You don’t need high tech equipment to get the information you need to check on your health. With the right information about your health, you can make changes to your lifestyle, be healthier and live longer too. And you don’t need a doctor to get you the information.
Looking Into Your Healthy Future
Let’s be honest, you still need your doctor, but you can save money on co-pays and also long waits and get the information you really need by following the advice in this article. With that understood, there are five tests you can do yourself, right at home, that will help gauge your health and all physician-approved. The equipment you will need is merely a stopwatch and tape measure. That’s it.
LIFE TEST # 1: A BRAIN TEASER
Many doctors use the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) to evaluate memory and cognitive abilities for their patients. It also screens for signs of dementia in older people. Instead of going to the doctor, you can do this test right in the comfort of your own home.
All you need is a pen and paper.
Test-taking instructions: Ask a series of straightforward questions. What’s today’s date? What country are we living in? Who is the Governor? Repeat something you recently heard. Can you name objects around the room where you are sitting? Consistent problems with answering questions such as these can indicate that you may have some underlying health troubles, which may be dementia or could be other problems, including other factors or nutritional deficiencies. For example, dementia-like symptoms can sometimes be side effects of prescription or over-the-counter medications or may be caused by a deficiency of certain nutrients, such as vitamins B-12 and B-6 or the amino acid L-carnitine.
LIFE TEST # 2: STICK YOUR NECK OUT
A simple test for obstructive sleep apnea, which is a dangerous sleep disorder. Basically the person stricken with this displays abnormal pauses in breathing and snoring and it is usually caused by neck circumference. Although size matters in the sense that larger people have larger “healthy” measurements, if you are a man with a neck circumference of 17 inches or more or a woman with a neck that measures 16 inches or greater, you have a higher-than-normal risk for sleep apnea, in fact, you may have sleep apnea and not even realize it.
What you need: A tape measure.
How to do it: Measure the distance around your neck at about the spot where a man would measure for collar size for a shirt. If you are in the danger area, see your physician to discuss whether you should be tested for sleep apnea. Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to complications ranging from daytime sleepiness and poor concentration to an increased risk for high blood pressure and heart disease. Losing weight or sleeping on your side may solve the problem, or your physician can prescribe a special sleep mask or other device to help regulate breathing.
LIFE TEST # 3: NAME THAT FRUIT
In general, people of both genders whose bodies are shaped like apples (round at the middle) face greater health risks than those shaped like pears (a narrow waist and wider hips). When fat accumulates in your abdomen and around your waist, it’s a sign that fat is also building up around vital organs such as your heart, liver, kidneys and intestines. For people of average height, a waist circumference over 35 inches in women or over 40 inches in men often is an indication of higher risk for metabolic syndrome, diabetes or even heart attack or stroke.
What you need: tape measure.
How to do it: Wrap the tape measure around your waist and then your hips. If your waist is bigger than your hips, you have an apple shape. To slim down, consult your health-care provider and get started on a sensible program of diet and exercise.
LIFE TEST # 4: PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR POOP, YES YOUR POOP
A sudden change in bowel habits, especially if you are 50 or older, is a possible sign of a digestive disorder, which may or may not be serious. Watch for variations in stool frequency, color, consistency or shape that last longer than a few days. Also be alert to the onset of prolonged periods of constipation or diarrhea. Other stool symptoms that should be checked out with your doctor include the presence of mucus or blood (bright red or dark or clotted) or a color that is very light or very dark.
Required equipment: None.
A normal stool is soft, medium brown, doesn’t sink quickly and doesn’t stink (not terribly, anyway). If you detect danger signs, promptly report them to your physician and seek appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
LIFE TEST #5: SPEED TEST
Believe it or not, something as simple as the way you walk (called “gait speed” in medical-ese) is an accepted measurement of frailty in older people and a predictor of physical and cognitive health. In fact, it is a key barometer of heart and lung health and overall well-being. In the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers reported that measuring gait speed even can aid doctors in determining whether a patient is fit for heart surgery. In other research, investigators found that people with a brisk gait of at least 3.28 feet (one meter) per second live longer than average.
Required equipment: A tape measure or yardstick and a stopwatch.
How to do it: Measure out a distance of 30 feet (roughly three car lengths) and then use the stopwatch to time (or have someone else do so) how long it takes you to walk the distance at your regular pace, for instance, imagining yourself taking a walk on a nice spring day. Ideally, you should cover the distance in no more than 10 seconds. A worrisome result would be if it takes you 20 seconds. The idea here is not that you should try to walk faster, but rather that if you are healthier overall you will naturally be a faster walker. Therefore, picking up your walking speed may turn out to be a good way to achieve this general health goal, and it will enhance your mental acuity as well. That should be ample incentive to start a regular walking program several days a week!
Yes, these tests are basic, but the information they provide is valuable and helpful, they’re worth doing periodically to keep a measure on your health and well-being.
Source(s):
Andrew L. Rubman, ND, founder and director, Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines, Southbury, Connecticut. www.SouthburyClinic.com.
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