Every woman should make time for healthy habits regular exercise, stress management, and choosing the right foods. Scheduling routine health screenings, which can detect potential problems early, is one of those habits. As women move past or into their 30s, here are five tests they should consider getting regularly to maintain optimum health. Keep in mind that these tests may need to be started earlier if you display certain symptoms or carry certain risk factors such as a family history of a certain disease.
1. Mammograms
A mammogram, which screens for breast cancer, involves compressing the breast between plates so that X-ray images can be captured. There has long been discussion about when and how often a woman should have them, given that the risk for breast cancer increases as you age, and the false positives from frequent screening might do more harm than good. The most recent guidelines from the USPSTF recommend that starting at age 50, women should have a mammogram every two years.
2. Thyroid
These blood tests are important in detecting underactive (hypothyroidism) or overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism). In case of normal findings, once-a-year testing is recommended.
3. Blood pressure
A reading below 120/80 is ideal. If the reading is normal, get tested the next year.
4. Blood sugar test
Done after a 12-hour fasting period, this helps detect diabetes. A reading of < 99 is normal; between 100 and 110 indicates pre-diabetes and higher than 110 indicates diabetes.
5. Vitamin D Deficiency
An extremely common condition, Vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of bone loss and osteoporosis in later years, among other things. A reading < 30 in the blood test indicates a deficiency.
6. Bone Density Screening
Women should start getting screened for osteoporosis with a bone density test at age 65. Those with risk factors for osteoporosis, such as fractures or low body weight, should be screened earlier. For this test, called a DEXA scan, you lie on a table while a low-dose X-ray machine captures images of your bones.
(Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be taken as professional medical advice. Please consult a doctor before starting any fitness regime or medical advice.)
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