Annual physicals aren’t high on anyone’s list for Most Fun of the Year, but they are important for maintaining health, staying ahead of any problems, and establishing baseline information so that issues can be caught early. Most of the time, we see great results, which is encouraging and helps us maintain good habits.
But let’s face it, does anyone really like to have their blood taken? As long as it’s a necessary evil, here are some pointers to make sure your blood work is as accurate as it can be. There are many factors that can sway the accuracy of the results, so it’s worth it to keep these in mind:
- Drink lots of water. Being hydrated makes giving blood and finding the “right vein” a bit easier.
- Fast 10-12 hours before giving blood. Speak to your physician if you feel fasting is not an option. Fasting ensures that the fasting glucose levels are most accurate. It will also help ensure cholesterol and iron levels are properly evaluated. Eating and drinking anything other than water can have an affect on the readings.
- Consider your diet, which can affect blood tests: ketogenic diets, restricted calories, and prolonged fasting.
- Be aware of any recent ailment: getting blood work done just after an illness or during an illness can affect readings. For example, cells can carry remnants of recent “fights” with germs or viruses, some up to 120 days or others until the cell dies. This can falsely elevate numbers in your blood panels. The illness has been conquered and the state of “health” has returned but the blood test may not show that.
- Other factors can skew the results, including certain medications (continue taking medications unless otherwise instructed by your physician); vitamins; mental stress; physical stress such as exercising before a blood test; transfusions; and infusions.
For the most accurate readings follow these guidelines and speak to your physician regarding any other instructions.
Contributor
Acupuncturist, herbalist, Maya abdominal practitioner, and reflexologist Christina Morris is the founder of Element Natural Healing Arts. Writing about health and wellness gives her an outlet to express her care and concern for her beloved community. She believes everyone can achieve better health and happiness–emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually.