Why is it that when people are in need of a new pair of shoes or groceries they head straight to the store? Or when they haven’t seen a friend in a while they make sure to pencil some time in to hang out with them… but when it comes to an annual check-up, so many people can’t remember the last time they’ve had one. A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I was heading to the doctor and everyone’s first response was “What’s wrong with you?” – Not that I don’t appreciate the genuine concern, but I’m just curious as to why something had to actually be WRONG with me for me to be heading to the doctor. Just as people get their nails and hair done and keep up with their physical appearance on a regular basis—annual visits to the doctor should be handled no differently.
I’ve noticed a trend that after college many people do not go to the doctor for various reasons.
1. Pride – It is no secret that many people do not visit the doctor for FEAR of what the doctor could find, this is an epidemic, especially in the African American community in our MALES. Please people; do not let your fear prevent you from being healthy and knowing about what’s going on with your body. Yes, going to the doctor can be scary, but it would be even scarier to find out way after it is too late, that you have Cancer, AIDS or anything else out there. We have the highest rates of high blood pressure and high cholesterol – among other things. There are simple ways these can be treated with regular doctor’s visits.
2. Ignorance – Many people think that just because they don’t “feel” anything wrong with their bodies that they are okay and healthy. This is the biggest misconception ever. Actually most of the time (as we’ve learned in sex education and other health classes) many diseases do not show any signs until much later or maybe never, and many times until it is too late to be treated properly when you actually start “feeling” something in your body. If things are detected in the early stages, they can be examined, and the necessary treatment can be administered. I had a friend’s mom who died of breast cancer because she was not regularly seeing the doctor for check-ups and by the time it was detected, it was too late and the cancer was malignant.
3. No insurance – Guess what, this is NO EXCUSE! There are plenty of FREE places out there that you can go to that will give you a check up for little to no money and no insurance is needed. In my opinion, spending $50 for a doctor’s visit once a year is definitely worth more than my LIFE! Check out health fairs, free clinics and check the newspapers and internet for when organtizations are giving free HIV/AIDS tests, check-ups, etc. And just for the “lazies” out there I’ve posted a couple helpful links below for those of you with no insurance:
- www.plannedparenthood.org -- (not just if you are expecting, you can get check-ups, and birth control and other prescriptions here as well)
-www.hrsa.gov/ -- (offers some resources to doctor’s at a low cost and sometimes for free)
Not only are check-ups vital for your own protection but also for your partners and family’s as well. If you are not getting check-ups or STD tests, how many people that you have slept with do you think are getting them? Now think about you and them plus how many people you each have slept with (if you even know the REAL number), plus the people they have slept with, and the people THEY have slept with, etc. ::CRINGE:: This is why AIDS and other common STD’s (Herpes, Chlamydia, HPV) are spreading at the rate that they are. Now for your family – think about how important you are to them and vice versa. If you aren’t getting checked up regularly (once a year or MORE) – you could suddenly get fatally sick because of something that really could and should have been prevented from doctor’s visits.
You got your hair done on Friday. You partied last weekend. You watched all of the football games on Sunday. But you haven’t been to the doctors in 3 years? See the negative trend?
MAKE HEALTH YOUR #1 PRIORITY.
---until the next dish ♥
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