From emails to conference calls to balancing a social life, we're operating at what feels like 150% on most days and don't give our bodies enough credit. To keep up this momentum, we're breaking down how to be more in tune with our bodies and take our health into our hands.
If someone told you that you could learn more about your health concerns right in the comfort of your own home would you believe them? Or is this a topic that has never crossed your mind in the first place? If not, then you likely haven’t come across the little-known women’s health issues that are affecting thousands, if not millions, of us today. As we get older, more health concerns can arise in areas from hormonal complications to vitamin deficiencies and so much more. Rather than navigating your life around doctor’s visits later on, it’s essential to get a clear idea and take preventative measures now. And let's face it, every woman knows what it's like to walk into a doctor's office and not be taken seriously. We've had enough of that.
“As the boss, you’re always checking in on other people, but you have to be the one to check in on yourself.”
If you hadn't heard of EverlyWell's home health testing service before reading this, the chances are that you would've soon. The testing kits have garnered some well-earned buzz due to their convenience, affordability, and trustworthiness. Listen, statistics about women and the healthcare industry can be concerning, so it's no surprise that more of us are taking matters into our own hands when it comes to our health. Here's how it works:
Step 1: Purchase online (and use your C&C reader discount!)
You don't have to worry about co-pays, deductibles, or multiple doctor's visits. C&C readers can receive 15% off any EverlyWell test by using the promo code 'CREATE' at checkout.
Step 2: Complete your at-home test
You get to do this in the comfort of your own home on your own time.
Step 3: Send it to the lab
Return labels are included in your kit and EverlyWell works with the nation's leading laboratories for examinations.
Step 4: Get your results
After getting reviewed by a board-certified physician your results are available online in about five business days.
This super simple process is changing the game. The service has 30 different kits available and they range from general wellness to sexual health, energy and weight, and more. When it comes to women's health, the testing options include postmenopause, women's fertility, perimenopause, breast milk DHA, instrumental hormones, and ovarian reserve tests.
To get an inside scoop on how it all works, we tapped three of our favorite influencers to share their different test results and what they've learned with us.
The blogger, writer, and actress was curious to learn more about her sensitivity to certain foods. With EverlyWell's food sensitivity test you measure your body’s IgG response among 96 different foods that are commonly found in western diets. Food can trigger reactions and physical symptoms including stomach pain, bloating, fatigue, migraines, joint pain, skin problems and more. The results are presented in different levels that are categorized by Low Reactivity and High Reactivity. Low Reactivity foods should be considered largely non-reactive while High Reactivity foods are considered very reactive.
Although physical symptoms aren't always present, it is recommended that you structure an elimination diet plan around your results starting with your most reactive foods first. It's also important to note that if you're attempting to reintroduce your body to a 'problematic' food it is recommended that you begin adding it to your diet four weeks prior to testing.
Read on to see what Grasie learned about her own food sensitivities.
You selected the Food Sensitivity. What were your results and what were you hoping to learn from the test?
I had no high reactivity foods which were great, one moderate reactivity to egg whites and 14 mild reactivity foods which is kind of shocking. I kinda knew dairy wasn’t my friend and all dairy foods tested are on my mild list. The egg reveal bums me out because I really like eggs. But now I know I can be more conscious about my breakfast choices.
Did anything about your test results surprise you or intrigue you?
I was surprised to see almonds, coconut, and banana on my mild list. These are foods I eat often! I put coconut oil and almond milk in my coffee every morning! And I eat bananas all the time. It seems like a mild reactivity is not one to be too concerned with but great to know that the mild sensitivity is there to keep an eye on.
How would you compare EverlyWell at home tests to an in-person visit with a women’s health doctor?
It was a lot quicker to take the at-home test than to have to make a doctor’s appointment, drive to an office, wait, have a check-up, give blood then wait for results.
How has your wellness routine developed throughout the past few years? Any new habits or activities you’ve tried?
I use to hate to work out. But my January 2017 resolution was to join a gym and go three times a week. I’m happy to say it’s the first resolution I’ve actually stuck to!
How did it feel to take matters into your own hands with EverlyWell?
I just loved how easy and private it is...and now I’m informed and can make informed decisions about my diet!
Caroline Ingraham Lee, founder of Woodnote Photography, Light Lab LA, Echo and Earl, and narrator of the Out of Line podcast is on the same boat as many women and wanted to learn more about her reproductive health. She opted to take EverlyWell's fertility test to learn if her hormones are balanced to support normal ovarian function.
The truth is that infertility is actually very common among women, so it makes sense that more and more are getting their health checked at an earlier age. Infertility is caused by problems with ovulation, and ovulation issues are often caused by Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. About 10% of women ages 15-44 have difficulty staying pregnant, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Factors that determine a woman’s inability to get pregnant include age, smoking, excess, alcohol use, poor diet, stress, athletic training, being overweight or underweight, and STIs.
For some women, insurance protocols will not authorize testing for fertility until their physician has documented they have actively been trying for a year to conceive with no success. The EverlyWell test gives women the opportunity to test their fertility on their own timelines.
You selected the Women’s Fertility Test. What were your results and what were you hoping to learn from the test?
