to normal levels to find any deficiencies. Finally, the density of many of the components of your blood can tell you if your organs are functioning properly and if you’re getting enough fluids.

Nutrition-Related Health Concerns

Nutrition plays an important role in keeping your body balanced and full of energy. When not properly balanced, your body can experience a variety of discomforts and long-term health issues. A few examples include:

Fatigue
Achy, weak or crampy muscles
Low hormone levels
Chronic inflammation
Organ malfunction
Abnormal heart rhythms
Anemia
Memory loss

Micronutrients

Micronutrients are vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Unlike nutrients like calcium and potassium, these are only needed in small amounts, yet being deficient in one or more of these nutrients can also be harmful to your body. To gather even more information about your digestive health, try tests like the micronutrient test and the comprehensive male or female panel. These tests will give you a better picture of how well-balanced your diet is. Too little of a certain micronutrient may lead to long-term health issues, such as poor organ function, poor immune function or any number of chronic diseases.

Nutrition is the backbone of your physical health, so it makes sense that you would need to check up on it every once in a while. By getting a nutritional panel at Any Lab Test Now, you can answer any questions you might have about your nutrition, as well as potentially find solutions to nagging health issues. So walk-in to your local Any Lab Test Now to see how a Nutritional Panel can help you stay healthy!

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!

The 5 Best Tests to Use Your FSA On

altn-dec-newsletter-sized-fsa HSA and FSA accounts can help you budget for your healthcare, and ensure you always have the money you need to pay for any unexpected health events. But if you still have money in your FSA, it will expire at the end of the year. Instead of letting your money vanish, put it to use by getting some testing or immunizations you’ve been putting off. Wrap up lingering health concerns now so you can start fresh in the new year.

Allergy Test
The holidays coincide with peak cold and flu season, but if your sniffles won’t go away, you might look into allergy testing. Up to 50 million Americans suffer from allergies. If you experience emotional or physical reactions after you eat, or if you frequently have symptoms like a stuffy nose or trouble breathing, you might have an allergy to something you ate. The Allergy Test goes through as many as 45 different foods and 45 environmental triggers to identify the root of your symptoms.

Intolerance Test
If you’ve been noticing symptoms that aren’t associated with an allergic reaction, then you might have a food intolerance. If you experience fatigue, gas or diarrhea, depression or anxiety, weight gain or a general chronic discomfort, you may want to get a food intolerance test. This becomes especially important as you grow older, because you can develop new food sensitivities or intolerances later in life.

Blood Cortisol Test
If your stress levels are through the roof, the holiday season will likely only make it worse — it can seem like your to-do list never ends! To see if your stress is starting to cause problems for your body, get a blood cortisol test. High levels of cortisol are dangerous, because over time they can lead to high blood pressure, inflammation, compromised immune response and weight gain.

Thyroid Test
The holiday meals sure are delicious, but do you know what isn’t so great? The holiday pounds. If your weight gain tends to stick around a bit too long after the holidays, you should get your thyroid tested. Your thyroid controls metabolic activity, which is vital for maintaining a healthy weight. Poor thyroid health is associated with symptoms like fatigue, short attention span, weight gain and numbness or cold intolerance. Thyroid disorders can also cause conditions like osteoporosis and heart disease.

Proof of Immunizations
Are you traveling for the holidays or early next year? The first thing on your list should be to make sure your immunizations are up-to-date, which you can do by getting a proof of immunization test. These tests ensure that you have gotten the immunizations you need and provide valid paperwork to prove that you are immunized, which can be helpful if you’ve lost any documentation.

Don’t wait for the new year to address your lingering health concerns. If you have an FSA that is going to expire soon, get the important lab tests you need before 2017! For more information, visit your local Any Lab Test Now.

What’s the Difference Between a Gluten Intolerance and Celiac Disease?

March newsletter gluten celiac small

Gluten Intolerance Vs. Celiac Disease

Digestive issues. Unexplained fatigue. Headaches. Pain. Mood issues. If this sounds like an average day in your life, you’re not alone. About 15 percent of people in the U.S. have some form of gluten intolerance, and you could be one of them. While there could be other causes, these symptoms can point to a gluten intolerance, which goes undiagnosed in patients 99 percent of the time.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley, and it is a HUGE part of the American diet. Odds are, you’ve been eating gluten all your life, and this could be the cause of these daily, unexplained discomforts.

