Health Checkup Test to Promote Your Health Wellness.
As we age, our bodies go through changes and sadly we become more susceptible to the effects associated with the wear and tear of the body. It is especially so for people approaching 30 or older; it is only right that special attention should be given to the care of the body and general health as bodies are just not as healthy as it used to be.
Still in line with our Health and Physical wellness for this quarter; we are sharing on the various ways to ensure you take control of your health and wellness. Living in Nigeria has taught many of us to be careless about our health and not pay mind to the sensitivity of our bodies as we undergo hormonal changes in our lifetime. For most of us, we are simply not wired to take these things serious. We tend to approach these medical issues whenever they occur with a bandage approach as against doing the right thing. It is fair to say that for the majority of people living in Nigeria, a visit to the hospital is not necessary unless it poses a major threat to our lives.
Medical practitioners have advised that it is wise for people to go through a full-body checkup at least once a year especially for those who can afford it.
We have curated some of these must-do tests in the course of the year.
- Blood Sugar Test – This is a test that screens for diabetes by measuring the level of glucose (sugar) in a person’s blood. This test is often done to help diagnose diabetes and also further helps to manage a diabetes condition.
A person’s risk of diabetes increases if any of the following factors hold true:
- You are overweight
- You do not exercise much
- You have high blood pressure, high triglycerides or low good cholesterol levels
- 45 years or older
- Have a history of insulin resistance
- Have a history of strokes or hypertension
- Have a family history of diabetes
- Of African, Hispanic, Asian or native American descent.
2. Full Cholesterol Test (Lipid Profile) – This is a test done to measure the level of blood, total cholesterol, triglycerides HDL and LDL. It is done to check for heart and blood vessel related diseases. A person with a history of heart disease or diabetes should get tested once a year.
3. Cervical Cancer Screening (HPV) – it is recommended that Cervical cancer screening with an HPV test should be carried out every 5 years for everyone with a cervix from ages 25 – 65. During the HPV test, this test is done to collect a few cells and mucus from the cervix and area around it.
4. ECG Test – This is a test usually advised for a person who is 35 years of age and above. It is used to diagnose heart disease, blockage, lack of oxygen, chest pain, difficulties in breathing, heart attack etc.
5. Liver Function Test – It is right to know the condition of the liver and this is a test to be done at least once in a year. A person who drinks too much alcohol is more likely to have fatty liver, hepatitis C and B which is why this test becomes that much more important. It measures the levels of a range of things in the blood such as protein, liver enzymes and bilirubin. Helping to check these ascertain the state of your liver for inflammation or damage.
6. Thyroid Function Test (T3, T4 & TSH) – How well your thyroid gland works is a determining factor to a person’s state of health and wellness. The thyroid is a small gland located in the lower part of the neck. This gland is responsible for regulating many processes in the human body such as metabolism, energy production and mood.
7. Kidney Function Test) – This test checks for how well your kidneys are working. It is used to measure the level of urea, creatinine and certain dissolved salts (electrolytes) in the body.
8. Prostate Cancer (PSA) Screening – Prostrate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men worldwide. This cancer often shows no symptoms in the early stages. The PSA test measures the level of prostate-specific antigen which may be elevated in prostate cancer.
9. STD Test – Having multiple sexual partners opens up one to sexually transmitted diseases which usually give rise to other more chronic diseases. It is right to always have an STD test to know the state of one’s reproductive health.
10. Whole Blood Count - This test assesses a person’s overall health. It is a test used to determine or identify a variety of disorders including anaemia, infection and leukemia.
11. Body Weight Screenings – Screening your bodyweight is key to having a healthy heart. Every visit to the doctor should have you measuring your height and weight as this helps to measure your Body Mass Index (BMI). This measurement speaks to whether a person is at an ideal weight or not. Truth is 2 in every 3 adults is overweight or obese and that increases one’s risk to diabetes, heart diseases and stroke.
12. Colon Cancer Screening – This test is used to identify the presence of cancerous or precancerous growths in the colon by detecting blood that is invisible to the naked eyes. Regular screening may reduce risk of death and complications caused by colorectal cancer.
Why You Need to Get Tested
There are many reasons why you need to take the state of your health serious. With many HMO’s offering different payment plans for accessing medical care it is always of a greater benefit to take advantages of these plans to ensure that one is very intentional about the health and physical wellness of our bodies. The following are reasons why you need to do these tests at least once a year:
- Prompt you to maintain a healthy lifestyle – the result of a test is all that you need to jolt you to make that radical change that could end up saving your life and lead you to living a more wholesome life.
2. Check for current or emerging medical problems – it is often said that what we don’t know does not kill us, that is far from the truth. Sometimes the difference between living and dyinig is a quick diagnosis and too many times, we leave our lives to chance till things deteriorate drastically.
3. Assess your risk of future medical issues – information is power, when managed adequately may just give one the opportunity to make adequate plans to manage the medical situation.
4. Lower healthcare costs – when we make conscious efforts to take care of our bodies and do routine checks, we are being preventive and as against being reactionary to situations and events that drains our pockets, mental and emotional selves.
Plan towards having these screenings done and remember, good health is often relegated to being inconsequential until we have to pay the ultimate price for our carelessness. However, we do recognize that there are medical situations beyond our control, yet we must play our own part in securing not just our physical health but also our wellness as well.
With love and wellness
Proshare Foundation Team
Sources:
https://www.mumbailive.com/en/health/important-medical-tests-may-do-once-in-a-year-after-30-year-61732
https://www.healthline.com/health/blood-sugar-tests#risks
https://www.lifelinescreening.com/health-education/cardiovascular-wellness/what-are-the-most-important-health-screenings?sourcecd=WNAT003