Getting a Nutritional Check Up

We’re looking forward to the weekend here, sweet Miko has been a little clingy wanting outdoor time in the cooler temps.

In my younger years, getting stuck with needles voluntarily was not something I looked forward to which I blame on a few bad experiences donating blood and getting IVs to find out I have a unique vein system. And still today in my 40s, seeing my own blood drawn can make me clammy and light headed. But I’m happy to do it now for staying on top of health and knowing I’m doing this plant-based diet thing correctly.

How many times have you been questioned about your B12, iron, vitamin D, etc. by concerned family and friends because you’re on a plant-based diet? Enough that it becomes hard to simply brush those questions off? Since I am in my 40s, I value peace of mind when it comes to health and nutrition so much more now knowing the genetic challenges that run in my family. And, of course, arming myself to respond confidently to those questions.

Last year I had a hard reality check that I can run anemic if I’m not careful when I had a routine blood test. And it’s not special to my diet since both of my older sisters, each on different diets, have been hit with it too. Getting and keeping enough iron can be a challenge for women, especially athletic ones, which seems to be true in my family. My doctor simply told me to take a supplement and sent me on my way. Have I been supplementing iron properly since?

I was happy to find the Vegan Nutritional Maintenance Panel test from Health Labs as a simpler and faster option to getting nutritional peace of mind without jumping through hoops to convince my healthcare provider I need another blood test. Health Labs is an independent service that does not require a primary care physician or medical insurance. There are over 4,500 labs nationwide to visit including a few location options in our little city. And an impressive selection of available tests. The Vegan Nutritional Maintenance Panel tests for 11 common deficiencies that we may wonder about in the back of our minds.

When I visited the location closest to me, I just had to present a photo ID and sign a check-in list, no lengthy forms to fill out and no wait. The procedure was fast and simple and I was done in less than 10 minutes and on my way.

Two days later, I received an email that my test results were ready and I logged in download a simple to read PDF report. What did I find? I’m actually doing much better than I thought! My iron supplementation is working too well, I am ever so slightly over now which is good to know to reduce my intake a bit. I am just fine in B12 and other important vitamins as well which is such a relief. I highly recommend this service for the peace of mind alone. It’s not easy to convince your health care provider you need regular blood tests to check in on your progress. But no convincing needed with Health Labs and I’m already looking at other tests for the future. You can too with a 25% discount on any vegan tests using code runplantbased25.

Thank you Health Labs for making this possible and giving everyone easy access to peace of mind.