Be Prepared To Meet Your Weight Loss Goals

 Another year is winding down. Is it another year that you didn’t meet your weight loss goals? Before you beat yourself up and vow to try again, Any Lab Test Now® wants you to know that it’s important to realize that there may be something at play here that you don’t even realize. If your metabolism isn’t working efficiently and properly, then no amount of proper diet and exercise is going to work. If you’ve suffered from a lack of success before, you might want to consider some testing before you give it another try.

A good place to start is with the Basic Nutritional Panel offered by Any Lab Test Now. This panel includes a variety of tests that can give you a good idea if your body (particularly your metabolism) is functioning properly. It can reveal signs of anemia, infections, or other factors that may cause fatigue, as well as reveal deficiencies in the most common vitamins and minerals

Want to look a little deeper into your nutritional status? Our Micronutrient Test is our most wide-ranging nutritional test. From vitamins and minerals to amino acids and antioxidants, this test measures your body’s ability to absorb 32 vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other essential nutrients. It can be especially helpful in making sure your diet is providing everything your body needs to function optimally.

Many people don’t realize the connection between your hormones and your weight. Hormonal imbalances can lead to weight gain, obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. The Weight Management Take Home Hormone Kit can provide you and your doctor with valuable information on imbalances that might be contributing to excessive weight. Too much estrogen and too little testosterone have been linked to unhealthy weight gain. The so-called “stress hormone” cortisol has been shown to lead to abdominal weight gain. This panel will test for all of those and more.

Want to take a deeper dive into your thyroid health? Then, the Thyroid Panel is recommended for you. The thyroid gland is responsible for regulating how your body uses energy. If your thyroid is underactive, you may suffer from fatigue and weight gain. The Thyroid Panel includes tests for:

  • Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
  • T4 Total
  • Free T3
  • Free T4
  • Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPO)

Thyroid imbalances can lead to more than just weight fluctuations; they can end in heart disease, infertility, or osteoporosis. That’s why it’s important to know where you stand with this important hormone producer.

Hormones and nutrition play a huge role, along with diet and exercise. Any Lab Test Now can be your partner on your weight loss and health journey. A quick trip into one of our convenient locations will help you take control of your health now… and for years to come.

Take Control Of Your Diabetes By Taking Control Of Your Health: Five Sneaky Signs

The numbers associated with diabetes are frightening. According to the American Diabetes Association, 30.3 million Americans (or 9.4 percent of the population) have diabetes.

You want to know what’s even scarier?

The 7.2 million of them that are walking around and living their life without even knowing they have a potentially fatal disease. That’s right, 7.2 million Americans are suffering from diabetes and they don’t even know it. That makes an already dangerous disease even more frightening.

Any Lab Test Now® recognizes how serious diabetes is… and how difficult it may be for some people to bring it under control. We are with you from diagnosis to management with a variety of tests designed to keep you informed and in control.

Are You Undiagnosed?

The earlier your diabetes is diagnosed the less likely you are to suffer from serious complications. There are some common warning signs for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes: excessive thirst and excessive urination, extreme fatigue, and hunger — even though you are eating. Some of these symptoms are so easy to write off that people often ignore them. But you need to watch for these five super-sneaky signs as well:

  1. Cuts and bruises that are slow to heal. Diabetes can impact your body’s defense system and encourage bacterial growth.
  2. Your vision isn’t the same. Don’t be so quick to just assume it is age-related. Diabetes can affect your eye’s lens, causing your vision to blur.
  3. Numb or tingling feet and hands. Maybe it’s the cold. Maybe it’s reduced blood flow brought on by diabetes, particularly type 2.
  4. Blotchy and darkened skin. Especially around your neck and under your armpits.
  5. Weight loss. We know what you’re thinking: “Losing weight is a good thing! Right?” and yes, it is… unless you’re not trying to lose weight and you’re actually eating more. This is often seen in people with type 1 diabetes.

If you notice these symptoms and you have a family history of diabetes, or if you’re overweight, or have a sedentary lifestyle, it could be cause for concern.

