April 7 is observed as World Health Day every year, and each year aims to draw attention to a specific health topic of concern to people worldwide. This year is special as it also marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization, in 1948. According to WHO, its 75th anniversary is an opportunity to look back at public health successes that have improved the quality of life over the last seven decades. It is also an opportunity to motivate action to tackle the health challenges of today ̶ and tomorrow.
This year’s theme for World Health Day is “Health For All’. The aim of the theme is to create an opportunity for the world to look back at public health successes that have helped improve the quality of life over the past 70 years. The theme also calls on the world to take required actions which can help tackle health challenges today and tomorrow, the World Health Body said.
With this objective in mind, it is important to have a lifestyle that is more catered towards healthy living. We know that healthy living is all about eating well, sleeping on time, managing stress and exercising regularly. But there is one rather underrated factor that most people end up overlooking in terms of health, which is the regular and timely screenings of the most important parameters of well-being. This paves the way for the timely detection of diseases.
Here are five of the most important parameters of health and wellness that need a routine check to ensure healthy living.
Body Mass Index (BMI): BMI of an individual is calculated on the basis of height and body weight and it defines whether one is overweight, normal, obese or underweight. Body weight could define the potential risk of a number of health conditions such as heart diseases, insulin resistance and diabetes.
Blood Pressure: Blood pressure should so be monitored regularly as low and high BP does not have any early symptoms. The signs start to appear only when a health catastrophe occurs such as a stroke or heart attack.
Cholesterol: Cholesterol or blood lipids must also be checked regularly as one does not usually get to know when it accumulates in the arteries to raise heart attack and stroke risk over time. Get it checked regularly to lower your odds.
Thyroid: Thyroid levels should also be kept a tab on, especially in women, as these disorders can contribute to weight fluctuations and might heighten the possibility of obesity over time and consequently the health risks that come with it.
Vitamin D Levels: One might think why checking vitamin D is a must. Truth is that this nutrient affects bone and teeth health and immunity. Therefore, it is imperative to get it checked regularly to treat and eliminate any underlying health problem and mitigate the risk of a crisis in the long run.
