At NuMi, we continually enhance our approach to health and wellness by offering advanced tools to better understand your body. We are excited to introduce new features in our Health Checks, including the Grip Strength Test and three advanced metabolic assessments: VO2 Max, FatMax, and Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) as well as Heart Rhythm (ECG Testing) and Lung Capacity. These additions, exclusive to Health Check+, are designed for anyone seeking to take proactive steps in their health journey – not just athletes. Let’s break down these tests and explore their benefits.

The Grip Strength Test: A Simple Yet Powerful Metric

The Grip Strength Test, included in all Health Checks, is a quick and non-invasive measure that provides critical information about overall physical health and strength. Research shows that grip strength is linked to:

• Cardiovascular Health: Studies like the one published in The Lancet indicate that lower grip strength is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality.
• Functional Fitness: Grip strength is a reliable marker for overall muscular strength and can highlight changes in functional health - this is crucially important if we want to maintain our physical independence as we age.

This test is beneficial for everyone. Non-athletes can use it as a benchmark for better understanding their risk of becoming frail and losing independence as they age, while athletes can leverage it to assess strength and improve performance metrics.

VO2 Max: Assessing Your Aerobic Fitness

The VO2 Max Test, available in our Health Check+, measures the maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilise during exercise. Widely regarded as the gold standard for cardiovascular fitness, this test provides insights into:

• Heart and Lung Function: Higher VO2 max levels indicate an efficient cardiovascular system, supporting better endurance and stamina.
• Health Risks: Lower VO2 max scores are linked to higher risks of chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes.  The results are a key indicator of longevity and quality of life as someone ages.

Whether you’re training for a marathon or just aiming to improve fitness, this test identifies your current aerobic capacity and helps set personalised goals.

FatMax: Discovering Your Optimal Fat-Burning Zone

FatMax determines the exercise intensity at which your body burns the most fat compared to carbohydrates. This test offers benefits such as:

• Weight Management: Identifying your FatMax zone helps you tailor workouts for more effective fat loss.
• Enhanced Performance: Athletes can use this information to optimise endurance by ensuring their fueling is adequate to sustain optimum performance during prolonged activities.

For non-athletes, FatMax provides a practical way to design exercise routines that yield maximum results within a shorter period of time by exercising at an intensity that will really make a difference.

Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): Understanding Your Calorie Needs

The RMR Test measures the number of calories your body burns at rest to maintain essential functions like breathing and circulation. Knowing your RMR enables you to:

• Personalise Your Nutrition: Customise your daily caloric intake to match your body’s unique energy requirements.
• Achieve Weight Goals: Whether your goal is weight loss, maintenance, or gain, RMR provides a precise baseline for your plan.

This test is useful for anyone seeking to optimise their metabolism and better understand their body’s energy needs.

Heart & Lungs: ECG and Spirometer Measurement 

Health Check+ now includes ECG (Electrocardiogram) Testing and Lung Capacity Assessments to provide a deeper understanding of your cardiovascular and respiratory health.

ECG Testing measures the electrical activity of your heart, identifying irregularities like arrhythmias, early signs of heart disease, and abnormalities that may otherwise go unnoticed. This quick, non-invasive test supports preventative care by helping detect potential risks before symptoms arise, ensuring early intervention and peace of mind.

Lung Capacity Testing (via spirometry) evaluates how well your lungs function, measuring airflow and volume to identify issues such as asthma, COPD, or reduced respiratory efficiency. Whether you’re improving fitness, recovering from illness, or managing lung conditions, this test provides insights for personalised breathing exercises and treatments.

Together, these assessments offer a comprehensive view of your heart and lung health, empowering you to make informed decisions about exercise, recovery, and overall wellbeing.

Who Benefits From These Tests?

Although these tests are frequently associated with athletes, their value extends to anyone interested in improving their health. Whether your goals include enhancing fitness, managing weight, or gaining insights into your long-term wellness, these assessments provide actionable data tailored to your needs. Athletes can fine-tune training programmes, while others can optimise weight loss or use these tools to build a foundation for healthier living.

Sarah’s take:

These health checks are invaluable in providing me with the data and facts I use to tailor specific, actionable advice for the client. The majority of my clients want to feel better here and now, but also ensure that they maintain a high quality of life as they age.  With the data from the Health Check, I can help them understand the actions they can take now that will help them achieve their short term health goals and which will also pay them dividends in their future.  I especially love the information we gain from the client’s DEXA scan, Resting Metabolic Rate and VO2 max as these results are so insightful into the client’s risk factor for serious illness and what their quality of life may look like as they age if they continue on their current path. More importantly, the results give me a great insight into what needs to be done to change the course and help the client have a much brighter future.  The response from my clients when I share the information and advice is priceless - they just love how it makes so much sense and they can see that it’s not too hard to make a massive difference to their future!

Start Your Health Journey Today

Today is the perfect moment to prioritise your long-term health. Whether you choose our standard Health Check or the comprehensive Health Check+, you’ll benefit from state-of-the-art assessments designed to empower you with knowledge and actionable insights.

Take charge of your health in 2025. Book your NuMi Health Check today.

Sources:

1. Leong, D.P., et al. - Prognostic Value of Grip Strength (The Lancet, 2015)
2. Bohannon, R.W. - Grip Strength: An Indispensable Biomarker for Older Adults (Clinical Interventions in Aging, 2019)
3. Bassett, D.R., & Howley, E.T. - Limiting Factors for Maximum Oxygen Uptake and Determinants of EndurancePerformance (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2000)
4. Kodama, S., et al. - Cardiorespiratory Fitness as a Quantitative Predictor of All-Cause Mortality andCardiovascular Events (JAMA, 2009)
5. Achten, J., & Jeukendrup, A.E. - Maximizing Fat Oxidation During Exercise in Endurance Athletes (Journal of Sports Sciences, 2004)
6. Stisen, A.B., et al. - Maximal Fat Oxidation Rates in Endurance Trained and Untrained Men (European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2006)
7. Mifflin, M.D., et al. - A New Predictive Equation for Resting Energy Expenditure in Healthy Individuals (The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1990)
8. Ravussin, E., & Bogardus, C. - Relationship of Genetics, Age, and Physical Fitness to Daily Energy Expenditureand Fuel Utilization (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1989)
9. NHS ECG Testing - NHS - ECGTest
10. British Lung Foundation - What is Spirometry?