From Diagnosis to Maintenance

Any Lab Test Now offers a variety of options that can help you determine if you have diabetes and also whether you are keeping it under control. Some require fasting; others don’t. Some are best for help in diagnosing the disease; while others are better at helping you effectively manage it. For example, the Diabetes Maintenance Panel offers multiple tests including:

  • Complete Blood Count
  • Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
  • Hemoglobin A1c
  • Diabetic Urinalysis

If you’re not sure which test is right for you, don’t worry. You can call or walk into your local Any Lab Test Now location and our experts will help you determine which choice is best for you. Once you are armed with your test results, you and your doctor can decide how best to proceed. When it comes to diabetes, being informed and in control can help you avoid dangerous complications, and helping you be informed and in control of your health is what Any Lab Test Now is all about.

Resolution #1…A More Balanced YOU!

Resolution #1…A More Balanced YOU!

Ellie loved the jolly jingle of the holidays; and making warm and wonderful memories for her family. She hasn’t enjoyed the stress, weight gain, and lack of energy that ushered in the new year though. Truth be told, she’s been battling those feelings, and a host of other “issues” for some time, but chalks it up to a busy life, not enough exercise and a less-than-ideal diet. She’s determined that her New Year’s resolutions THIS year will change all that. But wait. Could there be more to Ellie’s feelings of an imbalanced life? It is possible fluctuating hormones are the culprit.

Hormones affect everything, from sleep quality to hair loss to libido. Hormone health is very important and an imbalance can wreak havoc in every area of your life. Hormone imbalances can occur at any time in a woman’s life — especially during puberty, menopause or perimenopause. A good first step in achieving balance and ensuring your hormones are working in harmony is to find out what you are dealing with.

Any Lab Test Now knows how important women’s health is and how often women care for themselves LAST. That’s why we offer Take Home Hormone Kits that can be picked up at Any Lab Test Now and completed at your convenience. Return shipping and materials are included, and results are received in days.

  • Dry, Discolored or Wrinkled Skin?
    Loss of elasticity, collagen and moisture can take the luster off your skin. The Skin Vitality Take Home Hormone Kit is a simple dried blood spot and saliva test that can get fast results. If you discover an imbalance, it’s possible that topical hormone therapies may be just what the doctor ordered to restore your skin’s gentle glow
  • Disturbed, Fitful or No Sleep?
    Try the Sleep Balance Take Home Hormone Kit. Melatonin and cortisol should be working in concert to help you sleep and wake on normal cycles. If that’s not the case, this simple dried urine test determines if your levels of either are out of whack. Test results can help you make the lifestyle changes you need to catch more ZZZs.
  • Stressed, Tired, Wired and Anxious?
    Adrenal is the “master stress” hormone and if yours is not at optimal operation you could experience allergies, anxiety, irritability, infertility, sugar cravings, decreased energy — the list goes on and on. Results of the Adrenal Stress Take Home Hormone Kit, a simple saliva test, can be used to begin relieving your symptoms and reducing long-term disease risks.
  • Lethargic, Gaining Weight, Depressed?
    Try The Elements-Thyroid Take Home Hormone Kit. An estimated 60 percent of people with thyroid disease don’t realize it. This dried blood spot and dried urine test measures thyroid hormone levels and tests for deficiencies of beneficial elements as well as the presence of toxic elements. With your results, you can work with your physician to restore optimal thyroid function.
  • Persistent Weight Problems and Low Metabolism?
    Sadly, the U.S. ranks as the fattest nation in the world with the highest prevalence of obesity among adults over 40. If you struggle with maintaining a healthy weight, the Weight Management Take Home Hormone Kit, a dried blood spot and saliva test, measures hormones, vitamins and insulin. Your results will help you and your physician create a roadmap for achieving a healthy weight and avoiding long-term health risks.

Armed with information these tests provide, you are empowered to feel better, think better, and live your best life. Make your New Year’s resolution a more hormonally-balanced YOU!

