They say that health is the greatest wealth you can have and just like checking your bank statements there are easy ways to keep an eye on your health. If you are really concerned, you can always go to the doctor or hospital but if you just want a simple check, you can do it right at home. You’d be surprised at what you can find out about yourself with just a few easy tests. Read on if you want to know more.

Check Your Temperature.

One of the easiest ways to do a health check at home is simply by checking your temperature. All you need is a digital thermometer to place under your tongue until it beeps to get a reading. The baseline temperature for most people is around 98.6 F. Any temperature under or over that number could be cause for a concern. There are also thermometers for ears and digital forehead scanners that can read your temperature as well. Whatever method you prefer, try to invest in a good thermometer so you can get an accurate reading.

Look at Blood Pressure.

Do you know what your current blood pressure is? Most people don’t even think it’s very important. High blood pressure or hypertension is one of the leading causes of heart disease. You can get high blood pressure from eating lots of salty foods, smoking, or drinking alcohol. It also depends on your age, race, family history, and how much you exercise. It can cause heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and can affect your brain health as well.

Another good investment is a blood pressure monitor that can help you get a reading. A healthy reading is usually around 120/80. Anything higher than that would be cause for concern.

Checking Your Pulse Has Never Been Easier.

This is a simple test that doesn’t require any equipment. Checking your pulse is something you can do anywhere and it’s very important. People with a higher resting heart rate tend to be more at risk for heart disease than those with a lower heart rate, and heart disease still remains the leading cause of death in the country. So how do you check your pulse? All you need to do is take your index and middle finger and place it on your neck by your Adam’s apple. Then you count your heartbeats for 60 seconds and that is your pulse. The average pulse is between 70-100 beats per minute. Lower than that means that you are in good shape, higher than that means you are not. It costs nothing to check your pulse.

Alternatively, you can use your smartphone or smartwatch to get a quick read of your pulse. Some devices like Galaxy phones or iWatch come with a built-in heartbeat sensor that can also monitor your stress levels.

How to Measure Your Waist?

All you need for this is a tape measure, or just look at your pants size. People with a higher waist size tend to have more health issues than those with smaller ones. Just take the end of the tape measure and bring it around your waist and tighten. Healthy men should have a waist smaller than 40in, while women should have a waist lower than 35 in. It’s ok to accept your weight as it is, but the facts are that if you are overweight, you are more susceptible to health risks. And if you need help developing a custom weight loss program, take a look at Liquivida.

Check for Lumps.

This is important and should be done regularly. If you are a woman you should be regularly checking your breasts for any lumps. This should be done in front of a mirror so you can have a better view as well. All you need to do is slowly work your way around from the armpits to the nipple and check for any bruises, lumps, or discoloration. Basically, anything unusual. It can be done in as little as 5 minutes but is very important. If you have anything unusual it is important to catch it early before it becomes a problem. If you are a man, it’s important to examine the testicles in a similar way. Feel around the sack and put a little pressure on the testes to feel for anything unusual. It’s a bit awkward but better safe than sorry.

What Your Skin Says About Your Health.

They don’t call Florida the sunshine state for nothing. We have sun and plenty of it. Unfortunately, this can make us more susceptible to skin cancer. It’s important to put sunscreen on of at least 50 SPF before leaving the house every day. If you want to check your skin at home, here’s what you have to do. Stand in front of a mirror and examine every part of your body. You might want to have someone there to look at your back. You want to look out for the “ABCDE” warning signs. A for asymmetrical, B for irregular borders, C for abnormal color, D for the diameter, and E for evolving. Basically, if a mole, is larger than a pencil in diameter, has a weird color, is not an even circle, and changes appearance over time. If the mole looks strange to you, make sure to head to a dermatologist ASAP just to be safe.

There are several things you can do at home to check your health. It’s important to check your health regularly so you can catch something that looks strange early. Invest in some good equipment like thermometers and blood pressure monitors. It doesn’t have to cost too much, just be accurate. That way you can keep an eye on your health so others don’t have to.