8 Steps To A Quick And Easy Health Check

Are you looking to do a quick and easy health check at home?

When it comes to your health and wellbeing, you may have heard the saying ‘prevention is better than cure’ It’s the idea that maintaining healthy habits now is easier than trying to undo less healthy practices later on in life.

One of the pillars of this methodology is regularly checking in with your body, how it feels, and how it functions.

By analysing how you feel in the various areas of health, you may be able to identify opportunities for improvement earlier and keep your overall health on track.

Discover eight areas of health you may like to check in on today. But remember, if you have any concerns about your health or want a comprehensive health check, talk to your health professional.

The amount of time we spend in the land of then nod is closely linked with our overall health and wellbeing. The Sleep Health Foundation recommends that adults get 7-9 hours of sleep each night, but the reality is that many of us may struggle to do so every now and then.

Whether it’s a busy mind or an uncomfortable bed, assessing the length and quality of your sleep is an important part of supporting your long term health.

If you are having trouble drifting off to dreamland, you may find these handy tips and tricks useful for supporting a good night’s rest. 

Although it may seem obvious, what we eat has important implications for our health. A balanced and varied diet is the best way to get the wide range of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that support our important bodily functions. So it’s worth taking a moment to assess what you’ve been consuming.

Have you been getting your recommended daily intake of the major food groups? Or has a busy schedule seen processed foods and take away food replace delicious and nutritious home-cooked meals?

Try tracking your meals and snacks for a week. At the end of the week take a look at your food log and identify meals that could be easily swapped for healthier alternatives. If you’re not sure where to start, why not try our hearty Spiced Roast Pumpkin and Chickpea Soup?

It’s recommended that we get 30 minutes of physical activity five times per week but every now and again it’s easy to slip into a sedentary pattern of work, sleep, repeat.

Remember, every step counts. Think about your typical week day and try to find simple places to squeeze in some extra activity.

This might be taking the stairs instead of the lift, or heading outside for a quick walk around the block on your lunch break. You’ll be surprised how these easy swaps accumulate over time to support your health and wellbeing.

It’s an unfortunate reality that stress is a common aspect of our modern lifestyles. From a tense meeting to a traffic jam, stressors may seem to be all around us.

While it’s normal to encounter a bout of stress in response to a particularly busy day, it’s also important to practise appropriate relaxation techniques.

Take a moment to check in with how you’ve been feeling both mentally and physically. Has stress become a common occurrence in your day to day life? If so, you may find these tips helpful.

If you’re concerned about your stress levels or mental health, talk to your friendly health professional. For additional support, contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

While a trip to the dentist’s chair may not always at the top of your to-do list, it is an important part of maintaining your overall health.

It’s generally recommended that we get our pearly whites checked out once every six months, so you may find it useful to pop a recurring reminder in your calendar to make an appointment.

It’s always a good idea to get your eyes tested. As we age our eyes become more delicate and prone to degradation, so it’s important to have a yearly screening and eye test.

Maintaining a healthy diet, wearing sunglasses and regularly taking breaks away from the computer screen can all help to support your eye health and heatlhy vision.

Much like getting your eyes checked, it’s important to pay attention to your hearing. After all, for many people hearing loss doesn’t happen overnight. Rather, it’s gradual and accumulative.

Think about how you treat your ears.

Do you regularly crank up the music while you’re at the gym? Is the front row of a loud concert your favourite place to spend a weekend?

If so, you may be damaging your hearing.

Try turning down the volume a couple of notches, investing in some earplugs and schedule a check up with your audiologist.

It’s no secret that the Australian sun is harsh. Our beautiful blue skies and scorching summer temperatures may make for a fun day at the beach, but may also put your skin at risk.

When it comes to protecting yourself from the sun’s rays, always opt for a high SPF (think 50+) and adhere to the slip, slop, slap, seek and slide mantra.

It’s also a good idea to get familiar with your skin. Make an appointment with your GP or skin specialist to get a full-body skin check and take the time to assess your skin between visits. By checking in regularly you’re more likely to find new or irregular moles earlier.

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