Each Spring, somewhere around my birthday, I get a note from the doctor reminding me to schedule my annual checkup. Sometimes I actually do. I think of these visits a lot like the 12,000-mile service for my car: run a systems check, top off the fluids, check the tread on the tires, and then ignore everything for another year.
But it turns out that’s not a great plan. I’m a complex system, replacement parts are not really an option, and there’s no loaner available if I need extensive repairs. Fact is, if I’m going to be the best I possibly can be for my family then I need to take care of this aging body one day at a time, treating all the systems with respect. I need a health checklist.
Protect the investment that is your healthy life and give your family some peace of mind. Same goes for all of us, because there’s only one of you, and you’re it. So, protect the investment that is your healthy life and give your family some peace of mind. Somewhere along the way we all need pointing in the right direction. With that in mind (your health and your family), here is the 10-point health checklist you need.
10 Point Health Checklist:
1. Exercise
Move on a regular basis. It doesn’t have to be high-impact, but build an exercise regimen into your daily routine. Get a measuring device and always register a minimum of 10,000 steps every day.
2. Diet
Regular movement plus a balanced diet is almost everything you need to be ahead of the majority of Americans. Think of healthy eating as your daily preventative medicine.
3. Sleep
Sleep is the answer to many other potential issues. If you’re not getting around seven hours a night your health will be compromised, your ability to heal is affected, your mental health is at risk and your productivity suffers.
4. Balance
Balance mind, body, and spirit; balance work, family, and play. Getting out of balance produces stress.
5. BMI
Know your personal BMI (Body Mass Index). This is a number with significant health and financial ramifications, and it is something we should all care about.
6. Check up
I know a man who bragged that his cholesterol had not gone up in a decade, but it was only because he kept skipping his physical and his blood work. No data is not the same as no problem. Routine health evaluations are a must.
7. Health Insurance
Insurance may be costly, but your ability to access quality care (for your self and your family) should never be hit or miss.
8. Life Insurance
No one likes to imagine needing life insurance. But planning ahead is an important base to cover for your family.
9. Mental Health
We live in a high-stress world. Sometimes things overwhelm us. It is important to stay ahead of any potentially debilitating crisis. Taking good care of your mental health means we do not have to let depression or anxiety get the upper hand.
10. Monitor Yourself Regularly
Some people simply count their steps, others use Apps that stay on top of calories and blood pressure and weight and more. The point is, don’t just intend to be on top of these things, keep daily records and know where you stand.
Sound off: What has helped get you on track with your health?
Huddle up with your kids and ask, “What is your favorite thing about being a family?”