Well, I’m 32. I know that isn’t ‘old’, but I also know that evolutionarily speaking, it is a lot easier to get pregnant before 35. I love the idea of having my own children, but I also love my life right now and am so enjoying my career and my time alone with my husband, so I don’t feel rushed to start having kids. I wanted to gain insight into my body so that I can better prepare myself for what is possible. The ‘optimal’ FSH result for getting pregnant easily and naturally is any number lower than 9, and my result was 7.3. I won’t lie, I breathed a little sigh of relief.
Did anything about your test results surprise you or intrigue you?
I didn’t even know what FSH was (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone) before I got my results, so I learning about my results caused me to dive into reading up on FSH and educating myself on my body, and what it’s up to without me even knowing it. Knowledge is power!
EverlyWell was designed to make the lab testing process more convenient for everyone. How was your experience taking the test from home?
I LOVED not having to leave the comfort of my own home to take the test. I’m busy (you are, too!) and so taking it myself at any hour that I wanted to was a perfect fit for my lifestyle.
How would you compare EverlyWell at home tests to an in-person visit with a women ’s health doctor?
More efficient, faster, more flexible to whatever your scheduling needs are, more affordable.
How has your wellness routine developed throughout the past few years? Any new habits or activities you’ve tried?
Besides exercising twice a week, I also started working with a nutritionist to understand things that may be creating inflammation in my body. We’re all aging, and I think it’s super important to be proactive and preventative with our health, rather than waiting and having to do maintenance after something ‘bad’ happens.
How did it feel to take matters into your own hands with EverlyWell?
It feels so empowering to have a product so readily available to me that equips me with knowledge about my own body. I would like to be a mother someday, but I also love my career and my marriage and would love to have more time with them before I move into a very new season of life. This test is something we women should all take, whether we want to have children, or not. Knowledge is power! So get some!
Anne Sage
Anne is an interior design expert, content creator, and founder of Light Lab. She's been blogging since 2008 and has always had a stylish, trend-forward approach to design. She also has her own book, Sage Living: How to Decorate for the Life You Want, an interiors volume. Anne opted to take EverlyWell's Thyroid Test to see how her thyroid is working and if there's a need to evaluate her thyroid function further.
Anybody can experience thyroid issues, but women are ten times more likely than men to have a thyroid disorder. Women who have been pregnant for six months, have Type 1 diabetes, are over the age of 50, and smokers are just some of the few who are susceptible to thyroid issues. Because your thyroid controls much of your metabolism, it’s important to monitor thyroid function for hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism (too much thyroid activity and too little thyroid activity).
You selected the Thyroid Test. What were your results and what were you hoping to learn from the test?
I learned that one of my thyroid hormones, T4, is low, which is consistent with recent physical symptoms I’ve been having like fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and frequent muscle soreness.
Did anything about your test results surprise you or intrigue you?
I’d say my main reaction was a relief. It’s so nice to be able to put a scientific explanation on how I’m feeling! I think as women, especially, we have a hard time trusting our own experience of our bodies—especially with less measurable symptoms like fatigue and low-grade, yet chronic pain. So it’s almost like my test hugged me and said, “No, Anne, you’re not making this stuff up!” And now, armed with a little knowledge, I can make some lifestyle adjustments to course correct. It’s empowering!
EverlyWell was designed to make the lab testing process more convenient for everyone. How was your experience taking the test from home?
In all honesty, I was nervous about taking the test. I’m not squeamish about other people’s blood, but when it’s my own, I get a bit sick to my stomach. Pricking my finger and squeezing enough blood onto the test card wasn’t my favorite thing I’ve ever done, but it wasn’t painful, and it was over quickly—in way less time than if I’d had to drive to a doctor’s office and wait around to be seen!
How would you compare EverlyWell at home tests to an in-person visit with a women’s health doctor?
Full disclosure: I haven’t been to a women’s health doctor in a few years! Just finding one to go to is so overwhelming. Half the ones I’ve looked at don’t take insurance, and those that do are often booked for months in advance. Let’s just say that healthcare definitely isn’t designed with convenience in mind; and for someone like me who puts self-care last on my to-do list, the convoluted system makes it way too easy to avoid the doctor altogether.
How has your wellness routine developed throughout the past few years? Any new habits or activities you’ve tried?
I recently discovered facial massage when I posted an Instagram story about how puffy my face had gotten during a recent heat wave. A follower sent me some links to YouTube videos with various lymphatic massage techniques, and I’m hooked! Just five minutes of facial massage wakes up my complexion and firms my skin, and using massage to encourage lymph drainage is great for the immune system too!
How did it feel to take matters into your own hands with EverlyWell?
The ability to take matters into my own hands gives me so much respect for the miracle that is the human body. It has so many innate healing powers built right in, and we’re able to tap into those powers with just a little extra knowledge. It’s also given me more confidence to trust how I’m feeling. If I sense that something’s off, there’s a good chance that it is!
We love a brand that supports women through information and resources so that we can make more educated decisions for ourselves and the life that we want!
C&C readers can receive 15% off any EverlyWell test by using the promo code 'CREATE' at checkout.
By: Andrea Navarro
Check out EverlyWell for complete, easy-to-read test result reports online in just a few days for all tests collected in the comfort of your home. EverlyWell empowers individuals by providing easy access to health data.
MORE FROM OUR BLOG
Missed out on Gina Bianchini’s incredible session from our Offsite? No worries! We’re sharing her insights on building a thriving community that feels like a real network, not just an audience.