SPRING IS IN BLOOM; SO ARE SEASONAL ALLERGIES

If you’re a seasonal allergy sufferer, you don’t need a calendar to tell you when winter is over; your nose probably will. Spring came a little early this year and it took many seasonal allergy sufferers by surprise. If you can’t stop and smell the roses because you’re too busy sneezing and sniffling, then it’s probably because you suffer from seasonal allergies. Luckily Any Lab Test Now is here to help arm you with information to ease your suffering.

Why Spring Means Suffering

According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), allergies are a major cause of illness in the United States, with as many as 50 million people having allergies of some type. Allergy symptoms occur when your immune system overreacts to a trigger found in your environment. Usual symptoms include:

  • Sneezing
  • Coughing
  • Itchy eyes and/or nose
  • Runny nose

The usual culprits? Grass, pollen and mold are common triggers! All the things that make spring so special. Of course, no season has the market covered when it comes to allergies. Some people can sail through the bloom and get caught in the fall with woodsmoke, or in the winter with holiday decorations pulled down from a dusty attic.

How to Manage Your Seasonal Allergies

According to the ACAAI, the most important step to managing your seasonal allergies is to know your triggers. The most common tests for these types of allergies are IgE tests. These tests detect immunoglobulin “E” traces in your blood, and can pinpoint the allergen. That’s where Any Lab Test Now can help. Some of the most popular IgE allergy tests now offered by Any Lab Test Now include:

One of our medical assistants can help you decide which test is best for you; or you can try our easy to use Road Map of Symptoms to help guide you to the most appropriate option.

What to Do After You Know Your Trigger

You’ll want to check with your doctor to decide on the best treatment for you, but there are many medications available both over the counter and by prescription that can help. Some patients find that immunotherapy helps. There’s even promising research on probiotics. And, reducing your exposure to your allergy triggers is always a good idea.
At Any Lab Test Now, we want you to fall back in love with spring and all that it has to offer. Understanding your seasonal allergy triggers is the first step to feeling more comfortable at this time of year, so walk in to your local Any Lab Test Now to talk with a medical assistant about the test that’s right for you.

Understanding Lyme Disease

Now that spring has arrived, so has tick season! They reemerge once the weather starts warming up and are more than a simple nuisance. They harbor Lyme disease. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection primarily transmitted by deer ticks (in the Northeast and Midwest) and black-legged ticks (on the Pacific Coast). Lyme disease can be difficult to diagnose, so it is important to know the signs, symptoms and risks of the infection in order to keep you and your loved ones safe this tick season.

Symptoms of Lyme Disease

One of the telltale signs of Lyme disease is a red, expanding skin rash. Typically, this rash will begin at the bite site and grow outward in a circle. Sometimes, the rash will fade as it grows, leaving irritation which resembles a bullseye. While common, a rash is not always present in a person with Lyme disease. Other symptoms include flu-like symptoms, facial muscle weakness, fainting, chest pain, severe headache and shooting joint pain.

 

When to Seek Care

Thoroughly checking your skin after spending time outdoors during tick season is vital because the longer that the tick is on your skin, the higher your chance of contracting Lyme disease.  However, if you develop any Lyme disease symptoms and have been bitten by or exposed to ticks, it is important to take a Lyme disease test as soon as possible. Remember, many people who develop Lyme disease do not realize that they have been bitten by a tick. If you have been outside in an area where ticks are prevalent and develop these symptoms, assume that you’ve been bitten and walk in to Any Lab Test Now to be tested.

Untreated Lyme Disease

Most cases of Lyme disease can be successfully treated with a dose of antibiotics. If Lyme disease remains untreated, however, it can spread to other parts of the body from several months to a year after the initial infection. This spreading can cause a variety of long-term health problems such as arthritis and nervous system problems. In severe untreated cases, Lyme disease can be fatal.
Don’t be ticked off by Lyme disease! Stay safe this year and be sure to check your skin for ticks after being outside. If you think you may have been bitten, visit your local Any Lab Test Now to be tested.

