At least half my friends are embarking or have embarked on various dietary and lifestyle changes to improve their health. We're all putting in lots of time to make these changes happen. However, it's not always clear if the changes are actually having an impact. In the case of, say, exercise or losing weight, there's plenty of feedback. We can see that we're able to run a mile in less time, we're 10 pounds lighter etc.
In the case of dietary changes, most of us aren't getting any feedback. I could be taking piles of supplements or eschewing my favorite foods all in the name of achieving a particular nutritional balance, but have no idea if I'm actually there. To me this is kind of silly -- measurement is key to knowing how I'm doing.
So I started looking around online for good tests that weren't too expensive.
Life Extension Foundation has a comprehensive blood test that covers 35 tests for $35 (with membership, though I can order tests for other people since I'm a member)
http://www.lef.org/Vitamins-Supplements/ItemLC381822/Chemistry-Profile-Complete-Blood-Count-Blood-Test.htmlLots of people are pursuing the consumption of fish and fish oil with gusto and working very hard to avoid trans fats. There's now a lot of research showing that fatty acid levels are extremely important to your cardiovascular health as well as other areas, and that cultures with high fish consumption tend to have much longer lifespans. One person I know who's really interested in life extension said that if you only take one supplement, focus on Omega-3 fatty acids.
Finding out how well you're doing on that front is more expensive. The cheapest test I found for fatty acid levels is $172. However, that $172 is relatively cheap compared to the ultimate health care costs that result from poor diet. It's like the old engineering adage: "measure twice, cut once".
https://www.directlabs.com/Default.aspx?TabId=55 (Go to F for Fatty acid bloodspot)
The same company also offers a "comprehensive" test that will tell you, among other things, if all that fish you're eating to be healthy is actually giving you mercury poisoning. That test is $800 though.
I'm really looking forward to the day when these tests are $10 and are done by applying a small patch to your skin.
There are all kinds of other preventative tests, especially ones that are important for men and women over 40. Not being over 40 myself, I'm somewhat lazier about looking into them. I do know that such tests are often available through your doctor and heavily subsidized by the insurance companies.
I do try to keep all this stuff in perspective. I could get hit by a bus tomorrow.
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