Biometric testing - marvellous metrics or anxiety driving data?

Photo by Ec lipse

In the latest season of White Lotus, in among the toe curling chaos, there were some pretty amazing wellness trends and treatments threaded through the storyline. While I am all here for advances in wellness is has raised the question - is all this testing necessary could this be counterproductive in your wellness journey? I worry we are moving out of the era of '‘clean eating” and into the era of “clean numbers”.

There is a growing fixation on numbers like body fat percentage and heart rate variability. There’s so much focus now on “hacking” health with numbers and metrics, but it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. Of course data can be super informative, but when there is a constant tsunami of information it can drive anxiety. When we obsess over things like body fat percentage or your blood glucose levels, we can end up disconnecting from how we actually feel in our bodies. Constant tracking can create a sense of pressure or even guilt, especially when you don’t understand what those numbers truly mean or if they fluctuate, which they naturally will. Health is not about perfection or chasing the ‘perfect’ number. It’s about feeling energised, balanced and connected to yourself. Hormone health especially thrives in a state of calm and consistency, not stress and over analyse. Would I ask a client to weight themselves everyday? No. So the same things apply.

Constant health tracking could even create anxiety and stress. have seen this in my own clinic, with dozens of non-diabetic women coming to see me after using glucose monitors who are actually afraid of certain foods and spikes. Glucose spikes are part of human design, otherwise insulin wouldn’t exist. The key is to use it as information, not instruction. If you’re someone who finds data interesting and it genuinely empowers you to make positive choices, great. But if it starts creating anxiety or becomes another item on your never-ending to-do list, it might be time to step back. I always encourage people to tune into how they feel first using your intuition - what are your energy levels, mood, sleep quality etc. These are the real powerful signs of hormone health and overall wellbeing and they are FREE. Biometric tools should support that connection, not override it. So use them with curiosity as part of the bigger picture.

So what do I actually rate?

It all depends on the individual but for most people, the basics are still the most valuable. Things like a full thyroid panel, iron status, vitamin D, B12, and blood glucose markers can give useful insights, especially when it comes to hormonal symptoms. But a lot of the flashy biometric tests out there now are really just wellness marketing - just because we can measure something doesn’t mean we need to. It’s like the modern version of the 00s ‘clean eating’ that we are  now on the quest for ‘clean metrics’.  It’s another form of perfectionism if we put metrics on a pedestal.

Context is everything. You need to understand the “why” behind the number, and ideally, work with a practitioner who can help you interpret it in a way that’s personal to you. If it is helping you get to the root cause of your symptoms – that’s great! But what’s “low” or “high” for one person might be completely normal for another. I always ask… is this data helping you feel more connected to your body, or more confused by it? If it’s the latter, it may be time to simplify. More information isn’t always better as it can be like pandora’s box and it’s how you use it that counts.

Wearables can be helpful for spotting general trends, but they’re not a substitute for clinical testing. The accuracy can vary widely depending on the device and the person using it (and if you are even wearing it right!). They’re a great starting point, but they should never replace proper medical investigations, especially when it comes to hormone health, which is incredibly nuanced, dynamic and influenced by so many factors. Real health isn’t found in a dashboard or an app, it’s built through optimum nutrition, daily habits, rest, nourishment and positive action.

Remember you’re a living, breathing person - not a software programme to be hacked. Trust your body as that is the thing that is talking to you all the time. Focus on how you are feeling, not metrics.

If you’re ready to start your wellness journey or want some support in interupretting results from testing, get in touch and book your free discovery call HERE.