Self-Exams That Save Lives: Simple Health Checks You Can Do At Home

Keeping track of our health and wellness may seem like a challenging task to some amidst the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. As humans, we tend to overlook tiny details that could potentially be detrimental to our overall health. According to statistics, Americans still continue to face health conditions despite strong governmental efforts on healthcare.

As such, it is always important to ensure that we are in the pink of health to prevent long-term illnesses or other health mishaps from occurring. In addition, leading a healthy life can lead to an extended lifespan which may be beneficial to achieving long-term personal goals that we have set for ourselves.

If you are unable to dedicate time to visit your local health provider for regular health check-ups, do stick on to the end of this article to find out about simple health checks that you can do at home.

Temperature Checks

Our bodies consist of complex structures that allow us to function and accomplish our daily activities. As such, constant hydration is needed in our everyday routines.

However, as humans, we are prone to neglecting continuous hydration as we can get too caught up with the rush hours of the day. This can lead to an increase in our body temperature, causing us to develop a fever.

To ensure that our body temperature is under control, it is crucial that we stay hydrated and conduct simple temperature checks using a thermometer. Our temperature should stay between 97F to 99F.

Breast Checks

Women face a lifetime of breast changes. As such, it can be worrying to determine if there is cause for panic regarding our breast health.

While most breast changes are not serious, it is essential to be aware of our regular breast shape and how our menstrual cycle can affect its shape. In that way, we would recognize any unusual changes or abnormalities regarding our breasts. In addition, understanding them would provide us with added assurance that our breasts are healthy.

Regular breast checks can be done in the comfort of our home in a few simple ways:

• Using a mirror to spot any difference in its form which could include discharge or nipple abnormalities.
• Standing upright to feel if there are any lumps or changes in breast tissue. Laying down to feel if your breasts are sore and swelling.

If you are unsure of how exactly to conduct a self-examination, consider engaging services from a nurse who has completed the relevant online MSN FNP programs to help you conduct a thorough breast examination.

Check Your Heart Rate

Our heart is an essential organ of our bodies as it is needed to pump oxygen so we are better able to live and breathe.

Different individuals have various types of routines and schedules which can affect how well our heart functions. As such, monitoring our heart rate should be a vital part of our everyday routines. In addition, it can provide us with greater insight into our heart health and current fitness levels, as well as our emotional health.

It is recommended for our heart to beat 60 to 100 times each minute, which can be achieved through maintaining a balanced diet and daily fitness in our routine.

Blood and Sugar Levels

As adults, we tend to face challenging life situations that cause us to experience stress and anxiety. Our body releases Cortisol as a result, which is a hormone that increases our sugar level. This explains the need to monitor our blood and sugar levels at least once a month, as they can affect our overall well-being and the way that we respond to stress.

To further ensure that our blood and sugar levels are in check, we should avoid binge eating or indulging in alcoholic beverages to soothe our stress as they can work against our high blood and sugar levels.

Taking Care of Your Health at Home

Achieving a healthy lifestyle is a personal choice. However, it is simple and can start at home. The first step to take is to dedicate a few minutes of our day to ensure that our body is well-functioning by conducting simple health checks at home. This little step goes a long way as it can help to improve our daily energy levels and prevent long-term illnesses from occurring, among other benefits.