Call or visit your Any Lab Test Now location to ask about getting a Take Home Hormone Kit today.

Effects of Alcohol

We toast our successes. We drown our sorrows. It’s 5 o’clock somewhere! Our world is filled with reasons to pour a drink, yet even a single drink can affect your body. And too much can have a long-lasting impact that isn’t always reversible. Fortunately, it is possible to find out if alcohol is harming your body before it’s too late by taking a simple test from Any Lab Test Now.

What alcohol does

Even one drink starts to affect your body. It changes your brain – making it harder to think clearly and making coordination challenging. Long-term, heavy drinking can cause damage to learning and memory. Abstaining over several months may allow your brain to repair itself at least partially.

Your heart can also be damaged, even in just one evening of binge drinking. Long-term drinking weakens the heart muscle, so it can’t pump enough blood to the organs. The short-term result is shortness of breath, fatigue and swollen legs and feet. The long-term result can be heart failure. Binge drinking can cause the heart to beat too rapidly or irregularly – running a risk of stroke. And women are more likely to have their blood pressure go up as a result of drinking too much than men. The Alcohol Effect Panel from Any Lab Test Now tests for damage to your heart.

In addition, heavy drinking takes a serious toll on the liver, and eventually can lead to cirrhosis of the liver. Quitting won’t reverse the damage, but it will stop it in its tracks. You can get a basic screening of your liver function with the Alcohol Effect Panel from Any Lab Test Now.

The same test will point to potential problems in the pancreas, which is also severely impacted by heavy drinking. The pancreas reacts to alcohol by producing toxic substances and that eventually leads to pancreatitis – a dangerous swelling of the blood vessels in the pancreas. The effects can be managed by not drinking.

And there’s more — alcohol can increase your risk of a list of cancers: mouth, esophagus, throat, liver and breast cancers. It also weakens your immune system. For as long as 24 hours after getting drunk, you may have trouble fighting off infections as serious as pneumonia.

How do you know how much is too much?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but there are guidelines. For men, you shouldn’t have more than four drinks a day or 14 drinks a week. For women, you shouldn’t have more than three drinks a day and no more than seven drinks in a week. Those amounts are considered to be low risk. But low risk is not no risk. If you drink too quickly, have health problems or are over 65, alcohol can cause problems. For some people, any amount at all is too much.

If you are worried that you – or someone you love – does drink too much, there is a way to find out. The FAEE Hair Alcohol Abuse Test available at Any Lab Test Now can determine if someone is alcohol dependent. It uses a small sample of hair and measures the amount of a metabolite of alcohol in that hair. You can use the results of the test to talk with your doctor about what steps to take next to get help.

Having the answers about alcohol – and it’s effect on your body – can be an important step in getting and staying healthy. The medical assistants at your local Any Lab Test Now are there to help you find the right test to get you on the track to taking the best care of yourself.

Safety First! Any Lab Test Now Offers Lab Tests for Athletes

As an MMA fighter, boxer or other combative sports competitor or athlete, you already know that achieving peak performance means taking care of your body and health first. Vitamin deficiencies, hormone imbalances and other health problems can affect your success in the ring and even put you in danger of injury. That’s why many athletic organizations go so far as to require lab testing for their athletes — to make sure they are healthy and fit to compete and won’t be placing themselves in harm’s way.

The good news is, if you need required lab testing before your competition, you can get your results quickly and easily at Any Lab Test Now. Your local Any Lab Test Now location can provide your lab results before your next big fight or other athletic event, with no appointment or insurance necessary. You’ll have your results in 72 hours or less. We are proud to be the Lab Testing Provider for MMA and other combative sports fighters, getting fighters the results they need without the wait or the hassle.

MMA, Boxing and Other Combative Sports

The Fighter Panel at Any Lab Test Now is specially designed to meet the lab test needs of MMA fighters, boxers and other combative sports athletes. To be eligible to compete, many combative sports fighters are required to present their test results to their state athletic commission. The Fighter Panel includes tests for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. These tests will ensure your immune system is not compromised and that you are ready to fight.