Are You Getting a Good Night’s Rest?

Whether you like to be curled up under a pile of blankets, buried under a mountain of pillows, or free from constrictive bedding, a good night’s sleep is essential to your health. In fact, quality sleep is as critical as proper diet and exercise. It is a key factor in immune function, metabolism, memory, and learning; yet, more than a third of United States adults do not get enough sleep.

 

Insufficient Sleep

Insufficient sleep is on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) radar and has been labeled a public health concern. So, what constitutes a successful night of slumber? The CDC recommends at least seven hours per night for adults and even more for teens and children. In a 2014 survey, only 65 percent of Americans reported a healthy sleep duration. Incredibly, 12 percent reported sleeping less than five hours and 23 percent reported only six hours per night.

Sleep Quality

While the number of hours of sleep is important to restoring and revitalizing your body, the National Sleep Foundation’s new report presents sleep quality differently. It recommends that you strive for these four bedtime accomplishments:

  • Sleeping 85 percent of the time you spend in bed
  • Falling asleep in 30 minutes or less
  • Waking up no more than once a night
  • Falling back asleep within 20 minutes

Impacts of Too Little Sleep

Too little sleep negatively impacts both your physical and mental health. Lack of sleep can contribute to a variety of serious medical issues, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. In the immediate future, it can also contribute to motor vehicle and other accidents because you are not as alert as you would be if you were well rested and may have impaired judgement. Additionally, long-term sleeplessness can contribute to forgetfulness, depression, and anxiety.

At Any Lab Test Now, there is an option to help you determine if you are suffering from insomnia. The Sleep Balance Take Home Hormone Kit can help find the possible causes of disturbed sleep. The kit is a simple urine test that measures melatonin and cortisol. Melatonin is the hormone that helps to regulate when the body should be asleep vs. awake. Cortisol is produced in response to stress to keep your body on-guard, but should naturally decline at night: if it does not, your body can have trouble calming itself. As the test helps you better understand what is preventing a restful slumber, you can work with your doctor to mitigate these issues.

Talk to our experts at Any Lab Test Now to learn more about the test and how to improve your sleep cycle for optimal health and wellness.

Get Tested During Colon Cancer Awareness Month

Have You Been Tested for Colon Cancer? If Not, Should You Consider It?

March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month, and despite this yearly designation, many people still don’t know about the dangers of colon cancer. A cancer diagnosis is always scary, but if found early, colon cancer is one of the most treatable cancers out there. With screening and early detection, colon cancer patients can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that they have a 90 percent chance of survival, and that number is increasing every year. But if all this is true, why is colon cancer the second-leading cause of cancer death in those aged 50 and older?

Early Detection Saves Lives!

Colon cancer is one of the most treatable cancers in the U.S. today, yet it remains the second-leading cause of cancer death in U.S. adults aged 50 and older. This is because nearly a third of adults are skipping their recommended screenings. These screenings are vital to your health, as finding colon cancer early will significantly increase your chance of survival and recovery. Even adults under 50 years of age should consider this screening if they have a family history of colon cancer.

It’s important to pay attention to your risk factors to assess if it’s a good idea to get tested. Risk factors for colon cancer include:

  • Being over 50 years of age
  • Having a family history of polyps or colon cancer
  • Having a personal history of cancer
  • Having a condition that causes inflammation of the colon, such as Crohn’s Disease
  • Smoking cigarettes
  • High fat and low fiber diet

If you identify with any of the risk factors above, even just being over 50 years of age, it’s time to consider your options for colon cancer testing.

Getting Tested at Any Lab Test Now

Any Lab Test Now is partnering with Colon Cancer Alliance to help stop colon cancer deaths for good. During Colon Cancer Awareness Month, we urge those over 50 years of age and those with a family history of colon cancer to get tested. That’s because the best way to beat colon cancer is to find it early through testing. Testing could save your life.

To make testing easier and more discreet, Any Lab Test Now offers the Colorectal Cancer At-Home Screening Test. The test evaluates stool samples that are collected at home and sent in to the lab. The lab then determines if there is any blood in the stool that may signal colon cancer.

