Why Context Matters When Comparing Your Blood Test Results

One of the biggest mistakes I see clients make isn't having blood tests. It's comparing their results of their blood tests taken during completely different seasons of life. Blood tests are one of the best tools we have for tracking our health over time, but they're only valuable if you're comparing like with like.

Think of it like comparing your child's height. You wouldn't compare your 15-year-old's height to when they were five and assume something was wrong because they've changed. Growth is expected.

The same is true for your blood work. Your body changes throughout your life, and your blood tests change with it. Sometimes it's also simple things like doing your blodo work post parasite cleanse.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Pregnancy and breastfeeding place enormous demands on the body. Your nutritional requirements increase, your hormones change dramatically, and many blood markers naturally shift to support both mum and baby. If you're comparing blood work from pregnancy to blood work years later, you're not comparing your normal baseline.

You're comparing two completely different physiological states.

After a Detox or Parasite Programme

Another time to be cautious is immediately after completing a detox or parasite programme.

Your body has been actively processing and eliminating toxins, supporting detoxification pathways, and adapting to dietary changes. Some blood markers may temporarily look different while your body settles back into its normal rhythm. It's worth making a note of this on your blood test tracker so that, when you look back in a year's time, you remember the context in which those tests were taken.

Post Surgery

Surgery is another example, following an operation, your body is healing. Inflammation increases, your immune system is activated. Certain blood markers may be elevated or reduced as part of a completely normal healing response. These results shouldn't necessarily become your new benchmark for future comparisons.

Perimenopause and Menopause

For women, our hormones naturally change throughout life. Comparing blood work from your late twenties with blood work during perimenopause or menopause isn't comparing apples with apples. Your physiology is different.

Rather than asking, "Why don't my blood tests look like they did at 28?"

It's important to get new information and new benchmarks around your blood work now and your body, so you can make meaningful comparisons. This is why I recommend clients do their blood work annually.

Keep Notes, Not Just Numbers

This is exactly why I encourage everyone to keep a blood test tracker. Don't just record your results or save your blood tests in a folder. Because when you come back to review them or a health practitioner asks you a question, it's likely you will have forgotten what was going on in your life at that time, unless you've kept notes.

Record what was happening in your life when those tests were taken.

Ask yourself:

Was I pregnant or breastfeeding?

Was I in perimenopause or menopause?

Had I recently completed a detox or parasite programme?

Was I recovering from surgery or illness?

Was I under significant stress?

Was I taking any new medications or supplements?

These notes provide valuable context when reviewing your health over time.

Blood Tests Tell a Story

Every blood test is a snapshot. But without context, it's like reading one page from the middle of a book. The more information you record alongside your results, the easier it becomes to identify genuine trends, recognise meaningful changes, and make informed decisions about your health. Because good healthcare isn't just about collecting data.

It's about understanding the story behind it.