So, what is gluten intolerance?

Gluten intolerance is a broad category of food intolerance that covers a range of conditions, including celiac disease — the most severe of the gluten intolerances — non-celiac gluten sensitivity and wheat allergies.

	Celiac Disease	Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity	Wheat Allergy
What is it?	A hereditary autoimmune disorder	A sensitivity to gluten	An allergy to the gluten protein when wheat is ingested
What happens when gluten is ingested?	An autoimmune response that causes severe damage to the small intestine and long-term health problems	A stress response is triggered by the body, often resulting in uncomfortable GI symptoms	An immune response is triggered causing a temporary reaction by the body

As you can see in the chart above, a gluten intolerance can be anything from a mild irritation to a life-altering disease. Regardless of where you fall in this range, it is important to recognize your symptoms so you can protect your health.

Depending on the severity of your intolerance, symptoms may include:

Digestive issues including gas, bloating, diarrhea and constipation
Unexplained skin rashes
Unexplained fatigue, especially after eating a meal containing gluten
Mood issues like anxiety, mood swings, depression or ADD
Migraine headaches
Hormone imbalances
And many other possible symptoms

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, it may be a sign you should get tested for a gluten intolerance. At Any Lab Test Now, there are many options to choose from.

Want to test for celiac disease?

Try our Celiac Disease Panel. As celiac disease can often be difficult to diagnose, this test can help to differentiate between celiac disease and other inflammatory bowel diseases.
Or try our ALCAT Gut Health Profile, which can also help you diagnose celiac disease or discover the possibility of a non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

Or if you feel that you may have a wheat allergy, you can find out with these tests:

The sooner you know the cause of your symptoms, the sooner you can start doing something about them. Talk to the experts at Any Lab Test Now to find out which test is right for you and start your journey toward a happier, healthier life.

The Types of Food Sensitivity You Need To Know

It’s estimated that 15 million Americans have a food allergy, according to Food Allergy Research and Education. Furthermore, it’s estimated that food intolerance is prevalent in approximately 5 to 12 percent of the population. With so many people undiagnosed currently, you would be right to worry about whether you have a food sensitivity. Here’s what you need to know.

What is a food allergy?

This is an immune system response in your body that reacts to the introduction of a specific food as if it were a threat. This response can take place within minutes or hours, but it happens relatively quickly after you consume the food. Symptoms can be mild or severe, and they can even be life-threatening if the reaction leads to anaphylaxis. Watch out for these symptoms:

Itching in your mouth or swelling
Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal cramps and pain
Hives or eczema
Tightening of the throat and trouble breathing
Drop in blood pressure

What is a food intolerance?

This occurs when you have difficulty digesting a certain food. You might be able to eat a little bit of the food without symptoms, or you might not be able to eat it at all. Unlike a food allergy, symptoms take longer to develop. They start a few hours after consumption of the food and can last hours. Since food intolerance deals with digestion, symptoms tend to be relegated to the digestive tract. Watch out for these symptoms:

Diarrhea or constipation
Abdominal cramps
Vomiting
Bloating
Irritable bowel
Fatigue and general sick feeling

How can you know for sure if you have a food sensitivity?

A lab test can tell you if you have a food allergy or a food intolerance. But the tests for these two conditions are different. Therefore, it’s crucial to get the right lab test.

If you think you have a food allergy …

IgE and IgG tests can accurately inform you whether you have a true allergy to a substance. However, you must have been exposed to the irritant recently in order to detect the antibodies. These tests are commonly performed with exposure to the suspected allergen on the skin, but blood tests can be performed as well.

If you think you have a food intolerance …

An ALCAT test can detect intolerances and sensitivities accurately and regardless of recent exposure to the irritant. Essentially, the blood sample(s) taken are exposed to suspected or common irritants, and the cells’ reactions are studied to determine the body’s reaction. Any Lab Test Now is equipped to handle a wide range of ALCAT tests to help you determine if you have a food sensitivity.

