3 Best Blood Tests for Overall Health

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3 Best Blood Tests for Overall Health

No one wants to think about getting sick, but the truth is that it’s best to be proactive about your health.

One of the best ways to do this is by getting regular blood tests. This way, you can identify any potential problems early on and address them before they become bigger issues.

In this article, we will discuss three of the best blood tests for overall health.

Please be advised that if you have a medical condition, see your doctor for verified medical guidance first. If you have insurance, they may assist you in covering the expenses. Hopefully, with as little paperwork as possible..

If you just want to schedule a blood test for general health online so you can get a fast blood draw from the lab nearest you, continue reading.!

We may receive a small commission if you order using some, but not all, of the links below. This helps keep the Eating Enlightenment CBT Food Journal App free for its hundreds of users who want to track food without emphasis on weight loss or calories.

If you want more info on supplements – including risks and general FDA guidelines – please see our “Supplements and Vitamins – Ultimate Beginner’s Guide”.

Criteria For Best Blood Test for Overall Health

Certified Labs:

We selected blood test vendors that had been certified by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA). We also considered third-party assessments and Better Business Bureau ratings for each service.

Convenience:

We searched for websites that provide thorough explanations of important blood tests, offer results in an easy-to-understand format, enable you to track health developments as you order additional blood tests, and deliver rapid outcomes.

Best Overall: Health Labs

Price = $99
# of Labs in US = 4500
# of Reviews = 15,500
Average Rating = 96%
Better Business Bureau Rating = A+

Health Labs “Comprehensive Health Panel” is highly competitive on price.

Most importantly, the “Comprehensive Health Test Panel” from Health Labs combines six major, comprehensive health test panels that assess and evaluate the body as a whole:

Cholesterol Panel
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
Urinalysis
Iron
Thyroid Panel
Complete Blood Count (CBC)

Health Labs has been in business and the Better Business Bureau has given it an A+ grade.

Lab locations at Health Labs are the most numerous among all blood testing operations offering routine blood tests.

With a great price, a stellar reputation, a solid service and competitive price, Health Labs is our #1 choice.

Order Health Labs

Best Price: Walk-In Lab

Price = $45-$50
# of Labs in US = 3700
# of Reviews = 16, 605
Average Rating = 4.8/5
Better Business Bureau Rating = A

Walk-In Lab has been accredited for more than 12 years, and it received an A grade from the Better Business Bureau.

Walk-In Lab’s “Wellness #1 Baseline Panel” is your best option in terms of price.

The Wellness #1 Baseline Panel is a baseline assessment of health and contains 21 separate laboratory tests including:

Total Cholesterol
Kidney Profile
Glucose Level
Liver Panel
Potassium and Calcium

Disadvantages:

Doesn’t give you CBC
Doesn’t give you Iron

Advantages:

More emphasis on vitamins
More emphasis on kidney and liver

Order Walk-In Lab

Best For Most Comprehensive: Ulta Wellness

Price = $264
# of Labs in US = 2000
# of Reviews = 2728
Average Rating = 4.9/5
Better Business Bureau Rating = A+

Ulta Lab has been accredited for 8 years and received an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

The Better Business Bureau has received only two complaints in the last eight years.

Ulta Wellness offers the most comprehensive test – a “Health Basic Panel” which contains 13 tests with 79 biomarkers.

Disadvantages

High price

Order Ulta Wellness

About Overall Health Measurements

In the reviews listed above you’ll notice similar measures regarding blood tests. What do these mean?

Let’s review some common indicators of overall health that get measured in these blood tests!

Lipid Panel

A lipid panel is the part of a blood test which measures the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood. They also elevate the ratio of good cholesterol to bad and other measures.

Elevated levels of either can increase your heart disease risk.

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel:

The comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) checks kidney function, blood sugar levels, and electrolyte and mineral balances. This information can help your doctor diagnose diabetes, kidney disease, and give a window into how you may be falling short of optimal health.

Urinalysis:

A urinalysis checks for the presence of protein, blood cells, glucose, and ketones in your urine. This test can help diagnose a number of medical conditions such as urinary tract infection (UTI), diabetes, and liver disease.

Iron Test:

An iron test measures the amount of iron in your blood. A low level of iron can indicate anemia, a condition that occurs when you don’t have enough red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your tissues.

Thyroid Panel:

The thyroid panel checks the levels of thyroid function. The panel looks at thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroxine (T-four) in your blood. A high TSH level and low T-four level can indicate that you have a thyroid disorder.

Complete Blood Count:

The complete blood cell count (CBC) is where you get a complete red blood cell count. This test measures the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in your bloodstream, as well as the amount of hemoglobin and hematocrit. This test can help your doctor diagnose a variety of medical conditions, including anemia, infection, and leukemia.

C-Reactive Protein:

The c-reactive protein (CRP) test measures the level of CRP in your blood. CRP is a marker of inflammation, and high levels can indicate that you have an infection or are at risk for heart disease.

Blood Sugar:

A blood sugar test measures the level of blood sugar (aka, glucose) in your blood. Glucose is the main source of energy for the body and elevated blood glucose levels can indicate diabetes.

These are just some of the most common measures that get taken in a blood test for overall health. Be sure to ask your doctor which tests are best for you!

Can a blood test check for everything?

Blood tests have a wide range of functions, including checking cholesterol and glucose. They can help you determine the risks for heart disease and diabetes. Test results can help diagnose your liver or kidney functioning too.

And when you go into the lab for one of your routine blood tests, you’ll also get your blood pressure along with your test results.

However, the scope of overall health is very large. No single blood test can account for every single physical variable.

We aren’t even considering mental health either! Nonetheless, physical and mental health are related so blood testing can give you some basic information about your total health.

Just keep an open mind and realize these tests can’t catch everything.

Third Party Resources:

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a comprehensive blood test to examine your overall health, then the best places to go are Health Lab, Ulta Wellness or Walk-In Labs.

These three services are reputable and have been around for over 10 years.

Independent third party reviews give each of these three services high marks. Their labs are certified and they guarantee quick results.

If you are looking for information for a specific blood test, like for inflammation, then read here.

About the Author

Jared Levenson is a former binge eating wrestler turned Zen Buddhist Monk, Internal Family Systems counselor and nutrition wellness coach. He's helped hundreds of people through universal meal principles and internal family systems to make peace with food, stop binge eating, and find true health and wholeness.

@jared_levenson