Mark Your Health Calendar

We’re in December again, one month before holiday time. For many of us, the rush of end-of-year deadlines, buying gifts, and organising the final details of family reunions has begun. And before getting started with your New Year Resolution, I suggest you start by planning your health, and literally making your Health Calendar.

What for? What is it, you might wonder? Although it’s the job of your family doctor to invite you to book your annual visit with the dermatologist, dentist, ob-gyn (or whatever else), we know that doesn’t work very well in terms of logistics. We might hear the recommendation to see a specialist, but if there’s nothing urgent to solve, we usually forget. We might then remember in the last minutes before summer, thinking that we haven’t checked our moles in a while or that our teeth looks a bit less pretty after forgetting to go for a professional cleaning. So let’s see how we can organise our health better.

You can talk about your specific needs with your doctor, but here is a general overview of things you would need to have checked at least once a year:

1. ☀️ Your skin: ️ You need to map your moles and have an yearly dermatologist check-up. The summer is far away, but don’t wait until the last minute to check your moles. You can also use an online screening application, but if you’ve never had your skin mapped, start with a face-to-face consultation with the dermatologist and then you can go for a mobile app.
2. 👅 Your teeth: Seeing your dentist is not the most appealing appointment, but we need to book one at least once a year. Checking your gums and teeth and keeping them in a good health is not only a matter of beauty and comfort, it’s also very important for your health (i.e. some mouth bacteria increase cardiovascular risks, etc.).
3. 🍆 🍑 Your genito-urinary system: Healthy women will need to see their ob-gyn once a year. Depending on their age and any particular conditions, they should also remember to do some tests, perhaps not every year, but just to make sure they are done regularly (like a PAP smear, mammography, etc.). And if you’re into your 30’s, remember to start checking your fertility levels if you want to have children one day. And if you have any symptoms that are bothering you, check with your doctor to see if you should have your sex hormones tested. If you are a man over 50 and you’re waking up several times per night to go to the bathroom, you’ve probably been told to check your prostate (by checking the PSA levels in a blood test and/or a prostate ultrasound). And of course, if you’re undergoing any treatment (like hormone substitution treatment), regular consultations are mandatory.
4. 👀 Your eyes: If you already have some sight problems and are wearing glasses, check your eyes once a year, especially if you spend long hours in front of a computer screen. Otherwise, once every 2 years should be fine if you aren’t having any symptoms.
5. 💩 Your intestines: If you are over 55, your doctor has probably suggested a screening for occult blood in your stool; however, given the importance of our gut bacteria, and especially if you have chronic symptoms like bloating, belly pain, intestinal trouble (such as frequent constipation and/or diarrhea), checking your microbiota could be of help no matter what your age.
6. ❤️ Your heart: At a young age, in the absence of symptoms and when you’re apparently healthy, unless your family doctor suggests it, you don’t need to run off to see a cardiologist at the first palpitation (extra heartbeat) you might feel. There are now several apps and home devices that can help monitor your heart, and this is good information to have to understand more about your health. However, if you have any cardiovascular risks and/or persistent symptoms (like palpitations, elevated cardiac rhythm, high blood pressure, etc.) or already have a diagnosed disease, your regular doctor will have recommended at least an annual check-up with your cardiologist and eventually some more blood tests.

Of course, there’s a myriad of things regarding your health that you can have checked, and you should talk about all the details with your doctor. However, it is good to already organise your health agenda and mark the things you already know you should check in your calendar for the next year. It will not only keep you healthier but also avoid a lot of unnecessary stress in looking for last-minute appointments when you’re in a rush to go on holiday or when your tooth is hurting.

We cannot, of course, prevent and plan everything, but you’ll be already set with your health map for the next year, which will help you to take better actions for your health and the health of your loved ones (you can also boost the motivation of your friends and family, and maybe book some appointments together).

And if you want to have a free online evaluation of your symptoms and which health appointments you already want to put in your calendar, send me an email at: health@drionita.com

Have a nice week,

Best,

Lavinia

Medical Doctor, Founder of Akesio