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This is the time of year we work harder than ever taking care of our families. Some of us are buying and wrapping gifts, some are baking special treats, some are decorating their homes, some are putting up lights. And some are doing it all!

As important as all these things are, this is not the time to lose sight of the importance of taking care of your own health. Use the year-end as a personal deadline to get the important health exams complete.

Here are six tests your primary care provider may perform or discuss with you during your visit.

• Blood pressure. Checking your blood pressure can help your doctor keep tabs on your risk of stroke and heart disease.
• Diabetes detection. Screening for type 2 diabetes and prediabetes is recommended for adults ages 35 to 70 who are overweight.
• Breast cancer. Are you due for a mammogram (breast x-ray)? You should begin getting regular mammograms at age 40. Continue to get regular mammograms until at least age 74.
• Colon cancer. Screening can find and remove polyps—small, precancerous growths—before they turn into cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends colon cancer screening starting at age 45.
• Lung cancer. Yearly lung cancer screening is recommended for people ages 50 to 80 who currently smoke or who have a history of heavy smoking.
• Cervical cancer. The Pap test looks for abnormal cells in the cervix. Another screening test for cervical cancer, the human papillomavirus (HPV) test, looks for the HPV virus, which can cause these cell changes.

Categories: Better Health