As a young girl or woman, perhaps ‘neglecting’ your health and live life doing whatever you wanted didn’t call for any major health concerns with consequences. Visits to doctors and hospitals would usually only happen if it’s really necessary.
However, once you’re on the other side of 40, the consequences of whatever lifestyle you live become more immediate and apparent on your body, which is why you have to really watch your health.
Once you hit 40, you should definitely consider undergoing some health screening tests to ensure that you are healthy and God Forbid have nothing wrong in your body functions! Better safe than sorry…so here’s the list
1. Blood Pressure Screening
It is good to get this checked every month or alternate month so in order to see and check for any irregularities, which are usually indicators of some sort of heart disease or problems.
2. Cholesterol Screening
This should definitely be checked at least once every 2 years in order to check any related disorder at the earliest stage. If you already have existing heart problems or have a history of heart disease, you should check this more often as per your physician’s advice.
3. Fasting Plasma Glucose Screening
This test is a screening in order to check whether or not you have excessively high blood sugar levels. It is recommended for all and is a must in case you have any history of diabetes, for better management or treatment.
4. Lipid Disorder Screening
This screening is a good way to check the condition of your arteries, especially if you run the risk or have a history of coronary artery disease.
5. Alcohol Misuse Screening
This test checks whether your alcohol consumption has had adverse consequences on your health, especially that of your liver. This test is important especially if you have generally been a heavy drinker.
6. Obesity Screening
Obesity is more serious when you are older since your body is not as strong as it used to be in keeping itself healthy and fighting disease. This is a good screening check if you are on the heavy side, and the results will help you change your lifestyle in order to prevent diseases commonly associated with obesity.
7. Bone mineral density test
You should get this test done because it acts as an indicator of whether you stand any risk of osteoporosis and how good your bone strength is. This is urgently recommended for women with a hereditary history of osteoporosis; previous fragility fractures; having been on medications that could have caused bone loss; or difficulty with calcium absorption!
8. Colonoscopy
A colonoscopy is one of the best tests you can get done in order to check if you have any symptoms of colon cancer, as well as other colon related sicknesses, like colon polyps. This test is very thorough, so you will get quite detailed results.
9. Fecal Occult Blood Test
This is another test one should take annually to see if one has any indications of having colorectal cancer. You really need to be aware of any possible signs of cancer when you get older, and try to treat it while it is still early rather than suffer later on.
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10. Mammograms and breast exams
When women reach this age, they stand a higher risk of getting breast cancer, so going for these tests every 1-3 years is important! You should get this done to ensure that any slight chance of breast cancer is diagnosed in its early stages for earliest treatment. These tests can complement each other as each can help see what the other test cannot.
11. Pap and HPV Screening
Not only do women run the risk of breast cancer, but also cervical cancer. Undergoing these screening and subsequent immunizations and treatment is a good preventive measure to ensure you stay healthy for longer.
12. Cancer Screening
If you have any history of cancer in your family, then you should definitely check for whatever type of cancer you know a history of, or any type that you would like to check for besides the previously mentioned colon cancer, breast cancer and cervical cancer. Many people tend to develop cancer as they get older, so it is very important to regularly check on it.
13. Update on Immunizations
Besides all of these screenings, it is also important to update your immunizations or vaccinations and screen for any of the illnesses that would normally need a vaccine. Some recommended vaccines are for pneumonia, Influenza and Zostavax (helps in protecting against herpes zoster, or shingles. This way, you can further prevent any complications in your health.
These are all screenings and tests you should definitely consider undergoing once you hit 40, or even a few years earlier. Your health is really vital at this age, so make sure to take care of yourself and your body if you want to live a healthy and happy life!