The Numia Journal

Better health decisions start with better information.

Evidence-informed guides to help you understand your symptoms, the biomarkers that may provide useful context, your testing options in BC, and what to consider next.

Energy & Fatigue
Hormone Health
Heart Health
Metabolic Health
Vitamins & Nutrients
Thyroid Health
Preventive Care
Navigating Healthcare

A new article every day

Latest

A close-up of a blue crystalline geode against a black background

Preventive Care4 min read

What high or low urea means on a blood test: dehydration, protein, kidneys, pregnancy or the liver

Urea rises with dehydration and protein intake as well as kidney strain, so it's read alongside creatinine.

Numia Care TeamNovember 5, 2026

Earlier

A woman in a beige cardigan drinking a glass of water

Preventive Care4 min read

Low sodium in runners and heavy water drinkers comes from drinking more water than the kidneys can clear

Numia Care Team · November 4, 2026

A man sitting in a sauna, with a total testosterone result card from the Numia app overlaid

Hormone Health4 min read

Blood tests for low libido in men: what to check besides testosterone

Numia Care Team · November 3, 2026

A man drinking an espresso in a sunlit living room

Hormone Health4 min read

Normal testosterone levels by age in nmol/L, and why your own baseline matters

Numia Care Team · November 2, 2026

A person cooling down after a workout, with a fasting glucose result card from the Numia app overlaid

Metabolic Health3 min read

Why HbA1c and fasting glucose disagree, and which result to trust

Numia Care Team · November 1, 2026

A person in socks standing on a bathroom scale on a patterned tile floor

Preventive Care3 min read

Gilbert's syndrome: why your bilirubin is slightly high, and when it's something else

Numia Care Team · October 31, 2026

A microscope image of a branching nerve cell glowing purple against a dark background

Thyroid Health3 min read

A slightly high TSH with a normal free T4 usually means subclinical hypothyroidism, and the first step is a repeat test

Numia Care Team · October 30, 2026

A quiet sunlit living room with a throw blanket over an empty sofa

Thyroid Health3 min read

Hyperthyroidism blood tests and symptoms: a low TSH with a high free T4 or free T3

Numia Care Team · October 29, 2026

A woman's hands resting on her neck, with a thyroid result card from the Numia app overlaid

Thyroid Health3 min read

Normal TSH levels by age: the upper limit climbs from about 3.6 mIU/L in your 20s to 7.5 mIU/L after 80

Numia Care Team · October 28, 2026

A man lying on a sofa with a cushion over his face in afternoon light

Vitamins & Nutrients3 min read

Yes, low ferritin can drive restless legs even if you're not anemic: the 75 µg/L threshold explained

Numia Care Team · October 27, 2026

A woman lying on a bed with an arm across her face

Energy & Fatigue3 min read

Blood tests for brain fog: B12, iron, thyroid, blood sugar, sodium and calcium

Numia Care Team · October 26, 2026

A woman stretching during a reformer Pilates session in a studio

Preventive Care4 min read

When to start cholesterol testing in Canada: age 40 for most adults, earlier with risk factors, and between 2 and 10 for children

Numia Care Team · October 25, 2026

A woman with a hand resting on her chest, with a follow-up call prompt from the Numia app overlaid

Heart Health4 min read

Healthy cholesterol levels in Canada (mmol/L): what counts as high depends on your heart risk

Numia Care Team · October 24, 2026

A man cooking in a kitchen with fresh vegetables laid out on the counter

Vitamins & Nutrients4 min read

Metformin and acid reflux drugs are medications that lower B12 and magnesium: what the evidence shows and when to test

Numia Care Team · October 23, 2026

A man making pour-over coffee at a kitchen counter in morning light

Vitamins & Nutrients4 min read

Vitamin D vs D3: what's different, and how to tell if your vitamin D supplement is working

Numia Care Team · October 22, 2026

A close-up of golden oil droplets against an amber background

Vitamins & Nutrients4 min read

How to get a vitamin D test in BC, and what a good vitamin D level is in nmol/L

Numia Care Team · October 21, 2026

A woman sitting on a sofa at dusk with her hand to her forehead

Preventive Care4 min read

Blood tests before trying to conceive: a pre-conception baseline for thyroid, iron, B12 and, where relevant, hormones

Numia Care Team · October 20, 2026

A person in a hooded top resting on a bench after training

Preventive Care3 min read

Fasting before a blood test in BC: needed for fasting glucose, not for cholesterol

Numia Care Team · October 19, 2026

A smiling grey-haired man in a T-shirt printed with a glowing heart

Heart Health4 min read

What a high hs-CRP result means, and why you retest it

Numia Care Team · October 18, 2026

A woman drinking a glass of water at home, with a magnesium result card from the Numia app overlaid

Preventive Care4 min read

What causes high potassium on a blood test: kidneys, medications, extra potassium or a sample problem

Numia Care Team · October 17, 2026

A person stretching after a workout, with a fasting glucose result card from the Numia app overlaid

Metabolic Health3 min read

What a high ALT or GGT means: read the pattern, not one number

Numia Care Team · October 16, 2026

Hands holding a bowl of courgettes and lemons over a rustic table

Vitamins & Nutrients3 min read

High ferritin usually means inflammation, fatty liver or alcohol, not iron overload: what it means on a blood test

