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<p><b>3 essential health checks for women</b></p>
<p><b>Take care now to stay well</b><br />Physical exercise, stress management, and maintaining a healthy diet are habits that should be prioritised by every woman. Scheduling routine health screenings, which can detect potential problems early, should be one of those habits.</p>
<p><br />Regular screening can save your life and early detections can help you avoid complications and increase your quality of life.</p>
<p><br /><b>Pap smear and pelvic test</b><br />Women aged 21 and over should get a Pap smear every three years, regardless of their sexual background. This procedure requires your doctor to widen your vaginal canal with a speculum, remove cells from the cervix with a small brush, and check certain cells for abnormalities that could lead to cervical cancer.</p>
<p><br /><b>The benefits of a Pap smear test:</b><br />• It reassures you if the result is normal.<br />• It may help prevent cervical cancer by detecting variations in the body's cervical cells that may become cancerous if left untreated.<br />• Early detection may mean less treatment and less time spent recovering.<br />• The earlier cervical cancer is detected, the better your chance of survival.</p>
<p><br /><b>Mammograms</b><br />A mammogram is a screening procedure for breast cancer that involves compressing the breast between plates and capturing X-ray images. It’s the most effective way for many women to detect breast cancer early. Regular mammograms will help prevent succumbing to breast cancer. Every screening test has benefits and risks, which is why it’s important to talk to your doctor before getting any screening test.</p>
<p><br /><b>Risks of screening</b><br />• Screening risks include false-positive test results, which occur when a doctor sees something that seems to be cancerous but isn't. This can lead to more examinations, which may be costly, intrusive, time-consuming, and anxiety-inducing.<br />• Tests also can lead to over-diagnosis, this is when doctors find a cancer that wouldn’t have gone on to cause symptoms or problems, or even may go away on its own.<br />• Over-treatment can include treatments recommended for breast cancer, like surgery or radiation therapy. These can cause unnecessary and unwanted side-effects.</p>
<p><br /><b>Cholesterol test</b><br />A complete cholesterol test is also called a lipid panel or lipid profile. Your doctor can use it to measure the amount of “good” and “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides, a type of fat, in your blood. Too much cholesterol can lead to heart disease, stroke, atherosclerosis, and a clogging or hardening of your arteries.</p>
<p><br />It’s important to know your cholesterol numbers, no matter your age. Don’t wait for your doctor to suggest a test, be proactive and schedule it. It’s the only way to know your cholesterol numbers.</p>
<p><br />If any of your numbers are out of control, your doctor may recommend new eating and exercise habits to help you get back on track. Small changes can often have a big impact. If that doesn't work, your doctor may recommend medication.</p>
