Health Analysis Through InsideTracker Blood Work
The MovementLink Method is process driven putting a priority on minute-to-minute, daily, and weekly focuses that are directly in our control - our habits around our exercise, sleep, nutrition, non-exercise activity, our stress management, etc. Now although we don’t recommend weighing yourself, testing your 1 rep max, or doing blood work all the time, there is extremely valuable information in these data. Our method is about using these data points, comparing them to the last 3 months of our habits and then making adjustments to our habits, putting our focus back on our efforts and commitment to our plan to then check back in 3-6 months later.
InsideTracker tests up to 48 biomarkers (including ApoB, cholesterol, glucose, magnesium, cortisol, vitamin D, and insulin) with an optional DNA analysis that provides us us and our doctors a deep understanding of our body’s health. From there, the app provides recommendations and tips specific to your results. The MovementLink Method’s thesis is a body optimized for health and longevity, is also optimized to make incredible short-term aesthetic and performance results.
What You’ll Get with InsideTracker’s Ultimate Plan:
Blood test and analysis of up to 48 biomarkers in these healthspan categories: Heart health, hormone balance, sleep, inflammation, metabolism, recovery, cognition, endurance, fitness, and gut health.
Personalized optimal biomarker zones
Action plan with nutrition, exercise, supplement, and lifestyle recommendations
Connect your Oura, Apple Watch, Fitbit or Garmin fitness trackers via our iOS or Android app
Ability to upload third party blood test results
Optional DNA which provides insights into your unchanging potential for certain wellness traits.
Note: Coach Kyle has a 30% off promo code for MovementLink clients, so contact him if you’re interested. We do not make any money from InsideTracker and do not benefit financially from anyone using the promo code, so there are no conflicts of interest with this recommendation.
Examples of Coach Kyle’s Insights and Upgrading of Habits:
Beyond getting reassurance in areas that MovementLink Method habits are extremely healthy, especially on the nutrition side of the method, there is a lot of personalization and preferences that can skew things out of balance. The information if amazing, but you, and your doctor, may need to do some detective work beyond what the app provides to get to the root of what’s going on, so you can upgrade your strategies. Examples:
Normal but Below Optimal - Vitamin D
My first blood work, I had below optimal Vitamin D (like most Americans), so I added in a Vitamin D3 supplement. My next blood analysis showed that I was at the very high end of optimal Vitamin D levels, so I made an adjustment and supplemented with only half of the Vitamin D3 as before, assuming that would put me in a perfect level. My latest blood work showed Vitamin D levels at the low end of optimal with my new strategy which made me dig deeper into an additional change that has happened…more sunscreen.
My hobbies have moved from running, cycling, and rucking out on Austin’s hike and bike trail which has a lot of shade to playing a lot of Pickleball out in direct sunlight. Because of all the shade, I didn’t wear very much sunscreen, which actually gave me a lot of sun exposure in between the shaded areas. That sun exposure, mixed with my vitamin D supplementation, put me at the high end of optimal. Playing Pickleball in full sun exposure, I am covered in sun-protective clothing and sunscreen (BTW, certain sunscreen ingredients may cross the blood brain barrier and may be toxic - Neurotoxic effect of active ingredients in sunscreen products, a contemporary review - so make good sunscreen brand choices.), so I am not getting the same amount of direct sun exposure, and I lowered my vitamin D3 supplementation. Now, because of InsideTracker, I am much more aware of the impacts of different amounts and types of sun exposure and different supplementing of Vitamin D3 on my Vitamin D levels and continue to dial it in towards optimal.
Normal, but Above Optimal - Iron
With a high iron number, I did a simple Google search to see what foods are highest in iron. One of them, dark chocolate, had just been added to my diet. Because dark chocolate has some potential longevity benefits (Dark chocolate: An overview of its biological activity, processing, and fortification approaches), I had added eating a couple of 100% baking chocolate squares after my first meal of the day. With high iron and dark chocolate being an obvious, potential culprit, I simply removed that addition to my diet. Based on my next iron levels, I’ll consider adding it back in in smaller doses, but wanted to put a priority on lowering solving the case of my high iron levels first.
Normal, but Below Optimal - Magnesium
I thought this one was very interesting because I supplement Magnesium. Because of that, I Googled, “What causes magnesium to not be absorbed” and say that phytates bind to magnesium and impair its absorption. Additionally, potassium may affect magnesium absorption. Next, is to figure out what foods are high in phytates. Peanut butter is high in phytates and, wich my dark chocolate from above, I was eating peanut butter, banana, and dark chocolate with first meal of the day, exactly when I take my magnesium supplement. So, part of my new strategy is to take my magnesium earlier in the day to give it time to absorb before I eat my first meal of the day which contains phytates.
These are just three examples, but my goals were to
1) show you how beneficial I think this stuff is and
2) show you the root-cause approach to the MovementLink Method.
We are not against supplementing and taking prescription drugs (as clearly I mentioned two supplements I do take above), but we are extremely strong proponents of attacking issues through a foundation of exercise, sleep, nutrition, non-exercise activity, and stress management as we use supplements and drugs recommended by our doctors when needed to support our efforts. Most take the opposite approach and see what they can fix through supplementation and drugs first…an approach fraught with a shaky foundation. Take a look at the inside and start improving that foundation.
