Many health markers can start heading in the wrong direction as we age.
Historically, the NHS used to reach out to men when they were 40 and offer a series of health checks to see how things were going. This would enable you to get in front of any problems by taking corrective actions. This all seems very sensible, especially given the pressure on the NHS from the various diseases of civilisation.
However, I had received no such invitation by the time I was in my mid-40s, and when I reached out to my GP, I was pushed back and told they offer no such service.
Even trying to get a cholesterol test was like pulling teeth, and I was repeatedly pushed away.
Great!
What to test
In your 40s, you want to know the basics:
- Blood pressure
- BMI
- Waist (around by your belly button)
- Cholesterol
These are all pretty simplistic metrics, but if any of these are outside of the standard range, you can request more specific testing through your GP.
How to get tested
There are a few options for getting health tests.
Paid testing is out there, but it is pricey.
I used a paid testing service called Thriva. This is okay, but after several failed attempts at self-collection with the finger-pricking set they include, I had to use a paid service to collect the blood. This bumped the overall price of this up to around £200, which is not cheap for something you need to do a couple of times a year (and that money could be better spent on rucking gear to improve your health).
Free testing is available
There are two paths to getting free testing.
- Your GP
Some GPs are better and more responsive than others. You can pester your GP and see if they can provide you with the five tests above. Mine was more slippery than a buttered eel, but I do know some people who have had more luck with this route.
- Your Future Health
Your Future Health is a new program run by the government through the NHS that collects information to guide a new study aimed at helping prevent some of the common problems we have as we age.
They are actively recruiting people, and in a 30-minute session, you will get results on your BMI, height, waist, Cholesterol and blood pressure.
Whilst again simplistic, the information you get here will highlight any problems and give you the means to get a referral to your GP for more detailed tests.
You can register for these free tests here:
https://ourfuturehealth.org.uk/
They are actively recruiting, and I got an appointment within days of booking at my local Boots chemist, so it was relatively pain-free (apart from the needles!).
Knowledge is power
RUCK-X is about staying fit, solid and functional into our later years.
Rucking will help, and you can get started easily, but getting some metrics on your current health will help you steer your diet in the right direction and customise your rucking in the right direction as you advance.
The Our Future Health free testing is an excellent place to start and get some stats about where you are currently so you can face any little problems now before they become more significant problems down the road.
Ruck On!
