The Quanome blog

Practical guides to understanding and owning your health data — your DNA, wearables, lab results, and the privacy that ties it all together.

Browse by topic

23andMe & raw DNA 20

Download, read, and privately interpret your 23andMe raw data — guides, tools, and gene-by-gene how-tos.

Unifying your health data 7

Bring Apple Health, wearables, lab results, and apps into one timeline that's actually yours.

Health data privacy 4

Why your genetic and health data is safest analysed on your own device, not uploaded to the cloud.

AI health coaching 3

What an AI health coach is, how to choose one, and how it reasons across your real numbers.

Understanding lab results 32

Make sense of your bloodwork at home — what the markers mean and how to track them over time.

Latest posts

A plain-English guide to CRP and hs-CRP on your blood test: what they measure, typical ranges, what a high or markedly-high CRP means, the common causes, how it's used with other markers, and why the trend matters.

What a high platelet count means

A plain-English guide to a high platelet count (thrombocytosis): what platelets measure, the normal range, what specific values like 450 or 500 mean, why most high counts are reactive, and when a raised count is worth attention.

What a low platelet count means

A plain-English guide to a low platelet count (thrombocytopenia): what platelets do, the normal range, what specific values mean, common causes, when a low count is urgent, and why a lab artifact can sometimes be to blame.

What a high eosinophil count means

A plain-English guide to a high eosinophil count (eosinophilia): what eosinophils measure, the normal range, what specific values mean, why allergies and parasites are the usual causes, and when a raised count is worth attention.

What a high monocyte count means

A plain-English guide to a high monocyte count (monocytosis): what monocytes measure, the normal range, what specific values mean, why most high counts are reactive, and when a raised count is worth attention.

What a high white blood cell count means

A plain-English guide to a high white blood cell count (leukocytosis): what WBCs and the differential measure, what each cell type suggests, why a raised count is usually reactive rather than serious, and when it's worth attention.

What a high neutrophil count means

A plain-English guide to a high neutrophil count (neutrophilia): what neutrophils measure, the normal range, what specific values mean, why most high counts are reactive, and when a raised count is worth attention.

What a high lymphocyte count means

A plain-English guide to a high lymphocyte count (lymphocytosis): what lymphocytes measure, the normal range, what specific values mean, why most high counts are reactive and viral, and when a raised count is worth attention.

Understanding your CBC: what the combinations mean

A plain-English guide to the complete blood count — the three cell lines (red cells, white cells, platelets), what each value can suggest, and how to read combinations like low MCV + low MCH or high WBC with low RBC as a whole. Educational, not diagnostic.

What your RDW blood test means

A plain-English guide to RDW (red cell distribution width): what it measures, the normal range, what specific values like 14.5 or 15 mean, why RDW is read alongside MCV, and when a high RDW is worth attention.

What your MCV blood test means

A plain-English guide to MCV (mean corpuscular volume): what it measures, the normal range, what specific values like 100 or 80 mean, why MCV is read alongside RDW, and when a high or low MCV is worth attention.

What happens to your DNA data if the testing company is sold?

What happens to your DNA data when a genetic testing company is sold, goes bankrupt, or changes hands — who controls it, your deletion rights, and how to reduce exposure.

How to download your 23andMe raw data

A clear step-by-step guide to downloading your 23andMe raw DNA data file, what the file contains, and how to read and interpret it privately on your own device.

How to delete your 23andMe data (and what they keep)

Step-by-step on deleting your 23andMe account and genetic data — plus what 23andMe's own policy says they retain even after deletion, and why to download your raw data first.

How to read your blood test results

A plain-English guide to reading your blood test results: how to read a lab report, what a reference range really means, why units differ, and why patterns and trends matter more than one flagged line.

Low hemoglobin and anemia

A plain-English guide to hemoglobin and the CBC red-cell indices (Hb, hematocrit, RBC, MCV, MCH, RDW): what they measure, normal ranges for men and women in g/dL and g/L, what low hemoglobin and anemia mean, how MCV classifies the type, the symptoms, and how it links to ferritin, iron, and B12.

High ALT & AST (elevated liver enzymes): what they mean

What high ALT and AST mean on a blood test: typical ranges, common causes (fatty liver, alcohol, medications), the AST/ALT ratio, where GGT and ALP fit, and when to worry. Also written ALAT/ASAT or SGPT/SGOT.

What high triglycerides mean

A plain-English guide to triglycerides: the normal, borderline-high, high and very-high ranges in mg/dL and mmol/L, what causes them to rise, the risks, the lifestyle levers that lower them, and how they fit with HDL, LDL and the metabolic picture.

