HARLINGEN – In a busy holiday schedule often packed with parties, shopping and stress, keeping up to speed on personal health is often something that can fall by the wayside.
Taking the time to keep track of simple personal health statistics including blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar can be an important step to maintaining good health.
The days leading up to the holidays are actually a good time to go to your doctor, get tested, and take stock of how you are doing with your health. Meeting with your physician and receiving certain tests can help take a snapshot of your personal health and provide both you and your physician with important information that can help you develop a plan of action regarding your health in the new year.
Local residents who have met their health insurance deductibles for the year can take advantage by talking to their physician to schedule a wide array of tests that can help provide insight into overall fitness. Tests patients may be eligible for include lipid panels — a simple blood test that can be performed at the Valley Baptist Community Reference Lab that measures the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides in a patient’s blood. High cholesterol can lead to a buildup of plaque in arteries and is a risk factor for heart disease.
Those who may have high blood pressure or diabetes should talk to their doctor about blood work or screenings such as a carotid artery screening or abdominal aorta ultrasound to see if there are blockages in blood vessels. Early detection of blockages can help reduce the risk of both heart attack and stroke.
With plenty of food being consumed at holiday parties, sometimes it’s not easy to tell the difference between simple “heartburn” or gastric reflux, and chest pain which could be a symptom of serious heart problems. If a person is older and has risk factors, they may want to follow-up with their doctor if they experience a burning sensation or discomfort in the chest.
For women, symptoms of heart disease are not always so obvious. Instead of severe chest pain, a woman may experience pain in the upper back, jaw, or arm, or just a sensation of weakness or exhaustion. For women, a physician may order an echocardiogram, stress test, or nuclear heart scan to check the heart and blood vessels.
Because of the prevalence of diabetes and obesity in the Rio Grande Valley, local residents can face additional risks related to heart disease. Fighting obesity is especially difficult around the holidays, with food-related celebrations often leading to tough dietary choices. However, a major factor in maintaining heart health is making healthy choices when it comes to diet. While it may be easy to ignore a diet during the holidays, making poor dietary choices over the holidays can undo months of careful eating.
For more information on prevention and treatment of heart disease, please consult your physician and visit https://www.valleybaptist.net/our-services/heart-care. Valley residents who need referral to a doctor or specialist may call the Valley Baptist physician referral line at 1-888-902-5433, or search online at https://www.valleybaptist.net/contact-us/find-a-physician.
