How Can You Prolong Your Life? Know Your Blood
It’s simple. Each of us desire to live long, happy lives. The question is how can we guarantee it? Although the answer’s not simple, it does not require us to spend endless hours searching for the fountain of youth. Rather, take one blood test…Take a few.
Did you know that your blood contains secrets about your health that could potentially add years to your life? Even better, maybe even save your life? Picture your blood being a strand of clues. With just one drop of your blood under a microscope, your physician (a.k.a. the detective) can use those clues to pinpoint the exact steps you can take into prolonging your life.
For example, a rise in your blood sugar could signify potential diabetes, increased risk of heart disease and stroke. A drop in your blood levels could indicate future hyperthyroidism. These are all examples of “silent warning signals” that are hidden in your blood. The advantage you have is clear. Be proactive. Get to know your blood. The sooner you can understand what your blood represents, the sooner you and your physician can develop a strategic, preventive health plan to prevent your future diagnosis from becoming a reality.
Life Extension Magazine reported 10 important blood tests that adults over 40 should get annually in order to get a true gage on what their lifespan currently looks like and what measures could be taken to extend it. Below is a list of those exact tests.
1. Chemistry Panel & Complete Blood Count
2. Fibrinogen
3. Hemoglobin A1C
4. DHEA
5. Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) (Men Only)
6. Homocysteine
7. C-Reactive Protein
8. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
9. Testosterone (Free)
10. Estradiol
Take charge of your current and future health in the most simplest way. Any Lab Test Now offers an array of blood tests including the ones listed above. Schedule an appointment with us today and let us begin to help you live the long and healthy life you desire.
Reference: http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2006/may2006_report_blood_01.htmAlert! Curious about Diabetes?
Nearly 6 million people are affected by diabetes and don’t even know it. If left undetected, it can be a silent killer. Your chances of heart attack, strokes, kidney problems or infections increase due to diabetes.
American Diabetes Association Alert Day® takes place on the fourth Tuesday of every March and is dedicated to bringing awareness and to encourage the public to take an online Diabetes Risk Test to determine their risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Tips and suggestions are provided after the test tailored to your results. Today, March 25th, is this years Alert Day so encourage your friends and family members to get involved!
This past Diabetes Awareness Month, we shared some alarming statistics on the disease. For a deeper look into your health, take our Diabetes Maintenance Panel specific for diabetics and for those who are curious if they might have diabetes. Remember, you can’t manage what you don’t measure. Take Control of Your Health® this Alert Day.
Have a Heart to Heart with Yourself
Have you ever received that phone call letting you know that a loved one or a dear friend has suffered a heart attack or stroke? The reality is that 1 in 3 women lose their lives to heart disease every year, making it the number 1 killer of women. Why not change those odds and fight the good fight against heart disease?
To fight against heart disease, first you must be able to distinguish between facts and myths. One of the major myths surrounding heart disease is that you are only at risk if you have family history of heart disease. Though family history plays an instrumental role into your risk factor, poor eating habits, inactivity, obesity, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol and high blood pressure also put you at risk of developing heart disease. Have a heart to heart with yourself and your loved ones. Create a buddy system to check in on your heart and hold each other accountable for doing the right things for your heart.
Check your cholesterol levels often. If you have diabetes make sure it is under control. Make the decision to lead a healthier lifestyle by developing healthy eating habits, adding activity to your day even if it means taking the stairs instead of the elevator and find a method that works for you in order to keep your stress level low to help maintain your blood pressure at a normal range.
Diabetes & the Holidays
It has been reported that diabetes affects 25.8 million people in the US alone. Out of these, 18.8 million people are diagnosed and 7 million go on undiagnosed. As diabetes awareness month comes to a close and the holiday season kicks off, living with diabetes can be a little tougher than usual. With such a high number of people with diabetes everything that comes with the holiday season besides family time can become a form of temptation for a diabetic.
During the holidays we love going for round 2 of that amazing turkey with the stuffing and all the goodies around the table. We also love to indulge in that glass of wine for the holiday toast. Sometimes there are multiple toasts, and some stay true to the saying ‘it’s rude if you don’t drink after a toast!’. When you have diabetes, indulging in these events can cause serious consequences to your health. So what are you to do this holiday season with all these temptations all around you?
In terms of indulging in that glass of wine or champagne for your New Year’s toast, studies have shown that it is okay if you indulge in that one glass for your toast. However, more than one can seriously increase your blood sugar levels lasting up to 24 hours. As for your trip to the delicious goodies table, there are two myths attached to the diabetes diet. The first myth is that you have to give up your favorite holiday foods. Studies have shown that if you simply modify the way in which the meal is prepared and reduce the serving size, your diabetes will not get out of control. Nevertheless, Round 2 of those mouth-watering pies, cakes, frosting-covered cookies and figgy pudding is not advisable. The second myth is that you absolutely have to give up desserts, again not true! Portion control and choosing healthier desserts such as fresh fruit and yogurt can help you give in to your sweet tooth without affecting your blood sugar levels.
Living with diabetes is all about monitoring your levels. ANY LAB TEST NOW® can be the monitoring partner you need. Our Diabetes Maintenance Panel will help you and your physician monitor your glucose levels and/or adjust your diabetic medications accordingly. This holiday season Take Control of Your Health® and visit an ANY LAB TEST NOW® near you.
