Current:Home > InvestI got 14 medical tests done at this fancy resort. I didn't need most of them. -BrightFuture Investments
I got 14 medical tests done at this fancy resort. I didn't need most of them.
View
Date:2025-04-18 06:32:46
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! (29347)
Related
- Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
- Chicago-area man gets 18 years for 2021 drunken driving crash that killed 3
- Singer R. Kelly seeks appeals court relief from 30-year prison term
- Trump is making the Jan. 6 attack a cornerstone of his bid for the White House
- Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
- Caitlyn Jenner and Lamar Odom Reuniting for New Podcast
- Student at Alabama A&M University injured in shooting
- Bruce Willis and Demi Moore's Daughter Tallulah Willis Shares Her Autism Diagnosis
- Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
- Pair accused of defrauding, killing Washington state man who went missing last month
Ranking
- See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
- Wayne Brady sets the record straight on 'the biggest misconception' about being pansexual
- Suzanne Somers remembered during 'Step by Step' reunion at 90s Con: 'We really miss her'
- Former Louisiana police officer pleads guilty in chase that left 2 teens dead, 1 hurt
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- Forced sale of TikTok absolutely could happen before Election Day, Rep. Mike Gallagher says
- Former Louisiana police officer pleads guilty in chase that left 2 teens dead, 1 hurt
- 2 Black men tortured by Mississippi officers call for toughest sentences
Recommendation
Intellectuals vs. The Internet
Inside RHOM Star Nicole Martin’s Luxurious Baby Shower Planned by Costar Guerdy Abraira
Student at Alabama A&M University injured in shooting
Tallulah Willis, Bruce Willis' daughter, shares she was diagnosed with autism last year
Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback
New York to probe sputtering legal marijuana program as storefronts lag, black market booms
Former Louisiana police officer pleads guilty in chase that left 2 teens dead, 1 hurt
NCAA Tournament 2024: Complete schedule, times, how to watch all men's March Madness games