Numia Care Team · October 15, 2026

A man working out with battle ropes in a gym

Navigating Healthcare3 min read

How much does a private blood test cost in BC? Your routes compared

Numia Care Team · October 14, 2026

A close-up of olive-green liquid with bubbles rising through it

Navigating Healthcare4 min read

Canadian lab units conversion: each marker has its own factor, from mmol/L to mg/dL and nmol/L to ng/dL

Numia Care Team · October 13, 2026

A clinician in scrubs drawing blood from a seated woman at her dining table

Navigating Healthcare4 min read

Which blood test panel should you get for your symptoms? Match the symptom to the markers, then to one panel

Numia Care Team · October 12, 2026

A woman on her sofa with a mug while a clinician in scrubs takes a blood sample at home

Navigating Healthcare3 min read

What is Numia Health? A physician-ordered, at-home blood testing service in Greater Vancouver

Numia Care Team · October 11, 2026

A woman in a beige cardigan drinking a glass of water

Navigating Healthcare4 min read

Electrolyte and kidney bloodwork in Greater Vancouver: your routes compared

Numia Care Team · October 10, 2026

A woman drinking a glass of water at home, with a magnesium result card from the Numia app overlaid

Preventive Care4 min read

The best way to get your kidney function rechecked after a flagged result

Numia Care Team · October 9, 2026

A close-up of a blue crystalline geode against a black background

Preventive Care4 min read

How to read your eGFR and creatinine results, and what else can push creatinine up

Numia Care Team · October 8, 2026

A man in a linen shirt drinking from a mug in a quiet kitchen

Navigating Healthcare5 min read

Testosterone testing in Vancouver: four ways to get your baseline, compared

Numia Care Team · October 7, 2026

A man sitting in a sauna, with a total testosterone result card from the Numia app overlaid

Hormone Health5 min read

The best blood test for testosterone: total, free, SHBG and LH as one baseline

Numia Care Team · October 6, 2026

A man drinking an espresso in a sunlit living room

Hormone Health5 min read

Low energy at 45? Why your testosterone baseline matters

Numia Care Team · October 5, 2026

A person cooling down after a workout, with a fasting glucose result card from the Numia app overlaid

Navigating Healthcare3 min read

Weight-loss monitoring bloodwork in BC: your routes compared

Numia Care Team · October 4, 2026

A person in socks standing on a bathroom scale on a patterned tile floor

Metabolic Health3 min read

The best blood tests to explain a weight loss plateau

Numia Care Team · October 3, 2026

A person stretching after exercise, with a fasting glucose result card from the Numia app overlaid

Metabolic Health3 min read

How to monitor your health on a GLP-1 when no labs were run before you started

Numia Care Team · October 2, 2026

A microscope image of a branching nerve cell glowing purple against a dark background

Navigating Healthcare3 min read

Repeat thyroid testing in BC: your options compared

Numia Care Team · October 1, 2026

A quiet sunlit living room with a throw blanket over an empty sofa

Thyroid Health3 min read

The best thyroid panel when your TSH is normal but your symptoms aren't

Numia Care Team · September 30, 2026

A woman's hands resting on her neck, with a thyroid result card from the Numia app overlaid

Thyroid Health3 min read

How to tell whether your thyroid dose is right when the weight won't shift

Numia Care Team · September 29, 2026

A man making coffee at a kitchen counter in early morning light

Navigating Healthcare4 min read

Fatigue bloodwork in Vancouver after a “normal” result: your routes compared

Numia Care Team · September 28, 2026

A woman on her sofa with a mug while a clinician in scrubs takes a blood sample

Preventive Care4 min read

The best comprehensive blood panel you can order yourself in Canada

Numia Care Team · September 27, 2026

A man lying on a sofa with a cushion over his face in afternoon light

Energy & Fatigue4 min read

How to find out why you're still exhausted when your bloodwork came back normal

Numia Care Team · September 26, 2026

A woman drinking water in warm side light

Heart Health5 min read

Where to retest Apo B in Vancouver while you work on your numbers

Numia Care Team · September 5, 2026

A man reviewing his testosterone result in the Numia app at home

Heart Health4 min read

How to get lipoprotein(a) tested in Canada without a cardiologist

Numia Care Team · September 4, 2026

A woman slicing lemons in a soft-lit plaster kitchen

Heart Health5 min read

The best markers to track while lowering cholesterol through diet and exercise

Numia Care Team · September 3, 2026

Sunlit clear water surface at golden hour

Heart Health5 min read

How to lower your cholesterol without going on statins

Numia Care Team · September 2, 2026

A woman resting in savasana on an outdoor deck in dappled light

Vitamins & Nutrients5 min read

The best blood tests for suspected iron deficiency

Numia Care Team · September 1, 2026

Macro photograph of amber oil droplets in water

Heart Health5 min read

The best advanced lipid panel available in Canada

Numia Care Team · August 31, 2026

A man reading on a sofa in warm afternoon light at home

Navigating Healthcare5 min read

Iron and nutrient testing in Vancouver: your options

Numia Care Team · August 30, 2026

Abstract macro of translucent red silk folds

Heart Health5 min read

How to get a real read on your heart risk when your lipid panel looks fine

Numia Care Team · August 29, 2026

A man with a coffee looking out a kitchen window in morning light

Heart Health4 min read

How to check your inherited heart risk if nobody has ever tested your Lp(a)

Numia Care Team · August 25, 2026