collaborative post | Taking care of your health doesn’t need to be a marathon effort, and you don’t even need to step out of your home to do it. Here are five straightforward home health checks that will help you stay in tune with your well-being and could spot potential issues sooner rather than later.
1) Be A Blood Pressure Whiz
High blood pressure or hypertension is often called the “silent threat” because it’s linked to heart disease and stroke. Thankfully, you don’t need a medical degree to keep an eye on your blood pressure levels, just a handy digital monitor.
These monitors are pretty user-friendly and give you instant readings. Consistency is key here, so try to measure your blood pressure at the same time each day, maybe before your morning coffee or medication.
A good goal to aim for is around 120/80 mmHg. If you’re consistently clocking higher readings, it’s time to pick up the phone and call your healthcare provider.
2) Skin Examination: Know Your Moles
Skin cancer is pretty common, but here’s the good news: if caught early, it’s often highly treatable. Doing a regular once-over of your skin can help you spot anything suspicious, like changes in moles or new growths.
Grab a mirror and examine all areas of your body, including those hard-to-see spots like your back, scalp, and between your toes. If you spot something new or a mole that’s changed in size, colour, or shape, don’t delay. Make sure you let a healthcare professional know.
3) Get To Know Your BMI
Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is a quick and dirty way to see if your weight is in the healthy range for your height. It’s not the ultimate measure of health, but a high BMI might flag up a higher risk for conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.
Whip out your phone and use an online calculator to work out your BMI. A healthy BMI is usually between 18.5 and 24.9. Anything higher might suggest you’re overweight or obese, while anything lower could indicate you’re underweight.
4) Keep An Eye On Your Eyes
Looking after your vision is a key part of overall health, and there are at-home vision tests that can help you catch potential problems early. One such tool is the Amsler grid test.
With this test, you just focus on a central dot on a grid. If you see distortions, blurry spots, or blank areas, that could be a sign that it’s time for a professional eye exam. Remember, home tests are great, but they can’t replace the thorough check you’ll get from your optometrist.
5) Get Familiar With Home Testing Kits
Home health testing kits are your secret weapon when it comes to managing your health. They’re a convenient way to monitor your health status, including checks for more serious conditions, like, for example, bowel cancer.
These kits usually require you to collect a small sample at home, which you then send off to a lab for analysis. They can be crucial in catching diseases early. But remember, these kits are an additional tool, not a replacement for regular check-ups with your healthcare provider.
So, there you go. With these home health checks, you have a toolkit for staying on top of your health. While these checks don’t replace professional healthcare, they offer valuable insights into your overall well-being. Stay tuned into your body, keep an eye on changes, and always remember that catching something early often means better treatment success and a happier, healthier you.
Very good tips! 🙂