My physician Jessica Leonard has been telling me for sometime now that I must go for more checkups each year, and t is always something which I agree with her on, but then it quickly leaves my mind. In fact I sometimes get a call from Jessica saying that I should be checking in for an appointment soon, which of course kicks me into action. After our appointment back in October Jessica and I had the same conversation again and following the appointment I went online to see exactly what the benefits were of having regular checkups, it was only when I did a bit of research that it dawned on me exactly why we should all be going for more checkups each year.
The first thing that I found which made complete sense, was that in the long term, regular appointments are a cost effective decision. Now previously I was thinking that this would end up costing me more money in appointments every year, but the truth is very different, and when it is laid out for you it makes total sense. If you have an illness or a disease, we all know that the earlier that it is diagnosed, the better chance of survival you have. Now let’s assume that you contract cancer, if this is spotted super early at your doctor’s appointment then you will have easier treatment options and higher probability of them working. This means that you are paying less money in the long run, than if you were to just collapse one day and then discovered advanced stages of cancer.
There is another school of thought here that I completely agree with and that is that when you get regular checkups, you are much more likely to live a health conscious lifestyle. I don’t know abut you but in the days before and after I see Jessica, health is very much at the top of my mind and I will always ensure that I am eating well and exercising. What then happens is that I completely forget about it and revert back to type. If however you have regular checkups, health is always going to be a priority for you, and that will result in a healthier lifestyle in general.
Finally something which I also found was the familiarity between you and your doctor which you will get if you go in for regular checkups. This can greatly help you because your doctor will know more about you and your body which will put them in a better position to diagnose you in the future. They will be able to get a consistent understanding of your blood pressure and tests, they will also gain an insight into your mental health, and they will be able to see when you are stressed or under pressure.
Simply put, regular checkups make perfect sense, and Jessica and I will certainly be spending more time with each other in the future.