LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Fitness: Let's Get Physical |
by Rick Moore |
After reading Letters for the past few issues, you no doubt have been following the situation with Fay and Bonnie. A couple of weeks ago, Dave was talking with Fay and, upon returning home, informed me that I needed to make an appointment to have a physical exam. Just in case, you know, to make sure everything is all right. He'd been hounding me about checking out my prostate (yep, I'm at "that age") and getting an update on my Chrone's Disease. Since moving to the area, I had not been to a regular doctor here. I guess the time was right. I told Dave that he should go also, because his family has a history of high cholesterol. The old saying, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," kept repeating itself in my mind. I guess that shows you how old I really am. And since opening the gym, it seems I don't have the time anymore. We were very fortunate to get appointments because many physicians Dave called in the past were not taking new patients. What was I to expect once I got in the office? Well, I figured I'd probably have the doctor ask why I'm here, and what my complaints are. I knew I would have to give a history of my illnesses. They're most interested in the big ones, such as high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, etc., even when they affected members of your family. Are you taking any medications now? Do you have any allergies to medications, and how do they affect you? Have you ever been hospitalized? No doubt your doctor will want to update all your vaccinations, including tetanus. He or she will also ask about your health habits, sleeping, smoking, alcohol use, and recreational drugs. Don't be offended if you're asked your sexual orientation (I didn't need to be asked, I guess). You'll also be asked about any exercise program you are following. You can tell your doctor about your aerobic sprints from the sofa to the refrigerator during Survivor, but really, who are you kidding? You might as well be honest that the last exercise you got was turning the salad spinner. After all this talk, the exam will begin. You'll need your body weight and height measured. No one's going to believe your shoes weigh 45 lbs, so forget that strategy. Your pulse is taken, as well as your blood pressure. Make sure if you're a big bodybuilder that they use the large blood pressure cuff for you. If they don't, you'll read very high. Your doctor will manually examine your eyes, ears, and mouth for any signs of problems. He or she will check your skin for tone, color, elasticity, and any signs of skin cancer. This is where you find out if any areas need to be watched for changes. The breathing and stethoscope come next, and usually reflexes, too. Now comes the squeamish part: you'll be sent out for blood tests. This is the part I don't care for. Sometimes I think the needle looks to be the size of a turkey baster. Depending on how many tests have been ordered, they'll take several tubes of blood. If you're a smoker, the doctor may order an X-ray. The ladies might get a pap test to check for cervical cancer, as well as a mammogram to detect breast cancer. The men might get a prostate exam. Once the results get back to your doctor, you'll be ready for your follow-up visit. I was amazed at all the things you can learn about yourself from a blood test. They can tell you a lot about your overall health and changes in any conditions you may have. For example, Dave found out he has to start watching his cholesterol again, but his blood pressure had come back to normal now that he's not working in New York anymore. You'll hear many opinions on the subject, but one thing many doctors say is that an annual physical just isn't needed for most people. If you pay attention to any symptoms you have, you can get away with far fewer visits to the doctor. Clearly, exams have to be timed based on your personal history and medical issues, but many people can get away with one every two or three years through their 30s. You should set up a schedule with your doctor the first time you go in. I also found that a visit to the doctor is a good time to ask about medical stories you hear on the news. Every so often you hear something, and you just wonder if it's true. Your doctor will always have an opinion to share with you. It's amazing how information changes so quickly in the medical field. It used to be that they blamed high cholesterol readings totally on what you were eating. Now, many studies are saying it's largely affected by genetics, and what you eat doesn't play as big a role as originally thought. Unfortunately, that's not a license to go out and eat steak every night. Moderation is still in order. I look around in my family, and I'm thankful that I'm pretty healthy. Many of the health problems that my mother and brothers are facing are due to smoking and a bad diet over a long period of time. But I never smoked, and I didn't eat like they did once I got out of the house. Other than a few bumps years ago, things are going well for me. I hope you can say the same after your physical exam.Rick Moore is a personal trainer certified by American Fitness Professionals & Associates. Visit his club, Rick's Fitness & Health in Milton. He's on the Internet at http://www.ricksfitness.net, or cal 302-684-3669. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 10, No. 11, Aug. 11, 2000 |