Help us beat colon cancer by taking charge of your health! Knowing your risk factors, knowing your family history and talking with your physician about the right time to be screened is your best, and easiest, tool for preventing colon cancer.

Contact the experts at Any Lab Test Now today to learn what testing options are right for you.

How Can You Help?

Help us raise money for colon cancer research by hearing our personal story and donating to the MICHELLE FIELDS TRIBUTE PAGE. All proceeds go to the Colon Cancer Alliance.

Donate today: www.anylabtestnow.com/donate

 

Understand the Impact of Nutrients on Your Body

Understand the Impact of Nutrients on Your Body

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

What is Nutritional Testing?

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

Nutrition-Related Health Concerns

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

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

Micronutrients

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

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

Is Your Cortisol Level Under Control?

Fight or flight. We’re sure you’ve heard of it, and that you know it’s your body’s instinctual reaction to a stressful situation. In modern times, stressors in your life aren’t always a result of the presence of physical danger, such as a grizzly bear who wants you to be its next meal. Most people nowadays feel these reactions when everyday life gets a little stressful — if you have a tight deadline at work, if you have a big fight with your spouse or if you realize you forgot to pay that bill on time. All of these situations can result in the same stressed-out feelings  — an increased heart rate and a burst of energy, to name a few — which are famously caused by a hormone called adrenaline.

But what you may not know is that during a stressful situation, another hormone is at play: cortisol. Cortisol is released to help your body deal with stress, but if your cortisol level is out of control, it can do more harm than good.

Cortisol

Cortisol, or hydrocortisone, is a hormone that is released into the body in response to stress. It helps your body respond to stressful situations by increasing your blood sugar, enhancing your brain’s use of glucose and increasing the availability of substances that repair tissues. Additionally, cortisol suppresses body functions that would be nonessential in a fight-or-flight situation such as your immune system response, digestive system and reproductive system. All of these responses are intended for survival, but what happens when your cortisol levels don’t return to normal after the stressor is gone, or if you don’t have enough cortisol in the first place?

Too much cortisol in the body can cause a number of dangerous conditions including:

  • Hyperglycemia
  • Weight gain and obesity
  • Decreased bone density
  • Compromised immune and inflammation responses
  • Increased blood pressure and damage to the heart
  • Cushing Syndrome

While it is most often caused by chronic stress, the overproduction of cortisol can also be a result of  long-term use of corticosteroids, a tumor on the pituitary or adrenal gland, or cancer.

Too little cortisol in the body can be problematic as well, causing:

  • Weight loss
  • Fatigue
  • Low blood pressure
  • Vomiting and diarrhea
  • Loss of consciousness

All of these can be very serious problems, and dangerous to your health. If you are experiencing any of the issues listed above, but don’t know why, it’s time to find out what’s really going on. Take the first step towards better health by testing your cortisol level. Any Lab Test Now offers several options for cortisol testing:

Contact the experts at Any Lab Test Now to learn which test is right for you.

Frequent Heartburn? Your Health Could Be at Risk

You know it well: that burning sensation you feel in your chest after a big meal, while laying down or sometimes for no apparent reason at all. This frequent and fiery grip on the center of your chest is known as heartburn, and millions of Americans suffer from it every year.

Even though heartburn seems nearly as commonplace in America as a burger and fries, it is certainly not something to ignore when you experience it yourself. That’s because frequent heartburn is more than just a little uncomfortable — it can cause lasting damage to your body and your health. In fact, the condition of frequent heartburn is considered to be a disease — gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD for short, is diagnosed when heartburn interferes with a person’s daily life. While heartburn can be temporarily dealt with using over-the-counter antacid medications, it is important for your health to determine the cause of the heartburn so you can take the necessary steps toward preventing it in the future.

If left untreated, frequent heartburn can cause a number of painful and even dangerous health conditions such as:

Esophageal Strictures, which cause difficulty swallowing as a result of scarring and narrowing of the esophagus due to frequent exposure to stomach acid. This can result in pain when swallowing, as well as difficulty eating and drinking.