While certain tests are required for competition, others are simply recommended for peak health, safety and performance in the ring, including:

Make sure you’re taking care of your health first to become the athlete you were always meant to be.

Other Athletes

If you aren’t a combative sports athlete, you may not need the same required lab testing that competitive fighting requires. However, many competitive athletes will still benefit from establishing a baseline for their health and fitness goals. Your baseline will help you improve your performance and let you know what might be going on when something doesn’t feel quite right. Common lab tests for athletes looking to monitor their overall health include:

As an athlete, your health is crucial to staying safe, fit and high-performing on the field, court or fighting ring. Stay at the top of your game by taking care of your health first. Schedule a lab test appointment online or call the experts at Any Lab Test Now to learn what testing options are right for you.

 

Tired of Feeling Tired?

The fast pace of life can leave you dragging your feet. It’s normal to feel worn out at the end of a busy day. When you’re shuttling between the responsibilities of work, home, busy kids or aging parents, it should come as no surprise that you’re left feeling exhausted. But what if every day leaves you feeling this way?

When does sick and tired become just sick? While there are a number of medical issues that can leave you feeling fatigued, one common cause is an iron deficiency.

Iron = Energy

Iron is a mineral found in every cell of the body. It’s considered essential because your body needs it to make the proteins hemoglobin and myoglobin which carry oxygen through your body. Hemoglobin is a part of your red blood cells while myoglobin is found in your muscles. With that basic information, it’s easy to see why a lack of iron means a lack of energy.

You can get iron from food sources including:

  • Dried beans
  • Dried fruits
  • Eggs
  • Lean red meat

But not everyone is able to get enough iron naturally.

Low levels of iron over an extended period of time can cause problems. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) warns that a lack of iron may cause iron deficiency anemia. Along with shortness of breath and dizziness, extreme fatigue and weakness are the big red-flag warnings of an iron deficiency.

Boost Your Energy

Fortunately, it’s easy to be proactive and take control of your health. In fact, Any Lab Test Now offers testing that can pinpoint if an iron deficiency is draining your energy. The Iron and Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) is a non-fasting test that measures the amount of iron in your blood.

If you want to dig a little deeper, you can opt for the Fatigue Panel. The Fatigue Panel is a series of tests designed to help you get to the root of your exhaustion. It includes the Iron and Total Iron Binding Capacity Test, along with the following:

  • Complete Blood Count (CBC)
  • Chemistry Panel
  • Urinalysis
  • Lyme Disease
  • Mononucleosis
  • Epstein Barr

While iron deficiency is a common cause of fatigue, many health factors can affect your energy level. This comprehensive panel checks a broad range of factors to provide you with as much information as possible.

If it does turn out that an iron deficiency is the cause of your fatigue, work with your doctor to come up with a treatment plan. More than likely, this will include dietary changes to increase the amount of iron you are consuming, as well as the amount of vitamin C you are eating since this nutrient helps with iron absorption. If that isn’t effective, or if you are severely iron deficient already, there are other alternatives that you can discuss.

Of course, starting with knowledge about your current situation is step one, so walk in to your local Any Lab Test Now to identify the cause of your fatigue and put yourself on a path to increased energy.

Why It’s Important to Schedule Regular Breast Cancer Screenings

How many women are in your life? Odds are, there are more than eight. Mothers, sisters, daughters, wives, friends, co-workers — these are all women who impact your life on a daily basis. And out of these women you’re thinking of right now, at least one in eight, or 12 percent, will develop breast cancer during her lifetime. In fact, you might even be one of them. Aside from lung cancer, breast cancer is the No. 1 killing cancer of women in the U.S., and that’s why it’s so important to take charge of your health by scheduling regular breast cancer screenings.

Why Get Screened for Breast Cancer?

Getting screened for breast cancer could save your life. If found early, while the cancer is still only located in the breast, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer patients is 99 percent. Yet only 61 percent of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at this stage. The breast cancer survival rate decreases significantly when the cancer has spread to other areas of the body, and unfortunately, many cases are discovered too late.

