By Sarah Kempson
If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, what keeps the dentist, the optician and the specialist at bay? The costs of personal healthcare can be heart-stoppingly high, while a small toothache that turns into root canal treatment will have your blood pressure headed towards the sky. (Gosh, now I’m a poet!)
This article won’t all be written in rhyme, but it will attempt to save you a few dollars by reminding you that prevention is best – and is over time, quite often cheaper.
We’re approaching the end of the first month in a new year – a new decade – so what better time than now to take your personal healthcare into your own hands? When was the last time you had your eyes checked, or booked in for a trip to the dentist? Did you know you are meant to visit these places at least once every 12 months, and preferably once every 6 months? Having a tooth pulled might cost you the big bucks, but the relatively minor check up fee if you had gone a few months prior would have prevented the need to have the tooth pulled at all.
That’s the beauty of the check up – these people are professionally trained to find the weak spots and possible issues before they occur, thus saving you time and money (and a whole lot of pain – have you ever had root canal treatment?) It might seem like the guy in the white coat who spent 6 years at University wants to spend his days cutting up your mouth and charging you the earth to pay off his HECS debt, but I’m sure he would truly rather give you the once over and an all clear and not have everyone be scared of him.
And if you do find yourself years down the track with a mouth full of rotted teeth and no one to blame but yourself (drink water, not soft drink – better for your teeth and your wallet), your daughter’s University fund will likely cover the cost of your new false teeth, and although she won’t end up being a dentist, she will have learnt the lesson of being proactive in caring for her teeth.
While modern technology has given us the ability to create false teeth (or whiten or straighten your originals) eye technology is still a bit behind. Not visiting an optometrist on a regular basis might see your eye health fade long before it should – plenty of eye ailments will cause long term damage. Put a blindfold on for 10 minutes at home and see how far you get. Then book an eye check up. Wear sunglasses outside and protect those eyes – they are the only ones you have.
You should know your family history – did you grandfather have a heart problem, or your grandmother high blood pressure? Does diabetes or thyroid run in your family? Was there an uncle who suffered from coeliac, or an aunt with a dairy intolerance? Highlighting the areas which you might be most susceptible to is a great place to start getting your regular checks. A blood test once a year to check up on problem areas might save your life – and a hefty hospital bill if the issue sneaks up on you.
Not everyone can afford private health insurance and even if you can it seems most of the time people use the public system anyway. This is why it makes sense to prevent any health issues – the public system often see’s waiting lists for various surgeries that are years long, not to mention the hours you could spend in agony in an emergency ward waiting to be seen.
We spend significant money and time looking after the health of our cars so why should our bodies be any different – if not more important? You don’t put diesel in a car built for petrol, or gas in a car made for unleaded, do you? Looking after your body (because your body is a temple) should be high on your priority list. Fresh fruits and vegetables, grains and the occasional treat (think of it like putting oil in the car – you need it but not every day) creates a body ready to deal with any bug that comes its way. Engage in regular exercise to keep the engine in tip top shape – a car left in the garage for weeks on end never starts well and neither will you if all you do is sit on the couch. Proactively preventing illness will keep your mind, body and hip pocket happy.
My final piece of advice for you is to join the ambulance service. If by some act of God you do end up with an imminent health problem or accident that requires you to be admitted to hospital pronto, the ambulance will get you there fastest and seen immediately. But without cover, this won’t come cheap. Start researching your health history and book some appointments for check ups today. You’ll be laughing all the way to the bank – and we all know laughter is the best medicine.
Ambulance VIC http://www.ambulance.vic.gov.au/
Ambulance NSW http://www.ambulance.nsw.gov.au/
Ambulance SA http://www.saambulance.com.au/
Ambulance ACT http://www.ambulance.act.gov.au/
Ambulance QLD http://www.ambulance.qld.gov.au/
Ambulance WA http://www.ambulance.net.au/
Ambulance NT http://www.stjohnnt.org.au/
Image credit (front page): Kathryn Sprigg
