CHECK IT OUT

Staying well isn't just about reacting to illness, it's about catching potential problems early before they affect your quality of life.

- By CAMILLA FOSTER

MANY serious conditions develop quietly, with little to no warning, making regular checkups one of the most powerful tools for long-term wellbeing.

Blood pressure check

"Checking your blood pressure is a good first step because lots of people don't monitor it," says Dr Dominic Greenyer, GP and director at The Health Suite in Leicester. "A good benchmark would be for those aged 40 and above to have their blood pressure checked at least one a year."

All you need is a blood pressure monitor.

"Checking your blood pressure at home when you're more calm will generally be more reflective of your normal blood pressure," says Dr Greenyer. "But if you don't have access to a blood pressure machine, then you can get it done by a GP, or many pharmacies do it as well.

"Anything above a 140 over 90 reading is an indicator that your blood pressure is raised and that you need to book a GP appointment to discuss this. Anything over 180 over 110 requires immediate medical attention."

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