Five Important Blood Tests That You Should Have Done Every Year
Despite the valuable information that blood tests provide, most general practitioners near Laguna Beach, CA, fail to explain the various blood test options available to their patients. Your physician likely has no intention of neglecting your health, however, most general practitioners do not have time to thoroughly review each patient’s health markers through a variety of tests. This is unfortunate because blood tests have the power to indicate the early stages of many health defects and nutritional deficiencies.
To maintain an optimal level of health and vitality, there are a few blood tests that patients should take the initiative to have done once a year. Below our clinicians at Surfside Urgent Care of Laguna Beach have listed the five most important blood tests to have done each year.
Annual Blood Tests That Can Optimize Your Health
1. Physical blood tests
Many blood tests which provide important health markers are not regularly conducted by physicians. There are, however, two general blood tests that are done during your annual physical. These blood tests include a complete blood count and a metabolic panel. The tests indicate organ function, electrolyte activity, certain infections, enzymes, and blood cell counts.
2. Inflammation tests
Testing for inflammation is an excellent way to optimize one’s quality of life through proper nutrition, stress reduction, and other preventative behavioral changes. Inflammatory markers such as hsCRP point to inflammation in various parts of the body, which could mean anything from a mild food sensitivity to the potential for heart failure.
3. Thyroid function
Most general practitioners acknowledge the importance of normal thyroid function, however testing often falls short if the patient does not request a complete analysis of their thyroid health. In a lab, healthcare professionals can review up to eight thyroid health markers, where the average physician only reviews two of these markers.
4. Vitamin and mineral levels
A lack of essential nutrients will not necessarily pose an immediate health threat, however nutritional deficiencies can contribute to organ failure, cause uncomfortable symptoms such as fatigue or dizziness, and decrease one’s life expectancy. Performing an annual blood test for essential nutrients is a great way to inform dietary changes.
5. Metabolic activity
Certain metabolic markers such as insulin and blood lipids are essential to understanding the way your body breaks down food. This can help flag high cholesterol levels, early signs of diabetes and provide other useful dietary information.
Blood Tests Near Laguna Beach
Contact us today for urgent care services and to schedule your blood test with our team.