Pap Smears, Mammograms, Bone Density Tests, Oh My! So this is the year I get to add the “big one” to the list. I am turning 50 soon, which means I get to have my first colonoscopy! Yippee! My husband hit this monumental age a short time ago. I told him since this is the one test that both men and women have to have (or should anyway!) we should schedule our colonoscopies for the same place, same time and make a date out of it. How romantic is that? Ha! I don’t think he saw the humor in it that I did.
I have a love/hate relationship with all these necessary tests. The hate part… they are an inconvenience to me and certain ones can be a little humiliating. Now that I am getting more mature (this takes the place of the “o” word) the required list is getting longer which I am not crazy about. I would much rather be spending that time doing something fun and exciting. The love part… I have come to realize their importance and it does give me more knowledge as to what is going on inside of this body of mine and how to take care of it. I do like to hear that I have passed the tests. A little fine tuning might be necessary, but nothing life threatening.
I have to frequently remind myself that in the process of taking responsibility for my health I have to allow my faith into the equation. God is in control of my timeline. That is so easy to say but sometimes hard to accept. He loves me and will not give me something without the tools to handle it. That does not mean that I sit back ignoring my health and not expect some type of consequence. I must balance between my faith and using the brain that God gave me. God desires for us to trust him with our entire life, however, I believe He also expects us to take care of the body he gave us, not to ignore and/or abuse it. That means be smart about eating healthy, exercise regularly, get the proper amount of sleep that your body requires (I know that one is hard for young moms or college students trying to get that degree ), floss your teeth daily (reduces gum disease which can lead to heart disease) relax and breathe. Medical research shows that taking deep breaths throughout our day releases toxins out of the body and provides a long list of benefits that includes things such as fueling your energy levels, helps your digestive tract, reduces stress, improves concentration, and much more. Do not forget those maintenance checkups once a year. Your doctor will give you a list of what tests need to be taken at what age. One note, if you are fair skinned and/or a sun worshiper, don’t forget to get a yearly mole check from a dermatologist. Most insurances will cover this and you are never too young or old to start! Early detection is the best prevention.
Talk to God, release your burdens to him, you will be amazed at the peace he will bring. We as women tend to get so busy taking care of all those around us that we forget to take care of ourselves. If you fall into that category make this the day to change. Do not ignore your responsibilities. Just add your health to the list. Do it for those you love and who love you. You are important. Embrace that.
Sleepless nights, homework, soccer games, preparing meals, cleaning the house, knowing where everyone and everything is at every moment. Just a day in the life of a mom. I don’t know about you, but my days tend to get so jam-packed (and I’m not even into the soccer games and homework yet) that I am the last thing I think about. I rarely go to the bathroom until I really have to. I know I don’t drink as much water as I should. I grab what I can for lunch (often times the uneaten portions of my oldest). None of these practices are healthy in any sense. And the worst part is that I know that. But, duty calls, right?
We are all busy, and that will never change. I used to think that when I graduated from college that I would have so much more time to get things done because I wouldn’t have professor’s deadlines to contend with. Then when I was working, I would think to myself that I would be able to get so much more done when I was home all the time. Now that I am home, I’m constantly coordinating naps with happy children. And the list goes on.
Here’s the thing, ladies. We will always have a reason or an excuse to neglect our health. It’s very easy to do. I bet if you stopped yourself right now you could think of at least 10 reasons to avoid your healthcare providers. My list looks something like this: 1) No time. 2) No childcare. 3) I’m pretty healthy. 4) I’ll do it tomorrow. 5) I’m only 30 (okay, 31). I’ve got time before I have to check on that.
In the past 3 months I have personally known 3 people my own age who have some kind of cancer. It’s no longer out of our reach. It’s here. It’s affecting people our age. And we can no longer pretend like we’re exempt from it.
Why do I preach mean to you? Because I want you to know the importance of taking care of your body. This means that we will agree to do better at the daily stuff: working out, eating right, drinking water, and taking time to relax. It also means that we will not neglect the preventative care that Donna talked about. I am actually pretty good at this one. I go to the gynecologist every year for my annual exam. I visit the dentist twice a year for a cleaning. I need to schedule my appointment with my primary care physician for my physical, as well as my dermatologist appointment, but these are on my list of to-dos.
Again, we are all under God’s provision, and He has the final call, but we are to take care of ourselves, and part of caring for ourselves is making sure that we get into see our doctors for regular check-ups.
I know, I preached at you today. It’s only because I care.
