An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Has this formerly grandmas-only, repeatable refrain recently felt oh-so-relevant to you?
When you’re nearing the 40-times-around-the-Earth mark, you’ve learned a few things about life.
You’ve learned to store emergency snacks and a portable stain-remover pen in your purse.
It pays to be prepared!
This kind of smart thinking and planning ahead is part of why you kick-ass at life.
Breast cancer screening
You’ve heard the phrase, “we caught it early,” right?
Anyone who has ever received really scary health news knows that these words offer hope and a saving grace.
As reported byWebMD, the American Cancer Society updated their recommendations regarding breast cancer screening in 2015.
But that’s not the beginning or end of breast cancer prevention and/or detection.
Heart health screening
Pay attention, ladies.
Dr. Ross told me “heart disease is the leading cause of death in women.
One in three women dies from this common disease.”
And since getting your blood pressure checked is easy, why not check frequently?
Information is power, after all.
Cholesterol screening
TheNIH advisesthat women “begin cholesterol screening between the ages of 40 to 45.”
For instance, Dr. Ross said she actually tells her patients “a cholesterol screening/lipid profile .
should be done yearly.”
However, vision can quickly deteriorate, and your eyes can say a lot about your overall health.
However, not every little yearly decrease in sharp vision may be cause to worry.
Others report feeling they need to take their current glasses off to be able to see better up close.
Dr. Purcell said he also advises against waiting for symptoms to appear before seeing an expert.
Skin cancer screening
Do you tan?
Do you lie out in the sun?
Have you ever forgotten to apply sunscreen and felt a bit of a sting on your hot cheeks?
Skin cancers are so much more common than you think.
The good news is that catching it early can make a big difference.
If your body is telling you something, listen to it!
According toMedlinePlus, “Even if you feel fine, you should still see your provider for regular checkups.
These visits can help you avoid problems in the future.”
