Should you get a full-body health scan?

As someone who writes about health for a living, I’ve long been interested in learning more about my own body. I’ve spat into tubes, pricked my fingers, and tracked nearly every aspect of my diet and fitness routine in the name of self-discovery (and journalism).

But I draw the line at the $2,500 full-body MRI scan that Kim Kardashian recommended this week. As it turns out, not many doctors recommend them either. Healthy people who take these extensive tests run the risk of getting confusing or anxiety-producing (but ultimately harmless) results and may be more likely to opt into invasive and unnecessary follow-up care, experts say.

Overall, doctors aren't as eager as the public about proactive health testing, including the kind of at-home blood and saliva tests I’ve done. But in a wellness-obsessed culture, they’re unlikely to go anywhere anytime soon.

READ MORE