A blog to help you optimize your full-body and life performance

One of the most frequent questions we get from users and prospective customers alike is whether we test HbA1c. The short answer, as the title of this article more than hints at, is no, we don’t. However, in addition to sharing actionable insights people can take to improve their overall health, wellness, and performance, we also like to think of ourselves as educators arming our community with the knowledge they need to reach their goals.

Here, we’ll provide a brief education on the differences between HbA1c and its more commonly known counterpart, glucose, as well as the reasoning behind why we test for the latter and not the former.

Here at InsideTracker, we are all about goals: setting lofty ones for ourselves, our products, our platform, and most importantly, helping you reach yours. To that end, our science team recently spent countless hours pouring over the latest scientific research and data to update our Optimal Zones. After all, to help you push past your limits, we have to push ours.

While we admit this entry is a bit longer than the norm, for the science geeks in the crowd (hi friends), it’s chock-full of interesting information and insights into the background of our platform. 

At InsideTracker, our work revolves around the concept that no two people are the same. Accordingly, neither is their health. And yet until now, we've all been treated with the same remedies, taught the same health-boosting tips, and followed nearly identical dietary patterns. But do such practices get us closer to optimal health as individuals, or farther away? We think the latter. So we've gone rogue; we track biomarkers, use them as a signpost for where our health is going, and change course – even if it's the path less traveled. 

How do you feel when you’re waiting for your latest set of InsideTracker results? We like to think of it as a big, shiny gift waiting to be unwrapped. If it’s your first InsideTracker analysis, you’re probably thinking about the here and now: “Where do I stand? Are any of my biomarkers too high, too low?” If it’s your second, or third, or seventh InsideTracker test, you’re probably hoping that your present results have improved since the last one. Of course, everyone who uses InsideTracker is hoping to make changes in the present that will improve their future.

Did you know March is National Nutrition Month? We take nutrition pretty seriously around here, so we figured it's a perfect time to pay homage to foods that best fuel our blood. Forget the Oscars — we're joining the action with the inaugural InsideTracker Food Awards! Actors get a nod for their great performances; why shouldn't the modest mushroom, or the stellar steak?

We’ve grouped the body's biomarkers into eight categories and awarded each category a "winning food," based on its nutritional content and ability to pack a performance and health punch.  Plus, we’ve created a recipe around each food (free to download) so you can whip up a healthy storm in the kitchen!

The prevalence of farmers' markets in the fall means greater access to delicious, healthful, and affordable produce. The bright colors and soft textures will help bring out the best in your fall recipes. Check out the following foods to maximize your most important biomarkers for optimal health this fall.