HEALTH: An ounce of prevention really could save your life DECEMBER 2008

Another year is arriving, and as we approach the year we might want to reflect on the state of our health.

For those who are over 50 years of age, there is some benefit in visiting you health care provider a little more frequently.

You are at an age that demands preventative care.

The health conditions that can affect you require early detection for the most favorable outcomes. You can detect these conditions when treatment is likely to be more favorable.

Your health care provider can recommend the test appropriate for you based on your age.

The test for the over-50 age group might include for women a mammogram.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women.

A timely mammogram for women 40 years of age and older could prevent about 16 percent of all deaths due to breast cancer.

The mammogram can detect a lump about one to three years before it can be felt. Women over 40 should have a screening test every one to two years depending on family history.

Most deaths from cervical cancer could be avoided if women had regular checkups with Pap Smears. The cancer can take several years to develop and is most often seen in women 40 years of age and older.

Getting screening routinely can help to detect cervical cancer in its earliest stages when it is highly curable.

As a result of most people not getting screened, colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Cancer of the colon and rectum are both treatable if detected early.

The screening test for colorectal cancer looks for polyps and other lesions.

These are most often found in the age group over 50. Family history of colorectal cancer can make 40 the starting age for screening.

It is recommended that anyone 45 years or age or older should consider getting tested for diabetes every three years.

Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. The risk of getting the disease increases with age.

Twenty-one percent of Americans 60 years of age or older have the disease. One third of the people who have it do not know it.

Recognizing diabetes early allows you to take steps to slow down or prevent the development of the disease.

Two out of three adult Americans are overweight and one out of three are obese. Obesity is a health concern because it increases the risk of many diseases such as high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and many joint problems.

A discussion with your health care provider about diet and activity can be very helpful.

As many as one in six American men will develop prostate cancer during their lifetimes.

Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in males, and the second leading cause of cancer death after lung cancer. The strongest risk factor is age. It is rarely seen in men younger than 40.

Longevity is related to behavior.

One behavior that is important is taking care of yourself. This includes checkups with your health care provider.

Remember an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  

-- Contact Dr. Dwight James at Porterville Valley Prompt Care, 781-3014.