The first step is testing. Then you can talk to your doctor about possible treatment options. Knowledge is key to know the proper treatment, and Any Lab Test Now can help you gain that knowledge!

National Folic Acid Awareness Week

Everything your body does relies on a B vitamin to help make it happen. From your metabolism to your brain function, to the growth and maintenance of your circulatory and nervous systems, none of it would happen if B vitamins weren’t there to help out. This group of vitamins was deemed so vital to Americans that in 1998, the U.S. government passed a law to require that flour products be fortified with them to help ensure that the population could get enough of the nutrients in a normal diet. Among infants, young children and women of childbearing age, folate, or folic acid, is among the most important B vitamin, Vitamin B9, because of its role in cell division and the formation of the nervous system. In honor of National Folic Acid Week, here are some facts you may not have known about folate’s role in the body.

Folate regulates cell division and aids in the construction and maintenance of the circulatory, nervous and digestive systems. It is most important during periods of time where cells are dividing rapidly, such as during growth spurts or development of organ systems. The best sources of folates are meat, beans and legumes, shellfish and whole grains. Fortification of refined grain foods have made things like breakfast cereals and refined flour into great sources of folic acid, and this has led to a dramatic decrease in the amount of folate deficiencies diagnosed in the U.S.

There are many reasons that one can be deficient in folic acid, although luckily, simply not consuming enough is no longer a prominent cause. Instead, illnesses like alcoholism, Crohn’s disease and certain genetic disorders are more likely causes. Many medications will also limit the amount of folate your body can absorb from food. If you have a condition that keeps your body from absorbing folate, it’s crucial that you discuss ways to supplement your intake with your doctor, because a folate deficiency can impact every area of your life.

The first symptoms of a deficiency are exhaustion, mental fogginess and depression. These start out relatively mild and are easy to reverse if they are caught quickly. A more chronic deficiency can cause folate deficiency anemia, which causes the red blood cells to grow abnormally large and unable to carry oxygen. This ends up leading to chronic fatigue, and your hair can even start turning gray. Folate deficiencies are especially dangerous for infants and pregnant women, since a lack of folate can cause the nervous system and spine to develop improperly in utero. It is estimated that between 11 and 19 percent of people in the United States do not consume enough folate in their diets. At Any Lab Test Now, there are a wide variety of lab tests available to help you determine your body’s folate levels, including the Vitamin B12/Folate Test, the Hematocrit lab test which evaluates your red blood cell levels, our Anemia Panel, or the MTHFR Test, which can reveal a genetic disorder that hinders your folate absorption.

Folate is an integral part of the development and maintenance of bodily systems, and it’s absolutely crucial for growth and circulation. Fortification of refined foods have brought the U.S. into an era of unsurpassed health, but there are still a relatively large amount of people who struggle to get all of the nutrients they need. This National Folic Acid Week is the perfect time to look at your consumption and your folic acid levels, to see if you’re in optimal health. Stop in at an Any Lab Test Now location today to get your levels tested and find out your status!

Eating Your Way Through The Holidays? You Might Want to Check Your Sugar Levels First

‘Tis the season — the season of eating, that is! We all get excited about our favorite foods when the holidays come around. There’s just something special about sharing a meal with family and friends, often with beloved family recipes that have been passed down through the generations. And there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a special meal with loved ones. The problem comes when these meals are high in unhealthy fats, added sugars and other not-so-good-for-you ingredients. Not to mention the fact that the spirit of the season has come to include a tradition of rampant over-indulgence in our favorite holiday treats. (Seconds, anyone? Leftovers tomorrow?) This time of year is especially difficult if you have diabetes or prediabetes. You may want to reach for that pumpkin pie, but it is imperative to your health that you keep your sugar levels under control. So how can you enjoy the season and all the delicious foods it has to offer while keeping your health in check? Knowing your sugar levels ahead of time will help you decide what is safe to eat and what you should avoid.

Why should you check your sugar levels?

If you have diabetes or prediabetes, you know how important it is to keep your sugar levels down. Insulin is a hormone that helps get glucose (sugar) to your cells to use as energy. With diabetes, your body does not make or use insulin well. Without insulin, the glucose remains in your blood, raising your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. Having high blood sugar can cause a number of serious problems to your health including, damage to your eyes, kidneys and nerves as well as heart disease, stroke and even the need for amputation.

