There is not currently and likely never will be a single, sure fire way to optimise our health. This is because each and every individual is unique on almost every level and therefore will respond differently to a particular diet, exercise plan or daily routine. In exercise science this is known as the principle of individual differences.

It is however universally agreed that everyone should aim to incorporate some form of regular exercise, drink a sufficient amount of water, and maintain a diet that is low in processed and refined foods while also aspiring to get consistent, adequate sleep. These “pillars” of good health can be further bolstered by ensuring the activity we do is varied and progressive and that the food we consume contains a variety of nutrients in addition to making sure that the total calories taken in doesn’t routinely exceed our energy expenditure.

The burning question however is what optimum means? Is optimum comparable across individuals and how do we measure optimal? How do we know when we’re in the ‘green zone’ so to speak? We’ve all likely had days where we feel ‘good’. We’ve slept well, exercised, limited our stress and drank plenty of water, we wake without effort and feel refreshed, ready to take on the day. Is this optimum? If so, how do we achieve this when the cards aren’t stacked in our favour, when work is particularly stressful or when we’ve had a rough night’s sleep?

Thankfully the body is smart and resilient. We have evolutionary systems that help us survive periods of famine and hardship. Certain vitamins and minerals can often be stored and released when needed and the body has an ingenious but often undesirable way of storing energy in adipose tissue. However today, many of us are fortunate to be facing little in the way of true hardship, on top of this, modern science now allows us to look deeper into our state of general health than ever before but many aren’t aware of the potential benefits of deep diving into our physical well-being.

Regular blood testing is one of the most important ways to keep track of your overall physical health. Getting tested at routine intervals can allow you to see the way your body changes over time and empower you to make informed decisions about your health. These may include dietary or lifestyle changes such as supplementation or exploring new forms of exercise.

Checking vital bio markers such as vitamin levels and hormone baselines can give a key insight into whether an individual’s well-being can be further optimised, however for many this level of scrutiny is often reserved for when medical intervention is required i.e. during a bout of illness or during pregnancy. Because of this, it’s safe to say there is a large amount of the population walking around with no knowledge of where these biomarkers lie in relation to what would be optimum. An example of this is found in the estimation that 1 in 5 of the UK population has a vitamin D deficiency, which can manifest itself as fatigue, joint and muscle pain and weakness as well as low mood and even depression. This is often an easy fix involving regular supplementation but without the definitive proof that a blood test would provide, there is little in the way of a call to action, so many people just accept this state of being as ‘normal’.

Thankfully, it is becoming increasingly easier to access private services that make bloodwork accessible to the general population. Often as simple as using a finger prick kit to fill a vial with a small amount of blood that is posted to a lab for analysis, with results being returned within the week. This process becoming more accessible and known of is the first step in moving towards a society in which a wider array of people beyond top athletes or the chronically ill having an insight into their individual needs and possessing the ability to optimise their own wellbeing and in many ways improve their health for the better.