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HEALTH&FITNESS
248
January15
Check
i
ng
F
or the arguably lucky residents
of England, the National Health
Service (NHS) offers what it calls
“a free mid-life MOT*” – that’s a
health test – every five years to anyone
aged between 40 and 74. I’ll bet that’s not
just from the goodness of their no doubt
steadily beating bureaucratic hearts;
it makes financial sense, too. Timely
screening can pick up an incipient problem
before it develops into a serious or chronic
disease that has a greater impact on the
public coffers (or your own
hard-won savings).
As expats in Singapore, we
don’t generally have access
to free health services like
the NHS. But it’s likely that
your medical insurance
company – and you do
have
health insurance, right? – will
cover the costs of screening
appropriate for your age and
circumstances.
And if you’re unsure what sorts of
tests you should be having, there are
expat-friendly clinics here, staffed with
internationally experienced doctors who
will be able tell you exactly what you need.
Complete Healthcare International (CHI)
and Johns Hopkins Singapore are just two
of them.
Generally speaking
“Everyone should have regular health checks,”
affirms Dr Lin Kai Wei, a GP at the Katong,
East Coast branch of CHI, “even if you feel
completely well.” He reminds us that it’s a big
responsibility: “Any breakdown in your health
ultimately affects everyone in your family: your
partner, your children, even your parents.” (No
pressure, then!)
Hypertension, diabetes
and high cholesterol are risk
factors for developing heart
disease and stroke, explains
Dr Lin. “You should have your
blood pressure checked every
one to two years, especially if
there’s a family history.”
Being obese or overweight
is the main risk factor for
Type
2 diabetes
, a dangerous
condition that continues to
escalate alarmingly. Untreated diabetes can
lead to neural damage, kidney damage and
eventual failure, and vision problems, even
blindness.
The Big Five
HYPERTENSION
DIABETES
CHOLESTEROL
HEART DISEASE
CANCERS
Here’s to a healthy
2015! If you’re anything
like us, this is the year
you’re going to do it
a l l : dr i nk l ess , ea t
right, get fit, build your
career, save money,
see more of the world,
all while becoming a
better parent, partner
and person. But before
you embark on Project
Superhero, says
Verne
Maree
, it may be time
for a reality check.
Feeling fine and looking
pretty good for your
age – all right, fan
tas
tic
for your age – is no
guarantee that all is
indeed well.
* In the UK, an MOT – short for “Ministry of Transport” – is
the compulsory annual roadworthiness test for vehicles.