REGULAR MEDICAL CHECKUP IS A MUST!
The Lord desires that we prosper and be in health; the prosperity of our souls will also be expressed in our bodies. It is therefore necessary that we GO for total Medical Checkup. Total Medical Checkup starts from the brain down to other organs in the body. Medical Checkups are medical tests done routinely to help detect health issues before they become a problem. There are various medical checkups that we should do regularly, but the common ones are:
Blood Pressure: This is done to detect high or low blood pressure. The normal for systolic is between 110 - 130 and diastolic is between 70 - 90. With the average being 120/80.
Random Blood Sugar (RBS): This is done during the day to know the level of glucose in the blood. It should be between 6 and 8 mmol/l. It can also be done early in the morning before food, called Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS). Normal FBS is between 4 and 6 mmol/l
Body Mass Index (BMI): First determine your weight and height, then you can calculate your BMI.
BMI = weight(kg) ÷ Height(m2)
- Below 18.5 Underweight
- 18.5–24.9 Healthy
- 25.0–29.9 Overweight
- 30.0 and above Obese
Packed Cell Volume (PCV): This can either be too high or too low. If it is high, you can be of help to others by donating. (Note that it is lower for female because of the monthly blood loss.)
Normal female PCV 34% - 44%,
Normal male PCV 44% - 50%.
Genotype and Blood Group: This is another check that should be done. It should be done once in a life time because it does not change. Do not wait until you are about to get married before you run this checkup because it has caused a lot of unnecessary relationship break-ups. More so, it is useful in cases of emergencies where transfusion is needed.
Why People Shun Medical Checkup
There are several factors responsible for the unresponsiveness of people to medical checkup. Some of which are;
The stress attached to it: The process of getting to see the Doctor can be discouraging. But it is worth it. There are lots of things we do in life that are stressful, yet we do them.
Ignorance and financial constraint: Ignorance and the fee attached to getting this done are also major factors that affect people's response to checkups. (Note that Blood Pressure check is free at the hospital but ignorance would deny many of such. Sugar Level check is also just #500 in the Hospital here.)
Solutions to The Factors Responsible for Unresponsiveness to Medical Checkup.
One major solution to the above factor is simply understanding that routine medical checkup is mandatory for anyone who wants to maintain good health. Understanding this, puts a demand on you, irrespective of the stress or money involved.
Another solution is to boycott the stress of going to the hospital for basic checkups and get some of the apparatus at home. E.g. Sphygmomanometer for Blood Pressure, Glucometer for Blood Sugar level etc.