Staying healthy is important, especially in college. You don’t want to miss any classes or meetings and fall behind because there’s no time to catch up! To stay on top of your health, not only should you visit the doctor annually, you should know what medical tests you need. Most of these tests should be done during your regular check-up. If not, ask to get them done. All of this information is provided by WebMD.
Brave the Scale: get weighed
· Too much weight could put you at high risk for developing many diseases later in life.
Tone it Down: check your blood pressure
Smoking? Too much alcohol? Stress? We face these things daily as collegiettes™and probably don’t realize they can lead to high blood pressure.
· Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls.
· High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can be dangerous because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood through the body. This can also lead to heart failure.
· A normal blood pressure is less than 120/80.
· A pre-hypertension blood pressure is any number from 120 to 139 over 80 to 89.
Drop it Low: check your cholesterol
For those who have a fear of needles, it will be time to conquer it when it comes to finding out your cholesterol numbers. Everyone over 20 years old needs to know them and blood must be drawn.
· Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made in the liver and other cells and found in certain foods.
· The body needs cholesterol, but too much can cause plaque to form and clog your arteries.
· Some factors that affect cholesterol are diet, weight and exercise.
· Doctors recommend that your cholesterol level is less than 200.
Just Relax Part 1: clinical breast exam
No, it’s not the same as a mammogram.
· A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast and usually required for women 40 and older.
· During a clinical breast exam, the doctor carefully feels your breast and your arms for any lumps or unusual changes. This should be done annually.
Just Relax Part 2: pelvic exam
This involves the infamous pap test or pap smear. The pelvic exam helps detect:
· vaginal infections, such as yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis.
· sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as chlamydia, gonorrhea or human papillomavirus (HPV)
The pelvic exam helps evaluate:
· abdominal or pelvic pain
Peculiar Pigment: check your skin
· See any moles or brown spots that weren’t there previously? Get them evaluated by the doctor. They could be warning signs for skin cancer or skin disease.
Nearsighted or Farsighted: check your eyes
· Like your medical doctor, your eye doctor should be visited annually, especially if you wear glasses or contacts.
Fear No Needle: check immunizations
· No one likes them, but shots keep you healthy. Be sure to ask your doctor if you need any updates on any immunizations. Flu shots are generally taken every year.