Current:Home > ContactI got 14 medical tests done at this fancy resort. I didn't need most of them. -消息
I got 14 medical tests done at this fancy resort. I didn't need most of them.
View
Date:2025-04-16 19:28:42
TUCSON, 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! (9151)
Related
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Miami Dolphins sign Justin Houston and Bruce Irvin, adding depth to injured linebacker group
- When are the Emmy Awards? What to know about the host, 2024 nominees and predicted winners
- West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, known for quirky speeches, will give final one before US Senate run
- Current, future North Carolina governor’s challenge of power
- Investigation into why a panel blew off a Boeing Max 9 jet focuses on missing bolts
- Hundreds of UK postal workers wrongly accused of fraud will have their convictions overturned
- Lawyers may face discipline for criticizing a judge’s ruling in discrimination case
- All That You Wanted to Know About She’s All That
- Ford recalls 130,000 vehicles for increased risk of crash: Here's which models are affected
Ranking
- Small twin
- Ad targeting gets into your medical file
- Which NFL teams would be best fits for Jim Harbaugh? Ranking all six openings
- Ronnie Long, North Carolina man who spent 44 years in prison after wrongful conviction, awarded $25M settlement
- Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
- Last undefeated men's college basketball team falls as Iowa State sinks No. 2 Houston
- As Maryland’s General Assembly Session Opens, Environmental Advocates Worry About Funding for the State’s Bold Climate Goals
- In $25M settlement, North Carolina city `deeply remorseful’ for man’s wrongful conviction, prison
Recommendation
Opinion: Gianni Infantino, FIFA sell souls and 2034 World Cup for Saudi Arabia's billions
Full House Cast Honors Bob Saget on 2nd Anniversary of His Death
Former poison control specialist accused of poisoning his wife indicted on murder charges
Franz Beckenbauer, World Cup winner for Germany as both player and coach, dies at 78
John Galliano out at Maison Margiela, capping year of fashion designer musical chairs
Russia says it's detained U.S. citizen Robert Woodland on drug charges that carry possible 20-year sentence
Israel taps top legal minds, including a Holocaust survivor, to battle genocide claim at world court
Olympic skater under investigation for alleged sexual assault missing Canadian nationals