Barrett’s Esophagus, a condition caused by long-term exposure of the esophagus to stomach acid through acid reflux. This is a pre-cancerous condition that occurs in about 1 in 100 people who have experienced chronic heartburn for ten years or more.

Esophageal Cancer, which can develop when the esophageal cells become so damaged by stomach acid over time that the cells become cancerous. Even if found early, the survival rate for esophageal cancer is only around 40 percent.

If you suffer from frequent heartburn, it’s time to find out why so you can begin to recover before it’s too late. Any Lab Test Now’s Heartburn Panel includes three tests intended to give you a comprehensive look at why you may be suffering from frequent heartburn or GERD:

A Complete Blood Count will test for blood disorders that can show signs of leukemia, anemia and blood clotting.

A Chemistry Panel will evaluate your blood sugar levels, liver and kidney function, renal function and electrolyte levels.

And an H. Pylori Test will determine the presence of a destructive stomach bacterium called Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium can cause ulcers, heartburn and even stomach cancer. If discovered, an H. pylori infection is easily treated with antibiotics. An H. Pylori Rapid Result Screen is another option to test only for the presence of H. pylori.

The sooner you know what’s wrong, the sooner you can start taking the steps towards better health. Talk to the experts at Any Lab Test Now today to learn what testing options are right for you.

Avoid Hormone Chaos with Testosterone Testing

Having low testosterone as a man can throw your whole body into chaos. Your body’s systems rely on hormones to tell them what to do, so if your hormones are not giving your body the right signals, you might notice changes in everything from your digestion and energy level to your sex drive and physical performance. If you have been suffering from unexplained changes in your body, testosterone testing might be the right answer for you.

According to the Urology Care Foundation, about four in every 10 men over the age of 45 experience low testosterone. The condition rarely occurs in men younger than 45, but when it does, it can be both unexpected and frustrating. It is natural for a man’s testosterone level to decrease as he ages, but if it dips too far below the normal threshold, uncomfortable symptoms can begin to occur and affect that man’s quality of life.

Symptoms can include:
an increase in body fat,
decrease in muscle mass,
calcium loss,
loss of bone density,
poor erections,
low sex drive, or
anemia.

The symptoms of a hormone dysfunction are unpleasant, but can be eliminated or reduced through proper treatment. Knowing the source of a hormone imbalance can give your doctor the information he or she needs to resolve your issue. Typically, treatment is managed through testosterone replacement therapy. Using a gel, shots, long-acting pellets, pills or patches, doctors can prescribe testosterone supplementation that restores a man’s testosterone to normal levels and alleviates his symptoms.

A carefully-administered test in a certified and safe laboratory environment is the only way to assure valid results for a testosterone level test. This is important, because treating a man who does not have low testosterone with hormone supplementation can have an adverse effect, and will not address any symptoms he might be experiencing. Supplementing a man’s testosterone when it’s not needed can actually lower a man’s sperm count and fertility.  Some of our other panels that you also might want to consider are our Comprehensive Male Panel or Pre-Testosterone Therapy Panel.

Low testosterone can be more than unpleasant. This hormone is necessary for many of the functions in the male body, and lower levels of the hormone can throw the body’s systems out of whack. To resolve the discomfort and confusion, men who have found the aging process to be more frustrating than expected should consider testosterone testing to determine if a testosterone level disorder is the cause. Find your local Any Lab Test Now to schedule a test today!

It’s Thyroid Awareness Month!

thyoridMany people have heard of the thyroid, but few actually know how this gland impacts their body. For this reason, January is Thyroid Awareness Month. During this period, both individuals and practitioners are encouraged to become better educated about possible thyroid issues, causes and treatments.

The thyroid is part of the endocrine system. This gland transforms iodine that you consume into two hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine(T3). These hormones are then released into your body when needed to regulate the speed at which the body functions. When too much of the hormone is released, this speeds up the body’s functions and is known as hyperthyroidism. Conversely, when too little of the hormone is released, it slows down the body’s functions. This is known as hypothyroidism.

