💥Top Priority: Your Personal Health Scan!

By Emy Fernandez, MBA, Life Coach

In October, I always pause and take inventory of how I’ve been doing with my health during the year.  As a breast cancer survivor, for me, it’s a beautiful time to reflect and check in.

I check in not only on whether I’ve been keeping up with my breast checkups, but I also do a mental scan of my body from my head all the way down to my feet.

• How is my mental health?  Do I have to see a therapist and/or a coach to get me back on track?  We all experience stress.  Our body uses stress to remind us to pay attention to our work and home environment.  Listen to it.

• How is my dental health?  Have I been keeping up with my dental care this year?  Dental care is not just about the prevention of dental diseases.  Among other things, it also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and impacts our digestion. Regular visits to the dentist for cleanings and checkups are crucial for maintaining our oral and general health.

• How is my general physical health?  How are my heart, my gut, my kidneys, my lungs, and my liver doing?  Have I had my yearly preventive care and early detection checkup with my primary care doctor (PCP)?  Our PCP performs routine check ups and screenings to help prevent illness. They can also help with the early detection of diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.  They take a holistic view of our health, including medical history, lifestyle, and risk factors.  PCPs can also assist with coordinating care and referrals should we need a specialist.  By seeing a primary care doctor regularly, we can stay proactive about our health, catch potential issues early, and receive ongoing support for a healthier life.

• How is my pelvic and urinary health? Have I had my annual checkup with my gynecologist (GYN) for screenings such as PAP smears and breast exams?  Your GYN can also prescribe mammograms or other imaging tests to detect cancer early.  For young women or moms, they also provide guidance for reproductive health, management of menstrual health, and family planning and prenatal care.  The care also includes sexual health, hormonal health, and menopause management. Finally, they may recommend specific screenings or genetic testing for women with a family history of certain cancers.

• Finally, I check in on my overall bone health.  I love playing tennis.  Monitoring my bone health is crucial for maintaining strength and mobility. Our bones provide structure, protect our organs, and store essential minerals, making bone health a fundamental part of our general health. It helps in the prevention and/or early detection of osteoporosis.  I have my regular bone density tests.  Regular monitoring helps identify weaknesses or density loss, which can then be managed to prevent injuries.  General bone health is great for our overall health because our bones store essential minerals released into our bodies when needed.  And finally, health bone assessments give us information that helps with our dietary and lifestyle recommendations.

This is the personal body scan I do every year.  We are all in different stages of our life therefore we all have different needs.  I invite you to create your own personal one.  I do this scan every October because as a breast cancer survivor, it reminds me to not forget about taking care of myself.

I invite you to pick the best time of the year for your own scan.  Maybe January marking the beginning of the calendar year.  If you’re a mom, May may be the best time for you.  In May it’s not only Mother’s Day but it’s also National Women’s Health Month.   If summer is a slower month for you at work maybe during the summer month is the best time for you.

The when is not as important as 1) you are checking in yearly on your health; and 2) that you do what works for you in your current stage of life.

As women, we generally forget about ourselves.  This personal annual scan reminds us to pause and act so we can be the best version of ourselves for us first and then for everyone else.

Note: I am not a physician.  The purpose of this blog is not to diagnose but to simply bring awareness and encourage you to check in with your doctors annually.  I am sharing my own personal tips learned from my own life experiences in case it helps you in your own personal health journey. I hope it does.

Emy

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“And I said to my body softly, ‘I want to be your friend.’ It took a long breath, and replied ‘I have been waiting my whole life for this.'”  Nayyirah Waheed

CORAL GABLES COUNSELING CENTER