Most people only go to the doctor when they are feeling sick. This is a huge mistake! By the time you feel sick, it might be too late to catch the disease or condition early. In order to stay healthy, it is important to monitor your health regularly.
In this blog post, we will discuss six important ways that you can monitor your health. These health checks can help you identify diseases or conditions early, so that you can get treatment before it becomes a bigger problem. So please read on for more information on how to keep yourself healthy!
Table of Contents
Skin Checks
The first way to monitor your health is to check your skin. Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, and it is also one of the most preventable. You can check for skin cancer by doing a self-exam every month. Look for any new or changing moles, spots, or bumps on your skin. If you see anything that concerns you, make an appointment to see a dermatologist.
This is particularly relevant for people who have a family history of skin cancer, or who have fair skin. However, everyone should be doing monthly self-exams, just to be safe.
Monitor Your Stool
Another health check that you can do at home is to monitor your stool. This might sound gross, but it’s actually important! Checking your stool can help you detect problems with your digestion, such as Crohn’s disease or colorectal cancer.
When assessing your stool, look for changes in the size, shape, or color of your stool. The Centre for Gastrointestinal Health has a great guide that explains the different types of stool and their meaning for you to refer to. If you see anything that concerns you, make an appointment with your doctor.
Check Your Heartbeat
Another important way to monitor your health is to check your heartbeat after exercise. Exercise is great for your health, but it’s important to make sure that you don’t overdo it. After you finish exercising, check your pulse. If your heart rate is higher than normal, or if you feel short of breath, slow down and rest.
Tracking your heartbeat is fairly easy, all you need to do is purchase a heart rate monitor. Alternatively, you can measure your beats per minute manually by counting the number of times your heart beats in one minute.
If you have a family history of heart disease, you should consistently take note of your heartbeat to ensure that you’re staying fit and healthy!
Blood Pressure Check
Another health check that you can do at home is to check your blood pressure. High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and other health problems. You can buy a blood pressure monitor at most pharmacies, or you can ask your doctor to check it at your next appointment.
Regularly checking your blood check is important for people who have diabetes, high cholesterol, or a family history of heart disease. However, even if you don’t have any of these risk factors, it’s still a good idea to check your blood pressure from time to time.
Weight
Monitoring your weight is also important for health. If you are overweight, you are at higher risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other health problems. Check your weight at least once a month, and make sure that you are staying within a healthy range.
A useful tip is understanding your body mass index (BMI), as this can help you to know if you are a healthy weight. The BMI is a number that is calculated using your height and weight. To help you out, here is an online BMI calculator which will help determine your score.
Track Your Sleep
Finally, tracking your sleep is also important for health. Most people need about eight hours of sleep per night. If you are not getting enough sleep, you may be at higher risk for health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. To track your sleep, you can buy a wearable tracker or download a sleep tracking app.
We hope you found this blog post helpful! Remember, these are just six of the many ways that you can monitor your health. If you have any concerns about your health, make sure to see a doctor. Early detection is key to staying healthy!
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