I appreciate this article and how it shows off alternative tests, indicators, and tips regarding wellness that don't involve lab tests. I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism at the age 4 and had to get labs done until I was about 13 and have been in remission since. I remember there were times I got labs that came back showing my health was declining a bit due to the disease, but I would feel fine in my day-to-day life. Labs are good and play a role in identifying potential issues but relying solely on them to determine whether you are in good health or not simply doesn't work.
I enjoy how this article shows VO2 max as more than just a fitness number. It made me realize I should focus more on daily habits that improve how I feel and function, rather than just lab results. So many people get caught up in test numbers and think they’re healthy because they fall within certain ranges, but the truth is, it is about health, sleep quality, energy levels, motivation, and mental well-being. VO2 max stood out to me as a sign of how well the body handles stress and effort.
This article really shifted my perspective on what it means to be “healthy.” I’ve always thought lab tests were the gold standard, but now I see how limited they can be when it comes to understanding the whole person. VO₂ max stood out to menot just as a fitness metric, but as a reflection of how well the body handles stress and sustains effort. That idea of vitality being a better predictor than biomarkers makes sense, especially in exercise physiology where we see how recovery, mood, and performance are all interconnected.
I agree with you. It can be easy to get caught up in lab results, but how we feel on a day to day basis really shows what’s going on with our health, and VO2 max is a great way to see how our body handles real life stress and efforts.
It was quite the read! I particularly love how you contextualize VO₂ max not just as a performance measure, but as an integrative body metric of resilience, almost like a window into how well the body's cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurological systems are working together. What is incredibly striking is the juxtaposition between what most of us are after (labs, biomarkers, targeted diagnostics) and what really matters (vitality, adaptability, feeling good). The article accurately suggests that feeling good or well is a marker - sometimes a better predictor than a blood panel! In my own life, I've noticed that during weeks when I began to increase my aerobic capacity (through longer walks, interval runs, etc.), I not only felt stronger physically, but my mood, focus, and sleep also improved.
I thought this article made a really strong point about how modern medicine often focuses too much on specific lab results instead of the bigger picture of overall health. I was surprised by how important VO₂ max is—not just for endurance but as a marker of resilience and recovery. It makes sense because I notice when my fitness is high, I handle stress and daily tasks better, not just workouts. I like how the article connects vitality with long-term health—it’s a reminder that feeling good and functioning well can sometimes be a better measure than any single test.
I absolutely agree that the 'bigger picture' view is what most of us need daily. The actual markers helped me associate VO₂ max with real-life scenarios: my resting heart rate, the time it takes to recover after stair climbing, and how quickly my breathing returns to normal after walking briskly. When those markers improve with VO₂ training (steady 'zone 2' work + short intervals 1–2x/week), I can see the similar resiliency that you mention - to be able to tolerate greater stress, a more stable overall mood, and less of the afternoon crash.
This is great because it really highlights your health as more than statistical numbers that are reported back from lab tests. So many people get stuck on reading all their numbers and test results and thinking they are healthy because their numbers fall between a certain category. People should instead focus on how well they sleep, how energized they feel in the morning and throughout the day, how motivated they are, and their mental well being. All of those can be a great sign of health compared to random lab tests done that only screen for certain diseases, not your overall health.
I think this shows a big difference between just treating sickness and actually building health. Medicine is really good at using tests to find specific problems, but that doesn’t always mean someone feels healthy overall. The idea of VO₂ max is interesting because it looks at the whole body instead of just one specific part. I also like the point that how you feel can matter more than what a lab test says—sometimes you know something is wrong, but a test tells you it isn’t. That makes me understand the need for something like VO₂ max. It shows that keeping up with exercise and simple healthy habits might do just as much for long-term health as test results
I agree! Taking preventative measures in your day-to-day life is equally as important as seeing your doctor, getting labs done, etc. Healthy habits have been ignored for far too long and I'm glad things are starting to shift in the right direction.
I like how this article frames VO2 max as more than just a fitness stat, it reflects overall resilience and health. It made me realize that instead of only focusing on lab results, I should pay more attention to habits that improve how I feel and function every day.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that yoga has so many positive health benefits such as cardiovascular fitness and reducing inflammatory properties. For being very inexpensive yoga could yield more positive health benefits than some modern medicines and without the side-effects.
I agree. It’s fascinating how something so easily done can accomplish such excellent results. Yoga may be a way to help improve the health of many people without them having to do extreme exercises.
