As I write this blog, it’s Women’s Health Week, one of the many awareness weeks designed to put the spotlight on your health and prompt you to think about how healthy you are and whether you need to show your body some love and attention. I’m all for campaigns that get you thinking about your health. Ideally you shouldn’t need a campaign to remind you to take care of yourself or pay attention to your body. However, being realistic I know from my own personal experience and that of my clients that sometimes we do need a reminder. It’s all too easy to put yourself last when there are so many other things that seem to be more important in your day. The problem with that, of course, is that eventually your body will start screaming at you until you give it the all-important consideration it needs and deserves. So, if you are reading this, take it as your reminder. Spend a few minutes right now to ask yourself: Have any of the following changed over the last year or so?
- Weight
- Sleep patterns
- Ability to digest foods
- Bowel habits
- Menstrual cycle
- Skin (texture, new moles or other changes
- Mood, resilience, enjoyment of life
- Libido
- Ability to concentrate or remember information
Anything else that seems different to what you remembered? In between health checks with your GP or naturopath, there are many things you can do to monitor your health. Early detection of a pending problem is much easier to rectify so becoming aware of changes in your body is a great thing to practise. And it does take practise! Sometimes I even suggest you keep a health diary as it is easy to forget and even easier to be inaccurate in your recollections. I like to encourage my clients to “know their numbers”. This means knowing their weight, waist measurement, blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol and (if they’re female), menstrual cycle. That way you are in the best position to pick up any shifts, trends or changes more quickly and bring them to the attention of your GP or naturopath.
The sooner changes are identified the easier it generally is to address what might be causing those changes. My ABN colleague, Catherine Pritchard summarised some of the basic pathology tests I would encourage you to have, on a regular basis, (perhaps every two years or sooner depending on your health) as part of your overall health plan to maintain optimal health.
And don’t forget to schedule a trip to the dentist. I know they aren’t everyone’s favourite person but keeping your teeth in good order is also important for optimal digestion and long term health. So, in honour of Women’s Health Week, I hope you have spent a few minutes thinking about the above questions and make a diary note to think about them again in, say, three months time. And if it really has been a while, make an appointment for a check up some time in the next month. No excuses!