One of the best ways to keep your blood sugar levels in check is to stick to a diabetes-friendly diet that limits foods high in sugar, fat, salt and carbohydrates. Everyone’s body is different, and it’s best to consult with a dietician to find a meal plan that’s right for you. But before you can know what you can and can’t eat, you need to know your blood sugar levels. This will give you an idea of how well you are managing your diabetes or if you are in danger of becoming diabetic.

The best way to know your sugar levels? Get tested!

If you are unsure of your blood sugar levels and you are concerned about your health, it is best to get tested before that big holiday dinner. When you are aware of your health, you can be proactive about preventing any serious problems. Would you rather have that second helping of sweet potato casserole or keep your left foot? It may sound extreme, but this is the situation you could be facing if you don’t keep your sugar levels under control as a diabetic or prediabetic. But if you want to take control of your health, you’re in luck! Any Lab Test Now has several testing options to help you monitor your blood sugar levels quickly and easily, no appointment necessary!

The Hemoglobin A1c Test is a valuable measure of the overall blood glucose levels over a period of time (two?three months). This test can be used to help detect prediabetes and diagnose diabetes. If you’re diabetic, this test can help determine if your disease is under control.

The Glucose (Serum) Test, also known as the Fasting Blood Glucose Test, is the most common test used to diagnose hyperglycemia (higher than normal levels of blood sugar), hypoglycemia (lower than normal levels of blood sugar) and diabetes. Diabetics self conduct this test multiple times a day to monitor their blood glucose, which is conducted as a finger stick and measured with a home glucometer. This test will determine if your blood glucose level is within a healthy range. It will also screen for, diagnose and monitor prediabetes, diabetes, hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia.

The Diabetes Maintenance Panel is an effective panel for both diabetics and for those who want to see if they have diabetes. This panel includes four tests: The Complete Blood Count (CBC), the Fasting Glucose, the Hemoglobin A1c and the Diabetic Urinalysis. The information gained from the four tests in this panel will give you and your physician the necessary information to help monitor and/or adjust your diabetic medications.
Talk to our experts at Any Lab Test Now to find out which test is right for you! The sooner you know your blood sugar levels, the sooner you can take control of your health this holiday season.

Why Should I Get My Vitamin B Levels Tested?

B12 Vitamin Photo

Everyone knows the feeling. It’s 9 a.m. after a late night, you just sat down at your desk and you can’t imagine how you’re going to get through a whole work day without falling asleep where you’re sitting. It’s fatigue, and it hits all of us at one time or another. But for many, that fatigue won’t go away, and that could indicate a deficiency in vitamin B. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is about a 10 percent chance that the average American is deficient in a given vitamin or nutrient. Conversely, the rates of vitamin toxicity have risen in recent years due to the increased use of multivitamins, and about 60,000 instances of vitamin toxicity are reported to U.S. poison control centers each year. Vitamin toxicity, which is an overabundance of a vitamin in the body, can take a tragic toll if it isn’t caught in time, causing damage to several organ systems, including your nerves, liver, kidneys and brain. If you’re concerned that you’re getting too much or not enough nutrients like vitamin B, a vitamin level test might be just what you need.

Vitamin B is an extremely important nutrient for the function of the immune system, metabolism and production of healthy skin, nails and red blood cells. The B vitamin family includes vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B12 and folic acid, and each of these serves a different, but important, purpose in the body. The most commonly deficient of these are vitamin B6 and folic acid, which are important for the metabolism, immune system and fetal development. Deficiencies in these vitamins can cause extreme fatigue, confusion, a weakened immune system and rashes. For most B vitamins, the recommended daily amount is in the range of 5-20 mg.

The best way to determine whether you’re getting the right amount of vitamin B is to have your vitamin levels tested. Any Lab Test Now offers vitamin level testing at all of its locations, and with the results of a vitamin test, you can approach your doctor about how to solve any toxicities or deficiencies. With a vitamin as important to basic bodily functions as vitamin B, this test can mean the difference between walking around like a zombie and having enough energy to live life to the fullest. You owe it to yourself to make sure your nutrition is working for you!