I agree! It’s amazing how something so accessible can improve both physical and mental health. Yoga’s combination of movement, breath, and mindfulness seems to target multiple systems at once almost like a natural, low-risk medicine.
I’ve always found it interesting how traditional lab tests, while important, don’t always reflect how someone truly feels day to day. There are so many times when the numbers might look “normal,” but a person can still feel drained, stressed, or not functioning at their best. Your focus on VO2 max as a more reliable and holistic indicator of well-being really stood out to me, because it captures the resilience and efficiency of the entire body rather than looking at just one isolated marker.
What also resonated with me is the proactive perspective you emphasize. Too often, health gets defined only by the absence of disease, but framing VO2 max as a marker of overall vitality shifts the conversation toward prevention and long-term quality of life. It highlights the idea that improving cardiovascular fitness doesn’t just enhance athletic performance, it directly translates into better energy, mental clarity, and even protection against chronic disease.
This post is so important. I believe that advancements of modern medicine are crucial for our development as a society, but I also agree that we have to sometimes take a step back and look at the bigger picture, of what truly is causing the issues, instead of just identifying it and then treating.
As a D1 athlete, I’ve always been curious to test my VO₂ max, and this article really shows why it matters. Health isn’t just about lab numbers. How your body feels, responds, and performs is key. VO₂ max highlights endurance, recovery, and overall wellbeing- all things I want to be on top of as an athlete!
That’s a great point, and being a D1 athlete definitely puts VO₂ max in perspective. I like how you tied it to recovery and overall well-being, since that matters just as much as performance numbers. It shows VO₂ max isn’t only about fitness but also how well your body adapts and bounces back.
Yes! I, too, am an athlete who likes to look at things in a broader scale. VO2 max is really important to have, and I believe more programs should focus on testing that to examine their athletes, rather than just testing their running skills by how fast they are. As an athlete, you must focus on recovering and how your body is feeling while moving, so having a broader test to retrieve that information can be really good.
Using yoga and other integrative approaches as examples demonstrates that improvements in systemic health often come from whole-body engagement rather than isolated interventions. The connection to inflammation, chronic disease management, and mental health further strengthens this point.
Yes! I love how approaches like yoga show that taking care of the whole body, not just focusing on one part can have a big impact on both physical and mental health. It’s fascinating how things like inflammation and chronic disease can improve just from consistent, mindful practices.
This article really highlights how important it is to stay informed about current issues. It made me think about how individual actions connect to larger social and environmental impacts, showing that what we do locally can influence global change. Medicine focuses a lot on specific diagnostic tests to find exact diseases, which is great for emergencies but not always helpful for the overall health and prevention. These tests can be too narrow and expensive, giving limited insight into a person’s general wellbeing. Instead, the article suggests shifting focus from just detecting illness to improving overall health by looking at broader signs of wellbeing that reflect how the body’s systems work together. The key idea is to focus on feeling good and improving whole-body health rather than just chasing specific test results.
health is not just the absence of disease, but the presence of vitality and resilience. This perspective encourages a proactive, holistic approach rather than a purely reactive one.
Reading this post was really insightful, because prior to this, I had never actually though about this idea of sustained health, looking at well being as a whole. our body and its systems are so interconnected, how can we only think to test one thing?? we must ask ourselves about broader foundational indicators of well being. growing up, i feel like it was always one thing that would be tested. for instance i remember i went through this period of time in my teen years where i would always just be super tired no matter how much i slept, and i also had very irregular sleep patterns. i ended up going to the doctors to get a blood test, well turns out there was nothing much that would really say- and it was way to expensive. this is too narrow, to reactive, and too costly- just like the article states looking at things in one dimension can be. It was interesting to learn that your VO2 max is one of the most potent predictors of health, longevity and vitality. I guess not relying purely on supplements, a speical diet or some external intervention is way more important than i figured. its interesting how lab tests fall short, while the VO2 max doesn't really. I also didn't realise how great of an impact yoga can have on you too.
I really appreciated your point about sleep hygiene needing more public attention. You’re absolutely right, people often underestimate how habits like alcohol or nicotine affect not just sleep, but how they function day-to-day
Hi Fiona, I agree with your point that doctors sometimes overlook the patient’s own perspective when focusing too much on numbers. Your example about blood tests is a great one. I would add that when patients feel heard about their subjective well-being, it can even improve treatment adherence. If someone feels unwell but their tests look fine, ignoring that can erode trust. On the other hand, validating their feelings can strengthen the doctor–patient relationship and lead to better long-term outcomes
I appreciate this article and how it shows off alternative tests, indicators, and tips regarding wellness that don't involve lab tests. I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism at the age 4 and had to get labs done until I was about 13 and have been in remission since. I remember there were times I got labs that came back showing my health was declining a bit due to the disease, but I would feel fine in my day-to-day life. Labs are good and play a role in identifying potential issues but relying solely on them to determine whether you are in good health or not simply doesn't work.
