Current:Home > NewsIndexbit Exchange:I got 14 medical tests done at this fancy resort. I didn't need most of them. -ValueCore
Indexbit Exchange:I got 14 medical tests done at this fancy resort. I didn't need most of them.
Johnathan Walker View
Date:2025-04-10 05:57:17
TUCSON,Indexbit Exchange Ariz. – You know the drill. You go to the doctor's office for your annual physical. Everything looks OK, but they recommend some routine bloodwork to check a couple of things to be safe.
Imagine doing that – plus more than a dozen other tests – and you'll understand what I experienced at Canyon Ranch, a wellness resort offering a new longevity program called "Longevity8" with eight health pillars: integrative medicine, mental and emotional health, strength and endurance, sleep, flexibility and fitness, spiritual wellness, nutrition and outdoor experiences. It will cost a pricey $20,000 for single people and $36,000 for couples.
Here's a look at all the tests I had done as part of the program – and what outside medical professionals actually thought was worth it.
- Extensive bloodwork (beyond what a doctor would typically prescribe)
- Galleri cancer screening
- EKG
- Carotid doppler
- Pulmonary function test
- Diet intake and consultation
- Continuous glucose monitoring
- Therapy session
- Spirituality session
- Joint assessment
- DEXA body composition and bone density analysis
- Genetic testing
- VO2 max assessment
- Sleep study
What is the average life expectancy?And how to improve your longevity.
What medical tests does the average person need? Not many.
Overall, outside medical experts I spoke to thought most of the testing I had done was highly specialized and unnecessary for the average person. Multiple doctors recommended people check out the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for guidance on any kind of preventive care.
Looking at the Canyon Ranch protocol specifically: The most reasonable tests were the bloodwork and diet intake and consultation, according to Dr. Douglas E. Vaughan, professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the director of the Potocsnak Longevity Institute. Specific patient populations might benefit from specialized tests, like the DEXA body composition (i.e. women after menopause who typically lose bone density). Certain symptoms might prompt some of these assessments as well. Asthmatic patients, for example, might want a pulmonary function test after chatting with their doctor.
The VO2 max assessment is "usually performed for athletes or individuals interested in cardiovascular fitness," says Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, associate professor of medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. "Not standard for routine screening." Ditto for the continuous glucose monitoring: It's "primarily used for individuals with diabetes or prediabetes to manage and monitor glucose levels."
The short answer: No need to break the bank, and if you want to do some additional testing, blood work is probably your best bet. Still, if you'd like to take it a step further, you can easily find specialty facilities and doctors who will be happy to take your check.
The reporter on this story received access to these services from Canyon Ranch. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.
veryGood! (1)
Related
- How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
- New Mexico Game Commission to consider increasing hunting limits for black bears in some areas
- Houston Texans announce rookie C.J. Stroud will be starting QB
- American Airlines fined $4.1 million for dozens of long tarmac delays that trapped passengers
- Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
- Man killed, several injured in overnight shooting in Louisville
- COMIC: In the '90s I survived summers in Egypt with no AC. How would it feel now?
- What happens to Wagner Group now? What Prigozhin's presumed death could mean for the mercenary troops
- Federal appeals court upholds $14.25 million fine against Exxon for pollution in Texas
- 88 deaths linked to Canadian self-harm websites as U.K. opens investigation
Ranking
- NFL Week 15 picks straight up and against spread: Bills, Lions put No. 1 seed hopes on line
- Some experts see AI as a tool against climate change. Others say its own carbon footprint could be a problem.
- Massive emergency alert test will sound alarms on US cellphones, TVs and radios in October
- Check Out the Most Surprising Celeb Transformations of the Week
- Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
- 88 deaths linked to Canadian self-harm websites as U.K. opens investigation
- Workers exposed to extreme heat have no consistent protection in the US
- MLK Jr.'s daughter reflects on her father’s ‘I have a dream’ speech: 5 Things podcast
Recommendation
Realtor group picks top 10 housing hot spots for 2025: Did your city make the list?
White shooter kills 3 Black people in Florida hate crime as Washington celebrates King’s dream
Whatever happened to the bird-saving brothers of Oscar-nommed doc 'All that Breathes'?
Kate Spade 24-Hour Flash Deal: Get This $300 Crossbody Bag for Just $89
Meet first time Grammy nominee Charley Crockett
Oregon Republican senators sue to run for reelection, saying walkout rule shouldn’t stop them
Here's Your Invite to Olivia Culpo and Christian McCaffrey's Wedding Date Details
Kim Kardashian Debuts New Look as She and Kris Jenner Hang Out With Meghan Markle's Mom