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A Mother's Most Important Gift: her health
 Mothers Day got me thinking. It made me ponder what it is that my children need from me most. Is it tennis lessons or gymnastics? Of course not. Endless love and kisses? Yes, but there is something even more important. What my children need most is ME. They need a healthy, vibrant mommy -- one with a long life expectancy! Mothers tend to focus diligently on the health and safety of their loved ones, but may disregard their own. We need to realize that caring for our children requires that we tend to our own health so that we can live long enough to encourage, guide, and nag them into adulthood! How well have you been taking care of your health lately? Here are some things to consider: • You ought to have a PAP smear every year, if you have a high risk for cervical cancer, or every 3 years if you are low risk. Ask your doctor how often you need one. • You should get a mammogram every year starting at age 40 unless you have a higher than average risk for breast cancer (such as women who carry the breast cancer gene). • You need colon cancer screening, such as a colonoscopy, starting at age 50. If you have a close relative who had colon cancer, you may need screening earlier. • If you have any blood in your stool, you need to have a colonoscopy. Even if you are only 35 and you only had a little blood on the toilet paper. This can be cancer. Really, I’ve seen it. Colon cancer is much easier to treat when it is caught early, so don’t blow this symptom off! • If you are over 35 and have heavier or more frequent periods than usual, you should get an endometrial biopsy to rule out uterine cancer. Yes it is probably just hormonal, but you can’t know that for sure without sampling the tissue from inside your uterus. This is a simple procedure that your doctor can do in the office. • More women die from heart disease each year than breast cancer, yet we tend to think of this as a man’s disease. Don’t make that mistake. If your blood pressure or cholesterol are high, get them down. If you don’t know what they are, get them checked. If you have chest pain, go to your doctor (or even the ER if it is severe). • Protect yourself from accidents. Wear your seatbelt, don’t drive when you’ve been drinking, and don’t take the batteries out of your smoke detectors. And, of course, don’t smoke. It is not selfish to pay attention to your own health. It is responsible and it is necessary if you want to stick around long enough to see your children, or even grandchildren, grow up. Not only do you own it to yourself to stay healthy, you owe it to all the people who love you. (Photo courtesy of Flickr.com) |
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Dr. Delia Chiaramonte
Dr. Delia Chiaramonte is the founder and president of Insight Medical Consultants, a private medical advising and patient advocacy company. She is board certified in family medicine and is Medical Director for Hospice of Baltimore.
Dr. Delia Chiaramonte is the founder and president of Insight Medical Consultants, a private medical advising and patient advocacy company. She is board certified in family medicine and is Medical Director for Hospice of Baltimore.
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