Common Sense Labs: A Practical Guide to Decoding Your Blood Work and Taking Control of Your Health (Updated and Expanded Edition)

Updated and Expanded Edition of the Bestselling Book Common Sense Labs!

Features the latest medical research and insights, offering a more comprehensive explanation of blood tests.

Blood tests are one of the most effective and accessible tools for monitoring your health, but in today’s fast-paced healthcare system, patients often leave the doctor’s office with little understanding of which tests to request, why they’re important, or how to interpret the results. Doctors, often pressed for time, may not fully explain the details, leaving many feeling confused and unsure.

In response to this widespread issue, Dr. Ken Berry, a trusted family physician, and Kim Howerton, a certified health coach, have teamed up again to create the updated and expanded edition of their bestselling book Common Sense Labs. Maintaining the clear and accessible format of the original, this edition goes even further to help readers demystify blood work, understand what tests to get, interpret results, and take steps toward better health.

In this comprehensive guide, you will discover:

• Which important lab tests go beyond standard physicians' orders to help you better assess your health
  
• How to interpret your results beyond the average ranges
  
• How to take control of your health and make informed decisions with confidence
  
• How blood work can diagnose and help you manage common health conditions
  
• Practical strategies for improving your health based on your lab results
  

Expanded and Updated Features:

• New and Updated Content: This second edition incorporates the latest medical research and insights, offering readers a more comprehensive understanding of a broader range of key blood tests.
  
• Clear, Accessible Explanations: Dr. Berry and Howerton break down complex medical concepts into simple, understandable language, empowering you to confidently interpret your own blood work.
  
• Trending Health Topics: New sections cover emerging health concerns like inflammation markers, metabolic health, hormone balance, and advanced cholesterol testing, reflecting current trends in preventive care.
  
• Tools and Advice: Charts, checklists, and graphs to help readers understand optimal levels for health markers and actively participate in their health journey and track their lab results.
  

With expert insights and practical advice, Common Sense Labs empowers you to take control of your health by understanding your blood work and making meaningful changes for a healthier future. Whether you are aiming to optimize your health, better understand your current lab results, or take proactive steps toward wellness, Common Sense Labs is the essential guide to navigating your blood work with clarity and confidence.

Ken Berry, MD, is an author, speaker, and dedicated family physician practicing near Nashville, Tennessee. For over two decades, he has been committed to helping patients overcome obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. His mission is to empower people with the knowledge and tools to reclaim their health through the Proper Human Diet. Dr. Berry is board certified in family medicine and has been awarded the degree of Fellow by the American Academy of Family Physicians. He lives with his wife, Neisha, and their children and many animals on their farm in rural Tennessee.

Kim Howerton is a certified health coach, teacher, speaker, and author. Her motivation to become a health coach was fueled by her own experience of ill health, which included polycystic ovarian condition, binge eating disorder, major depressive disorder, hypothyroidism, morbid obesity (now termed level 3 obesity), metabolic dysfunction, gastritis, IBS, and autoimmune disease. As age forty loomed, she knew she needed to get serious about her health, and over the next several years she devoted herself to getting educated about what it means to become and remain a healthy human. After transforming herself into a person in good health, she knew that nothing mattered more than sharing what she’d learned with others who felt similarly hopeless. She teaches her clients that relentless self-advocacy and self-improvement can turn the tide on the myriad health conditions plaguing society. Kim lives with her partner, Eric, in Berkeley, California.