At Apothecary & Co., we believe bloodwork should act as a blueprint for your health, not just a quick glance followed by “everything looks fine.”
Many people are told their labs are normal, yet they’re still struggling with fatigue, anxiety, weight changes, hormone imbalances, blood sugar swings, inflammation, or brain fog. This disconnect happens because traditional medicine often orders only the bare minimum labs: enough to rule out disease, but not enough to see the full picture of how the body is functioning.
In functional health, we look deeper. We don’t just ask “Are you sick?” but ask “Where are you trending?” and “What can we support now to prevent issues later?"
That’s where Blueprint Bloodwork comes in.
Why Basic Bloodwork Often Misses the Full Picture
Conventional lab work is typically designed to diagnose disease, not to optimize health or prevent dysfunction. Many providers will check a single marker and stop there.
For example, it’s common to see:
- An A1C ordered without fasting insulin
- A TSH checked without free T3, free T4, or thyroid antibodies
- Cholesterol numbers reviewed without looking at inflammation
- Nutrient levels skipped entirely
Checking only one marker is like looking at a single puzzle piece and assuming you understand the whole image. In functional health, context matters.
What We Mean by Blueprint Bloodwork
Blueprint Bloodwork is a comprehensive, intentional lab panel that we encourage clients to run at least once per year. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s awareness, pattern recognition, and proactive care.
This approach allows us to:
- Identify early imbalances
- Track trends year over year
- Support the body before symptoms become diagnoses
- Make informed, personalized nutrition and supplement recommendations
What’s Included in Our Blueprint Bloodwork (and Why It Matters)
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Provides insight into red and white blood cells, immune function, and anemia patterns.
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
Assesses liver and kidney function, electrolytes, and fasting glucose (key for metabolic and detox health).
Vitamin B12
Essential for energy production, mood, nerve health, and methylation. Suboptimal levels are extremely common.
Iron Panel with Ferritin
Shows how iron is being absorbed, stored, and utilized. Ferritin also gives insight into inflammation.
Vitamin D (25-OH D)
Plays a major role in immune health, bone strength, hormone balance, and mood regulation.
Homocysteine
A functional marker tied to methylation, B-vitamin status, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk.
High-Sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP)
Measures low-grade inflammation that often exists long before disease or pain appears.
Fasting Insulin
One of the most important markers we track. Insulin resistance often develops years before blood sugar becomes abnormal.
Hemoglobin A1C
Reflects average blood sugar over the previous 2–3 months. When paired with insulin, it tells a much clearer metabolic story.
Thyroid Panel (TSH, Free T3, Free T4)
Allows us to assess thyroid function and hormone conversion rather than relying on TSH alone.
Thyroid Antibodies
Helps identify autoimmune thyroid patterns that may exist long before overt thyroid disease is diagnosed.
Lipid Panel
Reviews cholesterol and triglyceride patterns that often reflect metabolic health and inflammation.
Insurance vs. Self-Pay: Making This Accessible
Whenever possible, we love when clients can run Blueprint Bloodwork through their primary care provider and use insurance.
If insurance isn’t an option, Ulta Lab Tests offers a convenient and affordable self-pay alternative:
- No doctor visit required
- Local draw stations
- Fast turnaround times
- The full Blueprint panel currently runs around $300
This makes it easy to stay consistent with year-over-year testing, which is where the real value lies.
Why Tracking Year Over Year Matters
One set of labs tells us where you are today. Trends tell us where you’re headed.
Annual Blueprint Bloodwork helps us:
- Catch slow shifts before symptoms worsen
- Monitor how nutrition and supplements are working
- Identify nutrient depletion early
- Support long-term metabolic and hormone health
This is preventive care in action.
The Functional Health Difference
At Apothecary & Co., we don’t believe in waiting for disease to develop before paying attention. We believe in education, empowerment, and proactive health support.
Blueprint Bloodwork gives you data, context, and clarity, so you’re no longer guessing or being told everything is “fine” when it doesn’t feel that way.
Your health deserves more than the bare minimum.
It deserves a blueprint.
