Regular blood tests and Physical check up
If you believe that prevention is better than cure and you should have the knowledge of which direction your health is going, then having Regular blood tests and Physical check up is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. It’s an investment you do in your future health to do whatever is humanly possible to avoid nasty surprises. Read my other blog “Health Living – Prevention is better than cure” also for a full understanding.
We can argue about the frequency of regular blood tests written below, but in my opinion this frequency gives a good balance.
You should get a baseline data when you are 15 yrs old and thereafter every 5 years unless a problem is indicated, in that case earlier.
Must have medical tests at least once in 5 years:
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CBC (Complete blood count)
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Hb A1C Hemoglobin (gives 3 month average of sugar)
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Fasting Lipid profile
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Uric acid
Optional medical tests at least once in 10 years:
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Creatinine (blood)
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CRP (C-reactive protein, important for heart disease)
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Thyroid function test
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BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen)
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Vitamin-D
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Liver function test
Uric Acid & Creatinine: This test gives you an idea of how your kidneys are working and if your diet contains high amount of proteins.
CBC: It consists of various parameters which checks the health of your blood, your lifeline, the nutrient of your body. Almost all serious diseases can be identified by this simple & inexpensive test.
CRP (C-reactive protein): This test shows the level of inflammation in your body. Inflammation is the cause of several diseases.
HbA1C & Serum Insulin: If you have a strong family history of diabetes, then HbA1C is priceless and can tell if you are heading towards diabetes and if so, what steps are required to delay and avoid diabetes.
Liver Function Test: This test shows the workings of one of the most important internal organs which helps in maintaining several crucial functions of the body.
Fasting Lipid Profile: This is a blood test which measures the different types of fat in your blood. This in turn can tell you if your arteries & veins are going to get clogged or not and is a good indicator of heart disease.
Vitamin-D: Recently a lot of people have been diagnosed with Vit-D deficiency and it can cause a lot of health issues e.g. pain in joints.
Thyroid Function Test: This test is essential for people who complain of tiredness all the time.
PHYSICAL CHECK UP
The physical check up should include following tests at least once in 5 years:
- Chest X-ray (good test for smokers as it can identify any cause of concern)
- Dental panoramic x-ray (will identify the health of your gums & teeth before it even shows up on your teeth & gums)
- Dental scaling (to be done every year to ensure good oral health)
- Eyes test
Abdominal Ultrasound to screen these internal organs:
- Urinary bladder
- Gall bladder
- Kidneys
- Liver
- Pancreas
- Spleen
- Uterus
Tags: regular medical tests regular blood test reasons why blood test
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