What your uric acid level means

A plain-English guide to the uric acid blood test: normal ranges in mg/dL and µmol/L, what high uric acid (hyperuricemia) means, its link to gout, kidney stones, what drives it up or down, dietary levers, and when medication is considered.

What your ferritin level means

A plain-English guide to ferritin on your blood test: what it measures, why inflammation can raise it and mask iron deficiency, typical ranges, what high and low ferritin mean, how it's read with transferrin saturation and CRP, and why the trend matters.

What your vitamin D level means

A plain-English guide to the vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) blood test: what it measures, deficient/insufficient/sufficient ranges in ng/mL and nmol/L, what causes low levels, how it's read alongside calcium and PTH, and why the yearly trend matters.

What your vitamin B12 level means

A plain-English guide to the vitamin B12 blood test: what low, normal and high mean, why borderline results need context, and how active B12, MMA and homocysteine confirm a true deficiency.

What your bilirubin level means

A plain-English guide to the bilirubin blood test: total, direct and indirect bilirubin, normal ranges in mg/dL and µmol/L, what high bilirubin (jaundice, Gilbert's syndrome, hemolysis, liver and bile-duct problems) means, how it's read with ALT/AST/ALP/GGT, and when to worry.

What your cortisol level means

A plain-English guide to the cortisol test: what it measures, normal morning and evening ranges in µg/dL and nmol/L, what high (Cushing's) and low (Addison's) cortisol mean, the different test types (serum, salivary, urine, suppression and stimulation), and why timing and method matter.

What your fasting glucose means

A plain-English guide to the fasting glucose (fasting blood sugar) test: normal, prediabetes and diabetes ranges in mg/dL and mmol/L, what raises or lowers a reading, how insulin resistance fits in, and how it compares to HbA1c and the OGTT.

What your TSH level means

A plain-English guide to the TSH thyroid test: what it measures, typical ranges, and what high TSH (hypothyroidism) and low TSH (hyperthyroidism) mean — plus free T4/T3, TPO antibodies, pregnancy, biotin interference, and why tracking it over time matters.

What your HbA1c means

A plain-English guide to the HbA1c blood test (A1C / glycated haemoglobin): what it measures, how it maps to average blood sugar (eAG), the normal, prediabetes and diabetes ranges in both % and mmol/mol, what falsely raises or lowers it, why targets are individual, and why the trend matters.

What is an AI health coach app?

What an AI health coach app actually is, how it works, what it can and can't help with, and how to choose one that reasons over your own labs, wearables, and DNA — privately.

What is a quantified self app?

A plain-English guide to quantified self apps: what self-tracking means, what these apps measure, the categories of tracking, the privacy trade-off, and how to turn raw numbers into insight.

What is a personal health record (PHR) app?

A plain-English guide to personal health record (PHR) apps and software: what a PHR is, how it differs from your clinic's EHR, the tethered vs. standalone vs. aggregator types, data standards like FHIR, the cloud-vs-on-device privacy choice, and how to pick one.

What HDL, LDL, TSH and CBC actually mean

What do lab result abbreviations mean? A plain-language decoder for HDL, LDL, TSH, CBC, HbA1c, CRP and the other common blood test markers — what each measures, why it's ordered, and how to read it against your lab's range.

What your 23andMe raw data reveals about your health

What 23andMe raw data health insights you can actually learn — disease-risk markers, carrier status, medication response, and wellness traits — explained calmly, with the caveats that matter.

How to bring all your health data into one place

How to sync and consolidate health data from multiple apps into one personal health data app — the approaches, avoiding duplicates and conflicts, and keeping it private.

How to track your lab results over time

Learn how to track lab results over time, organise numbers from different labs, and read trends instead of single readings — including which markers to trend and how to compare labs — privately, on your own device.

How to sync Apple Health, Fitbit and MyFitnessPal into one place

Sync Apple Health, Fitbit, MyFitnessPal and Health Connect without the duplicate-steps mess. See exactly how the data flows, which metrics cross over, what silently fails, and where your numbers end up.

Prothrombin G20210A: the other inherited clotting variant

What the prothrombin G20210A variant (rs1799963) in the F2 (Factor II) gene means for blood clotting, why one copy usually carries only a modest increase in risk, how it combines with Factor V Leiden, and when carriers should confirm with a clinician.

On-device vs the cloud: where your health data is safest

On-device vs cloud for health data: how each actually works, the honest trade-offs, why it matters more for DNA and health records, and how to tell what an app does.

