Regular Check-up

Most of us do not visit the doctor regularly. Some think that an Annual Physical Examination is enough. While there are people who just visit the doctor when it is absolutely the only thing to do. Sometimes this applies if the illness is quite serious or a person is experiencing too much pain. Only then one would agree that a trip to the hospital or clinic is inevitable.

Sad to say, I am one of those people. I just find it intimidating to visit a doctor and most of the time I am nervous for the procedures. Even the simple collecting of blood for CBC is a frightening ordeal. It does not really hurt me but just the thought of getting pricked freaks me out. Well, I don’t know how it happened but that’s just me.

For me, this is not a good practice to continue. It is best to have regular trips to the hospital for check-ups and if there’s something that doesn’t feel right, go straight to a doctor to have it checked. These times, it’s getting expensive to get sick especially those that do not have health insurance or health card. It is better to nip it in the bud than to suffer in the end.

I love Water

Recently, I have been drinking lots of water. After eating, I drink two glasses of water and in between, I make it a point to drink too. Back in 2005, I had an ugly bout with recurring UTI which lasted for three months or so. I just remember that I don’t go right away if I needed to go probably because of my work. Aside from that, I didn’t drink water religiously. I just drink after meals and then some in between.

I had to learn the hard way so after that, I made it a point to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. My mother was diagnosed to have gallstones in her kidney so she had to undergo medication and one important advice was for her to consume a gallon in three days. Well, I know it is too much but after she does this, she feels better. I don’t know if I can do this but it is water anyway.

Aside from preventing UTI, it can also help in rehydrating my skin. Also, I just watched from the television earlier that drinking lots of water can help prevent dermatitis. I have this too and sad to say, it is triggered by stress. So just drinking water regularly everyday can help me in more ways than one.

Annual Physical Examination

Once a year, I undergo an Annual Physical Examination. Actually, if it weren’t required in my previous company, I wouldn’t have undergone one. I am not a big fan of doctors and hospitals and the only time I got confined was when I gave birth almost two years ago.

 

I am afraid of needles too so when it comes to collecting blood for CBC, I really get nervous but I get through it anyway. It is the thought of getting pricked that scares me. The rest of the procedure is pretty much a breeze but still I get anxious when the results arrive.

 

So far, all of previous APE rendered good results and it is good news for my health. Save for the time when I was diagnosed with a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), I had no other illness. Prior to that, I had a bout with UTI and I got sick for 3 months but I recovered. I had numerous trips to the doctor to monitor my urinalysis and after months of going back and forth, I was cured. But with my line of work, it is not impossible to get it again because I do not always get the chance to go when nature calls so it was a challenge. I improved my condition by drinking lots of water as much as possible.

 

Last June, I underwent another APE. I am still waiting for the results though but I hope everything is fine. For everybody out there, let us not take our health for granted. We’ll never know if it’s too late to care.

Proper Posture

I was in front of my computer earlier and sat for most the time because I was on shift at work. I used to do some stretching for a few minutes to relieve the pain in my back or to massage my hands. There’s carpal tunnel syndrome brought about by using the mouse or improper position while using the computer.

 

My work is related with computers and I have been in this business for more than 8 years now. I think because of the strain in my back, I have developed back pain and sometimes my wrist hurt. Because of this, my mother encouraged me to straighten up my back when I am sitting and to walk for a few minutes after I have been sitting for a long time. This can help improve blood circulation.

 

On the other hand, I have read that a person can lose the belly fat slowly by sitting straight and not slouching. It is like one is encouraging the body to improve posture and this way, the belly is not bulging. It is also easier to breathe if the body is relaxed.

 

Healthy living does not only mean eating the right food, exercise and others. It also includes activities that promote the feeling of general well-being.

Supplements

Many supplements have emerged in the market today. Each one claiming to sharpen the memory, or to burn fats, some helps protect the liver and a lot more. It is nice to know that more and more people are becoming conscious of achieving a healthy lifestyle.

In this day and age where every place we turn to seem to be polluted, with a number of smokers out there who nonchalantly smoke in public, even in public vehicles, we are all at risk of endangering our health. I am most worried when I inhale second hand smoke because I read that it is more dangerous to inhale this instead of smoking a cigarette itself.

If I have the money, I’ll be taking in more vitamins and supplements so that I am more protected. Of course, it is best to consult a health provider first before doing this just to make sure that we are taking the right vitamins that suit us. At this point where everything is just expensive, the old adage “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure” still holds true. If an illness can be prevented, better take steps to prevent it in the first place instead of spending a lot of money for treatment.

