It is hard to believe that we are in the last quarter of 2021. This pandemic has taken a toll on our mental as well as physical health. I am here to stress the importance of self-care, specifically annual checkups. As we know October is breast cancer awareness month. I am sure if you haven’t been personality affected by this disease you know someone who has. According to Breast Cancer Organization, about 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer throughout their lifetime. In 2021 there is an estimated 281,550 new cases in women. “We recommend mammogram screening to start no earlier than age 40 and no later than age 50 for women of average risk for breast cancer, and continue through to at least age 74,” says Dr. Andrejeva-Wright. There is a debate that women who do not have a history of breast cancer in their family that she only need to be screened every two years. I feel that going annually is a better way to be preventative. During the time in between your screening always give yourself self-examinations. If something doesn’t feel right go to the doctor immediately. Younger women under 40 need to make a point to start giving themselves self-examinations and again if something doesn’t feel right go to the doctor, cancer does not discriminate due to age. Nine percent of all new cases of breast cancer in the United States are in women younger than 45. In the United States, 1 in 196 women under age 40 receives a diagnosis of breast cancer. More than 12,000 women younger than 40 were estimated to get a diagnosis of breast cancer in 2020 alone.
So many women tend to put themselves including our health on the bottom of the list of priorities. It is time to normalize in or life that we need to start being as diligent with our health as we are with our love ones. Let’s change our mindset to be move in the direction of preventative measures and less on let’s wait until their is a problem. Go to your provider and request a blood panel. This checks to make sure your levels are in balance, this includes checking for high cholesterol, diabetes, and thyroid function. Eye health is also just as important and should be on your list of checkups. We tend to spend many hours looking at a computer screen or our phone. The blue light given off from these devices can cause damage to your vision over time. Pay attention to any flutters you might see as this could be a sign of some serious eye issues. Let’s not forget our annual dental cleaning. Teeth health is extremely important to prevent infections from setting up in your body. Tooth decay and gum disease are preventable with annual dental visits. Starting age 45 you should also start your screening for colorectal cancer. I know prepping for that procedure will cause anyone to say NO THANK YOU, but prevention is key. Make sure you have a good relationship with all your specific medical profession. This ensures that when you come to them with a problem they will take your claims seriously.
Let’s normalize making ourselves a priority starting with our health. And if you haven’t yet, GO GET YOUR MAMMOGRAM! Your tats tats will thank you later:-)
- Yale Medicine
- Breast Caner Org
- Healthline