MTHFR and your 23andMe raw data: how to find and understand it

How to find your MTHFR variants in 23andMe raw data — the C677T (rs1801133) and A1298C (rs1801131) markers — what the genotypes actually mean, and why major genetics bodies advise against routine MTHFR testing.

How to download your MyHeritage DNA raw data

A step-by-step guide to downloading your MyHeritage DNA raw data file — where the Manage DNA kits menu lives, what's inside the file, common download problems, and how to analyze it privately on your own device.

Hemochromatosis and your 23andMe raw data: checking HFE variants

How to check your hemochromatosis 23andMe raw data for the HFE variants C282Y and H63D, what the genotypes mean, why penetrance is low, and why iron studies confirm it.

A practical health data privacy checklist

A practical, calm health data privacy checklist: know what you share, prefer on-device processing, guard your DNA, understand deletion rights, and audit connections — step by step.

ABCC11 rs17822931: wet vs dry earwax (and body odor)

One letter of DNA in the ABCC11 gene (SNP rs17822931) decides whether your earwax is wet or dry — and the same variant is linked to how much underarm body odor you make. Here's the clean genotype-to-trait story, the biology, and the striking ancestry pattern.

Are you a morning or night person? The CLOCK gene and chronotype

How the CLOCK gene and the wider circadian-clock network shape your chronotype — morning lark or night owl — why chronotype is polygenic, and how light, age, and habit do most of the steering.

Do you carry a celiac-risk gene? HLA-DQ2.5 and DQ8 explained

What HLA-DQ2.5 and HLA-DQ8 are, why these genes are necessary but not sufficient for celiac disease, why a DNA result is mainly useful for ruling celiac out, and why you should never go gluten-free before getting tested.

Can DNA predict eye color? The HERC2/OCA2 story

How one variant near HERC2/OCA2 (rs12913832) drives blue vs brown eyes, why green and hazel are so hard to predict, and why the old brown-beats-blue Punnett-square rule is a myth.

BRCA1, BRCA2 and your 23andMe raw data: what it can (and can't) tell you

23andMe raw data covers only a few BRCA1/BRCA2 variants. Learn what it tests, why a negative result is never an all-clear, and when to see a genetic counselor.

How to find your blood type in 23andMe raw data

23andMe doesn't report blood type, but you can often infer it from your raw data. Here's how the ABO and RHD genes work, which SNPs to look up, how genotype maps to A, B, AB, O and +/−, and why it's never a substitute for a real blood test.

Best tools to interpret your 23andMe raw data (2026)

A balanced, non-diagnostic comparison of the best 23andMe raw data tools in 2026 — Promethease, Genetic Genie, SelfDecode, GenomApp and more — grouped by category, with the accuracy and privacy caveats that apply to all of them, plus a privacy-first on-device option that never uploads your DNA.

BDNF Val66Met (rs6265): what the 'memory and stress gene' really tells you

What the BDNF Val66Met (rs6265) variant is actually associated with — neuroplasticity, memory, stress response, exercise, and mood — and where the popular claims run far ahead of the evidence.

APOE4 and your 23andMe raw data: how to check your status

How to read APOE4 in your 23andMe raw data using rs429358 and rs7412, what the e2/e3/e4 alleles mean for Alzheimer's and heart risk, and why an e4 allele is a risk factor — not destiny. Educational only; genetic counseling recommended.

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (SERPINA1): what PiZ and PiS carriers should know

What the SERPINA1 Pi*Z (rs28929474) and Pi*S (rs17580) alleles mean for carriers, how low alpha-1 antitrypsin affects the lungs and liver, why not smoking matters most, why most carriers stay well, and why raw DNA isn't diagnostic.

Alcohol and your DNA: ADH1B and ALDH2

Two genes shape how your body handles alcohol: ADH1B (rs1229984) sets how fast you break it down to acetaldehyde, and ALDH2 (rs671) clears that acetaldehyde away. Here's why some people flush, feel sick fast, or rarely become dependent — and what your 23andMe raw data can and can't tell you.

Albumin & ALP: the rest of your metabolic panel

What albumin and ALP (alkaline phosphatase) measure on a comprehensive metabolic panel, what high and low values commonly point to, and how they are read together with your other liver and kidney markers. Educational, not diagnostic.

AI health coach vs human coach: which do you need?

AI health coach vs human coach compared honestly — cost, availability, personalization, data-driven insight, and accountability — so you pick the right fit.

