Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not only about exercising every day, eating right, and creating a work-life balance. It also includes getting regular medical tests. With busy schedules and myriad responsibilities to take care of, our mental and physical well-being can often take a backseat, and lifestyle diseases can creep up on us.

That’s why it is crucial to screen for potential health issues even when you don’t have overt symptoms. If there’s an anomaly, the tests can detect it early, and you can get the required care.

What are Medical Screening Tests?

A medical screening test helps detect a disease or condition, track your health, and find out whether there’s a need for more specialized tests. It can catch signs or risks of disorders or put your mind at ease by determining the absence of any concerns.

Several types of medical health screenings form a crucial part of routine checkups to ensure that you are not vulnerable:

• Complete blood count (CBC) tests that check your red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet count to help diagnose or monitor a variety of diseases like diabetes and anemia;
  
  
• Thyroid tests, which are especially vital for women as they are 5-8 times more likely to develop a thyroid-related dysfunction;
  
  
• Complete cholesterol tests, which is also known as a lipid profile or panel and measures the levels of triglycerides and amount of cholesterol in your blood;
  
  
• Breast cancer screening or mammograms, since breast cancer is the second-highest cause of death related to cancer among women;
  
  
• Cervical cancer screening tests, also known as Pap smears, which expose any life-threatening cell activity in the cervix;
  
  
• Prostate and testicular cancer screening tests, which are particularly necessary for men who have a family history of the diseases;
  
  
• And last but never least, dental, eye, and ear checkups that can prevent a host of issues while also saving you hefty expenses on common health issues like tooth decays and vision correction.
  
  

While not a comprehensive list of the types of medical screening tests, these are some of the more prevalent ones that everyone should get on a regular basis. Their purpose is early detection among those who do not experience or demonstrate any signs or symptoms, so you can come out in front and lead a healthier life.

Benefits of Medical Screening Tests

While getting routine checkups cannot help you avoid developing health conditions, it can alert you to the symptoms of underlying issues. Of course, you can’t jump to conclusions about the presence of anomalies through a one-time screening, which is why it’s a good idea to make health tests a consistent part of your life. It has become increasingly easy to arrange for at-home checkups, so you don’t have to wait in line at the lab anymore.

Keeping yourself in prime health, no matter what your age, is not just crucial for your life. It also has an undeniable impact on the lives of your loved ones who are dependent on you in many ways. Only when you are in shape can you fully enjoy your youth, play with your children, and take care of your parents as age catches up to them. In addition to regular medical health screenings, getting a life cover policy is also one of the most thoughtful ways of safeguarding your family’s future.

When you buy life insurance, you make sure that in the unfortunate event of your demise, your loved ones are financially protected. These plans can unburden them from any debts while helping them achieve their goals, not to mention serve as a source of retirement corpus when you cross the age of 60.

The  TATA AIA Life Insurance plan provides you with coverage till the age of 100, so you are as guarded as possible. The life cover policy also allows you to expand the coverage at important milestones like marriage, childbirth, and so on while giving nominees the flexibility to receive the death benefit payout as a lump sum or income (or both).

When is it Time for a Medical Screening Test?

In your 20s or early 30s, the idea of visiting the doctor for routine checkups seems premature. But getting into the habit from an early age can help save your life as well as money on expensive treatments by catching problems before they get out of hand. Here are the medical screening tests that you should not be avoiding and how often you should get them:

1. Regular Weight Checkups: Medical health screenings can start right at home. The simple act of stepping on the weighing scale can be an eye-opening way to check on your health. Being overweight makes you susceptible to a host of diseases later on. It’s wise to keep it under control by balancing your diet and exercising on a routine basis.
   
   
2. Blood Pressure Monitoring: You can also invest in a blood pressure monitor, which is readily available these days. The digital meter is accurate and easy to read. If the pressure is consistently low or high, it would be wise to speak with a doctor and work up a treatment plan.
   
   
3. Cholesterol Exams: High cholesterol is also an issue that is rising in prevalence among rural and urban youth. Those with a genetic history of heart disease and diabetes should start medical health screening for cholesterol early in life and get it done every 2 to 3 years. If you do not have a family history, it’s still a good idea to get these tests every 4 to 6 years, especially if your lifestyle is less than active.
   
   
4. Other Essential Tests: CBC tests, dental checkups, and eye exams should be part of your annual full-body screenings as they can help you identify the most common health issues before they get out of hand. For women over 40, breast cancer tests or mammograms should also be involved in annual checkups, while Pap smears are essential for those in the age bracket of 21 to 65 every 3 years.
   
   

Conclusion

So, now that you know the benefits of medical screening and life cover, and when and how you need to get tested, it’s time to chart out a routine for important tests and buy life insurance online.

L&C/Advt/2022/Nov/2887