Check Yourself: Tests you should Take to be a Healthy Mom!

You prepare balanced meals for your family, spend quality time with each of your kids, make sure you and your hubby have some downtime together, and you nurture your family’s spiritual life by going to church. You sure value your family’s well-being—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  But do you value your own as well?

Karla Gae Torio, M.D., family medicine practitioner at DLS-STI Megaclinic in Mandaluyong, says moms should be just as cared for as their families. “Mothers have to be healthy, too. How will you be able to take care of your family if you are sick or have an underlying illness?” she asks.

“Going to the doctor every year is the best and most selfless thing a mom can do for her family,” says April Rica Atienza, ESL tutor and stay-at-home mom of three. “[Our] families depend on us the most, so it’s best to know early on if there are sicknesses.”


 Knowledge is power
Because knowing is half the battle, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor the following questions when undergoing some procedures.  
•    Am I at a healthy weight? What must I do to achieve my ideal weight?
•    What do these values or findings mean to my health?
•    What lifestyle changes can I make in order to improve my health?
•    What diseases might I be in danger of if my results are not within the normal range?
•    If my results are within the normal range, what else can I do to ensure that my health is maintained?
•    If my results are not within the normal range, what treatments or procedures must I undergo to improve my health?
•    Should I have this procedure done again? How soon after?

 

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Secure your health
“Prevention is the best treatment,” says Dr. Torio. An annual checkup helps in maintaining good health. This way, you are able to treat - or prevent - any problem that may cause illness.  “Once you are familiar with your body, at alam mo na kung ano yung problem mo, go to the doctor already. If you have a risk factor for certain diseases, you can have some tests done to prevent it.”

Practice wholistic medicine, encourages Dr. Torio. “Be healthy as a whole. Try to avoid stress, and take some time off your busy life to take care of yourself. Even just once a year, get an annual physical examination and have your system checked to see if there are any problems. You need to be healthy to be able to take care of your family,” she advises.

And even if you have a family history of certain diseases, you can prevent these diseases by living a healthy lifestyle: Always eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and be positive!


Beat the Fear!
Remember that fear is your biggest enemy.

“If you’re afraid to go to the doctor alone, ask someone you trust to go with you. Your mom, sister, or friend can give moral support.” - April Lina-Arboleda, mom to Andrea, 6, and Alwyn, 2

“I make a list of questions to ask my doctor when I have my annual checkup. I also have a diary where I keep track of any symptoms or illness I’ve felt in the past so I could relay it to my doctor when I see him. This helps me update my doctor when he interviews me during the checkup.” -Niquee Cowper-Gordon, mom to Liam, 6, Tati, 2, and Gabby, 9 months old

“I set an appointment every year with my ob-gyne. I make it a point to do everything: pap smears, blood tests, breast checkups, urinalysis—the works. Then I schedule another one for the year to come. This sets my mind that it is a routine, and that I have to do it.’ And because I set my mind to it, I can also prepare for the expenses for the next checkup.” - April Rica Atienza, Micah Yurielle, 10,  Moira Ysabelle, 5, and Matthew Ysmael, 2

 

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Pass these tests
For moms who are ready to take their health more seriously, here are some routine medical tests and procedures all moms can undergo, as recommended by Dr. Torio and Romeo Castillo, M.D., Filipino physician and family medicine practitioner and associate professor at Loma Linda University, California.

 

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Finding Your Health Care Partner

TV ads tell us, “Mahal magkasakit,” and truly those medical bills can leave quite a whole in our pockets. But because good health is wealth, you cannot afford to lose, so choose a healthcare provider or health maintenance organization who will not only help you with your medical emergencies but also provide you with assistance in prevention by offering lab tests or medical screenings. Ask your HMO if these are included in their service and take advantage of them


Sources:
•    Karla Gae Torio, M.D., family medicine practitioner, DLS-STI Megaclinic, SM Megamall Building A, EDSA, Mandaluyong City.
•    Romeo C. Castillo, M.D., ABFM, ABHM, family medicine practitioner; associate professor, Loma Linda University; faculty and assistant residency program director, Hanford Family Medicine Rural Track Residency Training Program in California, United States.

 

Photography by Jun Pinzon