Impactful ideas for your loved ones

The holiday season / new year is approaching fast and that means it is time to think about what gifts to buy for all your loved ones or maybe even for yourself. I decided to use this post #38 to recommend some health related products and services that I genuinely believe make for some of the most impactful gifts, whether it is for family members, friends or even your work colleagues. I should note that I am only recommending products or services that I have used and benefited tremendously from myself, and is therefore not a comprehensive list within each category.

For each item that I recommend below, I provide what the product or service is, why it is helpful, who the item will and will not be suitable for and where you can buy it.

1. Comprehensive blood biomarker test

What it is: A comprehensive list of biomarkers that, at a minimum, should include the Lipid Panel, ApoB, Lp(a), Fasting Insulin, HbA1c, Fasting Glucose, hs-CRP, Homocysteine, Hemogram, Liver Function Tests, Standard Renal Function Tests, Serum Electrolytes, Thyroid Panel, Routine Urine Analysis, Vitamin B12 and D3, eGFR, Serum Uric Acid, and Urine Protein Creatinine Ratio. Anything more is fine but the above needs to be covered for sure.

How it will help: While most of us do an annual blood test, many of the blood panels do not measure the markers that matter, such as ApoB, Lp(a), Fasting Insulin, etc. And if they do measure them, the ranges provided are way too wide. This is also true for the commonly measured parameters, such as total cholesterol. In my case, most of the measured markers, when I was diagnosed with heart disease, were within the commonly accepted ranges but outside what is appropriate for South Asians. In addition, it was eventually markers like ApoB that truly served as better indicators of the heart issues.

Who it will help: This applies to everyone irrespective of age, gender and pre-existing conditions.

Where you can buy it: In India, at PreventiveHealth.ai (disclaimer: I am associated with it), the suggested markers are covered in the HHA panel and the comprehensive blood panel. However, most other labs also offer this test as long you pick the specific package that contains all the listed markers. In India, the pricing for these parameters will vary between $100 and $200. In the US, you can ask your PCP to prescribe the tests but insurance may or may not cover it. Function Health charges about $500 but covers these markers and more.

2. Imaging tests: Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan / coronary CT angiography (CCTA)

What they are: The CAC assesses calcified (hard) plaques in the coronary arteries to stratify risk for heart disease, while the CCTA provides detailed visualization of both calcified and non-calcified (soft) plaques in the coronary arteries.

How they will help: A higher CAC score indicates more plaque buildup, aiding in early identification of individuals at high risk, guiding preventive interventions like lifestyle changes or medications. The CCTA detects blockages, narrowing, and plaques in the arteries, provides a detailed, non-invasive view of artery health, helping diagnose Coronary Artery Disease and plan treatment, such as stenting or bypass surgery if needed. Both are non-invasive tools that complement each other for preventive and diagnostic cardiac care.

Who they will help: CAC scans will help asymptomatic individuals with intermediate cardiovascular risk, family history of heart disease, or conditions like diabetes, while CCTA will help symptomatic patients with unclear chest pain or inconclusive stress test results. People who have very low risk will typically not be recommended to do either of these tests but I strongly recommend doing the CAC scan regardless of your risk profile because I am a perfect example of someone who wasn’t recommended the CAC scan, but I owe my life to having done it. The CCTA is more complicated because it involves the injection of a dye and is more prone to errors because of the quality of scanners, minimizing user movement during the scan, etc.

Where you can buy them: In India, you can get the CAC scan as well as the CCTA done at most hospitals or imaging centers. The bar is higher for the CCTA due to potential errors so pick a more credible imaging lab or hospital for the CCTA. The price of a CAC scan in India is between $30 and $50 while that of a CCTA is between $120 and $240. In the US, this is much harder because protocols will not get most doctors to prescribe either CAC scans or CCTA unless one has a reasonably high risk factor. Insurance will definitely not cover it but you can potentially go get it done at facilities that will do it for between $100 to $300 for a CAC scan and between $1,000 to $2,000 for a CCTA.

3. Functional cardiac tests: Stress testing

What it is: A stress test assesses heart function during physical or simulated exertion, monitoring heart rate, ECG, and blood pressure.

How it will help: It helps diagnose coronary artery disease (CAD), arrhythmias, or exercise-related symptoms

Who it will help: It benefits individuals with inconclusive chest pain, shortness of breath, or moderate CAD risk. It’s said to be less helpful for low-risk asymptomatic individuals. However, not only do I not see any downside of doing a stress test (as long as they are able to exercise), I actually think it provides a simple and useful estimation of your VO2Max (through your METS score), which is one of the best known indicators of your longevity.

Where you can buy it: In India, stress tests are offered by most hospitals for about $20 to $40, while in the US, cardiology clinics, hospitals, and diagnostic centers offer them for anywhere between $300 and $1,000.

4. Body composition analysis (BCA) scales

What it is: Body Composition Analysis (BCA) measures visceral fat, subcutaneous fat, muscle mass, bone mass, water percentages in addition to body weight. It uses methods like bioelectrical impedance (BIA) or DEXA scans for detailed insights.

