In the last article here, we introduced you to inflammation and its effects on longevity. In the end, we said checking your blood is the next step after lifestyle changes.
Let’s get into it.
Most standard blood tests are built to catch inflammation only once it’s already arrived.
They’re good at spotting full-blown disease.
but they miss the slow, subtle breakdown that happens before that point.
Tests like:
• CRP (C-reactive protein) – picks up sharp, acute inflammation, like after an infection or injury.
• ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate) – responds to inflammation, but isn’t specific or sensitive enough to catch the low-grade kind.
• White blood cell count – will spike in response to infection, but stays normal during chronic, silent inflammation.
So when you go in feeling tired, bloated, or just off, and those tests come back “normal”, you’re told you’re fine.
But what’s actually happening is this:
Your body is inflamed, just not enough to trip the wires of these traditional markers.
This is what doctors miss.
And this is why so many people over 35 spend years stuck in a weird middle zone
not sick enough to treat, but not well enough to live fully.
This low-grade inflammation becomes the foundation for:
• Insulin resistance
• PCOS
• Fatty liver
• Autoimmune flare-ups
• Brain fog, low mood, sleep issues
• Joint stiffness, poor recovery, stubborn fat gain
It doesn’t announce itself. It accumulates quietly, until it’s too loud to ignore.
And by then, it’s not early anymore.
So,
What Test To Take?
1. hs-CRP: The Inflammation Marker Hiding in Plain Sight
Most people we know instantly say “CRP.” when they want to test for inflammation.
It’s very common, and doctors run it when they want to check for infection or injury-related inflammation.
But this…may not be the one you “need”.
If you want to know whether inflammation is slowly building in your body, you need to ask for high-sensitivity CRP, or hs-CRP.
This is the version that doesn’t just flag emergencies.
It catches the quiet kind.
The kind that doesn’t hurt, doesn’t show symptoms, but quietly chips away at your energy, gut health, metabolism, and recovery.
Here’s what you need to know:
• hs-CRP measures low-grade inflammation at the cellular level.
At the cellular level, here’s what’s happening:
When your body is under chronic stress (even mild), it releases inflammatory chemicals like cytokines.
These chemicals tell your liver to make more C-reactive protein (CRP) a signal that your immune system is quietly switched on.
So when your hs-CRP levels rise,
It means your cells are in a constant firefight, trying to repair damage, stress, or metabolic overload.
This is what starts laying the groundwork for conditions like:
• Cardiovascular disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Fatty liver
• Autoimmune flares
• Cognitive decline
hs-CRP is one of the only mainstream tests that gives you this kind of insight, before the damage shows up.
What range should you aim for?
• Ideal: <1.0 mg/L Your body is calm
• Caution zone: 1.0–3.0 mg/L Inflammation is rising
• High risk: >3.0 mg/L Immune system under stress; action needed
Note: this isn’t something you need to test every month.
Even running it once or twice a year gives you a powerful window into what’s happening behind the scenes.
2. Fasting Insulin
if there’s one place inflammation hides really well. it’s in your blood sugar system.
Most routine reports include fasting/random/post prandial glucose or HbA1c.
They’re helpful, but they only show you part of the picture.
You can have “normal” blood sugar on paper, while your body is already pumping out more insulin than it should, just to keep things stable.
That’s the early stage of insulin resistance.
And it’s one of the most common, inflammation-driven issues we see in Indians over 35.
If you want to know whether that’s already happening in your system,
Fasting insulin is one test that shows it, early, clearly, and before symptoms get worse.
We’ve broken this down in full detail in an entire series of articles you’d LOVE TO READ. Click here to check it out.
Your Next Step
Chronic inflammation doesn’t show up with sirens.
It builds quietly, through habits, stress, and time, until it starts showing up as weight gain, fatigue, gut issues, mood changes, or early metabolic dysfunction.
And by the time your standard tests pick it up, it’s usually not early anymore.
You now know what to do about that.
You’ve seen the tests that actually show what’s going on inside your system, before things fall apart.
But if you’re still not sure where you stand,
if you want a clearer sense of how your current state is really affecting your body,
There's one more test we recommend you try.
Find your biological age.
It answers this question.
Has your body aged faster than it should have? Or are you still on track?
If your biological age comes back higher than expected don’t panic.
It just means now’s the time to act and we at The Oak Age will help you, because our entire existence is to help you make sure you achieve healthy longevity.
Anyway,
Check Your Biological Age Now Here
And you’ve already taken the first step.
