Stop me if this seems familiar. You've been sticking to a balanced diet and regularly taking your daily walks. All your friends think that you’re on track to maintain a healthy lifestyle for years to come. However, you might not be getting all the essential screenings that could catch potential health issues early.
How does that make you feel? Like you’re missing something important? Like you’re unsure if you’re doing enough to ensure your long-term health? Like you’re not quite sure where to start with all the recommended tests?
Throughout my years working in senior health and wellness, I have learned a thing or two about why people aren't getting the most out of their health screenings. Often it comes down to one of these 5 reasons. Knowing the what and why is often the first step in getting the most comprehensive health check-up possible.
Reason #1. You Find Yourself overlooking regular check-ups. You must have heard that prevention is better than cure, right? That's exactly what's happening when you skip annual health screenings or ignore recommended tests.
Reason #2. Sometimes You put off making appointments. Do you have a list of recommended screenings you’ve been ignoring? It's time to schedule those appointments and make your health a priority.
Reason #3. You don’t know which screenings are essential for your age group. In order to maintain optimal health and catch potential issues early, you have to get clear on which screenings are most important for your age and health conditions. I like to follow this easy 3-step system:
- Write down all the recommended screenings for your age group
- Circle the ones that apply to you based on your health and family history
- Prioritize these based on your doctor’s advice and personal health needs
Do you need guidance on which tests are right for you? My work with Jane, who successfully improved her health outcomes by getting the right screenings, could be similar to what you’re looking for.
Reason #4: You're not proactively managing your health. I'm not saying you're not interested in your health. Proactively managing your health means taking steps to prevent issues before they arise, like scheduling regular screenings and keeping up with health recommendations. Can you think of an area within your health management that could benefit from more proactive care?
I know that when I didn’t keep up with regular check-ups, it was really hard to stay on top of health issues. It wasn’t until I started prioritizing my screenings that I felt more in control of my health and caught issues early. So try to step back, be objective, and look at ways you can improve your health management. Your future self will thank you!
Reason #5. You’re not keeping track of changes in your health over time. Do you insist on only going to the doctor when you feel sick? Then you may be getting caught in the cycle of reactive health management. Perhaps it's time to start keeping track of your health screenings and updates to understand trends over time. I find that keeping detailed health records and following through with regular screenings helps me stay ahead of potential issues and unnecessary worry.
(Granted, I don't like mammograms but I found a place that gets me in and out in 15 minutes)
Key Takeaways
You may have noticed that all of these reasons for not achieving success with your health screenings are about taking control of your health proactively. At first, that may seem overwhelming. Thankfully, I used to feel the same way about managing my health but when I finally started prioritizing my health screenings and keeping track of my health over time, I decided I wanted to take everything I learned and help others ensure they’re staying on top of their health.
