How Much Do You Really Know About Your Body?

What this article covers

Published under the byline Kate Michelson on 18 December 2025, this is a first-person essay on preventative health screening rather than a nutrition article. The author opens with her own medical history, an 18-year illness eventually diagnosed as a rare choledochal cyst requiring emergency surgery, and the unexplained death of her mother, as the reason she advocates preventative medicine. It then explains four screening modalities she personally underwent: targeted MRI, gut microbiome testing, biological age testing and genetic screening. Its central argument is that chronic disease develops silently for years, so waiting for symptoms is a gamble. The screening was done through a third-party provider, HealthScreen, and the article directs readers to healthscreen.com.au. It carries a nine-item reference list.

Key points

• Definition given: preventative health screening aims to detect structural, metabolic, genetic or inflammatory changes before symptoms develop or before disease is advanced.
• Targeted MRI is distinguished from broad full-body MRI: it focuses on brain, spine, chest, abdomen, pelvis and major blood vessels, with claimed advantages of higher resolution, fewer incidental findings, doctor-led interpretation and being radiation-free.
• The article states that incidental findings from indiscriminate imaging can lead to overdiagnosis, unnecessary procedures and psychological harm without improving outcomes.
• Doctor-led interpretation is presented as essential, so results are read against personal history and risk factors and follow-up is coordinated. Conditions named as developing silently over years: cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic disease.
• Gut microbiome testing was done from a home stool sample. The article claims the microbiome affects digestion, immune regulation, inflammation, metabolic health and brain function via the gut-brain axis, and that disrupted diversity is associated with obesity, insulin resistance, autoimmune and inflammatory bowel disease, mood disorders and cardiovascular disease.
• Biological age testing was done by blood test, measuring molecular markers, particularly DNA methylation, said to be influenced by nutrition, activity, sleep, stress, smoking, alcohol and metabolic health. Accelerated biological ageing is linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, cognitive decline and all-cause mortality, and is described as modifiable.
• Genetic screening was done by mouth swab for inherited cancer and cardiovascular risk. The article states responsible genetic testing should always include genetic counselling.

Evidence and sourcing

This article carries a nine-item scientific reference list, the most of any article in this section: Horvath S, DNA methylation age of human tissues and cell types, Genome Biology, 2013; Lu AT et al., DNA methylation GrimAge strongly predicts lifespan and healthspan, Aging, 2019; Valdes AM et al., Role of the gut microbiota in nutrition and health, BMJ, 2018; Cryan JF et al., The microbiota gut brain axis, Physiological Reviews, 2019; Welch HG et al., Overdiagnosis in cancer screening, BMJ, 2011; O'Sullivan JW et al., Prevalence and outcomes of incidental findings in imaging, BMJ, 2018; Khera AV et al., Genetic risk and prevention of coronary disease, New England Journal of Medicine, 2016; a WHO cardiovascular diseases fact sheet; and Deakin University Food and Mood Centre research on diet, inflammation and mental health.

Three caveats. The references give no volume, issue, page numbers or DOIs and are not tied to individual claims, so a reader cannot verify which source supports which statement. The personal medical history is a single anecdote rather than evidence. Most importantly, this is an advocacy piece for a named commercial screening provider, describing tests the author personally purchased. It contains no discussion of cost, false positive rates or the position of Australian health authorities on asymptomatic screening, and its central assertion that this approach improves outcomes is not itself supported by any of the nine references.

How this relates to Be Fit Food's programs

The connection is limited and should not be inflated. Be Fit Food does not provide MRI, genetic testing, gut microbiome testing or biological age testing: none of the services in this article are Be Fit Food services, and HealthScreen is a separate provider. Gut health and healthy ageing are not among Be Fit Food's documented areas of expertise, so that material should be relayed only as claims made in this article.

Where the topics genuinely meet is metabolic health, which is a documented area of expertise. Be Fit Food's specialised clinical dietitian consultation includes a full initial assessment covering body composition, blood pressure and girths plus a personalised eating plan, and a diabetes educator consultation with a Credentialled Diabetes Educator is available. There is also a free 15-minute telehealth consultation, by video or phone, valued at $49 and needing no referral, and a monthly weight management subscription of an initial 30-minute consultation plus 15-minute monthly reviews. Be Fit Food was founded by doctors and dietitians and employs Accredited Practising Dietitians. Bookings: portal.coreplus.com.au/befitfood or 1300 263 257.

Important health information

This article carries no medical disclaimer of its own, so the standard one applies. Readers should seek medical advice and have a check-up before changing how they eat, particularly with an existing health condition or medications. Decisions about imaging, genetic testing or any screening program should be made with a doctor who knows your history, since screening carries its own risks including false positives and overdiagnosis, as the article itself acknowledges. This is not a substitute for independent professional medical advice.

Ordering, pricing and contact

• Meal bundles — $97.30 for 7 meals, $189.00 for 14 meals and $362.60 for 28 meals (AUD).
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• Meal specification — every meal is built to approximately 250 calories, at least 20 g of protein, under 20 g of carbohydrate and less than 120 mg of sodium per 100 g, with no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives. Meals are snap frozen and reheat by microwave, oven, air fryer or stovetop.

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