In for a service - your guide to a healthy 2009!

Just like cars, bodies wear out, from the moment they stop growing, when you hit your mid twenties. We take our cars in regularly for a service, even when we have no reason to think there's something wrong with them, just in case the cam belt is worn and in imminent danger of snapping, or some other nightmare is lurking under the bonnet. 

Why don't we do the same for our bodies?
February is healthy lifestyle awareness month and the ideal time to embark on a serious preventative healthcare programme.  

From the age of 40 onwards, it is advisable to have a check-up at least once a year, and each check-up should include certain specifics. (Just as we know what parts of a car are likely to go - "Just check the brake pads, won't you?"- so we know that our bodies have certain weak points.)

Service checkpoints for men and women

• Check your blood pressure. High blood pressure is known as the "silent killer" because you can't tell when you've got it. It's easy to treat with diet and medication, but untreated, it's a time bomb waiting to go off.
• Get your chest X-rayed, from time to time, especially if you smoke.
• Have your cholesterol tested periodically.
• Have an ECG periodically. Your doctor will advise you of the frequency. Your heart never stops working; this test can tell you how it's handling the load.
• Get your doctor to check for blood in your urine and faeces - sounds nasty, but it could save your life if you've got something developing like bowel cancer.

For men only
Sorry, pal, a rectal exam is now crucial. Caught early, cancer of the prostate gland is eminently treatable.   If indicated you should also get a PSA (prostate specific antigen) test, which is a reliable screening test for prostate cancer.

For women only
Get that Pap smear done regularly - cervical cancer is highly treatable, but only if caught early.   Have the doctor palpate your breasts, check them yourself at least once a month, and have a mammogram every two years, especially if you are taking hormone replacement therapy.

Make sure your mineral balance is right - magnesium, potassium, and, of course, calcium. A good supplement aimed at the post-menopausal woman should do it. And consider hormone replacement therapy, if you have had your change of life.

For everyone

• Take regular exercise because it is good for you physically and mentally. A brisk walk of twenty to forty minutes three times a week is all it takes to improve your health enormously. Start slowly if you are unfit and stop the minute you experience chest pains and see your doctor.
• Stop smoking. Just this one move will garner you health benefits - and others - you never dreamed of. Imagine really tasting your food again!
• Eat at least five portions (about a cupful) of fruit and vegetables everyday; limit red meat; make your diet low fat; eat less refined foods, more complex carbohydrates, for example baked potatoes, muesli and cereals.