Stay Strong With Regular Health Screenings

For Women’s Health Week, take charge of your body with the check-ups that matter most.

Between work, household chores and keeping up with family members and friends, it might seem difficult to catch your breath, let alone make a doctor’s appointment. If you need a sign to do that, here it is: Next week, May 11 to 17, is National Women’s Health Week. This is a great time for ladies of all ages to make sure they’re making their well-being a top priority.

One way to do that is to keep up with regular tests and make sure everything in your body is running as it should. Our area hospitals and imaging centers can help, as can the Bergen County CEED Program (cancer education and early detection), which offers free cancer screenings to uninsured or underinsured residents who have no symptoms or previous diagnosis. CEED tests include breast and colorectal exams. For information, call 201.664.2660.

Not sure if you need a test? Below are some up-to-date recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

Breast health. As of this past fall, the CDC recommends that women ages 40 to 74 have breast screenings, including a mammogram, every other year. Monthly breast self-exams are recommended for those 40 and older.

Colorectal health. All adults 45 to 75 should be screened for colorectal cancer, and screening should continue once every 10 years if no polyps are found. Those who are at risk of developing colon cancer (people with inflammatory bowel disease, a family history of colon cancer or specific genetic syndromes) should talk to their doctors for earlier screening.

Heart health. Regular blood-pressure checks should begin at age 18, and those with no risk factors should continue testing once every two to five years. Testing frequency should increase to every one to two years for those ages 40+. Cholesterol tests for healthy adults should begin between the ages of 17 and 21 and continue at five-year intervals. Those with a family history of high cholesterol, heart disease or diabetes should be screened more often.

Diabetes. Blood-sugar testing in healthy adults should begin at age 45 and continue every three years. Those with prediabetes and diabetes will need a hemoglobin A1C blood test at least twice a year.

Want more health tips and in-depth conversations with area doctors? Check out the new May issue of BERGEN.