How to read your blood test results — from a vascular surgeon using her own bloodwork. I go line by line through the complete blood count (CBC), fasting glucose and insulin, kidney and liver panels, thyroid, inflammation (hs-CRP), ferritin, and a lipid panel that's getting its own video. This is exactly how I read labs for my metabolic patients, with all my own numbers on screen: the good, the bad, and a couple that genuinely disappointed me.
Along the way: why my hs-CRP finally dropped under 1 after years of nagging me, the omega-3 result I'm not proud of, what fasting insulin and A1c say about insulin resistance, and how a "high" calculated LDL can sit right next to a normal ApoB. Pull up your own blood test results and read along.
⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 The good, the bad, and a little ugly
0:26 CBC: blood counts and what red-cell size hints at
3:28 Platelets, and my inflammation hunch
5:44 The differential, quickly
6:53 The fasting glucose that annoyed me (and the post-call excuse)
10:06 Kidney function, and the tests I skipped
13:41 Calcium, and the vitamin D catch
14:53 Uric acid: gout, fructose, and purines
16:07 Liver "dysfunction" tests: AST, ALT, bilirubin
17:43 My vitamin D, homocysteine, and MTHFR
21:22 Ferritin and my iron stores
21:56 My worst result: the omega-3 balance
24:58 Metabolic markers: A1c and fasting insulin
25:34 Thyroid, read on replacement
26:37 The hs-CRP win: from 3 down to 0.6
27:44 Lipid teaser: 209 total, ApoB 86, and the next video
▶️ WATCH NEXT
7 Life-Saving Tests Your Doctor Might Skip!: https://youtu.be/vPw38B9QzjM
5 MORE Tests That Reveal What's Really Happening Inside Your Body: https://youtu.be/vwORTxzeEMg
Order your own labs here:
https://www.ultalabtests.com/partners/lilyjohnstonmd
OR
www.ownyourlabs.com
⚕️ DISCLAIMER
This channel is for education, not medical advice. I'm a board-certified vascular surgeon, but I'm not your surgeon, and nothing here replaces a conversation with your own physician. One lab value is a single snapshot in time; reference ranges, timing, and your own history all change what a number means. Don't start, stop, or change anything based on one result. Bring your labs to your own doctor.
💬 Found this useful? Subscribe, and tell me in the comments which panel you want me to break down next. We'll get to as many questions as we can. Until then, take really good care.
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🧬 About Dr. Lily Johnston
Dr. Johnston is a double board-certified vascular and general surgeon in San Diego, specializing in metabolic and cardiovascular prevention. She’s the founder of CorSight Health and a passionate advocate for reimagining how medicine approaches chronic disease.
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