People often assume they only need to get blood work done when they’re sick or worried about their health. But the reality is, getting regular blood work done can be life-saving.
Not only can regular blood testing help you determine if you have a disease or if you’re predisposed to one, it can help you figure out a lot of other important things about your health.
Blood testing can tell you how your organs are functioning, how your body is responding to medicines and other supplements, and how to treat a variety of conditions. And what’s better is that blood testing is easy, fast, relatively affordable, and can tell you so much about your health status.
Not yet sold on why you should be getting blood work done regularly? Keep reading to learn why you should get blood testing done and the benefits it offers.
What Types of Blood Work Tests Are There?
Not all blood tests are the same and many of them are used to analyze different things. Here are some of the most common blood tests and what they’re used for:
Complete Blood Count
This blood test measures your number of red and white blood cells, as wells your hemoglobin and other important blood elements. This test can help determine if you have an infection, anemia, cancer, or any kind of immune system disorder.
Lipoprotein
This test measures your cholesterol levels and the fat levels in your blood. It determines how much good cholesterol (AKA HDL) you have and how much bad cholesterol (LDL) you have. It can also inform you if you’re at risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Blood Glucose
Blood glucose testing is blood work that helps determine if you’re at risk for diabetes or prediabetes. It’s also an important thing for people with pre-existing diabetes to undergo so they can make sure they’re healthy.
Blood Clotting
Blood clotting exams test proteins in your blood that impact the blood clotting process. By undergoing one of these tests, you can see if you’re at risk of developing blood clots in your blood vessels or bleeding.
Basic Metabolic Panel
This blood test is actually a group of tests that measure different chemicals in your body and they’re usually done on the fluid part of blood. These tests can determine if you’re at risk of diabetes, bone disease, thyroid cancer, malnutrition, and more. It can also notify you if you’re at risk of heart high blood pressure or heart failure.
What Can I Expect with Blood Tests?
Most blood tests don’t require any special preparation, but some do require fasting for 8-12 hours before you take it. Your doctor will notify you of any things you’d need to do in advance.
During the test, a doctor will usually draw your blood from a vein in your arm using a needle. They may also do a finger prick. The needle is attached to a tube, which will fill up with your blood as it’s drawn.
After the test, the doctor will give you a piece of gauze to apply to the area where the needle was inserted. This will help stop bleeding and prevent swelling or bruising. Then you’ll hear from your doctor about the results and find out if there’s anything concerning you should know about.
Why You Need to Be Getting Regular Blood Work Done
Still don’t see the value in regular blood testing? Here are some key benefits of it and how it can help you stay healthy.
It Makes Prevention Easier
As they say, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Regular blood work keeps you informed about your health and notifies you when there are potential health risks that you need to consider. And a proper blood test can help doctors determine if you have a disease, and equip you with the tools you need to prevent that disease from worsening.
It Reduces Potential Health Risks
In the last few years, diabetes and other metabolic syndromes have grown to epidemic proportions, which means many people are at risk of developing them.
Regular blood work can help monitor your blood metabolites, which can help doctors determine if you’re healthy or if there’s cause for concern. It can also detect early-stage diabetes, coronary artery disease, and other metabolic syndromes so you can start treating them sooner.
It Can Help Point Out Vitamin & Mineral Deficiencies
Regular blood work can determine if your body has the required levels of vitamins and minerals needed to be healthy. This is important because if your body is lacking nutrients like vitamins and minerals, you can develop health conditions like headaches and constipation.
If you know you have these types of deficiencies, you can develop a diet and wellness plan to replenish them so you’ll be healthier.
It Keeps You Updated on How Your Body is Changing as You Age
The human body changes as you get older. So even if you live a healthy lifestyle or have never been at risk for any health issues, there’s still a chance you could develop one as you get older.
You could potentially develop risk factors like heart diseases and diabetes as you age, so it’s important to keep tabs on your current health status. By doing so, you can discover issues earlier on, which will better prepare you for dealing with them.
It Helps You Keep Track of the Unique Needs of Your Body
Every human body is unique, so it’s important to undergone blood testing so you can find out if your body has any different needs you should account for.
Blood tests will help you determine how your blood is affected by your food, medication, and lifestyle, and it’ll make it easier for your doctor to come up with a custom treatment or prevention plan for you.
Final Thoughts on Regular Blood Work
When it comes to your health, you shouldn’t wait around to find out something is wrong. By undergoing regular blood testing, you can make sure you’re healthy, or aware of any health issues that require proper attention.
It’s better to be educated and practice precaution when dealing with your health rather than assume everything’s okay and run the risk of missing something that could turn deadly.
Do you undergo regular blood testing? Has it helped you? Let us know in the comments!
