A Downside to Holiday Cheer. What Alcohol Really Does to Your Liver.

The holidays give us a reason to celebrate. For many of us, alcohol plays a big part in the festivities. But too many glasses of good cheer too often can lead to something less than cheerful — an overworked liver. 

Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, the average American sees a 100 percent increase in drinking habits. Holidays aside, Americans are drinking more and for longer periods of time than ever before. The pandemic played a role in the increase, but research suggests we’ve upped the ante on alcohol use long before the COVID-19 crisis started.

Alcohol and Your Liver

The liver is the largest organ in your body. It helps digest food, store energy, and remove toxins. When you drink alcohol, an enzyme in the liver breaks down the alcohol so it can be removed from your body. 

Our bodies can only process one unit of alcohol per hour, which means if you drink more than one drink in that time period, your body is not able to process all that extra booze. This can trigger your liver to generate harmful substances that can damage liver cells, cause inflammation, and weaken your immune system. 

Drinking too much alcohol can lead to Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, which causes liver inflammation and eventually cirrhosis, which creates scarring in the liver and may potentially develop into liver cancer. Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is considered a silent disease, with few or no symptoms. The damage begins when you drink as little as four drinks a day for men and two drinks a day for women. 

Here are what experts consider to be a problem when it comes to consuming alcoholic beverages. 

Heavy Drinking – Consuming four drinks on any day or more than 14 drinks per week (men) or three drinks on any day or more than seven drinks per week. 

Binge Drinking – Consuming five or more alcoholic drinks (men) or four or more drinks (women) in two hours. 

Check Your Liver Health 

You owe it to yourself to know if your drinking is hurting your liver. The Liver Function Panel at Any Lab Test Now consists of a simple blood draw that is used in seven tests to see how well your liver is working. This test doesn’t require fasting, and we provide the doctor’s order, so you can walk into your local Any Lab Test Now for a same-day test — no prep necessary. 

If you are drinking excessively, there are organizations that can help. SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, is a free, confidential 24/7 365-day a year helpline and can be reached at 1-800-622-HELP (4357). 

Be at Ease

Any Lab Test Now wants you to be at ease when it comes to seeking out any type of lab work, including testing to determine the health of your liver.  We want to be a committed partner in helping you manage your wellness routine so you can make educated decisions that will directly affect your quality of life.

 

Find your closest Any Lab Test Now store at www.anylabtestnow.com.

 

Jumpstart Your Health 

There is never a bad time to Take Control of Your Health® — even during the holidays. Most people think it’s best to wait until the new year rolls around to start a new diet and exercise program. But did you ever think it might be smarter to get a head start on your resolution before the new year? 

One of the biggest reasons people fall flat on their diet and exercise goals is because they take on too much at once. Have you ever committed yourself to eat salads and work out at the gym four days a week once January starts? Unfortunately, by the time April rolls around your overwhelmed and tapped out. By making those drastic changes all at once, you are setting yourself up for failure. Instead, you should ease your way in. Call it the December dress rehearsal.

Instead of eating nothing but salads every day, start with replacing one meal a week with a bowl of leafy greens and veggies. Then, bump it up to two salads the following week, three salads the week after that, and so on.

You can do the same with exercise. Start by taking it easy. If you haven’t run in a while (or ever), start out with a brisk walk. If bigger biceps are your thing, don’t overdo it in the weight room. Start out with a lower weight and do more reps. Slowly make your way up the weight rack over the following days and weeks as you get your muscles acquainted with the movements. 

If you use the weeks leading up to the holidays and the new year as a practice period, you will be that much more ahead of the game and closer to your goals without all the pressure that comes with a resolution. 

This makes now the perfect time to come into Any Lab Test Now to get an Annual Check-Up Panel which provides you with a baseline for your overall health that will give you even more motivation to stick to your plan. 

The Annual Check-up Panel is a set of five tests that reveal an incredible amount of important bodily information — some of which could impact the type of diet and exercise program most beneficial for you. This panel provides you with a baseline for your overall health that will give you even more motivation to stick to your 2022 resolutions. 

 

How do you know how far you’ve come if you don’t know where you started?

The Annual Check-Up Panel provides you with an important baseline. You’ll learn the numeric levels on blood counts and cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as kidney and liver functions and more. By knowing these levels at the beginning of your resolution, you’ll be able to return every four to six months to test again. It will provide you with proof that choosing a salad instead of your favorite fried dish was really is worth it.

Here is a closer look at the information the Annual Check-Up Panel from Any Lab Test Now provides:

Complete Blood Count (CBC)

A CBC is a blood test that gives you a good picture of your overall health. It can measure different components and features of your blood, including:

• The number and size of red blood cells (these cells carry oxygen)
• The number of white blood cells (these cells help fight infection)
• Total amount of hemoglobin and amount per red blood cell (this protein carries oxygen in red blood cells)
• Fraction of hematocrit (this proportion of red blood cells is the fluid component, or plasma, of the blood)
• Total number of platelets (these cells help the blood to clot)

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel

The Comprehensive Metabolic Panel is a group of blood tests that measures your body’s chemical balance, fluids, and metabolism function. 

