The good news is that it doesn’t take too much time and effort to be health savvy. All you need is a decent checklist, regular maintenance, and body awareness. With a small amount of effort on your part by an annual visit to your general practitioner, you can recognise and prevent future problems, which will then save you time, money and concerns down the track.
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- Start regular checks in your late teens and 20s – For women this is Pap smears at 18 years of age, or 2 years after becoming sexually active. (Aussie women will be particularly happy to know that Australia has the lowest mortality from cervical cancer in the world, in part due to Australian women’s attendance at cervical screening. Go girls!).
At the same time why not ask for a ‘Sexual Health Screen’, testing for chlamydia and gonorrhoea on a urine sample, and Hepatitis B, C, syphilis and HIV on a blood test. Safety is paramount when it comes to sexual health. The current sexual etiquette is that once a couple decides to be exclusive, they visit their GP for a sexual health screen before ceasing the use of condoms.
- For women of child bearing age, it is important that thyroid function is checked and is optimal prior to pregnancy. Exposure to German measles (Rubella), chicken pox (Varicella) and whooping cough (Pertussis) during pregnancy without immunity can be a real problem so check your immune status and vaccinate if required.
- To adequately support a pregnancy from a nutritional standpoint, it is important to have enough folate (green leafy foods), iron, zinc, B12, (red meat, chicken, and sea food), Vitamin D (sunshine), and iodine (seafood and iodised salt). The same goes for the blokes – after all, they provide 50% of the genetic material! Those with a family history of cystic fibrosis or with a relative who is a carrier for the gene should be referred for testing and genetic counselling prior to pregnancy. For women who want to test their fertility in their 30’s, a blood test called AMH or the ‘egg timer test’, in conjunction with a pelvic ultrasound looking for antral follicle (egg) count is the best indicator we have so far. Science, however, is telling us not to delay, with the 20s-30s being the preferred biological age for having children.
- 40s-50s – Your GP will check blood pressure, weight and abdominal circumference; ask about family history of cancers and cardiovascular risk factors (such as heart disease, diabetes, strokes and hypertension), and do blood tests for diabetes, cholesterol and kidney function. You should be alert to new or changing skin lesions, particularly if you are over 40 years of age with fair hair and skin, a history of high levels of UV exposure (work outdoors), and/or a family history of skin cancers. Women aged over 45 years, and men over 50 years of age should have their risk factors for osteoporosis and bone fracture assessed. Breast cancer screening for those without a family history in a first degree relative, is recommended in the form of a Mammogram every 2 years from ages 50-69. Bowel cancer screening is recommended every 2 years from age 50 years upwards, by a stool test called a faecal occult blood test (FOBT).
- For all ages – Of course at any age if you book in a health check, your GP will ask about smoking, skin protection measures (shade, hats, protective clothing and sunscreen), physical activity, weight, alcohol consumption (safe levels are 2 standard drinks for women and 4 for men daily, 5 days a week), mood, nutrition and immunisations.
All women are advised to be familiar with the normal look and feel of their breasts, and to report to their GP any unusual or new changes without delay for investigation.
Alas, get thee, to your local GP.
