14:21:12
As we grow up, learning to love ourselves for our imperfections and the great beings that we women are, we should extend that love to give ourselves the gift of a regular health check each year. Perhaps schedule it in on your birthday or near there since health is something to be celebrated too!
And in the spirit of love I say: Your body is a temple ….who just burst out laughing?...no, really…it’s true, your body is a temple, it’s the most amazing thing created….despite all the stuff we do to it, boozy nights out, fast food pig outs, chocolate binges and sleep deprivation, it still functions well, getting us through early morning starts whether it be to high school or horrible 9am lectures at university/tafe or even 9am starts at work…sigh….anyway!....so really, we should be thankful of its amazing genius in putting up with all the things we throw at (into) it!
So in the spirit of thankfulness, lug it into the doctors office once a year for a check up just to make sure it’s ok to function for us for another year….(having said that, we would be making it much easier for our bodies to function if we cut back on the booze, sugar, sleepless nights etc…but that’s for another blog...maybe..I mean I am writing to teenagers and young adults who are nearly, or at the legal age to drink and club).
So what’s involved? What tests should you ask for?
Based on our age (15-25 years old, as each age bracket requires different tests) the ones to get done are: · cholesterol test, · blood sugar levels,· STIs & Papsmears if you are sexually active,· physical examination,
· eye test
This will require you to go to a GP, optometrist and if you prefer a sexual health clinic for the STIs and Papsmears test such as Melbourne Sexual Health Clinic. The doctors and nurses there are highly experienced specialists in all aspects of sexual health, so clients visiting MSHC can be assured of high quality professional and non-judgmental care. Click on this link to find a clinic near you http://www.mshc.org.au/ServicesinYourArea/tabid/205/Default.aspx
Papsmears
I thought I’d go into a bit of detail about this test seeing as it was a point of interest from the SafeSex round table discussion event held on the 21.08.2009 as a follow on of the SafeSex Blog posted here earlier.
The test itself does not diagnose cancer, but is a screening tool to find early changes in the cervix (neck of the womb) which indicate cancer might develop.
The test itself takes a few minutes, no anaesthetics are required and it can be done by a general practitioner, nurse or women's health worker. A device called a speculum is used to widen the opening of the vagina so that the cervix can be examined. A plastic spatula is used to then collect cells from the cervix which are then sent off to the lab. Depending on the person conducting the test, the patient's perception of the procedure ranges from no discomfort at all to some discomfort. This is where I recommend going to a sexual health clinic which specialises in these things and ensures high quality care as their trademark.
Besides the tests listed above, you can by all means ask for different tests should you wish. If your normal GP doesn’t want to have them done but you feel that it’s important, there is no harm in going to another GP to get their opinion on it and to see if they will do it. Just like every other service, we have a right to shop around.
So, now that I’ve got your attention, book an appointment with your GP and get that health check done, or at least key it in as a must do sometime near your birthday!
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