It may surprise you to find out that most doctors prefer for you to pay them a visit when there’s seemingly nothing wrong with you. This is because when you’re not sick, they can run a few simple test, most of them blood tests, to screen for problem before symptoms appear and when they’re easy to treat and before they can cause any long term damage. Whether you’re a man or a women who has men she cares about, this article is full of great information to keep you living healthy.
The oral glucose tolerance test is a more realistic way to test your glucose tolerance than the fasting blood glucose test. Most of the day your body is processing a meal– not fasting, thus giving the doctor a truer representation of your body’s functions and more accurate test results. Doctors suggest you have this test done by age 30, especially if you have a family history of diabetes or have heart disease or are at risk for heart disease.
The American Cancer Society recommends that men have one of four colon cancer tests. Instead, Men’s Health says to ignore that and have a colonoscopy instead. This helps detect smaller irregular cells and because the ACS only recommends you to get tested every 5-10 years, if a cell is missed with a regular test, before you’re tested again it can grow into full-blown cancer. Once colon cancer spreads the five-year survival rate is extremely low. Doctors suggest men start getting a colonoscopy at the age of 50 and have one every 10 years unless you’ve had a close relative with colon cancer, then you should start getting them by age 40, or 10 years before he was diagnosed- whichever comes first.
Your testosterone and estrogen levels may seem like a low key issue to you, but it’s best to have the ratio looked at. Your testosterone is what makes a man, a man and it determines the size of your muscles…all of them. Over the last couple of decades, testosterone levels have been in decline. Once you turn 40 your levels dip by 2% each year. Have your testosterone and estrogen measured so your doctor can keep an eye on your levels. Doctors suggest that men over 40 get this blood test done yearly.
Your thyroid is a glad that helps regulate your hormones in your body. When these levels are out of whack the symptoms can be random to say the least. If you’re experiencing too much thyroid hormone you can loose weight for no reason, feel nervous or anxious and have an increased heart rate. If your thyroid is low, it’s the opposite, weight gain, weak and cold, and fatigue are just some of the symptoms. Doctors recommend that men start getting this blood test by age 30.
According to one study 66% of men are vitamin D deficient which causes them to be 80% more likely to have a heart attack or stroke when compared to non-deficient men. The fix may seem simple, but here’s the problem, having too much Vitamin D also causes issues. Men with too much Vitamin D in their system were 2.5 times more likely to develop heart rhythm problems than people with normal levels. It may seem like we’re tossing out quite a few statistics but take a deep breath and soak them in and get your blood work done. Without it there’s no possible way to know where you stand. Everyone should get this test done yearly.
The stress test with an EKG is a little controversial, but isn’t everything at one point? The details of this test are simple: run on a treadmill with electrodes stuck to your chest. Often the first symptoms of heart disease are a heart attack. The stress test is a good screening study due to the fact that there’s no real harm associated with it. Doctors suggest that you get this test done at age 40. Depending on your results and risk factors you may need one every few years after and by age 50 you should get one yearly.
Back in the day our ancestors ate about a 1:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3. Our typical American diet is more like 20:1. There are several tests, with new ones rolling out every week, talking about omega-3 benefits. If you know your levels, you and your doctor and figure out how many fish oil supplements you need to take each day. Doctors suggest that everyone get this done annually.
50% of people who suffer from a heart attack have normal cholesterol levels. This is because the traditional cholesterol tests don’t give your doctor the information he needs. You have to dig deeper to see the whole picture. How? You get an advanced cholesterol panel. If you have a normal amount of LDL cholesterol but they’re all small particles, your still at risk for heart problems. Doctors suggest that everyone needs this test done yearly beginning at the age of 30. Earlier if you have a family history of heart disease.
A multidector computer tomography (or MDCT) can see cancer years before symptoms appear. It’s especially good at detecting the deadliest threats such as lung, pancreatic and liver cancers. When caught early, they can be treated easily. The MDCT can also see plaque buildup in arteries. CT scans do carry risks of radiation but most doctors are careful to administer low-dose CTs because of those risks. Though this test is a bit costly (it carries a $500 price tag) everyone at the age of 40 needs it done, and should repeat it every 3-5 years. If that’s a bit too pricey for you, you may need to skip this test but should seriously consider it if you’re at high risk for heart disease.
High c-reactive protein (or CRP) is like a threat level orange in your body. It’s hard to know exactly where the issue is coming from, but it’s there. CRP is a nonspecific marker of inflammation. To find CRP you need a highly sensitive CRP test (or HSCRP for…short.) It’s twice as effective as a standard cholesterol test in predicting heart attacks and strokes. Anyone who has two or more risk factors for heart disease needs this test. The risk factors are family history, obesity, smoking or prehypertension.
1/5 people will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. When researchers analyzed 10 years of patient records they found doctors detected 82% of melanomas among regular patients. You can have a simple skin cancer screening done during your regular check up. Ask your doctor if he’s comfortable with the skin exam and feels comfortable detecting skin cancers. If he is, or you have doubts, see a dermatologist. The American Cancer Society for Dermatological Surgery keeps a data base of free skin cancer screenings on their website. Doctors suggest everyone get this screening done yearly while keeping an eye on your own skin too. Don’t know what you’re looking for? Click here to see what Skin Cancer Looks Like .
http://www.menshealth.com/health/health-tests-your-doctor-doesnt-know-you-need
[…] Get Checked. Nobody is going to watch your health, except you. It’s easy to forget your check-ups but getting regular blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol checks as well as your physical exams are important to maintaining your health. Check out- http://www.thetubconnection.com/blog/health-tests-your-doctor-doesnt-usually-order/ […]