A metabolic panel can determine the following in your body:

• Kidney and liver function
• Blood sugar
• Calcium levels
• Electrolytes: sodium, potassium, and chloride levels
• Protein levels

Thyroid Panel 

Hormones can impact everything, from muscle growth, weight gain or loss, fat storage, mood, even libido. This test evaluates how well your thyroid is reacting to and producing certain hormones.

This includes: 

• TSH: Thyroid-stimulating hormone – This hormone modulates the levels of hormones your thyroid releases.
• T3: Triiodothyronine – This hormone, in combination with T3, regulates your heart rate and body temperature. 
• T4: Thyroxine – Along with T3, this hormone regulates your metabolism.

If these hormones are out of balance, they can cause a variety of issues like low protein levels, weight gain, growth disorders, and sexual dysfunction. 

Cholesterol Lipid With Ratio (Lipids Panel)

A lipid panel can test substances in your blood that carry cholesterol, that when above normal levels, can increase the risk of heart disease over time. 

Some of the tests in a lipid panel include:

• Total cholesterol (this measures the total cholesterol in your blood, including LDL, HDL)
• LDL (bad) cholesterol (LDL is the primary source of cholesterol buildup/blockage in the arteries)
• HDL (good) cholesterol (HDL helps to remove cholesterol from your arteries)
• Triglycerides (a form of fat in the blood that can increase heart disease risk)

According to the National Institute of Health, the optimal values for cholesterol are the following:

• Total cholesterol: less than 200mg/dL
• LDL: less than 100mg/dL
• HDL: 60 mg/dL and above is considered protective against heart disease

It’s essential to monitor your cholesterol levels over time because it could help identify risk factors for heart disease; which lifestyle factors like diet and exercise can often reduce, and if needed, prescribed medications routinely monitored by your doctor.

Hemoglobin (A1C)

This test measures the average amount of glucose in the blood over the last two to three months.  Hemoglobin A is a protein found inside your red blood cells. Glucose attaches itself to this protein and remains there for the lifespan of the hemoglobin — about 120 days. The A1C test can determine how much glucose is stuck to the hemoglobin. An elevated A1C may be a sign of either prediabetes or diabetes, depending on the levels. If you are found to be prediabetic or diabetic, your doctor will request you change your diet to reduce your intake of simple carbohydrates and instead eat more vegetables and fiber.

Any Lab Test Now can play a vital role in helping support your health and well-being. Let us help you as you ramp up your diet and exercise the right way — slow, steady, and smart. Knowing your numbers will help you get on the right track from the inside out. 

Be at Ease

Any Lab Test Now wants you to be at ease when it comes to seeking out any type of lab work, including the Annual Check-Up Panel to jumpstart your health goals. We are a committed partner in helping you manage your family’s healthcare so you can make educated decisions that will directly affect your quality of life.

We are here to help.
Find your closest Any Lab Test Now at www.anylabtestnow.com.

Is Your Diet Putting You at Risk of Anemia?

Do you feel constant fatigue you can’t explain?
Do you frequently get dizzy or lightheaded?
Do you suffer from chest pains or shortness of breath?


These are all signs that you may have ANEMIA. 

 

What is Anemia?

Anemia is a condition where the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells to transport oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. There are several types of anemia. Some, like sickle cell anemia, are hereditary, but others, specifically iron deficiency anemia, and vitamin deficiency anemia can be caused by an improper diet.  For 20 years, doctors have seen a growing number of iron deficiency anemia cases in America. Iron deficiency anemia, the most common form of the condition, is caused by low levels of iron in the body. Your body needs this iron to produce hemoglobin, the protein that makes up red blood cells.

According to a recent study by the American Society for Nutrition, the rise in iron deficiency anemia coincides with a decrease in the amount of beef people are consuming. Between 1999 and 2018, Americans ate 15.3 percent less beef, an iron-rich protein, and 21.5 percent more chicken, thus not getting all the iron their bodies need.

As the name suggests, if you have vitamin deficiency anemia, your diet is deficient in the vitamins and minerals that your body needs to produce healthy red blood cells. According to the Mayo Clinic, you can develop vitamin deficiency anemia if you don’t eat enough foods containing folate, vitamin B-12, and vitamin C, or if your body has trouble absorbing and processing those nutrients. 

Eating to Treat Anemia

If left untreated, anemia can cause serious health problems, such as having too little oxygen in your body, which can damage your organs. Having a diet consisting of the right foods is the first step to treating a deficiency.

Foods that can help prevent and treat iron deficiency anemia include:

• Beef and other red meat
• Dark, leafy greens like spinach
• Beans
• Seafood
• Iron-fortified cereal and pasta

Foods that can help prevent and treat vitamin deficiency anemia include:

• Fruits and leafy green vegetables
• Eggs
• Milk
• Broccoli
• Citrus fruits

How Do You Know If You Have Anemia?

Before you change your diet or start taking vitamin supplements, you need to make sure that the problem is anemia and not something else. The signs and symptoms of anemia may be subtle at first, so the best way to know for sure is with a simple blood test. You don’t need to wait for an appointment with your doctor in order to be tested for anemia. Any Lab Test Now offers a complete Anemia Panel for fast and accurate diagnosis. 

