It can be challenging to plan for the conditions that may affect you later in life. However, learning your risk factors, trying to prevent problems before they begin, and choosing the right health insurance plan or savings for your health condition can set you up for success and reduce your healthcare costs.
How do you know what might affect you? Look at your lifestyle and family history and watch for early warning signs. Here are some factors to consider.
High Blood Pressure
Many people don’t start worrying about high blood pressure and the danger of heart attacks until they are in their 40s or 50s, but in fact, many people in their twenties and thirties also have high blood pressure.
High blood pressure could lead to heart disease and strokes later in life. You should have your blood pressure tested. If it’s high, do what you can to get it down. It’s a good idea to also plan for possible needed medical care associated with high blood pressure in the future.
Obesity
Obesity can lead to heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and even some kinds of cancer. It can also be very expensive. Healthcare costs for people with obesity is annually nearly $1,500 higher.
Ask your doctor if you’re not sure whether you are obese. If you are struggling with obesity, it is important to begin taking steps to reduce your weight as soon as possible.
Foot Health
Depending on your career, your feet may be essential for you to do your job well and continue to earn an income. That means that taking good care of your feet isn’t just a quality-of-life concern, but also a career security question.
If you’re experiencing some pain around your toe you may be wondering about bunions. If you have family members with bunions, you may be wondering, “Are bunions genetic?”
Bunions can have some genetic causes as well as lifestyle causes. Do you wear constrictive shoes? Are you on your feet a lot? Do you have loose ligaments or arthritis?
If bunions are common in your family or the answer to these questions is yes, saving for bunion surgery or being sure that it is covered by your insurance is crucial. The pain from bunions can be disabling.
Digestion
Too many people ignore issues with their digestion. Blood in the stool or changes in bowel habits may point to serious problems like cancer.
Being in control of your normal digestion means that you will notice when problems come up before they become more serious. Take any digestive issues that you have seriously and work to establish a healthy digestive system so you will notice any changes.
Stay Healthy and Plan for Problems
It is important for you to do everything that you can to keep yourself as healthy as possible. However, you are likely to experience some medical problems as you age. Knowing what conditions may be more likely to affect you makes it more likely that you’ll be prepared and reduce your healthcare costs.