23andMe raw data: the complete guide to reading and analyzing it

The complete guide to 23andMe and AncestryDNA raw data: what it is, the file format, how to download it, what you can and can't explore, the coverage and accuracy limits, the tools landscape, and how to analyze it privately on your own device.

What your creatinine and eGFR mean

A plain-English guide to creatinine and eGFR on your blood test: what they measure, typical ranges, the eGFR G-stages, why muscle mass and hydration skew the numbers, where urine albumin (ACR) and cystatin C fit, and why the trend beats any single reading.

How to lower LDL cholesterol

Evidence-based ways to lower LDL cholesterol — the diet and lifestyle changes that actually move it, how much and how fast, when medication matters, and why tracking your LDL trend over time is what proves it's working.

How to download your AncestryDNA raw data

A step-by-step guide to downloading your AncestryDNA raw data file — where to find it, what format it's in, and how to analyze it privately on your own device.

How to add and track lab results in Apple Health

How to get your lab results into Apple Health: connect Health Records from your provider, what you can and can't add manually, and the easiest way to track blood test results over time.

At-home blood testing: a 2026 guide

How at-home blood testing works in 2026, what you can and can't measure, finger-prick vs venous draws, accuracy, and how to actually make sense of your results over time.

What causes high ferritin?

High ferritin doesn't always mean iron overload — most often it's inflammation. The real causes of high ferritin, how doctors tell them apart, and when to worry.

Why does cilantro taste like soap? Meet OR6A2

Why cilantro tastes like soap to some people, the OR6A2 smell-receptor gene and rs72921001 variant behind it, the aldehyde chemistry cilantro shares with soap, and how bitter-taste and other smell genes shape what you love or loathe.

VDR variants in your raw data (FokI, BsmI)

What the VDR vitamin D receptor variants (FokI rs2228570, BsmI rs1544410) in your 23andMe raw data mean, why the evidence is mixed and modest, how to find them, and why a blood test — not a genotype — tells you your vitamin D.

MC1R: the 'redhead gene' and what it actually predicts

MC1R is the closest thing to a 'redhead gene.' Here's how its variants shape red hair, fair skin, and UV sensitivity — plus the truth about the anesthesia and pain claims.

OXTR rs53576: what the 'empathy gene' science actually says

OXTR rs53576 is nicknamed the 'empathy gene', but the real science is modest, inconsistent, and often failed to replicate. Here's what the oxytocin receptor actually does, where the hype came from, and why one SNP can't tell you how empathetic you are.

Is there an "obesity gene"? FTO, explained

FTO is the closest thing to an 'obesity gene' — but it's a small nudge, not destiny. What FTO (rs9939609) does, why one variant explains so little, how much lifestyle offsets it, and how to check yours privately.

Is lactose intolerance genetic?

Is lactose intolerance genetic? Largely yes — a regulatory variant near the LCT gene decides whether you keep digesting lactose as an adult. Here's the MCM6/rs4988235 story, why genotype isn't the same as symptoms, and how to check your raw data.

How often should you get blood work done?

How often to get blood work by age, sex, risk factors, medications, and goals — which panels and how often, why the trend beats any single reading, and what to do with an abnormal result.

Factor V Leiden (rs6025) in your raw data

What the Factor V Leiden rs6025 variant means for blood clotting, how to find it in your 23andMe or AncestryDNA raw data, why it's a risk factor rather than a diagnosis, and when to talk to a clinician.

CYP2C19 in your raw data: how you metabolize certain drugs

What the CYP2C19 variants in your 23andMe or AncestryDNA raw data mean for how you metabolize medications like clopidogrel, PPIs, and some antidepressants — why raw data is not clinical-grade, and why any medication question belongs with a doctor or pharmacist.

CYP1A2 rs762551: fast or slow caffeine metabolizer?

What the CYP1A2 rs762551 variant means for how you process caffeine, how to find it in your 23andMe or AncestryDNA raw data, why fast vs slow metabolizer is only part of the story, and how to experiment sensibly.

COMT rs4680: the 'warrior vs worrier' gene in your raw data

What the COMT rs4680 (Val158Met) variant really means, how to find it in your 23andMe or AncestryDNA raw data, and why the 'warrior/worrier' story is more pop science than science.

The best personal health record apps in 2026

A fair, no-hype comparison of the best personal health record (PHR) apps — also called personal medical record apps — in 2026: free built-in hubs, clinical-record aggregators, and private on-device options. Includes a feature comparison, migration tips, a what-to-look-for checklist, and common pitfalls.