Getting Enough Sleep

When we think of healthy living, what registers to mind right away is eating the right food and maintaining a clean lifestyle. I agree of course but we should not underestimate the effect of having a good night’s sleep.

 

If one has had enough sleep for the day, it boosts the energy of a person. It energizes the body and the feeling of well-being comes to place. It is also easier to do tasks as the mind seems to be clear and one can think clearly.

 

Whenever I get enough sleep, say at least 7 to 8 hours a day, I wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of the day. Also, I noticed that I do not get cranky if I slept well. It is not funny if one’s sleep is interrupted and wakes up to a loud noise for example. That gives me a headache and then I can’t go back to sleep anymore which leaves me feeling week.

 

Sleep is important and if there’s not enough of it, it can cause anemia or low blood pressure. Every day, please make sure to get enough sleep or rest. Otherwise, there are supplements to aid us in living a healthy life.

Cleansing the Body

Nowadays people are more conscious of their health. More and more people are exerting their efforts in taking a healthy lifestyle.

With this, many cleansing treatments are available online. I have heard about Master Cleansing, Colon Cleansing, etc. These promise the flushing of toxins from our body if done correctly. I have even came across an article that aids in the removal of gallstones.

Reading the article, I got really interested in trying it out but I didn’t know where to find some of the ingredients needed and just going over the procedure, I doubted if I could finish it.

There’s nothing wrong in exploring new ways to rid the body of harmful toxins. I just think it is best to consult a doctor first to find out if it is safe to do and if our body can withstand it.

Grilled Tuna with Corn and Avocado Relish

Grilled Tuna with Corn and Avocado Relish  

For the Corn and Avocado Relish:
2 ears corn, shucked
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 tablespoon seeded, chopped jalapeño pepper
1 teaspoon chopped, fresh cilantro
1 avocado
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper

For the tuna:
8 tuna steaks, 4 to 6 ounces each
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Corn and Avocado Relish:

1. Preheat the grill or oven to 450°F.

2. Roast the corn on the grill or in the oven until it begins to turn golden, about 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, mix the lime juice, olive oil, vinegar, red onion, scallions, jalapeño and cilantro together in a bowl.

4. When the corn is cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from the cob and add them to the bowl. Pit, skin and chop the avocado and add that to the bowl.

5. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

For the tuna:

1. Preheat the grill or broiler.

2. Mist the tuna steaks with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper.

3. Grill the tuna steaks on each side until just opaque, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. (Thinner steaks will take a little less time and thicker ones will take a little more.)

4. Serve the steaks topped with the relish.

 

Serving Size: 1 tuna steak and 1/4 cup relish

Just Smile!

Being healthy doesn’t only mean physical health. It also includes emotional well-being. With all the problems and stress that we might encounter everyday, it can also affect our health.

Some people don’t eat right because they are tired or due to some personal problem that’s affecting them. Others might not get enough sleep because the mind can’t rest and won’t stop thinking of things. There are a lot of factors that could affect a person’s emotional well-being but the thing is, it sometimes depend on how we look at these problems.

Sure, not all of these can be solved. Some might even be impossible to overcome but the secret to feeling healthy is by taking things in stride. A simple smile will do. If you can laugh, it’s even better. It can help in releasing all those pent-up emotion and tension. I remember that it takes more muscles to frown than smile so go ahead, just smile and just think of the problem later. The problem won’t go away by smiling but it can help in relaxing you and clear your mind of thoughts.

Annual Medical Check-up

I just had my annual check-up today. This was sponsored by our company who gave us health cards. I ‘m not a fan of doctors and hospitals but I only relaxed a bit when I gave birth almost two years ago and from then on, I don’t feel so nervous anymore.

My BP was taken and it was a normal 120/80. Next my weight and it seems I gained a few pounds since the last time I weighed myself. After that, I proceeded to the physical examination. While the doctor was asking me information about my medical history, I learned that some serious ailments like high blood pressure, diabetes and even asthma exist in our family. Some relatives from both my parent’s sides have been afflicted with one of those at some point. I came to the realization that it’s not impossible for me to catch those too if I am not careful.

After this, I went to have my xray taken and then the MedTech drew my blood sample for CBC. I will come back next week for the results and hopefully everything is normal.

When I got out of the clinic, I was surprised because it was not too hot outside that I decided I will just walk to the office of my previous company where my husband has been holed in for the last hour. He applied and was taking his exam when I left earlier. He was surprised when he learned that I just walked. Well, it wasn’t too far and I figured, if I want to have a healthy lifestyle, might as well start with some walking and I’ll take it from there.

 

 

 

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