I believe I've only had three phases in my life where I seriously got into a fitness regimen. First time I hit the gym was during college. Second wave was gym and badminton sessions after work, when I was still single. And at present, I practice Pilates. I am now in my 40s and I feel good about my health. Through the years, it was all about the physical appearance, muscle-building, strengthening my body, kasi nga I've been underweight since forever! As long as I am not sickly, okay na ako.
We know that looking and feeling good is not a true measure of good health.
What's happening inside my body? What does it mean to really be fit and healthy?
Let me share a brief medical history:
When I was younger, I had several episodes of fainting from dysmenorrhea. I have very irregular menstrual period. I was borderline anemic, has generally low blood pressure. I was familiar with blood tests and ultrasound early on. Pero hindi naging regular yung check-ups and tests until after I got married.
I became more conscious about blood work and diagnostic procedures when I was planning my wedding. Starting a family means I need to be in perfect health to prepare for pregnancy. That was my main motivation back then. Nowadays, taking annual tests have been overlooked. My husband and I had been going to HI-PRECISION DIAGNOSTICS (HPD) for our tests ever since we got married. But sad to say, nakakalimutan namin. At our age, dapat talaga annual executive check-ups na kami and I never had one until a couple of weeks ago, thanks to HPD.
We know that looking and feeling good is not a true measure of good health.
What's happening inside my body? What does it mean to really be fit and healthy?
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| My Pilates fitness journey began in 2014. |
Let me share a brief medical history:
When I was younger, I had several episodes of fainting from dysmenorrhea. I have very irregular menstrual period. I was borderline anemic, has generally low blood pressure. I was familiar with blood tests and ultrasound early on. Pero hindi naging regular yung check-ups and tests until after I got married.
I became more conscious about blood work and diagnostic procedures when I was planning my wedding. Starting a family means I need to be in perfect health to prepare for pregnancy. That was my main motivation back then. Nowadays, taking annual tests have been overlooked. My husband and I had been going to HI-PRECISION DIAGNOSTICS (HPD) for our tests ever since we got married. But sad to say, nakakalimutan namin. At our age, dapat talaga annual executive check-ups na kami and I never had one until a couple of weeks ago, thanks to HPD.
Recommended age for Executive Check-up is 40 and up, or if you have family history of heart disease or diabetes, do it earlier. To be accurate on the information I am sharing here, I am copying the exact list of tests, medical terms and descriptions na lang, para sure.
What is included in my Executive Healthcare Program & Imaging:
Blood work:
Complete Blood Count, ESR, Fasting Blood Sugar, HBA1C, Blood Urea Nitrogen, Creatinin,
Blood Uric Acid, Cholesterol, Triglycerides, Lipoprotein Profile, SGPT, SGOT,
Alkaline Phosphatase, Total Protein with A/G Ratio, B1B2, GGT, Sodium, Potassium, Chloride,
Inorganic Phosphorus, Ionized Calcium, Amylase, Lipase, LDH, CK Total, CEA, FT4, TSH,
Complete Urinalysis, Fecalysis and Occult Blood (FIT)
Blood extraction can be done at any HPD center or in the comforts or your home.
Imaging:
- CXR PA-14X14 - lateral and posterioranterior chest x-ray for lungs, heart and chest
- ECG - electrocardiogram records electrical activity of the heart to check signs of heart disease
- 2D Echo with Doppler - echocardiography / doppler ultrasound shows two-dimensional images of the heart
- WAB UTZ - abdominal ultrasound for internal organs like liver, uterus, kidneys
- Treadmill - assess heart's response to the stress of exercise
I scheduled my blood extraction at home, and went to their Rockwell branch for imaging one week after.
HPD has a very clean and organized center to facilitate efficient service for patients. HPD offers a comprehensive list of special tests and procedures in labs, pathology, cardiology, imaging (also includes mammography and CT scan), radiology, and chemistry. Choosing to undergo these simple routine tests can help you detect possible health issues along the way and provide a general picture of your health.
What to prepare before the procedures:
- Psyche yourself for the blood extraction -- kasi it will really take longer than usual for Executive package
- Avoid yellow and orange foods for 5 days prior to blood test
- Fasting at least 8 hours before your scheduled time for blood extraction and ultrasound
- Wear comfortable clothes for imaging
- Bring / wear rubber shoes if you have a treadmill test (I forgot about this test so I wasn't wearing the proper shoes!)
HI-PRECISION DIAGNOSTICS offered the first medical diagnostics mobile app in the country. You can easily check and download your results via app, and more!
In this case, my comprehensive results were presented during the HPD fitness event held at The Upper Deck in Ortigas Center. Incidentally, HPD recently opened a branch in the same building at Technopoint One, along Doña Julia Vargas Avenue.
I got to try a spinning session for the first time, and it really pumped us all up! Healthy meals were also served before the big reveal and I feel lucky (and out of place, hahaha) to be in the company of these popular fitness enthusiasts (see last photo)! Nakaka-inspire sila to stay fit at any age!
Well, it's good news for me!
Overall, my tests showed I am generally in good health. Yayyy!!!
Pasado ako sa lahat, except I had to watch my cholesterol. I expected that coz according to our cardiologist, it is common among people who are underweight to have high LDL, kasi nga we tend to eat anything without control just to gain weight. Medyo mataas yung LDL ko -- that's the bad cholesterol. Pero mataas din naman yung HDL ko, so sabi ni doc, at least na-balance ng konti, but just control the LDL na lang.
*HDL - high-density lipoprotein (good); LDL - low-density lipoprotein (bad). Lipoproteins are composed of fat and proteins.
According to Healthline.com, "the higher the HDL, the better - should be at least higher than 55 mg/dL for females and 45 mg/dL for males. The lower the LDL, the better - should be no more than 130 mg/dL if you don’t have heart disease, blood vessel disease, or diabetes. It should be no more than 100 mg/dL if you have any of those conditions or high total cholesterol."
Suffice to say, this was the most comprehensive medical diagnostics procedure I've experienced. Nakita niyo ba ang daming tubes of blood! =) The health technician will brief you every step and explain the tools you will use during the tests.
Aside from aiming for a balanced diet and leading an active lifestyle, taking these lab tests and imaging procedures will take out the guesswork about our health, and ultimately give us peace of mind. I can sleep better at night knowing I can have a better quality of life with my health in check. To quote Benjamin Franklin, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". Totoo naman talaga, diba? Prevention is key talaga. Health is wealth. Thank you, HI-PRECISION DIAGNOSTICS, for making quality healthcare diagnostics accessible to all. 'Til my next check-up!
Call or visit any of over 40 branches nationwide:
Corporate Hotline: (632) 863-9999
Home Service Hotline: (632) 741-7777 / +63917-6348526 / +63922-8906664
Visit HI-PRECISION DIAGNOSTICS website for complete list of services and branches.
Like Hi-Precision Diagnostics on Facebook.com/hpdiagnostics
Related story:
My very revealing Food Intolerance Test from Hi-Precision Diagnostics
http://www.mymomfriday.com/2015/02/family-friday-diet-and-food-intolerance.html
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