In both cases, the imbalance of hormones can lead to problems for patients. In those affected by hyperthyroidism, people may experience:
weight loss,
persistent vomiting,
increased blood pressure,
increased perspiration,
enlarged liver,
hair loss, or
a persistently fast heart rate.

When the body’s functions slow down due to hypothyroidism, patients often experience:
fatigue,
weight gain,
a short attention span,
dry skin,
thinning hair,
slow heartbeat,
numbness, or
cold intolerance.

Fortunately, many patients can work with an endocrinologist to re-balance their hormone levels and curtail these symptoms. The first step to healing is understanding your current hormone levels. An easy method for gathering data about your thyroid function is done through the take-home hormone kit. Samples are collected at home and then sent to Any Lab Test Now for evaluation. The test measures the amount of hormone in your bloodstream. It also evaluates the levels of various elements, like iodine, Cadmium, bromine, arsenic, mercury, and Selenium that impacts the production of the T3 andT4 hormones. Of course, other patients simply walk in to Any Lab Test Now for the thyroid panel and the Comprehensive Elements Thyroid Profile hormone kit which provide similar information.

Armed with data about thyroid and element levels, an endocrinologist will recommend the right course of action for bringing hormone levels back into balance. Options may include a variety of drug treatments, iodine treatment or (in extreme situations) surgical removal of the thyroid. Typically, it takes several weeks of treatment for the symptoms to subside. It is also important to note that dosage levels frequently need to be adjusted when a patient is first undergoing treatment because each body has very specific hormone needs to stay in balance.

As we enter January, and help to spread the word about Thyroid Awareness Month, we encourage anyone who may be experiencing hormone-related symptoms to stop in to their local Any Lab Test Now location for testing. A quick test may put you on the path to reduced symptoms and healthier living!

Tests to Consider for the New Year

This time of year, many people are making resolutions to change their lives for the better. Resolutions give people a sense of new beginnings for themselves, and a chance to look forward to the progress they will make toward becoming a healthier, happier individual. Most people who make a New Year’s resolution are thinking of their health – they want to make positive changes in their appearance and overall livelihood.

But what many people don’t realize when they’re staring in the mirror is that good health starts on the inside. To appear healthier on the outside, you must first make healthy, internal changes. If you’re looking to make a change, but don’t know where to start, Any Lab Test Now has several tests that can help you accomplish your resolutions for 2017:

Sensitivity and Intolerance Tests

One great way to make a healthy change is to finally find out what’s been causing your unexplained ailments or discomfort. Often, people with a food sensitivity or intolerance don’t realize what is causing their health issues. That’s because it’s hard to isolate just one food as the cause of your pain. This is where Sensitivity and Intolerance Tests can help! These tests can help you determine any food sensitivities or intolerances you may have, letting you get to the bottom of what is causing your health problems.

Sexual Health Lab Tests

If you are sexually active, it is important to make sure you are healthy and disease-free. Most people know they should get tested for STDs, but continually put it off. The thing is, by putting off getting tested, you’ll continue to feel that nagging worry in the back of your mind – “Do I have a disease?” Give yourself peace of mind by finding out for sure in 2017, and taking care of your health from head to toe. Any Lab Test Now’s Sexual Health Lab Tests will help you check off that big “to-do” item lingering in your thoughts.

Diabetes Lab Tests and Cholesterol Lab Tests

Before you can look healthy on the outside, you must address the issues going on inside your body. If you are concerned you might have high cholesterol, diabetes or pre-diabetes, it’s time to get tested and find out for sure. Dangerous complications can arise from having these conditions, including a higher risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Make 2017 the year you take control of your heart health, starting with a Diabetes Lab Test and Cholesterol Lab Test.

Get started on your 2017 New Year’s resolution to be healthier by getting some much needed answers to your nagging health questions. Once you better understand your health today, you can start taking steps towards achieving better health this year. Talk to the experts at Any Lab Test Now to learn what testing options are right for you, and take the first step towards a healthier, happier you.