Schedule a Screening Today

Scheduling annual screenings for breast cancer, recommended for women over 40, is the best way to ensure any cancer of the breast tissue is found early and treated quickly. It is especially important to schedule regular screenings if you are over 40 and have a family history of breast cancer, as this puts you at greater risk of getting it yourself. One of the best ways to screen for breast cancer is through an annual mammogram.

Breast Cancer Signs

Also, if you notice certain signs and symptoms of breast cancer, you may want to undergo a more thorough screening process. Consult your physician about any signs or symptoms you notice, and if a comprehensive breast cancer screening is right for you. Signs of breast cancer include:

  • Nipple discharge, especially if it is clear or bloody
  • A change in how the breast feels, especially with the presence of a lump or lumps
  • A change in the appearance of the breast, especially if the change is sudden or unexplained

If you notice any of the above signs, it’s important to find out what is going on as soon as possible. Any Lab Test Now offers for the possible presence and monitoring of breast cancer. The Breast Cancer Monitoring Panel is a comprehensive option for women worried about breast cancer. The panel also monitors for several types of other cancers.

With ongoing research and the latest treatment options, breast cancer survival rates are increasing every year. However, regular screenings offer one of the best chances of survival by finding cancer early and beginning treatment before it spreads. Talk to your physician and the experts at Any Lab Test Now to learn what screening options are right for you.

Keeping Mom Healthy

Mother’s Day is around the corner, on May 14th. We usually give Mom a card or maybe take her to brunch. This year, you can do a little more to show your mom that you love her and want to spend many more Mother’s Days with her by talking to her about her health.

Navigating a Checkup

In fact, it’s a good idea to do an annual check-in with Mom before her annual checkup. Write down any of your mom’s questions so she can take them with her. Visit Any Lab Test Now to help provide answers she wants, quickly and easily. These will help her identify what she needs to talk about with the doctor.

Talk About Healthy Basics

Some basics to good health remain the same no matter what our age! Talk with your Mom about:

  • eating a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables,
  • maintaining a healthy weight,
  • exercising 30 minutes a day,
  • getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night,
  • not smoking,
  • wearing a seatbelt and
  • not texting while driving.

These are all good reminders when it comes to living a fulfilling and healthy lifestyle. To add even more encouragement, perhaps you could tackle one or two of these together or create a challenge with the whole family.

Changing Vitamin Needs

There are some things that do change as Mom ages. Not all of them are things we’d think about. Did you realize the vitamins you take should change as you age? A mom in her 30s still needs to be sure to take folic acid every day, whereas a mom who is older and has gone through menopause doesn’t.

Once a woman has reached 65, she should be sure to add vitamin D into her daily regimen. Along with exercise, adequate levels of vitamin D can help prevent falls. If you aren’t sure that your mom is getting enough, you can suggest she have the simple Vitamin D Test done at Any Lab Test Now! Getting enough Vitamin D can be tough — especially if you follow a strict vegan diet. Other than fortified milk, not many foods have it.

Why is Mom Tired?

Being worn out and tired is just par for the course of motherhood, right? Not necessarily. Instead of letting Mom think that she has to spend 18 (or more) years exhausted, make sure there isn’t an underlying nutrient problem, such as iron deficiency anemia. In fact, the most common symptoms of this are fatigue and weakness. A woman who has anemia is tired because her blood isn’t getting enough oxygen to her body.

Any Lab Test Now has an Anemia Panel that can determine if Mom has an iron deficiency. Then, she and her doctor can come up with a plan to have her feeling more like herself again. The solution is usually a combination of iron supplements and adding iron-rich foods into her diet. No, she isn’t going to put liver on your dinner plate. Lentils, tofu, green leafy veggies and dried fruits are all great ways to get more iron in your diet.

