by MJ Guyton

Created on: September 09, 2008

As a woman, I am always urging my female friends and especially my daughter that there are certain health checks that are essential for a woman to have. The main two tests every woman must have preferably yearly are a mammogram and a Pap test. Women of past generations usually only visited the doctor when they were sick. Consequently, many of them died of diseases like breast and cervical cancer and heart disease which these days can be prevented with proper preventive care and detected early by testing.

Breast cancer kills many women yearly. We know that a simple monthly self-exam can detect it in its early stages, but a lot of women choose not to perform this exam. Why is this? I used to be one of these women. I was afraid to feel for lumps in my breasts because the thought of finding a lump was terrifying. Cancer or even the thought of cancer can be frightening. But I learned to work through that fear after I learned that most breast cancers, if caught early, can be treated. A perfect partner in the war against breast cancer is the yearly mammogram for women over 40. Yes, I know a mammogram is uncomfortable. But you have to put this into perspective,and I will be blunt: Is it as uncomfortable as dying a slow death as cancer spreads throughout your body and your family watches you waste away?

Cervical cancer is another disease specific to women. There is no self-exam for this one; your best and first line of defense is to have a Pap test done yearly. This is especially true if you've ever been diagnosed with HPV, or human papilloma virus, which in plain terms is called genital warts. These are spread through sexual activity and women can get HPV on the cervix. This can lead to cervical cancer. Cervical HPV is not noticeable from the outside but it can be dectected with a Pap test and that's why this test is so important. Now, in my list of fun things to do a Pap test isn't up there at the top, but it only takes a few minutes and the relief you get when it comes back negative is great!

Like men, women suffer high cholesterol and blood pressure problems. High cholesterol levels in the blood cause plaque buildup and cause the arteries to be stiff and rigid. Sometimes a piece of the plaque can rupture and break off and this may cause a stroke or a heart attack. Your cholesterol level can be checked with a simple blood test.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is also called "the silent killer" because there are usually no symptoms. You can feel fine and not even be aware you have high blood pressure. This also puts you at risk for stroke and heart attack. As we age, our blood pressure has a tendency to creep higher. Regular visits to the doctor to check blood pressure are very important.

A yearly physical exam with your nurse practitioner, physician or physician assistant can go a long way in preventing cancer, stroke and heart attack. Please don't be afraid to have this done, along with the other tests I talked about above and if you truly can't afford it, as there are many without health insurance now, there are free or reduced price programs in place to help you get these exams. As strong women, we owe it to ourselves and the ones who love us to keep our bodies as strong and vital as possible.

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