Preventative Health Care: What You Need to Know

Your body’s health is important, which is why you need to take care of it so that it functions the right way. Even if you get older, it shouldn’t mean that you don’t have a choice. Your body doesn’t have to slow down just because of the age. Using preventative health care, you get to keep a tab on your health.

By running a few tests and your doctor could come across problems that don’t grow if and when treated early. If you’re think about the costs involved, then you don’t really need to worry because most health plans cover preventative health care. You can even seek the assistance of your doctor to find a free or low cost program that can help you get the tests done.

1. Blood Pressure Check

Blood pressure is a condition that knocks on your door without any symptoms. And if left unchecked it can lead to a stroke, eye problem, kidney problem and even a heart attack.

While you don’t need to have your blood pressure check every other month, you should get it check at least twice a year if it’s lower than 120/80. If it’s higher then you should go for a check annually.

2. Cholesterol Screening

Having a high blood cholesterol level is not at all good for your health. It’s one of the main factors contributing to heart disease, which is a leading cause of death in the United States.

Getting your cholesterol tested is not complicated. It simply involves a blood test that lets you know if you’re at a risk of heart disease, based on your level of cholesterol. Once you reach the age of twenty you should have a cholesterol screening at least every five years and after you cross fifty, you should get it done more frequently.

3. Eye Checkup

As you age, the risk of eye problem increases. Sometimes even a healthy looking eye could be internally moving towards a condition silently. This can lead to complications if ignore. The best way to deal with any threatening condition is to catch it early on with an eye checkup.

For example, a condition like glaucoma, which leads to the damage of the optic nerve can be treated better if found earlier. The good thing is, if you’re living in a place like say, New York, you’ll find it easy to find a top eye doctor for the check up. And even if you did develop glaucoma, you’ll find that Lasik surgery in New York is pretty common, which is the best way to treat the condition.

[box] Like they say, health is wealth. Don’t take preventative health care for granted. Make it an important part of your life.[/box]