According to recommendations by medical practitioners, we should undergo physical and medical evaluation at least once a year to monitor our health status and maintain wellness.
However, we might need to go through quick medical examinations in some cases. This could happen when preparing to start a new job or getting a life insurance policy.
Whatever the case may be, you need to know what you must do to ensure that you have a successful medical examination. Trust us; you don’t want to shoot yourself in the foot just because you do not know what you are supposed to know. That is why this post is here to help you!
In this article, we will discuss some of the things you need to know and do in preparation for your medical evaluation. However, if you think you will not have enough time to prepare for a quick medical checkup and are interested in finding an alternative, click here.
Get Plenty of Sleep
You might have heard that “A day without a nap is like a cupcake without frosting.” This is not just a useless saying; it is to tell you how important sleep is to our health. Lack of sleep has been linked to high blood pressure and high glucose levels.
Your blood pressure and blood sugar levels must be within the normal range as these two can have a terrible effect on your body if their levels are too high.
In addition, sleep can help to detoxify your body, get rid of harmful toxins naturally and improve your overall health and wellness. It has been proven that sleep can affect mental health. Long-term sleep deprivation leads to emotional vulnerability, irritation and negative thinking. If you don’t sleep well at night, it’s important to take measures and see a doctor.
You should get about seven to nine hours of sleep per night, and ensure you have about eight hours the night before your medical examination to normalize your blood pressure and sugar levels.
Drink Lots of Water
Aside from the fact that drinking a lot of water can help enhance your body’s ability to remove toxins and maintain blood levels, staying hydrated before going for your doctor’s appointment will make it easier for you to produce a urine sample, and easier for your doctor to draw blood samples.
If your test involves giving a urine sample, you should drink water two hours before your exam.
Avoid Fatty and Salty Foods
Consuming foods high in fat and salt while preparing for a medical checkup might affect the result of your examination. Hence, you should be careful not to eat those foods a few days before your medical examination.
Fatty and salty foods can increase your cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure level. So, try to stay away from these foods at least 24 hours before your appointment date. However, it is better to avoid those foods for three days before your examination or reconsider your diet completely.
It is essential to consume some fat but you need to know how to choose healthy fast and how much is enough for you. If you can resist eating some high-fat foods before going to the doctor, at least pick the healthy ones. For example, you can have walnuts, avocados, chia seeds, whole eggs, fatty fish such as tuna or salmon.
Avoid Coffee or Smoking
Unfortunately, you would have to skip your coffee the day on which you’ll have your medical checkup. This is because coffee contains caffeine that can spike up your blood pressure. So you should avoid coffee or any caffeinated drinks or products for at least one hour before your examination to keep your blood pressure within the normal range.
You should also avoid smoking or drinking alcohol, as it might also increase your blood pressure and interfere with your medical examination. It’s worth mentioning that some medications can interact with tobacco smoke. If you are a regular smoker and you don’t plan to quit in the near future, make sure to tell your doctor about it. The thing is that smokers require higher doses of some medications.
Fast Overnight
It is worth noting that you should fast before your test – which means you should avoid food or beverages, except water, for several hours before your test. The reason for this is to prevent your blood glucose and pressure from elevating and disrupting your results.
It’s important to mention that intermittent fasting has many health benefits. For instance, it can help you fight inflammation, reduce insulin resistance, enhance heart health, and even boost brain function. Do you still want that midnight snack?
Choose Your Clothes Wisely
This might not seem so serious because it does not have to do with anything like spiking up sugar level or blood pressure. Well, this point is also crucial. For instance, it might not be convenient for both you and your doctor to take your blood pressure on your upper arm if you have long sleeves.
Therefore, ensure you go there with clothes that will allow the doctor to easily access your upper arm.
Conclusion
So now that you have read and understood the ways to prepare for a quick medical checkup ensure you put them all into practice to get a successful result. And if you feel you would not be able to implement them all, it would be best for you to use the other alternative provided at the beginning of the article.
Remember – your health is your wealth! A quick medical checkup for a new job or getting a life insurance policy should not be the only times to get yourself evaluated. You should take it as a responsibility upon yourself to visit your doctor at least once in a year for a medical checkup. This way, you will be able to detect potential health conditions as well as limit risks of complications.
Do not wait until you fall ill to see a doctor! Take good care of yourself!
