Bloody Good Blog

The latest ideas, insights, and inspiration, expertly curated to empower you on your health journey.

Uric Acid Blood Test: Gout, Kidneys & Metabolic Risk
Uric Acid Blood Test: Gout, Kidneys & Metabolic Risk
My grandfather had gout. I know this because my dad mentions it occasionally, usually when reaching for a second glass of red wine. "Pop had gout," he'll say. "Had to... Read more...
Selenium Blood Test: Thyroid, Immunity & What to Know
Selenium Blood Test: Thyroid, Immunity & What to Know
Selenium is one of those nutrients that barely registers in most health conversations. It's not as well-known as iron or vitamin D, and GPs don't routinely test for it. But... Read more...
Reverse T3 Blood Test: When Thyroid Tests Miss Something
Reverse T3 Blood Test: When Thyroid Tests Miss Something
Reverse T3 sits in one of the most contested territories in thyroid medicine, where functional medicine and mainstream endocrinology disagree, where patients feel unheard, and where the answer to "should... Read more...
Prolactin Blood Test: The Hormone You Haven't Heard Of
Prolactin Blood Test: The Hormone You Haven't Heard Of
Prolactin is one of the most clinically significant hormones in reproductive medicine, and it exists in a blind spot. Most people have never heard of it. Most GPs test it... Read more...
Progesterone Blood Test: Cycles, Fertility & Hormones
Progesterone Blood Test: Cycles, Fertility & Hormones
Progesterone is one of the most clinically significant female hormones, and one of the least tested outside fertility clinics. Most women I've spoken to have had their thyroid checked, their... Read more...
Blood Tests for Keto, Fasting & Low-Carb Diets
Blood Tests for Keto, Fasting & Low-Carb Diets
A friend of mine went keto about eighteen months ago. Strict keto, under 20 grams of carbs a day. He did it for weight loss and blood sugar management, and... Read more...
Inflammation Blood Tests: CRP, ESR & Chronic Health
Inflammation Blood Tests: CRP, ESR & Chronic Health
C-reactive protein has appeared in more articles in this series than any other single marker. I've referenced it in the fatigue article, the heart health article, the gut health article,... Read more...
How to Read Blood Test Results: Practical Aussie Guide
How to Read Blood Test Results: Practical Aussie Guide
The first time I got comprehensive blood work back, I stared at the results for twenty minutes and understood almost nothing. It was a table: dozens of rows, each with... Read more...
Electrolyte Blood Tests: Sodium, Potassium & Your Health
Electrolyte Blood Tests: Sodium, Potassium & Your Health
Most people understand electrolytes through sports drink marketing. Gatorade teaches you they matter for performance. What it doesn't teach you is that electrolyte imbalances can affect your heart rhythm, nerve... Read more...
DUTCH Test Explained: Advanced Hormone Testing Guide
DUTCH Test Explained: Advanced Hormone Testing Guide
If you've been reading this series, you know it's mostly about blood tests. Standard pathology. Venous blood drawn at a collection centre, processed in an accredited lab, results delivered in... Read more...
Calcium Blood Test: Bones, Parathyroid & What It Means
Calcium Blood Test: Bones, Parathyroid & What It Means
Most people think a calcium blood test tells you about bone health. It doesn't. A person with severe osteoporosis can have a perfectly normal blood calcium. A person with excellent... Read more...
Autoimmune Blood Tests: When Your Immune System Needs Help
Autoimmune Blood Tests: When Your Immune System Needs Help
Sarah, the colleague I wrote about in the thyroid article, didn't just have hypothyroidism. She had Hashimoto's thyroiditis. An autoimmune condition where the immune system produces antibodies that attack the... Read more...