I enjoy how this article shows VO2 max as more than just a fitness number. It made me realize I should focus more on daily habits that improve how I feel and function, rather than just lab results. So many people get caught up in test numbers and think they’re healthy because they fall within certain ranges, but the truth is, it is about health, sleep quality, energy levels, motivation, and mental well-being. VO2 max stood out to me as a sign of how well the body handles stress and effort.
This article really shifted my perspective on what it means to be “healthy.” I’ve always thought lab tests were the gold standard, but now I see how limited they can be when it comes to understanding the whole person. VO₂ max stood out to menot just as a fitness metric, but as a reflection of how well the body handles stress and sustains effort. That idea of vitality being a better predictor than biomarkers makes sense, especially in exercise physiology where we see how recovery, mood, and performance are all interconnected.
I agree with you. It can be easy to get caught up in lab results, but how we feel on a day to day basis really shows what’s going on with our health, and VO2 max is a great way to see how our body handles real life stress and efforts.
It was quite the read! I particularly love how you contextualize VO₂ max not just as a performance measure, but as an integrative body metric of resilience, almost like a window into how well the body's cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurological systems are working together. What is incredibly striking is the juxtaposition between what most of us are after (labs, biomarkers, targeted diagnostics) and what really matters (vitality, adaptability, feeling good). The article accurately suggests that feeling good or well is a marker - sometimes a better predictor than a blood panel! In my own life, I've noticed that during weeks when I began to increase my aerobic capacity (through longer walks, interval runs, etc.), I not only felt stronger physically, but my mood, focus, and sleep also improved.
I thought this article made a really strong point about how modern medicine often focuses too much on specific lab results instead of the bigger picture of overall health. I was surprised by how important VO₂ max is—not just for endurance but as a marker of resilience and recovery. It makes sense because I notice when my fitness is high, I handle stress and daily tasks better, not just workouts. I like how the article connects vitality with long-term health—it’s a reminder that feeling good and functioning well can sometimes be a better measure than any single test.
I absolutely agree that the 'bigger picture' view is what most of us need daily. The actual markers helped me associate VO₂ max with real-life scenarios: my resting heart rate, the time it takes to recover after stair climbing, and how quickly my breathing returns to normal after walking briskly. When those markers improve with VO₂ training (steady 'zone 2' work + short intervals 1–2x/week), I can see the similar resiliency that you mention - to be able to tolerate greater stress, a more stable overall mood, and less of the afternoon crash.
This is great because it really highlights your health as more than statistical numbers that are reported back from lab tests. So many people get stuck on reading all their numbers and test results and thinking they are healthy because their numbers fall between a certain category. People should instead focus on how well they sleep, how energized they feel in the morning and throughout the day, how motivated they are, and their mental well being. All of those can be a great sign of health compared to random lab tests done that only screen for certain diseases, not your overall health.
I think this shows a big difference between just treating sickness and actually building health. Medicine is really good at using tests to find specific problems, but that doesn’t always mean someone feels healthy overall. The idea of VO₂ max is interesting because it looks at the whole body instead of just one specific part. I also like the point that how you feel can matter more than what a lab test says—sometimes you know something is wrong, but a test tells you it isn’t. That makes me understand the need for something like VO₂ max. It shows that keeping up with exercise and simple healthy habits might do just as much for long-term health as test results
I agree! Taking preventative measures in your day-to-day life is equally as important as seeing your doctor, getting labs done, etc. Healthy habits have been ignored for far too long and I'm glad things are starting to shift in the right direction.
I like how this article frames VO2 max as more than just a fitness stat, it reflects overall resilience and health. It made me realize that instead of only focusing on lab results, I should pay more attention to habits that improve how I feel and function every day.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that yoga has so many positive health benefits such as cardiovascular fitness and reducing inflammatory properties. For being very inexpensive yoga could yield more positive health benefits than some modern medicines and without the side-effects.
I agree. It’s fascinating how something so easily done can accomplish such excellent results. Yoga may be a way to help improve the health of many people without them having to do extreme exercises.
I agree! It’s amazing how something so accessible can improve both physical and mental health. Yoga’s combination of movement, breath, and mindfulness seems to target multiple systems at once almost like a natural, low-risk medicine.
I’ve always found it interesting how traditional lab tests, while important, don’t always reflect how someone truly feels day to day. There are so many times when the numbers might look “normal,” but a person can still feel drained, stressed, or not functioning at their best. Your focus on VO2 max as a more reliable and holistic indicator of well-being really stood out to me, because it captures the resilience and efficiency of the entire body rather than looking at just one isolated marker.
What also resonated with me is the proactive perspective you emphasize. Too often, health gets defined only by the absence of disease, but framing VO2 max as a marker of overall vitality shifts the conversation toward prevention and long-term quality of life. It highlights the idea that improving cardiovascular fitness doesn’t just enhance athletic performance, it directly translates into better energy, mental clarity, and even protection against chronic disease.
I have come to understand that biopsies are very bad for your health, so I won't be seeking any out going forward.
This post is so important. I believe that advancements of modern medicine are crucial for our development as a society, but I also agree that we have to sometimes take a step back and look at the bigger picture, of what truly is causing the issues, instead of just identifying it and then treating.
As a D1 athlete, I’ve always been curious to test my VO₂ max, and this article really shows why it matters. Health isn’t just about lab numbers. How your body feels, responds, and performs is key. VO₂ max highlights endurance, recovery, and overall wellbeing- all things I want to be on top of as an athlete!
That’s a great point, and being a D1 athlete definitely puts VO₂ max in perspective. I like how you tied it to recovery and overall well-being, since that matters just as much as performance numbers. It shows VO₂ max isn’t only about fitness but also how well your body adapts and bounces back.
Yes! I, too, am an athlete who likes to look at things in a broader scale. VO2 max is really important to have, and I believe more programs should focus on testing that to examine their athletes, rather than just testing their running skills by how fast they are. As an athlete, you must focus on recovering and how your body is feeling while moving, so having a broader test to retrieve that information can be really good.
Using yoga and other integrative approaches as examples demonstrates that improvements in systemic health often come from whole-body engagement rather than isolated interventions. The connection to inflammation, chronic disease management, and mental health further strengthens this point.
Yes! I love how approaches like yoga show that taking care of the whole body, not just focusing on one part can have a big impact on both physical and mental health. It’s fascinating how things like inflammation and chronic disease can improve just from consistent, mindful practices.
This article really highlights how important it is to stay informed about current issues. It made me think about how individual actions connect to larger social and environmental impacts, showing that what we do locally can influence global change. Medicine focuses a lot on specific diagnostic tests to find exact diseases, which is great for emergencies but not always helpful for the overall health and prevention. These tests can be too narrow and expensive, giving limited insight into a person’s general wellbeing. Instead, the article suggests shifting focus from just detecting illness to improving overall health by looking at broader signs of wellbeing that reflect how the body’s systems work together. The key idea is to focus on feeling good and improving whole-body health rather than just chasing specific test results.
health is not just the absence of disease, but the presence of vitality and resilience. This perspective encourages a proactive, holistic approach rather than a purely reactive one.
Reading this post was really insightful, because prior to this, I had never actually though about this idea of sustained health, looking at well being as a whole. our body and its systems are so interconnected, how can we only think to test one thing?? we must ask ourselves about broader foundational indicators of well being. growing up, i feel like it was always one thing that would be tested. for instance i remember i went through this period of time in my teen years where i would always just be super tired no matter how much i slept, and i also had very irregular sleep patterns. i ended up going to the doctors to get a blood test, well turns out there was nothing much that would really say- and it was way to expensive. this is too narrow, to reactive, and too costly- just like the article states looking at things in one dimension can be. It was interesting to learn that your VO2 max is one of the most potent predictors of health, longevity and vitality. I guess not relying purely on supplements, a speical diet or some external intervention is way more important than i figured. its interesting how lab tests fall short, while the VO2 max doesn't really. I also didn't realise how great of an impact yoga can have on you too.
Fiona MacLean
I really appreciated your point about sleep hygiene needing more public attention. You’re absolutely right, people often underestimate how habits like alcohol or nicotine affect not just sleep, but how they function day-to-day
Hi Fiona, I agree with your point that doctors sometimes overlook the patient’s own perspective when focusing too much on numbers. Your example about blood tests is a great one. I would add that when patients feel heard about their subjective well-being, it can even improve treatment adherence. If someone feels unwell but their tests look fine, ignoring that can erode trust. On the other hand, validating their feelings can strengthen the doctor–patient relationship and lead to better long-term outcomes