Lola Priego, the founder, and CEO of Base talks with Stephanie Simbari and Elizabeth Kott from That’s So Retrograde about Sherlock Holmes, Elizabeth Holmes, and why you might want to start at-home lab testing your hormones.\
This past year you’ve been spending a lot more time at home. Maybe you’ve started doing yoga in your living room, baking bread, getting through your to-watch list, or just trying your best to move through pandemic burn-out. With doctor’s appointments on Zoom and gyms closed, many of us are more aware than ever of being in the driver’s seat with our health.
Now, with Base, you can better-monitor your health by measuring your hormones, getting to the root of a nagging symptom like brain fog or poor sleep, or see how your new diet is actually impacting you. All from home.
Below are 5 dos and don’ts to follow when getting started that emerged from the discussion.
Lab testing helps identify what actually works for you
You no longer have to do the research on your own or be left to advocate so your doctor will write a prescription to find out what’s going on in your body. Doctors have a lot on their plate and the reality is, it’s often up to you to Sherlock Holmes-it to get to the bottom of your health issues and figure out what to do about them.
With Base, the process is automated and streamlined. There are data scientists, AI, and real doctors behind the scenes working to get you the information that you need when you need it.
2. Don’t rely on the US healthcare system
Doctors are amazing—all 3 women agreed. Yet, while doctors, nurses, and other helping professionals are the face of healthcare, they are not the drivers of the system. And the sad truth is, the people actually running the show are driven by profit, not your actual health.
Big Pharma, for example, pushes the healthcare system to offer prescriptions even when they aren’t necessary. Lola’s doctor prescribed meds for her high cholesterol before she even reached the age of 30 when her issues could be fixed with dietary and lifestyle changes.
3. Take advantage of accessible, trustworthy support
After using Base, Stephanie and Elizabeth got a lot out of the support available on the app. There’s an intro consultation offered to set you up for success from the get-go. A live person can talk you through doing the finger prick and saliva sample (also known as the spittle test—fun party fact).
Base will also analyze your test results and translate the findings into digestible and accessible information and action items. You’ll get 4 doable dietary, supplement, and lifestyle recommendations in addition to a community of experts and other active members.
4. Use at-home lab tests to catch problems before they start.
Who among us has never gotten to a point where they are completely baffled by their body? When you have a glaring health issue, it’s always important to discover the root cause and then fix it. It’s also just as important to monitor your health and be proactive about it and catch things like thyroid conditions or vitamin D deficiency.
If you’re healthy now, you want to stay healthy. That’s why you do things like brush your teeth. Base Monitor is a quarterly, a la carte option for people who want to get in the driver’s seat of their health. If you’re not sure where to start, check out the quiz.
5. At-home lab tests will revolutionize health. Get on the bandwagon.
After countless news stories, a best-selling book, a podcast, an HBO documentary, and now a Hulu series and major motion picture both in production, many people are familiar with the name Elizabeth Holmes.
When asked about the biggest challenge that Lola faces in her work, it’s the dark cloud of mistrust that Theranos has cast over female founders and tech health solutions. While the Theranos debacle did generate crucial fraud protections in Silicon Valley, it also created a chasm between health-promoting start-ups and the general public. Companies like Base have your back and are working hard to rebuild your trust.
