Are you really healthy?

As Doctors we are taught that our approach to one’s health must incorporate the ‘bio psychosocial’ model which translates into health incorporating mind, body and environmental aspects working individually, but also inter-dependently, in defining good health.

Bodily health means ensuring that our organs are monitored for signs of disease, taking measures to protect them or even enhancing their longevity.

This requires a proactive approach with regular general check-ups with your doctor, especially as we get on in years, and entails a physical examination, blood tests for specific organs and possibly investigations such as X-rays or colon/gastroscopy.

This may disclose disease long before any symptoms arise, improving your chances of recovery.

Screening tests are also tailored individually depending on family history such as Diabetes mellitus and Hypercholesterolaemia, and also personal habits and environmental exposure.

Cardiovascular disease is especially prevalent in modern times and annual stress ECG’s are recommended if there are multiple risk factors such as Diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, obesity, smoking or a family history of strokes and/or heart attacks.

Seeking early medical attention is vital if there are untoward signs such as severe or persistent pain, dizziness, weight loss or change in bowel habit, and may sometimes be life-saving.

Protecting your body entails good habits – regular exercise, healthy eating and good sleep, avoiding toxins such as smoking, excessive alcohol or drugs. This gives your body the best chance of avoiding disease and improving longevity.

Mental health is often ignored but is also vital to our well-being, often additionally impacting on physical health.

High stress accelerates cardiovascular aging predisposing to premature heart disease, colon disease, even decreasing immunity predisposing to infection, and even cancers.

It also affects the choices we make regarding eating habits and choosing crutches such as smoking and alcohol or other bad lifestyle changes as coping mechanisms.

Anxiety, depression and other mental health issues are very prevalent in modern society and need to be managed early and appropriately to improve quality of life and its negative impact on physical health.

Many environmental aspects that affect our health may not be in our control, but we can make conscious decisions to avoid circumstances that are deleterious to our physical and mental wellbeing.

In many communities social issues translates into access to clean water and electricity, in others exposure to pollution, poor lifestyle choices and habits.