Our bodies change as we get older, and you may notice that you’re not feeling as spry as you once did. This, however, does not mean that you should become complacent and forego taking care of your health.
Whether you are twenty, thirty or eighty years old, there are many things you can do to boost your well-being. One of those is making use of the readily available health care options in your area. Whether it is free through the NHS or a private clinic, talking to a qualified professional will certainly provide you with a wealth of information about your health.
The information provided will help guide you towards the right approach to taking care of yourself. But what should these health assessments consider? Let’s break it down.
Best health assessment for the 20s – 30s
As a child, it is much easier to take care of your fitness as you are encouraged to play, explore and exercise not just your mind but also your body. This changes as you move into your 20s and 30s as you begin studying, building your careers, or starting families.
However, keeping on top of your health from an early age will only keep you safe as you get older in the future. The best health assessment around your 20s/30s would include checking your family history as you may be at higher risk for certain conditions.
Take advantage of general health checks, pap smears and other checks that are available to you through the NHS that are appropriate for your age. It is not just unhealthy people who need doctors. Be active, reduce stress and avoid smoking.
Best health assessment for the 40s – over 65s
If you have partied your 30s away, it is not too late to get your health on track as you reach your 40s, 50s or later.
Making healthy choices at any point will still reduce your risk of developing serious illnesses such as coronary heart disease or type 2 diabetes. Regular consultations with your healthcare provider will help you understand how to move forward and what habits you should change to improve your lifestyle.
As a baseline, ensure you have healthy sleeping routines and check your blood sugar levels (as well as a balanced diet and exercise) to understand where your health is and notice if any health issues manifest early.
With older age, learning warning signs of strokes or heart attacks is beneficial in emergencies for yourself or family members. The NHS also provides free regular mammograms for detecting breast cancer, and prostate checks for prostate cancer (NHS 2021, NHS 2021a).
You will benefit from following the advice of your healthcare provider if you have been diagnosed with any problems. Alternatively, a full-body check such as the one provided by Echelon Health may be the best at providing you peace of mind about your health because it would give you a full picture of your wellbeing.
Best health assessment at Echelon Health
We all wish to lead long, healthy lives and for that, taking care of ourselves is key. If you are looking to get a comprehensive insight into your body, then you should look for a health assessment that utilises all imaging modalities like ultrasound, MRI and CT to give you a detailed look inside the body. If we ignore our health most of us may not notice anything until the symptoms become too serious.
At Echelon Health we have access to the most advanced imaging technology, which includes MRI, CT and ultrasound scans that help us detect many illnesses and diseases at the earliest possible stage. Many of these diseases are highly preventable and treatable if caught early; our Platinum Assessment can detect up to 94% of diseases that could lead to premature death.
Here is a full list of the scans and tests included in the Platinum Assessment:
- Medical Questionnaire & Pre-Assessment
- Neurocognitive Brain Assessment
- Blood Tests
- ECG
- CT Aorta
- CT Heart
- CT Coronary Angiogram
- CT Chest
- CT Pelvis
- CT Virtual Colonoscopy
- CT Bone Density
- EOS
- CT Upright Skeleton
- MRI Brain
- MRI Cerebral Artery Angiogram
- MRI Carotid Artery Angiogram
- MRI Prostate
- Ultrasound Thyroid
- Ultrasound Testes/ Ovaries
- Digital Mammogram
- Full Body Mole Screen
- Final Consultation
While many of our clients who undergo our health assessment are relieved to find that they are in good health, it is unfortunately not always the case. A recent client is just one of the many lives we have managed to save through our comprehensive health assessments.
N was diagnosed by Echelon Health with a cerebral arteriovenous fistula in his brain. This fistula was not presenting any symptoms and would have been missed in a normal medical check-up. Post diagnosis N was immediately referred by Echelon Health to one of the best specialists in the country and underwent a successful procedure a few days later.
Why is early detection important?
According to research by the King’s Fund, about 15million people in England have a long-term condition, which is more prevalent among those aged 60+ (58%) than those under 40 (14%) (King’s Fund, 2013).
