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In This Article
In This Article
Everyone needs more self-love nowadays. With the holidays fast approaching, you might be looking for that perfect gift to give yourself or a loved one who deserves some TLC.
However, nobody tells us that self-care and taking care of one’s health is a form of self-love. The best way to show it is to treat yourself (or that special someone) with a health test.
At-home health tests make thoughtful gifts this holiday season.
You can use them to check your current health, which includes:
Nutrition and wellness
Hormones and sexual health
Exposure to environmental factors
Genetic health risks
Potential disease
Health testing kits are excellent gifts for health-conscious people. Whether you are gifting one to a fitness buff or a wellness-oriented person, you will surely find a test that fits their personality.
The Best Health Kits for Gifting This Holiday Season
Viome is a U.S.-based wellness company that offers different testing kits, including kits that test for:
Gut Intelligence
Health Intelligence
Full Body Intelligence
Instead of diagnosing specific health problems, Viome uses mRNA sequencing to gain insights into your overall health to see what you could potentially have in the future—their gut intelligence test is especially impressive.
Pros
Identifies a wide range of microorganisms—bacteria, archaea, eukaryotes, probiotics, and viruses
Provides personalized reports and recommendations
Updates results with new research and improved AI algorithms
Cons
Sample collection may be uncomfortable
Too technical language and vague explanations
Non-FDA-approved tests
Recommendations are sorted and selected by Viome’s AI
Ombre (formerly Thryve Inside) is a brand that specializes in gut health. They have recently rebranded. But the company still offers the same products and services, namely:
Gut microbiome testing
Probiotic supplements
Pros
Checks for 10,000+ species of gut bacteria
Proprietary sampling method is 28% more accurate than other brands
Uses the same testing method (16S RNA) as laboratories
Report tells you which strains of gut bacteria need work and why
Includes free food recommendations to improve gut health
Offers probiotic supplements that target specific strains
Results are available on OmbreLab.com (formerly ThryveInside.com)
LetsGetChecked — Best At-Home Tests for Sexual Health
Initially founded in Ireland, the now U.S. based company offers different tests on:
Women’s health
Men’s health
Wellness
Coronavirus
But what we love most about LetsGetChecked are their sexual health tests. So if you are sexually active and prefer a discreet way to be tested (and treated), there is no better option.
Pros
Has 50+ different health tests available
Testing is done at accredited laboratories
Offers test kits that can check for several infections at a time
If you test positive, you can get a virtual consultation ($39)
Discuss your test results and available treatments
Can provide prescription medication for many STDs
Cons
Testing kits have limited availability in the U.S.
5Strands — Best At-Home Tests for Health-Conscious People
Our bodies are exposed to numerous environmental factors every day. Some of them pose risks to our health. 5Strands is a testing company that can check for potential dangers, such as:
Food intolerances
Exposure to metals and minerals
Environmental health risks
Nutritional imbalances
Your report will provide insight into lifestyle changes that you need to make. That way, you can limit your exposure to health threats.
Knowing what to watch out for and what's best for your health is a great holiday gift—either for yourself or for your loved ones.
Pros
Only requires hair sample (pain-free)
Can test for 600+ food intolerances
Tests for sensitivity to 200+ environmental factors
Checks for exposure to 60+ metals and minerals
Can assess for nutritional imbalances on 80+ vitamins and minerals