To live a long life, prevention is key: discover essential blood tests for assessing your health. Despite being tedious, annual blood tests should be a fixed appointment on your calendar if you care about your health and dream of a long life.
Regularly undergoing such checks is a valuable investment in long-term health, offering a clear window into our body’s internal functioning.
It’s a well-being appointment that no one should delay or postpone for trivial reasons.
Prevention is crucial for a healthy life, and blood tests are an indispensable tool to achieve this goal. They can early detect anomalies or imbalances, providing the opportunity to intervene promptly to prevent the development of serious health conditions.
And since health is our most precious asset, we’ve selected six fundamental values that should be closely and regularly monitored. Here they are.
Routine Blood Tests: Which Values to Check?
1. Blood Sugar (Glucose)
Blood sugar measurement reflects the amount of glucose in the blood. Elevated levels may signal diabetes, a chronic disease affecting millions worldwide. Untreated diabetes can lead to severe complications like heart diseases, kidney damage, neuropathy, and eye problems.
Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels is a crucial step toward a healthy life.
2. Cholesterol
Cholesterol is an essential fat in our body, but it’s crucial to maintain the right balance between “good” (HDL) and “bad” (LDL) cholesterol. Elevated LDL cholesterol levels can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and strokes.
Regularly checking cholesterol levels through blood tests is vital for adopting healthy lifestyles, like a balanced diet and physical activity, to keep this value in balance and reduce cardiovascular risk.
3. Triglycerides
Triglycerides are fats in the blood that provide energy to the body. However, elevated levels may indicate excess unused calories, increasing the risk of heart diseases and strokes.
Monitoring triglycerides and reducing their levels through proper diet and a healthy lifestyle help identify cardiovascular risk factors and take preventive measures to keep them within healthy limits.
4. Glycated Hemoglobin (A1c)
Glycated hemoglobin represents the average blood sugar over the past two to three months. Maintaining adequate levels of glycated hemoglobin is crucial for controlling blood sugar over time and preventing diabetes-related complications, such as blood vessel damage, heart problems, and neuropathy.
Well-managed A1c is associated with a better quality of life for people with diabetes, reducing the risk of long-term complications.
5. Platelet Count
Platelet count is essential for blood clotting. Too high or too low values may indicate clotting problems or diseases, such as thrombocytosis (excess platelets) or thrombocytopenia (low platelet count).
6. White Blood Cell Count
White blood cell count indicates the state of the immune system and the presence of infections or inflammation in the body. Elevated levels may suggest an infection, while low levels may indicate an issue with the immune system.
7. Liver Function (AST and ALT)
AST (Aspartate transaminase) and ALT (Alanine transaminase) are enzymes produced by the liver and present in the blood. These enzymes are crucial for assessing liver health. When the liver is damaged or not functioning properly, it releases higher amounts of AST and ALT into the bloodstream.
Monitoring AST and ALT levels through blood tests is crucial for early detection of liver diseases, such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, and other conditions.
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