We offer one simple blood panel that includes several tests, including a reticulocyte count to determine if your body is producing enough red blood cells. This can help determine not only if you have anemia but also the type of anemia you have. A ferritin test, that will screen your blood for the protein that indicates how much iron you have in your body. Your blood will also be checked for the levels of vitamin B-12, and folic acid to determine if you have vitamin deficiency anemia. 

 Where to Get Tested

Any Lab Test Now has 190+ locations nationwide, dedicated to providing you with the information about your body designed to help you Take Control of Your Health®.
You can schedule an appointment online or by phone, or walk-in for same-day testing. Each location is sanitized several times a day, in accordance with CDC protocols so you can be confident your lab work is being done in a safe, clean facility. 

Any Lab Test Now is a committed partner in helping you manage your family’s healthcare. Click here to find an Any Lab Test Now location near you.

COVID-19 AND UNDERLYING CONDITIONS

We’ve heard it ever since COVID-19 came on the scene. People with underlying conditions who contract the virus are at higher risk of developing more severe cases of COVID-19 cases that can seriously impact their lives. According to surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control, hospitalizations have been six times higher and deaths 12 times higher among those with reported underlying conditions compared to those with no reported preexisting conditions. There are more than 26 different underlying conditions included on the Centers for Disease Control’s COVID-19 warning list. However, three underlying conditions are known to show a strong connection to COVID-19’s worst outcomes. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, nearly two-thirds of people hospitalized with COVID-19 were attributable to hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. In other words, these hospitalizations might not have occurred if these conditions had not been present.

Let’s take a closer look at a few common underlying conditions and learn how Any Lab Test Now® can help you Take Control of Your Health™.

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND COVID-19

COVID-19 has been linked directly to multiple heart-related issues. According to the American Heart Association, it has contributed indirectly to deaths among people who had cardiac problems but delayed getting treatment.

Conditions include: 

• Heart failure – a condition in which the heart does not pump blood effectively
• Coronary artery disease – which leads to blocked arteries
• Cardiomyopathy – a weakening, thinning, and/or thickening of the heart muscle

These conditions can lead to more severe cases of COVID-19. One of the main concerns for people with underlying heart conditions is that the virus could cause respiratory stress that would worsen those conditions. The best solution is to continue taking usual medications and frequent observation. Our Heart Health Panel includes four tests to monitor your cardiac status. This panel can be used to gain a baseline assessment of your heart health or as a monitoring tool to reveal possible risk factors.

HYPERTENSION and COVID-19

Blood pressure is the pressure that comes from the blood pushing against the walls of the arteries. If blood pressure remains high for a long time, it can damage the heart and cause other health problems, including heart attack and stroke. People with hypertension or high blood pressure have a decreased immune response, putting them at higher risk of severe complications related to COVID-19.

Nearly half of adults in the United States have hypertension and are prescribed medication to treat it. However, reports from the CDC show that only about one in four adults with hypertension have their condition under control.

Uncontrolled hypertension has been found to:

• Lower your immunity: High blood pressure suppresses the immune system, increasing the risk of contracting an infectious disease like COVID-19
• Increase the risk of lung injury: Uncontrolled high blood pressure has also been found to increase the severity of lung injury and mortality in those afflicted with COVID-19.

Taking medications as prescribed and using a blood pressure monitor to track levels are keys to living a heart-healthy life.

Experts suggest the following protocols to prevent or reduce hypertension:

• Exercise
• Eat heart-healthy foods like colorful vegetables and whole grains
• Lose weight
• Manage stress
• Avoid alcohol
• Quit smoking

Laboratory testing does not diagnose hypertension, but routine lab tests like a Urinalysis or Comprehensive Metabolic Panel are recommended before beginning treatment of high blood pressure to detect conditions that may cause and/or make high blood pressure worse and to evaluate and monitor organ function over time. 

COVID-19 and DIABETES

One in every 10 Americans across all ages — that’s more than 34 million people — are dealing with this metabolic disorder. It’s estimated that people with diabetes are more likely to have worse complications and severe symptoms when infected with the virus, apparent in individuals with both type 2 and type 1 diabetes. 

Types of Diabetes:

• Type 1 diabetes is a disorder in which the pancreas stops working, and most of the insulin-producing cells in the body are destroyed by an immune process. Type 1 typically develops in childhood. 
• Type 2 shows up later in life. Type 2 diabetics don’t respond to insulin as well as they should. Lifestyle factors, including being overweight and inactivity, may play a role in the disease.

Viral infections such as COVID-19 can increase inflammation, or internal swelling, in people with diabetes. Inflammation can also be caused by above-target blood sugars and could contribute to more severe complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a condition that can be experienced by people with type 1 diabetes. DKA can make it challenging to manage fluid intake and electrolyte levels — which is vital in managing sepsis. Sepsis and septic shock are some of the more severe complications that some people with COVID-19 have experienced.

Your risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 is likely to be lower if your diabetes is well-managed. Many diabetics use Any Lab Test Now to help them effectively control their condition. The Diabetes Maintenance Panel provides diabetics with a lot of important information about their condition. 

