I’m sure everyone reaches that age where suddenly you start worrying about your health.
In your twenties you think you’re invincible and I found my thirties flew by in a flash. It’s only really when hitting those forties that cracks – or rather creaks – begin to emerge.
That’s what’s happened to me over recent years with ailments creeping in here and there along with the realisation that I might need to consider some healthier lifestyle choices.
After reading an interview with Gavin and Stacey’s Joanna Page about how some health test results had inspired her recent weight loss, I decided to go for my own health MOT.
Randox Health offers an Everywoman or Everyman test which gives customers a full body health check – using a simple blood test to measure up to 150 biomarkers giving you a clear picture of how your body is really doing.
The idea is to check where you’re at and spot any potential risks early so you can make changes to support your long term health and also give yourself that peace of mind.
Based upstairs inside the Holland and Barrett store in Manchester’s Market Street, booking the test couldn’t have been easier and I was straight in for my appointment with Randox phlebotomist Myles Sutton.
After a brief chat about how much I’d missed my morning brew – you need to fast for 8 to 12 hours before the tests – we were straight into it.
He explained things every step of the way – taking my blood pressure, measuring my height and using a body composition analyser machine to see exactly what my body is made up of; breaking down my weight into fat, muscle and water, rather than just total mass.
It was then across to another seat to give the necessary amount of blood to be analysed in the laboratory. I don’t like needles, but even filling eight vials didn’t take long.
Finally, a urine sample is also taken while you’re there, so it’s a thorough job all round. The whole thing only takes less than 30 minutes and that’s including the time to fill in a questionnaire on arrival.
These Everywoman / man checks have soared in popularity over recent years. Driven by a growing public interest in understanding personal health data and taking a more proactive approach to wellbeing, the company has ‘seen a significant increase in demand for preventative health testing’.
“More people are looking to identify potential health issues earlier, monitor key biomarkers and make informed lifestyle decisions before symptoms arise,” says Randox.
The staff here are used to seeing people discover health issues they never realised they had – including a man whose results helped him catch his prostate cancer in early stages.
They also benefit from their own checks; with one of them discovering a thyroid issue that would otherwise have gone unnoticed.
One of the big benefits is that there’s no waiting game. The fact that Randox Health operates its own extensive laboratory network – some clinics benefit from on-site laboratory facilities – and uses Biochip Technology, which enables multiple tests to be performed simultaneously from a single blood sample, allows for ‘highly efficient processing and fast turnaround times without compromising accuracy’.
Unlike the NHS, where it can take a while to get test results back, the first preliminary report is sent to you on the app or via the website within a few hours.
This is basically the findings of the body composition analyser offering a first set of metrics.
It wasn’t really too much of a surprise to see that I’m overweight and with a BMI that’s out of the healthy range. I’ve not exactly had the healthiest diet and while I do a lot of walking, it’s not intense enough exercise to counter the calories being consumed and the amount of time spent sitting at my desk.
Which is probably why my metabolic age is showing as 52, when I’m actually 47 – not the news I wanted to hear.
My full report – all 68 pages of it – came through that very same evening, with even more concerning news. While 82% of my readings were ‘in range’ and 3% of them ‘in between’, 15% were ‘out of range’ and ‘in the red’.
It’s initially quite overwhelming to see so much detail about yourself, not all of it positive, but the report does break it all down into easy-to-read sections.
There’s a helpful list of ‘key findings’ at the beginning to save you having to trawl through the whole thing for a quick snapshot and there’s also some ‘results for your doctor’ pages so you can take those to your GP and follow up any concerns. If you want to, you can add on a GP consultation with Randox to go over the findings.
While mine flagged up a few areas of concern, including some hormonal issues to discuss with my doctor, such as high testosterone levels caused by polycystic ovary syndrome – which just this week has been renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) – it also revealed a genetic condition I didn’t even know I had.
I knew from previous tests that my cholesterol level is slightly raised, but I wasn’t aware that I have something called high lipoprotein (a) – a genetically determined factor, which is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. It basically makes it easier for fatty deposits to stick to artery walls, increasing the likelihood of blockages.
Lp(a) is not included in a standard cholesterol test and must be requested separately, so it’s not something that would have been found and is not something my parents were aware of either.
Diet and lifestyle changes have limited impact on lowering Lp(a) itself, but what it means is that it’s more important to keep your LDL cholesterol low, using statins if necessary.
Because the condition is genetic, experts recommend that people with high Lp(a) inform their family members so they can be tested too. My daughter had already been told she had a slightly raised cholesterol level for her age so it’s probably the explanation for that and she and my son will now be getting their Lp(a) checked, as well as other family members.
It’s one thing receiving all these results, but it’s what I now do with them that matters most.
I’m hoping it gives me the incentive to make some long needed changes to improve both my physical and mental health, which I’ve also struggled with for many years.
Finding some exercise I enjoy doing and can fit into a regular routine will be key – padel seems to be taking over the world so perhaps that’s worth a go – and I’d like to give yoga or pilates a try to increase flexibility.
The Everywoman / man checks include a health and well-being discussion with a Randox Health scientist to review your test results and help to guide you on next steps. No specific medical advice will be provided, however lifestyle advice is provided.
They also include a return visit 6 to 12 months later to see whether readings have changed. I’ll keep you posted.
The full body health check costs £416 at Randox Health and can be paid for in four interest-free payments. Add-ons and upgrades include, priced from £65, include a GP consultation, a nutrition and lifestyle DNA test, tumour associated markers and food sensitivity.
For more details or to book a health check, visit the website here.
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