Governmental research found that around 40% of premature mortality in the UK is caused by preventable cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Parliament.UK, 2017)
When it comes to your health, regular screening is key to preventing serious conditions:
Cancer Research UK has found that more than 9 in 10 bowel cancer patients will survive the disease for more than five years if diagnosed at the earliest stage; more than 90% of women diagnosed with breast cancer survive their disease for at least five years if caught at the earliest stage compared to around 15% for women diagnosed with the most advanced stage of the disease.
90% of women diagnosed with the earliest stage ovarian cancer survive the disease for at least five years, compared to around 5% for women diagnosed with the most advanced stage of ovarian cancer; more than 80% of lung cancer patients will survive for at least a year if diagnosed at the earliest stage, compared to around 15% for people diagnosed with the most advanced stage of the disease (Cancer Research UK, 2021).
At Echelon Health we believe that preventive health assessments are important even you are not showing any symptoms. We have many packages that look at your entire body or specific areas of interest.
Nothing in the assessments is based on statistical risk analysis; the tests look inside the individual and provide them with personal insight into their body and health.
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact our team or check out our brochure for more information on all the health assessments offered by Echelon Health.
Things you can do to improve your health at any age:
Reduce blood pressure: In England, 26% of women and 31% of men have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a leading factor for developing heart disease and is responsible for more than half of all strokes and heart attacks (NHS Digital, 2015).
Reduce cholesterol levels: High cholesterol is associated with 1 in 4 heart and circulatory disease deaths in the UK. Getting enough physical activity and a good diet may decrease the level of unhealthy cholesterol in your body (BHF.org, 2021).
Exercise more: Of people in England aged 16 and over 63.3% were physically active, with around 20million people failing to meet Government recommendations for physical activity, and unfortunately, women are less likely to be active than men (Gov.uk, 2020). Around 75% of people aged 45-74 in England are considered overweight or obese, and overall, 28% of all adults in England are thought to be obese (Baker 2021).
Eat a balanced diet: Research indicates that we still consume too much sugar and salt based on the recommended amounts. This may increase weight and cholesterol levels and the risk of heart diseases. Currently, more than 4.9 million people in the UK have diabetes. Lifestyle changes can be effective in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes by about 50% so do your best to improve your diet and increase the amount you move (Diabetes, 2022).
Quit smoking: In the UK, those aged 25–34 make up the highest proportion of smokers – 19% (ONS, 2020). Quitting smoking is difficult, but there are many resources available that make the transition easier.
Sources:
NHS (2021). When you’ll be invited for breast screening and who should go. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/breast-screening-mammogram/when-youll-be-invited-and-who-should-go/ (04/01/2022).
NHS (2021a). PSA testing. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-cancer/psa-testing/ (04/01/2022).
King’s Fund (2013). Long-term conditions and multi-morbidity. Available at: https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/time-think-differently (04/01/2022).
Parliament.uk (2017). Chapter 6: Public health, prevention and patient responsibility. Available at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201617/ldselect/ldnhssus/151/15109.htm#footnote-099 (04/01/2022).
Cancer Research UK (2021). Why is early diagnosis important? Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-symptoms/why-is-early-diagnosis-important (04/01/2022).
NHS Digital (2015). Health Survey for England, 2015. Available at: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/health-survey-for-england/health-survey-for-england-2015 (04/01/2022).
BHF.org (2021). Heart Statistics. Available at: https://www.bhf.org.uk/what-we-do/our-research/heart-statistics (04/01/2022).
ONS (2020). Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2019. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/adultsmokinghabitsingreatbritain/2019#adult-smoking-habits-in-the-uk-data (04/01/2022).
Baker, C. (2021). Obesity statistics. Available at: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn03336/ (04/01/2022).
Diabetes (2022). Diabetes statistics. Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/professionals/position-statements-reports/statistics (04/01/2022).
Gov.uk (2020). Physical activity. Available at: https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/health/diet-and-exercise/physical-activity/latest (04/01/2022).
