What's the best that could happen?
This week is Men's Health Week and it got me thinking about how we as men often neglect our health and put off going to the doctor to get things checked out, even though having regular checkups can be beneficial. So I decided to blog about what benefits might come of being a little more proactive when it comes to our health.
The first couple of things to get checked out are ones that you can get done at your GP, or at least have your GP refer you for. First up is a simple blood pressure test. Now a one off blood pressure test is not of much use in itself - yes in an accident/urgent medical situation it is useful, but in general everyday life it is much better to have a number of blood pressure readings over time in order to note any particular trends that may be going on.
By noting trends you can spot early whether action needs to be taken in order to prevent issues down the line such as heart disease. The same is true of the next test - blood sugars.
Prolonged high blood sugars can lead to diabetes, which can subsequently lead to serious conditions if left unchecked. That is why it is useful to get your blood sugars taken as part of a regular physical checkup by your GP. A simple blood test can give a guide as to whether there is anything to worry about and if you need to make any diet/lifestyle changes in order to improve the situation.
Eyesight is another test that can be done by your GP, however an optometrist can provide a much more detailed review of your eyesight and offer better guidance in this area. Some optometrists offer free eye exams, and most are not prohibitively expensive if they do charge. While you may not notice a change in eyesight initially there may be small changes that can be picked up by an optometrist. It is better to get on top of these changes earlier rather than later.
These are just three simple things to get checked out which are mostly painless and can help prevent larger issues from occurring if problems are left unchecked. As men, we can often be a little slack in getting things looked at by medical professionals but as the old adage goes an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Go and get those little nagging worries checked out, if nothing other than to help you rest easy that you have nothing to worry about.
The first couple of things to get checked out are ones that you can get done at your GP, or at least have your GP refer you for. First up is a simple blood pressure test. Now a one off blood pressure test is not of much use in itself - yes in an accident/urgent medical situation it is useful, but in general everyday life it is much better to have a number of blood pressure readings over time in order to note any particular trends that may be going on.
By noting trends you can spot early whether action needs to be taken in order to prevent issues down the line such as heart disease. The same is true of the next test - blood sugars.
Prolonged high blood sugars can lead to diabetes, which can subsequently lead to serious conditions if left unchecked. That is why it is useful to get your blood sugars taken as part of a regular physical checkup by your GP. A simple blood test can give a guide as to whether there is anything to worry about and if you need to make any diet/lifestyle changes in order to improve the situation.
Eyesight is another test that can be done by your GP, however an optometrist can provide a much more detailed review of your eyesight and offer better guidance in this area. Some optometrists offer free eye exams, and most are not prohibitively expensive if they do charge. While you may not notice a change in eyesight initially there may be small changes that can be picked up by an optometrist. It is better to get on top of these changes earlier rather than later.
These are just three simple things to get checked out which are mostly painless and can help prevent larger issues from occurring if problems are left unchecked. As men, we can often be a little slack in getting things looked at by medical professionals but as the old adage goes an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Go and get those little nagging worries checked out, if nothing other than to help you rest easy that you have nothing to worry about.
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