How it will help: BCA measurements help guide personalized health, fitness, and nutrition plans by identifying the above mentioned metrics. I have personally found that the key metrics of muscle mass and visceral fat help significantly in determining if the interventions are helping; more so than metrics like weight and total fat percentage.

Who it will help: While historically athletes who were seeking performance optimization, or individuals managing weight or conditions like obesity used this, I think this is an excellent example of an early warning indicator for both health issues as well as those interested in healthspan improvements.

Where you can buy it: Around the world, one can buy BCA scales on Amazon for as little as $25 to $50. These aren’t very accurate but are reasonably precise. I personally have one of these scales that I calibrate by using the more accurate InBody measurement scales at my healthcare provider’s office (many gyms also have these). Alternatively, you could go get a DEXA scan done at various private facilities but they tend to be a bit pricey.

5. Activity, sleep and heart related measurements

What it is: The key drivers of our long term health are our food, activity levels, sleep and stress. Apart from food, the rest of these health contributors can be measured through metrics, such as duration and quality of sleep (deep, REM, light and awake), heart rate variability, resting heart rate, number of steps, exercise minutes by zone (intensity of heart rate), respiration rate and stress metrics. They are captured by most of the leading edge wearables.

How it will help: Measuring these parameters provides useful insight into how our lifestyle habits are impacting our sleep or weight or, conversely, how these parameters are impacting our BCA or blood based biomarkers. While most wearables aren’t medical grade, the better ones (Oura Ring, Whoop Band, Apple Watch, Fitbit, etc.) provide the right trend information to make the relevant changes to our lifestyle in the correct direction.

Who it will help: Although these wearables generate a lot of information that can be overwhelming, it is possible to boil it all down to a few simple takeaways (I have written about them in past blog posts). If you find it uncomfortable wearing something on your wrist, then use a wearable that is worn on the finger, and vice-versa. Some folks have said they don’t like to wear things at night, in which case you can take it out then. I am personally a big proponent of using some wearable that fits within your needs because it truly provides meaningful insights.

Where you can buy it: Across the world, you can buy wearables online or at brick and mortar stores. I personally use a first generation Oura Ring (I am going to get myself gifted an Oura 4) and a Fitbit Inspire 3. Previously I used the Apple Watch but I found that it needs to be charged everyday, which is a pain. These devices can cost anywhere between about $100 (Fitbit) to $249 plus $6 / month (Oura 3), to $349 plus $6 / month (Oura 4) to anywhere between $249 to $799 for the Apple Watch.

6. Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs)

What it is: A CGM uses a small sensor placed under the skin to track glucose levels in real-time. It provides continuous data, capturing fluctuations in interstitial glucose levels continuously for about a 14 day period.

How it will help: A CGM shows the impact of sleep quality, food types, activity intensity, and stress levels on one’s glucose levels. It helps provide feedback on which of our lifestyle habits is having an outsized impact on our blood sugar levels and which ones aren’t, thereby supporting personalized strategies to optimize glucose control and thereby one’s insulin resistance and metabolic health.

Who it will help: While it has traditionally been used to help people with diabetes and even prediabetes, it really should be used by anyone aiming to optimize their metabolic health. How to interpret the results is key to ensuring you get the most out of it and don’t reach the wrong conclusions. This is now provided by many services around the world.

Where can you buy it: Around the world, a CGM is now available either on Amazon or through direct-to-consumer services, including Abbott, Dexcom, Levels Health, Ultrahuman, etc. The Lingo (Abbott) and Stelo (Dexcom) cost $89 for 2 CGM sensors and their respective apps but don’t cover any human coaching while services from other companies that include a human coach can cost about $100 for a single CGM.

7. Genetics testing: Nutrigenomics

What it is: Nutrigenomics testing analyzes how your genetic makeup influences your response to food, nutrients, and dietary patterns. It involves DNA testing to identify gene variations linked to metabolism, sensitivities, and nutrient needs.

How it will help: It provides personalized dietary, supplementation, testing, and exercise recommendations to optimize health, prevent disease, and enhance fitness outcomes. It helps tailor nutrition to genetic predispositions, such as sensitivity to lactose, gluten, or caffeine.

Who it will help: Individuals seeking to optimize health, athletes aiming for peak performance, or those with family histories of diet-related conditions. I found it to be very insightful as I have detailed in my last blog post #37. It is critical that the test is done in conjunction with a counseling session in order to ensure one has the correct takeaways from the report.

Where can you buy it: The nutrigenomics test together with the counseling session is available at preventivehealth.ai in India ($175) and the US ($250) and by Zoe in the UK (~$350) as far as I know. It is offered by a few other companies around the world but it is important to make sure the service is rated highly because there are quite a few scammy services that I would absolutely avoid.

I hope these health related gift ideas are useful. As always, leave your comments on whether you find this helpful, anything you think I can do better, and any topics that I should be covering. Until next time …

END OF ARTICLE