Are you due an MOT?

I had my car serviced recently and it struck me that we often take a great
deal more care over our cars than ourselves. Certainly the first sign of
something not being quite right with my car ... a strange noise, something
not feeling right (I'm not great with cars!) and I get it checked out incase
it could end up being something serious further down the line leaving me
stranded by the roadside. However when it comes to health people often only
actively think about their health and how to improve it when they are ill or
have had symptoms for some time.

If you're one of those people where health is not something you consciously
think about or plan for then it may be a good idea to give yourself an MOT.
Are there any pains or recurring symptoms such as headaches, or anything
that isn't quite right - a regularly upset tummy, frequent colds or
infections. If so it's a good idea to seek some help firstly to help
improve the symptoms, thereby improving your quality of life, and secondly
to detect any disease before it becomes to serious.

First stop should always be your doctor, but osteopaths can be great for any
joint niggles whilst complimentary therapies, such as nutrition and
acupuncture, can be particularly good for any long-term symptoms which have
eluded diagnosis or aren't serious enough to require medical care.

Even if you feel fit as a fiddle it's always worth checking out what's going
on inside. Someone can be within the normal BMI range for their weight and
still have elevated cholesterol levels which 10 years down the line could
materialize as a heart attack. It's always easier to prevent disease than
treat it when it arises.

Your doctor can test your cholesterol and measure your blood pressure and
arrange other tests to determine the route cause of any other symptoms. Alot
of city employers offer private medical cover which includes an overall
health check so if this is available to you this is definitely worth doing.
A nutritional therapist can also arrange for a wide range of tests privately
from the basic cholesterol and blood lipid tests to comprehensive digestive
analysis and hormonal profiles.

So instead of just looking after your car, make sure you schedule a regular
personal MOT (once every 1-2 years for testing) and you'll avoid a breakdown
further down the road!