The Ultimate Self-Care Plan: Medical Checkups That Keep You Feeling Your Best

If you are in your thirties, you must be balancing work, family, and a lot more things side by side. Taking care of your health and well-being in that situation is like shouldering yet another role. However, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Regular medical checkups can facilitate early detection and prevention of diseases. Women, in particular, are vulnerable to health issues that require regular medical checkups, such as osteoporosis, arthritis, and reproductive health problems. Explore this article, listing some regular medical screenings required for maintaining your health.

Ten Essential Health Screenings for Women

Here is a list of important medical screenings you should prioritize to stay on top of your health:

One – Mammogram

Do you think breast self-exams are enough to detect breast cancer? Healthcare experts recommend that all women above 40 should get their mammogram done once every year to detect early breast cancer.

Women with a family history of breast cancer should consult their healthcare provider to assess the risk of breast cancer. Women aged 40 to 74 should be screened more often.

Two – Bone Health Screening

Women who have reached menopause are at a higher risk of osteoporosis and osteopenia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a bone density test, also known as a DEXA scan (a low-dose X-ray) for women:

• • 65 years or older
  • Who are younger with risk factors

If you are experiencing a bone condition that is affecting your foot or ankle, such as osteoarthritis, heel spurs, or fractures, consider booking an appointment with a foot and ankle specialist.

Three – Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Screening

Due to the increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes as you age, consider having routine diabetes screenings. The HbA1C test and fasting blood sugar test can help detect early signs of the condition. Early detection facilitates effective diabetes treatment.

Screening for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes should be repeated every three years if you are over the age of 40. Get tested more frequently if you have the following risk factors:

• High blood pressure or a history of heart disease
• A family history of diabetes
• Obesity

Four – Blood Pressure Screening

Managing blood pressure can protect you from cardiovascular complications. Get your blood pressure tested at least once a year. You can also purchase digital machines for checking your blood pressure at home.

Having a systolic blood pressure under 120 and a diastolic blood pressure under 80 is considered normal. If your systolic blood pressure reads 130 or more, and your diastolic blood pressure reads between 80 and 89, you have stage 1 hypertension.

Set an appointment with your healthcare provider and get yourself assessed more often if:

• You are diabetic
• You are a heart patient or have kidney problems
• You are overweight
• You had high blood pressure during pregnancy
• Anybody among your parents or siblings has hypertension

Five – Pap Smear and HPV Testing

A pap smear test checks for cancerous cells present in your cervix, and an HPV test determines the presence of infection-causing HPV strains, the primary cause of cervical cancer. Every woman above 30 should undergo a pap smear every 5 years. If you have been treated for cervical dysplasia (precancer) in the past, continue having cervical cancer screening for 20 years or until you turn 65.

Six – Heart Health Screening

Since estrogen helps promote healthy arteries, lower estrogen levels in post-menopausal women and other age-related factors can significantly affect heart health. Therefore, post-menopausal women should get screenings like echocardiograms, electrocardiograms, and stress tests, depending on the occurrence of risk factors.

Some lifestyle modifications and managing cholesterol and blood pressure levels can help reduce the risk of a heart attack. Book an appointment with your cardiologist to get a thorough heart screening done.

Seven – Cholesterol Screening

Increased cholesterol levels mean a high risk of heart disease. Everybody above 40 should undergo cholesterol screening even if they do not have any known risk factors for coronary heart disease.

Get your cholesterol levels screened more often if you have kidney problems, diabetes, or HIV. If the screening detects higher cholesterol levels, ask your healthcare provider to prescribe medicine to control them.

Eight – Dental Screening

Go to your dentist once or twice every year for a dental exam and cleaning. If your dental health is deteriorating, your dentist might recommend more frequent visits.

Nine – Colonoscopy

Most people over 45 are advised to have a colonoscopy every 10 years. You may need to undergo a colonoscopy if you have rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, or severe diarrhea.

 Ten – Vision and Hearing Tests

Individuals aged 40 to 54 should have an eye exam every 2 to 4 years. If you are at high risk for glaucoma, your eye specialist may recommend more frequent vision tests. Diabetics should have an eye examination every year.

Benefits of Regular Medical Checkups

Have a look at the following benefits of regular medical checkups:

One – Early Disease Detection

Symptoms of conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes do not appear until they have progressed. Getting regular checkups can help detect these problems early on. Early detection means fewer complications and reduced medical bills.

Two – Improved Quality of Life

Regular medical screenings help you facilitate timely interventions, promote your overall well-being, and help improve your quality of life by protecting you from life-threatening complications.

Three – Management of Chronic Conditions

Preventive care can help you manage chronic conditions in a better way. For instance, if you are at risk of developing a chronic pain condition, pain management doctors can recommend exercises and lifestyle changes that prevent the condition from developing.

Four – Personalized Care

Since everybody has a different health status, regular checkups can allow you to get a personalized treatment plan for yourself. A personalized approach helps avoid unnecessary treatments, saving time and money.

Take Control of Your Health

Regular medical screenings are necessary to stay healthy. Preventive healthcare facilitates early disease detection and personalized care. In other words, preventive health screening can promote your overall well-being and quality of life. Therefore, contact healthcare professionals to get yourself evaluated for conditions like breast cancer, colorectal cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart diseases, bone health problems, and dental issues.

---

Do you need some strategies to help you make self-care a priority?

Snag a free workbook and get inspiration on all the ways to love your life even more.

>>Click Here to Discover Additional Articles on Strategies to Get Your Life on Track <