Diabetes: Are You Paying Attention?
Diabetes continues to be a problem for Americans and managing diabetes once you have developed it is not easy. According to the American Diabetes Association over one third of all Americans will develop type 2 diabetes by the year 2050 unless radical changes are made in our lifestyle and eating habits. Over 57 million people have pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome with a very high risk of developing diabetes and over 24 million children and adults already live with type 1 diabetes. The difficulty lies not only in managing your blood sugar to prevent serious, life-threatening side effects, but keeping your health insurance to cover you if any serious complications arise. If you have diabetes and you aren’t paying attention to your glucose levels every day, you could be setting yourself up for severe problems. Not getting 
to the doctor and the high cost of medical services shouldn’t be an excuse.
For those who don’t have diabetes, of either type, it sounds like an easy process: eat the right foods, check your blood sugar and use insulin, if necessary. But it’s not easy! There are so many things that can affect your blood sugar. If your pancreas is working just fine, your body handles daily, small changes without any active intervention from you. Stress, lack of sleep, skipping a workout, a little too much salt, and obviously the wrong amount of sugar in your diet can interfere with balanced blood sugar. What if you have a stressful job or get a poor night’s sleep from stress or a sick child? Most of us deal with these little surprises every day and just plow ahead. If you have diabetes the small change in blood sugar caused by these little “inconveniences” can be enough to raise your blood sugar consistently. Over time, the imbalances can cause nerve damage leading to blindness and amputations. Insurance companies see people who do not manage their blood sugar well as high risk, making it difficult to get health insurance or raising the chances of losing it. As if the disease and the stress of trying to manage it isn’t bad enough, now you don’t have health insurance either. Talk about piling on the stress and making matters worse!
There is an alternative to expensive doctors’ visits for monitoring your diabetes. ANY LAB TEST NOW® can fill the gap between doctor’s appointments by providing quick, inexpensive testing to track blood sugar levels and diabetes maintenance. Heart disease is a serious complication of diabetes and maintaining your blood sugar level over time can reduce this risk. The Diabetes Maintenance Panel looks at your Hemoglobin A1c which is a measure of your average blood sugar for the last 2-3 months. In combination with a Complete Blood Count (CBC) test, a fasting glucose serum test and a Diabetic Urinalysis to look at kidney function, diabetics can utilize the information to make adjustments to their diet and/or activity level. Watching for stressful situations, which no one can avoid completely, and then making changes to account for fluctuations in glucose levels can mean the difference between saving your sight and limbs and being eligible for health insurance if things do get out of whack due to large surprises.
Diabetes is not a disease to be taken lightly. It requires serious attention, EVERY DAY, and can’t be ignored. Don’t be another statistic, get tested and get your facts straight so that you are the one in control…not your diabetes!
Can We Stop the Obesity Epidemic and Halt Diabetes?
You probably know someone with diabetes or with prediabetes, also known as metabolic syndrome. Maybe it’s your mother or father or, as we get older, your best friend or brother. The rise in type 2 diabetes which is largely preventable is astronomical. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the number of new cases rose to nearly 26 million last year from 23.6 million in 2008! Diabetes is a major cause of heart disease and stroke, a leading cause of kidney failure and blindness, and is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. The total cost of diabetes, 
both diagnosed and undiagnosed was $218 billion in 2007 and continues to grow.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) states that being obese or overweight is a leading cause of the disease. Studies have shown that people with prediabetes who lost weight and increased their physical activity can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes and in some cases return their blood glucose levels to normal. During the ADA’s Diabetes Prevention Program study, losing weight and increasing physical activity reduced the development of type 2 diabetes by 58%. The number was even greater among adults 60 and older at 71%. Although there is a medication that can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, research shows that lifestyle changes are more cost-effective than medications.
In an attempt to control the obesity and overweight epidemic, the Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have updated their Nutritional Guidelines for Americans. For the first time, in addition to suggesting what we need to be eating, the guidelines also recommend what not to eat and to balance food intake with activity levels. For many Americans, this balancing act doesn’t come easy! 34% of adult Americans are obese and 68% are overweight. Our inability to control our voracious appetites is costing us, both with more disease and higher medical costs.
With millions of people heading towards a lifetime of medication, greater risks for stroke and heart disease, kidney problems, potential limb amputations or blindness, what can we do to halt this progression? It’s time for us to be more proactive with our health, and specifically with our weight. It’s easy to say, “Eat less”, but how do you get started? Establishing a habit of eating better has been shown to be the best, most long-lasting course of action. Choosing a lifestyle change in diet that transfers easily to long term habits is an excellent place to start. Adding physical activity into your life is another critical piece of the prevention puzzle. Start by walking a bit further each day. Do you walk your dog for a quick 10 minutes? Make it 15.
The only person who can take the first step is you . ANY LAB TEST NOW® offers tests that look at diabetes indicators. Are you already at risk for diabetes? Changing your attitude toward your daily choices will save you money, prevent long term disabilities and serious health problems. Is that extra piece of cake really worth it? Do something different today, contact ANY LAB TEST NOW® to see how we can help.
Written by www.anylabtestblog.com
