Christmas has a way of making life exciting and my friend’s in Cuba even if they have in the past postponed the celebration will certainly agree with me. I have fond memories of Christmas as I grew up; those were the days when hip hop papa Reggie Rock Stone’s claim to fame was through dancing and not music, Nana Kwame Ampadu and Senior Eddie Donkor were the toast of music lovers and Bryan Adam’s “Straight From The Heart” and “Pass The Dutchie” by Musical Youth could be heard in many dance halls including the afternoon jams. This was the era of Christmas hats, plastic spectacles and Father Christmas at Kingsway. My greatest delight was in putting up the season’s decorations and even when in boarding school, I will rush home to do just that. It sure felt good to see all the colourful decorations. Thirty years down the line, putting up decorations is also a high point for my daughter Ekua, surely the power of genes is at play.
Our genes may control many things we do as well as health conditions we may “acquire” but we have the power to control the outcomes and the first step is to do a fairly comprehensive medical examination. Many of us are “scared of discovering” an illness so we will do everything to avoid a medical examination but in this instance one thing is certain, what you do not know may kill you. I am always amazed when people try to convince health professionals to complete medical forms without doing the required tests. Surely not only is that criminal but also you will be doing yourself a great disservice. A medical examination before employment or school admission may be your only chance of discovering an illness in its early stage when it is easiest to manage.
This Christmas and New Year, one of the best gifts you can give to your friends, family and yourself is a medical examination. There are several tests in addition to the physical examination and your doctor will help you choose the ideal tests.
Dear reader unwrap your priceless gifts of the season:
A. Heart Disease Screening
a. The mention of cancer certainly sends shivers down some spines but the heart also draws a lot of “respect” any day. Lifestyle diseases such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood sugar (diabetes) all increase our risk of heart diseases.
b. Blood cholesterol needs to be checked by age 20 or 18 when you do your first “mandatory” (may I suggest that) blood pressure check. Subsequent blood cholesterol checks will depend on our baseline results and your doctor will determine the frequency. Remember that both high blood pressure and high cholesterol are “silent” and we can only know our status early when we check.
c. Hypertension
i. You must have heard a lot about this silent killer. It may be causing harm but you feel perfectly well. You will need to check your blood pressure.
ii. Since our current “acquired” lifestyles are so terrible, we could start checking our blood pressure by age 20 and probably check at least twice a year even if we find it to be normal.
B. Diabetes Screening
a. Diabetes certainly creates “hunger in the midst of plenty.” This is because you will have a lot of sugar in your blood but the cells are hungry because they are unable to access this sugar. Diabetes not only destroys multiple organs in our body, it also drains our pockets. If you do not have it, adopt a healthy lifestyle to ward it off. If you already are a victim, a healthy lifestyle will still protect you from many complications. Why wait till you are forty plus to check your blood sugar? Get it done when you check your cholesterol and blood pressure.
C. Liver Function Test
a. The liver can tell us a lot and with the numerous medicines and illicit herbal preparations many people abuse, it is important to assess this organ. I am sure you have also heard about Hepatitis B.
D. Renal Function Test
a. It is unfortunate that we may only do a renal function test when we are preparing for dialysis. We could have saved ourselves pain, time and money by checking earlier and taking appropriate steps. Do not forget to ask for your urine to be tested as well.
E. Full Blood Count and Blood Film Comment
a. This gives more information than you can imagine. Even certain malignancies will give signals here. The cause of your anaemia may also be exposed.
F. HIV screening
a. It is great to know your status, either way you are better off. If positive you can seek appropriate help and if negative you lead an appropriate life to avoid it.
b. Modern treatments can keep HIV infection from becoming AIDS.
c. Let us all work to “GET TO ZERO”
G. Others
a. Your weight and height are crucial – these are used to determine your BMI, which may point to the fact that you are too heavy for your height. Obesity has no good points; it steals your energy and life.
b. If you are fifty years or older, ask for a test to look into your colon – colonoscopy. This can save you from future colon cancer.
c. Men should consider an assessment for testicular cancer and if you are forty years or older you will need to assess your prostate.
a. Our ladies should take the opportunity to do breast self-examination and schedule for a mammogram and an ultrasound if you are forty or older. If you have a family member who has breast cancer then you may even screen for breast cancer by age 35. It is recommended that we have a Pap smear and pelvic exam once we are sexually active or at age 18 then annually, or every 3 years after 3 normal Pap smears in a row. This is appropriate screening for cervical cancer.
d. Tests such as a Chest X-ray are not required by everyone and I am sure your doctor will explain this to you. If you require an electrocardiogram (ECG), I am sure you will be directed to do that as well.
Enjoy the season but remember that the focus should be on the Christ in Christmas.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS.

Source:
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Moms’ Health Club
(dressel@healthclubsgh.com)


*Dr Essel is a medical doctor and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy and fitness nutrition.

Thought for the week –“Health is the state about which medicine has nothing to say.” – W.H. Auden