I have spent some time in Norway finding out if my body is in good or bad condition. Not that I had any suspicion that something was wrong, but I thought it was time for my annual check-up. One reason I do this is that we all experience appearently healthy friends suddenly becoming seriously ill.

I definitely do not mean that we should be hysterical and go to the doctor for every little problem we have, physical or mental. But there are some conditions that should alert us enough to see a doctor as soon as possible.

Any lumps that are discovered in the body should be investigated. Most of them are innocent and not to worry about, but some may be cancer. The sooner they are found, diagnosed and removed, the better the chances of avoiding long periods of chemotherapy or other treatments. The same applies to sores that do not heal normally. Go and see the doctor. Often only a biopsy can tell why it is not healing.

When we have babies, we take them to see physisians regularly. We are alert to every change and follow them up very closely. This is natural because they cannot take care of themselves. The same applies for young children. We have to look after them until we can expect of them to look after themselves.

When we are grown up, we also have the responsibility to look after our own health. If we are aware of anybody in the family with a hereditary desease, we have to get information on what signs to look out for. Some deseases show early in life, and again we have to be alert with respect to children and grandchildren.

In my family both my mother and my grandmother have osteoporosis. Before I went into menopause, I did a bone density scan. I did one this summer to see how my bones had changed during menopause. The result tells me that I have lost 1 cm and the density in my bones is down some percent. What can I do about this and why am I telling you about it? I know that one very important thing I can do is to keep being active and exercise my muscles. I need strong muscles to keep my back streight. I need also to eat heathily and should not smoke. My doctor might tell me to take HRT, and I will have to consider it. When I see my gynocologist, I will also have a cervical smear test (pap test) done and I will ask him for a mammography.

This is what I do, and I am mid fifty. When other women should do their tests, is up to themselves and their doctors.

Men have to look after themselves also, and the day might come when they have to go to the doctor to have their prostate gland examined. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer for men, but very often it develops late in life and grows very slowly without many problems involved.

Common for both sexes is to look after our blood pressure, have our eyes and ears examined if we notice something different. If we always have to ask twice when someone is talking to us, it is time to consider an ear examination. The same with our sight. It is not nessesary to wait for glasses or contact lenses until our arms are too short.

If we have a suspicion that we have an allergy, this can be tested so that we can be recommended what food or fabrics etc to avoid. I am allergic to birch pollen, and have to take tablets well in advance of the pollen season if I want to enjoy spring without feeling sick all the time. Lucky for me, there is no birch pollen where I live in Spain.

Other common tests the doctor will take as part of a general check-up, are blood pressure measurements, blood tests, urine tests and examinations of the colon or of the gullet and stomach when this seems necessary.

You know your own body, listen to it and and respond to what is says. Be honest when you listen, because the body is always honest with you. If you feel ill and you are not used to feeling ill, there is something you have to deal with.

This was all very physical. I strongly recommend you to look after your mental heath in the same good manner!

After almost 4 months working in Norway, I will be back in Spain mid October. If there are any questions, please call me on 628 223 445 or send an email to mette@storheill.com.