• Complete Blood Count (CBC) – Tests for blood disorders such as infection or anemia.  
• Hemoglobin A1C – This is a key test for diabetics. It measures the average blood sugar levels over the past three months.
• Diabetic Urinalysis – Determines if albumin (protein) is in the blood, which would indicate a problem with the kidneys.

STAY SAFE

Adherence to social distancing protocols can help lower the risk of catching the coronavirus. These include:

• Limiting the number of people you come into contact with
• Wearing a mask, especially around people
• Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• Wiping surfaces with sanitation wipes
• Using hand sanitizer 

BE AT EASE

Any Lab Test Now wants you to be at ease when it comes to seeking out any type of lab work. We provide you a safe and clean alternative location for lab work. Each of our 190+ stores is sanitized several times a day, in accordance with the CDC’s protocols. Any Lab Test Now is a committed partner in helping you manage your family’s healthcare so you can make educated decisions that will directly affect your quality of life. We want to put you at ease during the coronavirus outbreak. We are here to help. 

Find your closest Any Lab Test Now store at www.anylabtestnow.com.

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month Is a Reminder to Get an Overall Health Checkup!

With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, women everywhere are encouraged to remember the importance of getting checked. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect every aspect of daily life, our health routines should not take a toll. Breast cancer is easier to treat when detected early.  The increased awareness surrounding breast cancer not only saves lives through prevention, but also serves as a reminder to get checked for a variety of other health concerns. Self-awareness of your health status is crucial.  The attention given to this month brings awareness that makes a difference for millions of women each year. While breast cancer screenings may be at the top of mind, keep reading for three recommended lab tests that provide a more comprehensive overview of your health status.

In addition to getting a screening, one of the easiest things a woman can do to try and reduce her risk of breast cancer is to take charge of certain aspects of her health she can control, such as diet, exercise, and weight management. When considering which lifestyle changes are best for you, consider these breast cancer statistics.

Shocking facts about breast cancer:

• Globally, breast cancer is now the most common form of cancer as of 2021.
• As of January 2021, there were more than 3.8 million women in the U.S. with a history of breast cancer.
• Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. In 2021, it’s estimated that about 30 percent of newly diagnosed cancers in women will be breast cancers.

Those facts, while difficult to ignore, are only one side of the fight against breast cancer. Awareness and commitment to early detection have saved lives. Between earlier detection and advancements in treatment, death rates in women above age 50 have dropped considerably in the past several years. Studies show that more than three-quarters of women between the ages of 50 and 74 have been screened in the past two years. The overall death rate from breast cancer has decreased 1% per year in the five-year period from 2013 to 2018.

 Types of Breast Exams and Tests to Detect Cancer Early

According to the CDC, women between ages 50 and 74 should be screened for breast cancer with a mammogram every two years. Women aged 40 to 49 should discuss their medical history with their doctor to determine when to begin mammograms.

There are several forms of exams and screening that can help detect breast cancer, including:

• Self-Awareness – Every woman should be familiar with how their breasts look and feel so that any changes can be detected. Report any changes you notice to your doctor.
• Clinical Breast Exam – An examination by a doctor or nurse, feeling for lumps or changes by hand.
• Mammogram – An x-ray of the breast, often considered the best way to detect breast cancer early. Regular mammograms are recommended, especially as women become older.
• Breast MRI – Magnetic resonance imaging uses magnets and radio waves to generate a picture of the breast. MRIs are used along with mammograms for women at high risk of breast cancer.

Get the Full Picture of Your Health

Pandemic or not, there are certain comprehensive lab panels and tests that are often neglected. Getting a blood work is a crucial component of any health and wellness program. It’s a great way to get a more detailed recommendation from your doctor based on your body analysis. Lab testing reveals information about the body that can signal warning areas or anomalies to help you and your doctor take immediate action. Getting tested in routine intervals allows you to self-monitor how your body changes over time, spot problems early on, and provide insight into how one could make subtle changes to their diet or lifestyle to optimize their health.

These tests are easily accessible at Any Lab Test Now®, and the results could have a major impact on your health decisions moving forward.

• Comprehensive Metabolic Panel – Includes 14 essential tests that are part of a routine checkup, testing for sodium, potassium, calcium, glucose, and others.
• Comprehensive Female Panel – This panel helps women to recognize and address any hormone imbalances through blood counts, kidney and liver functions, thyroid, and heart health.
• Diabetes Maintenance Panel – Includes four tests that can help detect or manage diabetes. It can also determine whether the kidneys are functioning properly.

Take Control of Your Health

These tests not only help you to understand the full picture of your overall health but can help you and your doctor make informed decisions on how best to take control of your well-being. Identifying any issues are the first step to addressing them. In the same way awareness helps women detect breast cancer earlier, the more time you have to recognize any other common issue is a major benefit to maintaining and reclaiming a healthy life.

