The past 18 months has exposed a lot about American healthcare and the health of US citizens in general. MIT-led research has found that the huge numbers of vulnerable Americans left to less-than-ideal healthcare outcomes in the USA has brought down the health of the nation as a whole, demonstrating the need for better equality in healthcare and, crucially, the need for individuals to enjoy a greater level of health security. One key factor behind that is regular health checks; from inside to out, the simple intervention of time in front of the physician can do a world of good.
The body’s organs
The body does a lot of work in regulating itself. Oftentimes, illness is only discovered from external symptoms. This is detailed incredibly well when it comes to cancers. Colorectal cancer is an example of a disease that, according to Cancer.org, can benefit from early detection. The removal of a polyp can entirely prevent cancer 10-15 years down the line, for instance. Of course, it’s not necessary to have invasive procedures – especially for the young. To address that, even something as simple as regular stool checks can help to assess the health of the guts – both at home and with the doctor. The Bristol Stool Chart offers a helpful guide for patients to self-assess and learn when it’s time to call the doctor – even then, a yearly checkup can be valuable.
Mental health
Internal, yet not quite as physically obvious in terms of illness, is mental health. According to the WHO, up to 20% of people in the world are now diagnosed with some form of mental illness – a startling number, and one that is only going to rise. NBC is one of many outlets highlighting the beneficial use of mental health checkups. In much the same way physical illness must be regularly checked, so should mental health, in order to ensure that patients are feeling healthy in the stressful modern world. After all, mental health can easily develop into physical symptoms, particularly in the gut.
The skin
Skin assessment can prevent a huge range of issues. Cancer is the most obvious, but the state of nails, hair, skin and the eyes can be instructive in diagnosing, preventing, or treating conditions. A whole-body skin check is often recommended in warmer countries to tackle rates of melanoma and other skin cancers – young people across the country may benefit from approaching their physicians on this basis alone. Other, more obscure conditions, can be indicated by the specific appearance of skin problems across the body, particularly in the extremities. Even simple vitamin deficiencies, which can have a wide-ranging impact, can be rectified this way.
From inside to out, regular health checkups are an important habit to make. They can help to prevent a huge range of malignant issues, and create higher levels of assurance and peace of mind when it comes to personal health. They’re not just for people in risk categories when it comes to age and illness.
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