Current:Home > reviewsI got 14 medical tests done at this fancy resort. I didn't need most of them. -TrueNorth Capital Hub
I got 14 medical tests done at this fancy resort. I didn't need most of them.
View
Date:2025-04-14 02:51:18
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! (69681)
Related
- Angelina Jolie nearly fainted making Maria Callas movie: 'My body wasn’t strong enough'
- Why Women Everywhere Love Ashley Tisdale's Being Frenshe Beauty, Wellness & Home Goods
- Taylor Swift Just Subtly Shared How She's Doing After Joe Alwyn Breakup
- Glaciers from Yosemite to Kilimanjaro are predicted to disappear by 2050
- Where will Elmo go? HBO moves away from 'Sesame Street'
- The carbon coin: A novel idea
- A decade after Sandy, hurricane flood maps reveal New York's climate future
- Shay Mitchell Reacts to Her Brand BÉIS' Connection to Raquel Leviss' Vanderpump Rules Scandal
- Residents worried after ceiling cracks appear following reroofing works at Jalan Tenaga HDB blocks
- Kylie Jenner Is Dating Timothée Chalamet After Travis Scott Breakup
Ranking
- What to watch: O Jolie night
- Can a middle school class help scientists create a cooler place to play?
- A record high number of dead trees are found as Oregon copes with an extreme drought
- Pulling Back The Curtain On Our Climate Migration Reporting
- Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
- Why Jenna Ortega Says Her Wednesday-Inspired Style Isn't Going Anywhere
- Travis Barker’s Birthday Message to Kourtney Kardashian Celebrates All the Small Things—and PDA
- Why experts say you shouldn't bag your leaves this fall
Recommendation
Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
3 tribes dealing with the toll of climate change get $75 million to relocate
Love Is Blind's Paul Reveals the Cast Member He Dated After Micah Breakup
U.N. plan would help warn people in vulnerable countries about climate threats
Questlove charts 50 years of SNL musical hits (and misses)
Camila Cabello Shares Glimpse Into Her Coachella Trip After Shawn Mendes Kiss
Come along as we connect the dots between climate, migration and the far-right
Climate talks are wrapping up. The thorniest questions are still unresolved.