Everyone should make time for healthy habits. Partaking in stress management, regular exercise, and healthy eating will potentially make us live more fulfilling lives. However, scheduling routine health screenings is a way to detect any health problems that may affect you down the line. Detecting a disease early, you can start your treatment early and avoid complications. Here are five of the most important health checkups for everyone:
- Blood pressure screening
Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood on your circulatory system. High blood pressure or hypertension usually doesn’t have any symptoms. It is important to check your blood pressure because it is the only way to know where you stand. In case you have problems with high blood pressure, you will be prescribed a medication and you will have to check your blood pressure regularly. Luckily, you don’t have to go to the doctor every time for blood pressure checkup. Because now you can do that at home as well with the manual or automated device. It is very important to know that high blood pressure increase risk of stroke and heart disease.
- Skin check
Our skin is associated with many health conditions. Changes in the skin don’t have to mean cancer. Apart from cancer, the skin is vulnerable to many other conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. A skin examination using a computerized scanning device will make it possible to detect any health conditions. You should check your skin frequently by yourself. In case you find something suspicious like a strange mole, new or changing lesions you need to visit your dermatologist immediately.
- Cholesterol check
High cholesterol is a common health issue for many people today. It is highly associated with heart complications. By a single finger prick, a lipid blood panel will be able to confirm your cholesterol levels. As such, you will be able to identify your good cholesterol (HDL) as well as blood fat (triglycerides). You should check your cholesterol every five years for adults over 20 and on a yearly basis for women and men over 45. You can get tested at your doctor’s office, at home or in some pharmacies.
- STD testing
Sexually transmitted diseases are very common, and most people don’t even know they have them because most of them are asymptomatic. If untreated they can lead to serious health problems such as organ damage, infertility, cancer and even blindness. When a sexually transmitted disease is detected early, it can be properly treated. However, serious STDs such as syphilis and gonorrhea could cause severe complications and even death if left untreated. While responsible sexual behavior is always encouraged, carelessness is often a concern. Many people are shy when it comes to sexual health, but there is nothing to be shy about. Testing on STD’s is the only way to know how you stand.
- Eye checkup
It is easy to take your eyes for granted, especially if you do not notice any problem with your vision. An eye exam will make it easy to detect problems even before you realize that they exist. Serious conditions like cancer, high cholesterol as well as diabetes can be detected through an eye exam. Remember, a visual screening is not an eye exam as it can only detect subnormal vision. Even if you pass a vision screening, you still need a routine eye exam. An eye check is performed by a licensed eye doctor and should be done at least every two years.
There are many benefits to living a healthy life. Taking care of your health will lead you to a state of balance and inner harmony. Giving the body all that it needs is equal to living a good and healthy life. Needless to say, when your health fails, it will seem like everything else in your life is also failing. Making a commitment to embrace healthier habits will pay off in the long run.