We're surrounded by technology that can track our heart rate, steps and even our sleep patterns, but they fall short when it comes to providing insights into our biological health. Smartphones can't diagnose anaemia, poor kidney function, thyroid imbalances or reveal deficiencies in essential vitamins. And that's where comprehensive blood tests come in.
I’m willing to bet that right now that you are within easy reach of technology that with the touch of a screen will reveal your heart rate, how many steps you have taken today and even how well you slept last night. These clever apps can tell us if we are hitting our nutritional and activity target.
But ... what our devices can’t yet do is report how our bodies are doing on a biological level. Your smart phone can’t diagnose anaemia, poor kidney function, if your weight struggle is related to low thyroid function or reveal that your low mood might be alleviated by correcting your subnormal level of vitamin D.
We may think that we are doing “all the right things”, but how can we be sure? And if we’re not feeling quite right, who would bother their over-stretched GP about a lost mojo? Whilst blood screening is offered in the NHS for people aged between 40 and 74, they are only undertaken every five years and the focus is very narrow, to detect or calculate the risk of diabetes, heart disease or stroke.
With the constantly growing burden of the chronic disease pushing the NHS to breaking point, it’s now more important than ever that we as individuals do everything we can to keep ourselves in peak health and to achieve this, information is power. Knowing our bodies and what’s going on or going wrong can help to detect disease early, before symptoms develop, so that problems can be addressed and prevented from growing into life-changing or life-shortening disease.
As a result of my curiosity to have a better understanding of how my own body was doing, I decided to take matters into my own hands and organise screening blood tests to get hard numbers which could tell me exactly what was going on. It was a fascinating insight and such a relief to know that I did not need to worry about incipient health issues brewing beneath the surface that needed attention. I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting to be empowered with this information, so I decided to offer this opportunity for others people who, like me want to do everything possible to optimise their health.
Blood Tests we offer at Dr Julia Sen Health & Wellness clinic:
Full Blood Count: Detects anaemia, infection, and some aspects of blood clotting.
Urea & Electrolytes: These is measure kidney function
ESR & CRP: These are inflammatory markers suggesting infection or autoimmune inflammation
Thyroid Function: An under or overactive thyroid can affect weight, appetite, energy and mood
Glucose & HbA1C: These measure blood sugar levels in the moment and on average over the last month and are useful in detecting and monitoring diabetes and pre-diabetes.
Liver function: Liver enzymes can be elevated by medication, alcohol, metabolic syndrome and autoimmune disease.
Lipid profile: The amount and ratios of different types of lipoproteins (fats coupled to a carrier protein for transport from the gut)
LH, FSH & Oestradiol: These hormones are useful in diagnosis of menopause
Testosterone: Low testosterone can reduce libido and lead to tiredness, muscle and loss low mood. Those on Testosterone replacement therapy require annual monitoring of their levels.
Vitamin B12 & Folate: These are important for making healthy red blood cells. Deficiency leads to anaemia.
Ferritin: This is a measure of the amount of iron in the body
Vitamin D: Deficiency of this vitamin is associated with numerous diseases including heart disease, some cancers, depression and Multiple Sclerosis.
Your health is in your hands. It’s time to take control! Love Julia x
For more information or to make an appointment, you can read more here.
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