Clichéd as this might sound, the pandemic taught us many lessons, the foremost of which was to stop living on autopilot and act with self-awareness in our everyday lives. It served as a reminder to exit the fast lane and slow down, and refocus our energies on taking care of our physical, mental and emotional well-being. The scourge of the century, so far, underscored the need to prioritise things that affect us personally — balancing our work-life, spending more time with family, being good to others and lending a hand where we can, learning new skills and pursuing interests close to our heart, staying calm and positive in difficult times, and preparing for the future financially and in other ways.
While this is the broad picture, we also need to look at the small things that can make a big difference both to us and our loved ones. For example, routine or annual health checks are essential for our overall health and peace of mind. But the attitude towards checkups is often one of “I’ll get around to it eventually.” Medicals is not a time for procrastination.
A health checkup can do one of two things. It either gives us a clean bill of health or it tells us something is amiss, in which case doctors suggest ways to improve our health usually through simple lifestyle changes like diet, physical activity and getting adequate sleep, and very often that’s all it takes. The big plus is that we don't have to worry about our health for at least another year or so depending on our age and medical history.
Here are the five key benefits of medical checkups:
One, it makes us aware of our health status and helps us identify and treat issues like hypertension, diabetes and cholesterol, which are often linked to an unhealthy lifestyle and work-related stress.
Two, periodic health checks reduce the risk of chronic medical conditions and their treatment, and consequently, help us save money in the long run.
Three, checkups from a relatively young age make it easier and faster to recover physically and mentally from health concerns, if any.
Four, it encourages healthy and happy living. We’re motivated to take better care of ourselves by adopting healthy habits that include a safe and nutritious diet, daily or weekly exercises, yoga and meditation, stress management, and manifesting positive thoughts and outcomes.
Five, annual checkups and following the doctor’s advice based on the test results would ensure that we maintain proper health in the future and possibly even increase our lifespan.
Good health is the key to a happy and well-lived life, and one of the most effective ways to ensure this desired outcome is signing up for regular checkups and doing what’s necessary to stay healthy.
Disclaimer: The above article including the benefits of health checkups are based on my experience and internet research, and are not to be taken as medical advice. Consult a doctor or health professional for everything you need to know and do about health checks and their outcomes.
