Build A Routine
If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it. I can do all the exercise I want and make all the lifestyle adjustments I want, but how do I know it’s working? As you know from following this blog, I’m interested in a longer health span—not necessarily a long life, but having my good health continue for as long as I can while I’m breathing.
I have had an annual medical every year since 2013. Before that, I had one every couple of years, going back twenty years. I keep all the reports and can track my key measures over that period. Highlights are my cholesterol improving and my muscle mass improving, and some marginal scores in areas such as liver health improving. My blood pressure has improved. My prostate check – PSA, and digital examination – are sound throughout the period. All other physical checks, blood tests, stool tests, and urine tests are sound throughout.
I believe in “if you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it”, and this annual medical has led me to make lifestyle adjustments to support better health. Real-world changes include giving up alcohol in August 2018, reducing the amount of red meat in my diet, and increasing fish consumption. More work in the gym and more consistent exercise.
Nothing said here is earth-shattering. This is and should be largely dull and uneventful as a routine. But if you don’t check key measures, how do you know if you are doing the right things?
Invest In Yourself
It costs me £800 a year to get this done. You can get similar batteries of tests done for less if you shop around. Is it a lot of money? – of course, it is. But ask yourself what the cost of a serious medical condition is, both financially and in terms of stress and other negative lifestyle factors. What stuff could you give up to free up the cash for this? Maybe one less pair of expensive cycling or running shorts, a couple of Starbucks less each week, or miss out on one night a month, and you are there.
You’re slogging away in the gym, pool, and road. Surely, you want to know anything that might undermine the work. Even better, you want to know where you are winning, right?
Do The Embarrassing Stuff
Men, please get your prostate checked. I had mine done yesterday, and it’s all good. No one really welcomes the sound of a latex glove snapping on, but trust me, it’s a million times less uncomfortable than an oncologist telling you that you have cancer. If you can’t measure it, you won’t see it coming. Both a PSA score and a verbal confirmation all is well with the shape and size of your prostate are great metrics.
One in eight men will get prostate cancer. 35% of these will be between the ages of 40 and 59, with another 65% of cases being in the sixties for men. It’s the most common male cancer. Get over yourself and get checked.
I also had a check for testicular lumps, and that’s something I do at home. Women are checked for breast lumps and should also do this at home.
Take Responsibility – If You Can’t Measure It
Invest in yourself. Get screened and do it regularly, and track your scores over many years. Take action to improve the measures you see from any health check. You may surprise yourself when you see key measures improve over time.
You can also do the checks at home. You know how to examine your testicles or breasts or look for potential skin cancers.
At a fitness level, I track my sleep, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability. This lets me know if I’m ready to go or if I’m starting to get sick or overtrain.
Putting this all together, this is a small investment of time and money over a year. An annual medical. A couple of minutes of checking on key fitness and recovery measures each day. If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it, yet it doesn’t have to be an obsessive or time-consuming regime.