Take Comfort in Our Service

Any Lab Test Now is determined to help people live healthy lives by providing a simplified option when it comes to seeking any type of lab work.  We have 190+ locations across the U.S. that are sanitized several times per day in accordance with the CDC’s standards. We offer 8,000+ testing options that give a detailed analysis of your health status. You can’t fix what you don’t know! Use direct-access lab tests to keep tabs on your health. Monitor on your own or discuss with your doctor to spark a lifestyle change that will allow you to better understand your body and learn to manage your healthcare proactively.

From offering a wide range of lab tests, to providing a safe and clean alternative for Americans to get tested during the coronavirus pandemic, Any Lab Test Now is committed to helping families make educated decisions about their health.

For more information about Any Lab Test Now, and the tests we offer, visit us at www.anylabtestnow.com.

 

Three Important Tests Your Child Might Need

Being a parent seems to be harder than ever. On top of the peer pressure that traditionally comes with adolescence, now we have to contend with strong social media influences. Add to that a pandemic, which has undoubtedly turned life upside down for everyone, including our children. One of the biggest concerns for parents is keeping their children safe and healthy. As a parent, there are several options you can take to make sure your child’s health is on track, starting with the right lab test.

3 CRUCIAL LAB TESTS TO CONSIDER FOR YOUR CHILD:

1. COVID 19 RT-PCR TEST
These days, the first sign of a fever and a cough will have any parent worried that their child might have contracted COVID-19. While these signs are indicative of COVID-19, there are symptoms that children experience that most adults do not —including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Other more common signs include body aches, fatigue, sore throat, and shortness of breath, as well as the most specific symptoms of COVID-19 — the loss of taste and smell. COVID symptoms can start within two to fourteen days after exposure. However, the average time for symptoms to show is usually five to seven days. The only way to know for sure if your child has COVID-19 is to have them tested.

Our COVID-19 RT-PCR Test has the highest accuracy rate with close to 100 percent. This test is a molecular test that detects the virus’s genetic material.

There are three ways to collect a specimen:

• A long swab inserted into the back of the nasal passage
• A short swab that goes into your nose
• A saliva sample in which your child simply spits into a collection cup

If your child tests positive for COVID-19, health experts recommend you take the following steps:

Isolate – Separate your child as best you can from anyone in the household who is at high risk of severe COVID-19 illness. This includes anyone who is immune-compromised and senior citizens.
Inform – Let your child’s school, daycare, sports team, and anyone who has had close contact with your child know so that people who have been exposed can get tested.
Quarantine – Keep your child home for ten days after a positive test result.
Cover Up – Wear masks while at home. This includes everyone who is in the house, as well as the sick child, if possible.
Clean – Encourage frequent hand washing. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs.

While you can get a COVID-19 test for free in most cities, there are long wait times. Many sites have also cut back hours and limited testing days. Pediatrician offices are also backed up. High demand for the test is also causing some labs to take seven to 10 days to return results. Any Lab Test Now offers all three versions of the RT-PCR test so you can decide which one is best for your child. Unlike public testing sites or pediatrician offices, there is no appointment necessary at Any Lab Test Now, and wait times, if any, are minimal. Next-day or, in some cases, same-day results are available, which is critical when you are dealing with a virus such as COVID-19.

Click here to learn more about the COVID-19 RT-PCR test at Any Lab Test Now and find a location nearest you.

2. ALLERGY TESTING
Allergies of some form or another are extremely common in children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that more than 50 million Americans have allergies, which usually appear in early childhood. They can impact your child’s ability to get a full night’s sleep, play, and learn, so identifying what your child is allergic to early on will help improve their quality of life.

Our Basic (Pediatric) Allergy Panel tests for allergies to 32 environmental substances and foods including:

• 8 Common types of grass and weeds, including ragweed
• House dust mites, pet dander for cats and dogs
• 7 Common fruits and vegetables
• 3 Dairy products: including cow’s milk, soft cheese, and eggs
• Peanuts
• Grains including wheat and soybeans
• Meats including tuna, beef, and chicken
• Sugar and chocolate

The most common allergy symptoms in children include:

• Skin rashes or hives
• Difficulty breathing
• Sneezing, coughing, runny nose, or itchy eyes
• Upset stomach, diarrhea

Here are some of the most common allergy triggers for children:

Outdoor irritants
Allergic rhinitis, also known as “hay fever,” is the most common childhood ailment caused by allergies. Symptoms include a runny and itchy nose, sneezing, postnasal drip, and nasal congestion. A child with allergies may also have itchy, watery, red eyes and chronic ear problems.

Other common outdoor irritants include:

• Tree pollen
• Plant pollen
• Insect bites or stings

Indoor irritants
While considered to be a haven, our homes are not so safe for children sensitive to irritants found indoors. In fact, one in six children has an indoor allergy. Believe it or not, dust is one of the most common indoor allergies among kids. Those pesky specks of dust don’t just collect on tabletops. It can collect in soft, cozy places your child encounters daily, such as pillows and stuffed animals. Food allergies are also extremely common in children. More than six million children have some form of food allergy. The foods that cause the most severe and potentially deadly reactions are peanuts and shellfish. There are dozens of other foods that can trigger allergic reactions in children — anything from beef and pork to milk and eggs. Pets are another source of allergy-related sniffles and sneezes in children. Cats are usually the culprit, but dogs can often cause allergy problems too.

Other common indoor irritants include:

• Mold
• Cigarette smoke
• Perfume

Identifying Allergies
In the past, children were subjected to hundreds of needle pricks containing different possible allergens to determine which ones caused the strongest reactions.  Any Lab Test Now offers a Basic (Pediatric) Allergy Panel that can test kids’ allergies with a simple blood draw. Within 48–72 hours, you will receive a report detailing what, if any, of the 32 most common environmental substances and foods might trigger an allergic reaction in your child.

3. DRUG TESTS
Drug use is a sensitive topic for most parents. No one wants to think their child is experimenting with drugs, but parents need to accept the fact that there is a good chance they will if they haven’t already.

According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics:

• Drug use among eighth-graders increased 61 percent between 2016 and 2020.
• Sixty-two percent of teenagers have abused alcohol by the time they reach 12th grade.
• Fifty percent of teenagers have misused a drug at least once.
• Eighty-six percent of teenagers know someone who smokes, drinks, or uses drugs during the school day.

Marijuana Use
Marijuana is one of the most prevalent drugs of choice among kids, second only to alcohol. One in six adolescents is likely to become addicted to it. Despite the decriminalization of marijuana in many states, the drug is not harmless. It is highly addictive and can lead to psychotic behavior in some children. Not only that, but marijuana can also lead to lung damage.

Opioids and Prescription Drugs
Opioid and other prescription drug abuse among children is considered a national public health emergency. According to experts, since these drugs are prescribed by doctors, children may have a false sense that these types of drugs are not dangerous. However, that is far from true.

• Overdose deaths connected to opioids increased 500 percent among 15- to 24-year-olds since 1999.
• 3 percent of 12th-graders have abused opioids at least once.
• In the past year, 2.4 percent of 12th-graders abused OxyContin while 1.2 percent abused Vicodin.

E-Cigarettes and Vaping
Vaping among teens is skyrocketing. A recent study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse revealed more than a third of high school students tried it over the last year. The U.S. Surgeon General recently issued an advisory about vaping, calling it an epidemic and urging parents to keep their kids away from e-cigarettes. Many kids believe vaping products are a safe alternative to traditional forms of tobacco. Vaping puts high amounts of nicotine into the body. In certain cases, one vape pen can contain the nicotine equivalent of 20 regular cigarettes. Nicotine is highly addictive and can:

• Slow brain development in teens; affecting memory, concentration, learning, self-control, attention, and mood.
• Can increase the risk of other types of addiction later in life.
• May cause severe lung damage and even death.

Drug Testing Options
Information is a powerful tool for parents. Any Lab Test Now has developed several comprehensive drug testing programs to help provide you with the information you need regarding your child’s possible drug use. It can also be beneficial to your teen — not only when it comes to their health and overall well-being but also dealing with peer pressure. When your teen knows they can be randomly drug tested at any time and shares that information with their friends, they can say “no” to drugs more easily.

At Any Lab Test Now, teen drug testing options include:

• Rapid drug screens for when you need to know now.
• Lab-based drug screens and confirmations of drug screens for your assurance, including but not limited to opioids and prescription medications, marijuana, cocaine, and synthetic designer drugs.
• Tobacco testing to determine the presence of nicotine in the system.

Depending on the test, your child will provide a sample of saliva, hair, urine, or blood. Drug testing at Any Lab Test Now is confidential. No one will have access to your child’s results except for you. You own the results, and you can even use an anonymous name to protect your child’s identity. Most importantly, the results will give you and other loved one’s answers so you can take next steps if needed.

BE AT EASE
No matter what type of lab work your child needs, you can be at ease seeking out any type of diagnostic testing at Any Lab Test Now.  We provide you a safe and clean alternative location for lab work. Each of our 190+ stores is sanitized several times a day, in accordance with the CDC’s protocols. Any Lab Test Now is a committed partner in helping you manage your family’s healthcare so you can make educated decisions that will directly affect your quality of life. We want to put you at ease during the coronavirus outbreak. We are here to help.

Find your closest Any Lab Test Now store at www.anylabtestnow.com.

What’s the One Blood Test All Student Athletes Are Required to Have?

It is no surprise that student athletes participate in high intensity workouts. Whether it’s for conditioning, during practice time or game time, an athlete is continuously placed in situations where they need to raise their heart rate and push their bodies to the limit. Because of this, it is extremely important for school athletic directors and coaches to make sure that their student athletes are healthy and that their bodies can endure the physical activity expected of them.

There is one health condition in particular that could hinder a student athlete from truly competing to their best ability. This condition is known as sickle-cell trait. Inherited from a parent, sickle-cell trait can cause red blood cells to sickle and block blood vessels, denying oxygen to muscles and organs. If a student athlete with sickle-cell trait over-exhausts their body due to physical activity, their health could be put in serious danger if their oxygen supply iscut-off.

In order to ensure that this risk never becomes a reality, colleges require their NCAA student athletes to receive a sickle-cell trait blood test. Fortunately, as long as the coaches are aware of the diagnosis and take proper precautions with their diagnosed athletes,those athletes can still enjoy a successful and healthy athletic career. And all the student athlete readers said, “Whew!”

