According to new research by University of Liverpool and the Health Foundation, if we adopt everyday healthy behaviours around our diet and exercise, our long-term health will be considerably better – and 86% of people in England will be at a low risk for heart conditions or strokes and could live longer.
Perhaps no surprise there, but around 50% of those surveyed weren’t up-to-date with preventive services and doing enough. Being proactive about your health can go much further than good intentions and healthy habits.
What is preventative health?
“Preventative health is about moving from guesswork to insight,” says Dr Julian Birch, a medical director at UK-based health and wellness platform Cannaray Wellness. “Biomarkers – such as your genes or a physical trait – can help identify patterns across areas like your hormones, energy, cardiovascular health and metabolism to give you a clearer picture of your health and a great starting point to know how to begin to look after yourself more effectively. Afterall, we’re all different and no one solution fits all – so this is just about you.”
Smarter at-home testing can help with this and makes it is easier than ever to understand what is happening inside your body – and to use that information to make better decisions just for you to improve your wellbeing.
Already known for its wellness gummies and powders, Cannaray Wellness now offers a simple way to gain deeper insight into your health – and from your own home, so no need to spend time at appointments.
What is the test like?
On the website, there are nine kits to choose from, each designed for a different area of your health. When the test arrives, use the pain-free Tasso device, send it back and your sample will be analysed by UKAS-accredited technicians in the labs. It’s really quick – your results will be emailed to you within two to three days with a summary of what is going on beneath the surface and anything you should be aware of.
What will the results tell you?
The results are particularly helpful as you enter new stages of your life, such as changes in mood during perimenopause, if you’re put on weight and feel sluggish because your metabolism has slowed, or because more stress at work or during a divorce has increased your cortisol levels. All the things that can quietly affect how you feel every day, but are often easy to brush off.
Dr Birch agrees: “Fatigue, low energy and stress are often dismissed as part of modern life, but they can be signs that the body is under strain. Cortisol, in particular, can play an important role in sleep, mood, energy and how well we recover day to day.”
What your body needs may not be the same as what your friend, partner, colleague or favourite influencer needs. And while healthy habits are always a good start, data can help you stop guessing and start making choices that are tailored just for you.
Fatigue, low energy and stress are often brushed off as part of modern life, but they can be signs that the body is under strain
Fatigue, low energy and stress are often brushed off as part of modern life, but they can be signs that the body is under strain
Rosie Millen, a nutritionist at Cannaray Wellness says: “Many people take supplements but without really knowing what their body actually needs. The test gives you a personal starting point, helping you avoid blindly taking tablets and instead you can focus on the changes that are relevant to you.
“From a nutrition perspective, informed decisions might mean adjusting your diet or building new habits so that your overall wellbeing improves and you feel better every day,” Millen explains.
Your results* can help you make informed decisions about your lifestyle. “Health insight is most useful when it confirms that your routines are effective for you, or leads to clear steps for change. For some people, that might mean paying closer attention to sleep, stress, energy levels or seeking further clinical guidance,” says Dr Birch.
Becoming more informed and feeling more empowered about your health does not have to mean doing everything at once. It can start with just knowing yourself better.
The Cannaray Wellness service is expert-led, and will be offering professional CQC registered support if you need help understanding your results or deciding what to do next.
Newsletters
Choose the newsletters you want to receive
View more
For information about how The Observer protects your data, read our Privacy Policy