Your mom spends a lot of time taking care of you. This Mother’s Day, take a little time to take care of her. Help her take charge of her health care needs and get the answers she seeks so that she can continue spending happy, healthy days with you and the family.

It’s Time To Take Care of Yourself

On an airplane, they tell you to be sure to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others, because you can’t take care of someone else if you are in need of help. But all too often, women focus on taking care of everyone else in the family before caring for themselves, and this is to their own detriment. They look after their children, their spouse, their aging parents. Who doesn’t get taken care of? The woman herself. While your family is picking up cards and gifts to show their love during the week leading up to Mother’s Day, you should use that time to take care of yourself.

May 8-14 is Women’s Health Week. It’s the perfect time to slow down and check in with yourself. Have you noticed any changes with your body in the last year? Pain? Dizziness? Fatigue? Changed menstrual cycle? Don’t let these changes nag at you. They could be signs of conditions for which medical care can help, such as heart disease, menopause or osteoporosis.

Heart Disease

Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. A whopping 80 percent of women between the ages of 40 and 60 have at least one risk factor for heart disease.

Menopause

It’s a fact of life for women: menopause. Knowing when you are starting to go through it allows you to have the conversation with your doctor about steps you can take to ease the symptoms. If you are having hot flashes, rapid mood swings and a drop in your sex drive, you may want to take the Menopause Screening Panel. This blood test can help you find out if the symptoms are, in fact, the start of menopause. Knowing helps you decide what to do next.

Osteoporosis

Especially after menopause, an issue women face is bone loss, meaning that bones become more brittle and susceptible to breaking. Vitamin D is an important nutrient that can help keep your bones strong, but it can be tricky to get enough just through your diet. Any Lab Test Now has a test available that allows you to find out if you need to boost your vitamin D intake. Or, you may choose to take a more comprehensive Osteoporosis Risk Panel. It includes ten different tests to evaluate your risk for the disease.

Instead of wondering about your body’s changes, get answers. Walk in to Any Lab Test Now to arm yourself with knowledge to make your next doctor appointment more productive. Taking good care of yourself, and having the information you need to help your doctor keep you healthy, is the best gift you can give yourself and your loved ones.

Solutions for Those with High Deductibles or No Insurance

If you don’t have insurance or have a high deductible and have difficulty affording healthcare, there are still options for you to get tests done and make your health a priority. Any Lab Test Now offers a multitude of tests at low prices and convenient times, and you don’t even need insurance to use their services.

No Insurance Necessary

If you are currently uninsured, it can be difficult and pricey to get medical attention. Any Lab Test Now will provide you with the tests you need, no insurance required. Now, you don’t have to worry about skipping a blood test or ignoring possible allergies. All tests are available to you, regardless of your insurance status.

In addition, if you will be paying for your test out-of-pocket, you can use your health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) for payment.

Low Prices

A lot of people skip their medical exams because they are overpriced. Any Lab Test Now offers tests at the lowest prices possible, ensuring that anyone can get tested and focus on their health. Patients are not charged excessive fees or high deductibles for their tests; instead, they are offered the same quality tests as other testing centers for an affordable price that can fit most budgets.

Easily Accessible

When cost is an issue, it’s easy to make excuses for skipping medical tests. It’s easy to blame the distance to the office or the time spent in a waiting room for not getting tested. After all, time spent on medical test can mean time spent away from work.

Fortunately, Any Lab Test Now understands this. Our locations are spread across the country and located in places where people work and live. You can easily find your local Any Lab Test Now and get started with your tests. You can also get your tests done in a convenient amount of time, so you don’t have to worry about sitting in a waiting room and wasting a whole day. Patients can, generally, have tests completed in 15 minutes or less and there is no appointment required. The locations are typically open at convenient times that will fit your schedule, including Saturdays, so you don’t even need to take time off during the work week.
Any Lab Test Now offers a service that allows you to prioritize your health. You can get any of the tests offered without insurance and at a low price. Now, there are no excuses to not get tested. Anyone can take charge of their health and get tests completed, even if they are uninsured or on a tight budget.