Healthy Lifestyle

What is it?

Screening test is method of finding diseases in people who may not have any signs or symptoms of the disease being screened for yet. The purpose of health screening is to help people live longer and healthier lives.

Why do I need to go for the test regularly?

There are certain diseases that do not produce early warning signs. These are illnesses we call silent killers such as heart diseases, diabetes, hypertension and cancers. Regular healthy screening will allow you and your doctor to monitor your health closely to ensure the disease is detected as early as possible and to receive treatment early so as to avoid complications, much suffering or even death.

Who should go?

Everyone who has concern over his/her own health should go for a screening test. It is usually gone done at regular intervals like once a year especially when a person reaches a certain age or a person has some family history of certain diseases.

What kind of health screening tests are appropriate for me?

Many screening tests can be done. For example, blood pressure measurement, ECG and chest x-ray. Some screening tests are more appropriate for certain people who reach certain ages, or with a family medical history of past medical condition e.g. Mamography. If you have questions about exactly which healthy screening tests are right for you, you should discuss your concern with your doctor.

Guideliness for Health Screening

Did you know that smoking is a leading contributor of preventable death? It is a major cause of cardiovascular diseases (i.e. hypertension, coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke and atherosclerosis), pulmonary or lung diseases (i.e. lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD) and other diseases like osteoporosis, causes lower estrogen levels, complications in pregnancy including premature delivery, low birth weight and miscarriage.

In A Cigarette
Many are unaware of the number of toxins in tobacco smoke. Even non-smokers exposed to second-hand (slip stream) smoke faces a 30% increase in risk of coronary artery disease. Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemical compounds, including:

• Nicotine. A highly addictive chemical that goes straight to the brain in as little as 10 seconds and has effects throughout the rest of the body.
• Tar. A term used to describe the 20 (or more) different carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) found in tobacco smoke that form a sticky, tar-like substance within the lungs.
• Carbon Monoxide. Replaces some of the essential oxygen in the bloodstream. With less oxygen, the major organs of the body and linings of the blood vessels are both damaged over time, directly contributing to conditions such as hardening arteries (atherosclerosis).

Because of the many dangers of smoking, people are encouraged to speak to their doctors about strategies that are available to help them quit.

Quit! It’s for your benefit!
Enjoy the benefits of being a non-smoker:

• Dramatically reduced risk of heart attack, stroke, COPD, lung cancer and thousands
  of other health problems
• Fresher breath
• Cleaner teeth
• Fresh-smelling clothes, homes and cars
• Renewed senses of taste and smell
• Freedom from smoker’s cough
• Freedom from shortness of breath
• Money saved from not buying cigarettes

PREPARE to Quit
The key to quitting is preparation. Unless fully prepared, many people are unable to stay smoke-free. Preparation begins with a firm commitment to quit smoking. People usually
make this decision because they fear the deadly effects of smoking. Once doing so, they should pick a date to quit and then talk with their doctor about smoking cessation strategies and aids, such as nicotine replacement therapy. Above all, people are urged to quit for good!

Quit Tips

• Choose a quitting date
• Talk to your doctor about nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or other smoking cessation aids
• Get support from the community, family and friends
• Identify situations where you may want a cigarette (e.g. a party or a coffee break), and plan ahead for these situations
• Buy healthy snacks for the home or office that one can “munch” on (e.g. carrot 1 sticks, celery sticks, grapes, raisins and apple slices)