If you are an aspiring athlete and want to check on your health before heading into your college career, especially if attending a Division I or Division II school, contact your local Any Lab Test Now® today and let us help you get the answers you need. Our Sickle Cell Anemia Screen will test you for the sickle-cell trait and give you fast, quality results that you, your doctor, and your coach can use to ensure that your athletic career has a bright and long-lasting future.

Making Yourself Priority One Is Easier To Do Than You Think

Does your list of “must do” tasks seem like a mountain on the verge of a landslide? For many women, there’s a laundry list (pun intended!) of things to accomplish that feels infinite… and it’s usually sandwiched between working and raising a family. Any Lab Test Now encourages you to take a look at your “must do” list and add one more item on to it. YES! You read that right. We not only want you to add one more item to your “must do” list, but we also want you to prioritize it at the top. That’s because Any Lab Test Now wants you to prioritize your health.

MAKING TIME FOR YOU

National Women’s Health Week is celebrated May 12–18 this year and it’s all about making sure you put as much energy into taking care of yourself as you do others. We encourage you, your mother, your sister, your grandmother and your friends to get together and take steps to improve your health and to let Any Lab Test Now be a partner in your journey toward a healthier you.

So how can Any Lab Test Now help women make their health a priority? Convenience tops the list! How often do you put off getting a much-needed test because you just haven’t found the time to make an appointment? Many women are reluctant to make that appointment because they worry it will include long wait times which could mean valuable time lost at work or make you late for a carpool pickup.

With Any Lab Test Now, you don’t even have to schedule an appointment (although you can if you wish). You can simply pop in when you’re near one of our more than 170 conveniently located labs across the country. Generally, we’ll have you in and out in 15 minutes! You won’t miss the first part of the ballet recital.

TESTING WITH LADIES IN MIND

Our lab experts are always available to make sure you’re ordering the right test for your needs. A Comprehensive Female Panel is always a great place to start your journey toward better health. It’s designed to help women at all stages of life make informed decisions about their healthcare goals. It includes blood work (and cholesterol counts) that will provide you with a snapshot of your heart health. Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. The panel also includes a metabolic panel that checks kidney and liver functions, female hormones, thyroid condition, and nutritional status. All around, a great annual panel that provides you with a wide range of information.

Some conditions affect women more than men. Take urinary tract infections (UTI) for example. How many times have you felt that distinctive burning sensation? Usually, it’s late on a Friday afternoon! Well, UTIs occur in women significantly more than in men, and we can thank our anatomy for that. You don’t have to suffer until you get in to see the doctor. Some of our locations offer convenient Saturday options. You can get a routine Urinalysis to share with your doctor so you can get to feeling better, faster!

And how many times a week do you grab a quick burger or pick up a to-go salad because you just didn’t have time to stop and sit down to a nutritious meal? A basic building block to a healthier you (man or woman!) is proper nutrition. If you’re so busy making lunches for everyone else that you neglect making one for yourself, it can lead to problems. A regular diet of quick and easy ramen noodles isn’t always best. A Basic Nutritional Panel will let you know if you’re getting enough of what you need to experience optimal health.

Making time for yourself doesn’t have to be another chore to add to the list. When you take care of your own health, you aren’t being selfish. You’ll feel better and more energized and be ready to tackle all of your “must do” list and maybe even more!

The High Cost of Hay Fever

If we took a peek inside your medicine cabinet, what would it look like? If you are like a lot of people, your cabinet would be a jumble of allergy medicines, decongestants, cough suppressants and expectorants with a few stray pain relievers and fever reducers rolling around.

Here at Any Lab Test Now, we want to help you take control of your seasonal allergies by helping you pinpoint your triggers with allergy testing. Without the right information, you are more likely to self-misdiagnose and purchase and use the wrong types of medications, medications that aren’t cheap. When your symptoms strike, will you be prepared?

HIDDEN COST OF YOUR COUGH

Let’s start with an Australian study published last year. They studied nearly 300 people who believed they had hay fever based upon their symptoms. The researchers found that only 17 percent of them selected the correct over-the-counter medications to treat their symptoms.

Those costs add up. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the annual cost of allergies exceeds $18 billion. Allergy sufferers are also more likely to miss work – 1.7 more days lost than non-allergy sufferers. What could save you time, money and suffering? It could be as simple as allergy testing.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND YOUR SYMPTOMS

Most doctors would agree that the first step in winning your battle against seasonal allergies is to know your triggers, and that’s where your local Any Lab Test Now can help. We offer a wide range of allergy testing that will help you fight back when it seems like your body is in revolt!

The experts at the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) say seasonal allergies are like other types of allergies. They develop when the body’s immune system overreacts to something in the environment, usually during spring, summer or fall when certain plants pollinate. The ACAAI estimates that as many as 50 million people have allergies of some type. Usually, the symptoms include:

• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Itchy eyes
• Runny nose

If you leave them untreated, problems can worsen, so it’s a good idea to treat them — and an even better idea to avoid them altogether.

