Your annual check-up shouldn’t just be a quick “how are you feeling?” followed by a cursory glance at your labs. At Tendwell, we see your yearly visit as a powerful opportunity to dig deeper, ask smarter questions, and get ahead of any health issues before they become problems.
Here’s how to make the most of your annual visit—functional medicine style—plus a list of smart labs and tests to consider asking for.
Rethinking the Annual Exam
Traditional medicine often focuses on disease detection. Functional medicine shifts that lens to prevention, root cause resolution, and optimization.
We’re asking:
- How is your body functioning?
- Where is there imbalance?
- What can we do to support resilience, not just avoid illness?
Key Functional Lab Tests to Consider
Depending on your age, history, and goals, these tests can help uncover patterns that may otherwise go undetected:
Advanced Inflammatory Markers
- hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein)
- Homocysteine
- Ferritin (can reflect both iron status and inflammation)
These can flag early signs of chronic inflammation, a driver of many modern diseases.
Nutrient & Mitochondrial Health
- Vitamin D, B12, Folate
- Magnesium (RBC)
- CoQ10
- Organic Acids Test (OAT) – gives insight into mitochondrial metabolites, B-vitamin needs, detox pathways
Hormonal Resilience
For women in perimenopause/menopause, ask about:
- Comprehensive hormone panel (estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA)
- Cortisol pattens (salivary test) for circadian rhythm and adrenal health
For all:
- Thyroid panel (TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, thyroid antibodies)
- Insulin and fasting glucose, plus HbA1c to assess metabolic resilience
Gut & Immune Markers
- Comprehensive stool testing (I love Vibant Wellness’ GUT Zoomer) to look at microbiome, pathogens, inflammation
- Zonulin or LPS antibodies for leaky gut indicators
- Secretory IgA – a key gut immune marker
Toxin & Environmental Load
- Heavy metal testing (especially if you have symptoms or known exposure)
- Mycotoxin panel (for mold-prone environments)
- Glutathione – your master antioxidant and detox molecule
How to Prepare for Your Visit
- Bring your full story. Your symptoms, health history, even what feels off—it all matters.
- Track your data. Menstrual cycle patterns, energy dips, food reactions, sleep quality—these are all helpful.
- Ask bigger questions. “What’s driving this symptom?” “Where am I headed if I don’t make changes?”
The Functional Medicine Difference
You deserve more than a 15-minute visit and a “you’re fine” because your labs are “normal.” At Tendwell, we focus on optimal, not just normal. We want you to feel vibrant, not just “not sick.”
If you’re ready to make your annual exam count—and get a deeper look at your long-term health—we’d love to partner with you.
Curious which labs are right for you?
Let’s talk through your story, your symptoms, and your goals—and build a personalized testing and care plan that helps you feel like yourself again.
Want to learn more? Schedule a consultation with a functional medicine nurse practitioner at Tendwell to start your journey toward better metabolic health!