If you find that you are sneezing and coughing during certain times of the year, you may have seasonal allergies, but the best way to find relief (and save yourself some money in the process) is to pinpoint exactly what’s triggering your symptoms. The simplest way to do that is by taking advantage of the wide range of allergy testing we offer at Any Lab Test Now.

PREVENTION BEGINS WITH ALLERGY TESTING

Any Lab Test Now offers numerous types of allergy tests. One of our lab experts can help you decide which one would be best for you.

Our Environmental Allergy Test is a combination panel that measures IgG and IgE antibodies to 90 food allergens and 45 environmental allergens (will test for 45 regional environmental allergen such as grass, weeds, trees and mold.) The Basic (Pediatric) Allergy Panel is the perfect introductory test. It screens for allergies to 32 environmental substances and foods, including eight common grasses and weeds, including ragweed. There are many more to choose from and we can help guide you toward the test that is right for you.

One of the best things about allergy testing at Any Lab Test Now is the blood draw! That may sound crazy, but remember, it wasn’t that long ago that testing like this used to require hundreds of needle pricks to determine an allergy reaction. Now, one simple blood draw can look for the specific antibodies to hundreds of substances — using only one needle.

Before the sneezing and wheezing has you crawling to your local pharmacy buying everything on the shelf to find relief, stop in at Any Lab Test Now and ask about allergy testing. It will save you time, trouble, and probably even some of your hard-earned cash.

OBESITY, DIETS, AND MALNUTRITION: HOW THE THREE ARE CONNECTED

We all have an image in our minds about malnutrition and what that looks like. But, malnourishment isn’t just an issue for the very poor in third world countries. It can affect all people, both rich and poor, both hungry and satisfied, in cities around the world. What connects malnutrition to all of these different groups? More and more often, we’re finding that obesity and diets share a connection. That’s why Any Lab Test Now believes it’s now more important than ever for you to be certain you are getting enough nutrition, because you certainly cannot judge by looks alone.

What is Malnutrition?

Let’s start by making sure we understand exactly what malnutrition is. According to the World Health Organization (WHO): “Malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses, or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients.” It covers two broad areas. The first is “undernutrition.” Undernutrition includes underweight and micronutrient deficiencies or insufficiencies. The other is overweight and obesity. In plain speak, you can be malnourished even if you’re overweight, underweight, or even perfect weight, if you aren’t eating enough of a wide variety of nutritious foods. This can happen particularly if you are overweight or if you are on a diet or choosing a lifestyle that restricts or even abolishes certain foods.

Obesity and Malnourishment

Many people could look at themselves and think: “I can’t possibly be malnourished. I am getting more than enough to eat!” It has been said that Americans are overfed and undernourished. Diets of fast food and convenient processed products make life easier but aren’t able to provide a steady source of the nutrition our bodies need. But more and more, people are eating calorie dense/nutrient-poor diets. Evidence is mounting that despite excessive dietary consumption, obese individuals have high rates of micronutrient deficiencies which also appears to play an important role in the development of diabetes. Poverty also can play a role. Many of the cheapest foods available are often the highest in calories and the lowest in nutrition.

Diet and Malnourishment

On the flip side is our obsession with dieting and so-called “lifestyle diets.” Whatever you call it, many of these diets/lifestyles depend on the elimination of certain foods or even whole food groups! If you choose to follow one (or find that it’s medically necessary to follow one) it’s very important that you make sure you find acceptable sources to provide you with all the nutrition you need. Let’s take vegan/vegetarian as an example. Eating a plant-based diet offers health benefits, but if you do not make an effort to replace crucial nutrients found in meat, you can find yourself facing nutritional deficiencies.

Where do YOU Stand?

Take a critical look at your diet; if it includes a lot of fast foods, processed foods or if you are following a diet that includes food restriction you might want to consider a Basic Nutritional Panel from Any Lab Test Now. The Basic Nutritional Panel includes a variety of tests that can help you determine if you are getting enough nutrition, including:

1. Complete Blood Count (CBC)
2. Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
3. Iron and Total Binding Capacity (TIBC)
4. Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
5. Folate
6. Vitamin D
7. Vitamin C
8. Zinc
9. Ferritin
10. Homocysteine

Remember — malnutrition may not “look” the way you expect. Some common signs are fatigue, dry hair, thin or spoon-shaped nails, dental problems, constipation, confusion or depression, and a weak immune system. The Basic Nutritional Panel offered by Any Lab Test Now can provide you with a broad picture of your health and should be considered if you are working toward a healthier diet — and a healthier self!

Also at Risk: The Elderly

It’s worth noting that our senior citizens are also prone to malnutrition for a variety of reasons. It could be because they have trouble getting to a store or a lack of money. Some seniors may feel lonely and isolated and have no desire to cook a proper meal for just themselves. Loss of appetite can also be a side effect of medications or a symptom of an illness. Any Lab Test Now encourages everyone to keep an eye on family, friends, and neighbors who may be at risk.

Remember, getting a test at Any Lab Test Now is easy. You don’t have to make an appointment and you don’t need a doctor’s orders. We are private, affordable, and convenient and there’s no better way to take control of your health.