8 Tests to check your health that you can do without leaving home

Sometimes, people avoid having check-ups and preventive exams due to lack of time or fear of going to the doctor. But there are ways to get information about the condition of your body without leaving your home and understand whether it’s time to go to a specialist.

O awesome.club compiled some quick and simple tests you can do right now to check your health.

One of the most important health indicators is waist size. Take a meter and measure its circumference (2-3 cm above the navel). Normally, it should not exceed 88 cm in women and 102 cm in men.

People who exceed these measures are five times more likely to develop type II diabetes. In Japan, to promote a thin waist, a campaign is held even at the federal level: since 2008, there has been a law according to which those who suffer from an oversized belly undergo special courses to lose weight.

You’ll need a blank sheet of paper, a marker or pencil, and the help of a friend. Draw a clock on the page and ask the other person to tell you the time in “hours and minutes” format — for example, 10 hours and 10 minutes. Then just add clock hands to your drawing to indicate the time you heard.

This test involves a fairly large number of processes within the brain. The work includes the areas responsible for hand movements, spatial and visual perception. Thus, the inability to correctly draw the sphere or place the needles could indicate the onset of dementia.

For this test, you will need two scales. Place them parallel to each other and stand with one foot on each. The weight must be, if not the same, at least very similar in each of them. But if the values ​​are very different, it reveals that the bones of the hip, spine or head are off center. If this happens, it’s time for your GP to see you and, if applicable, refer you to a specialist.

This test is called the “Breathing Test” (stange test) and you will need a stopwatch to do so.

Stand and measure your heart rate for 30 seconds. Then sit down and inhale 3 times without exhaling. Then, hold your breath as long as possible, noting the duration. After exhaling, measure the pulse again within 30 seconds.

Results:

If you managed to hold your breath for less than 40 seconds, then this indicates poor performance of the respiratory system. The average varies between 40 and 49 seconds. A time greater than 50 seconds shows that you are in good shape. Calculate the number of pulsations you measured according to the following formula:

Result: heart rate (number of heartbeats) for 30 seconds after the test divided by heart rate for 30 seconds before the test.

If the result is equal to 1.2 or less, it is within the norm. If you have more “points”, this indicates an abnormal reaction of the cardiovascular system to a lack of oxygen.

Look at your nails: they can reveal much more than you think about your health status. If lately your nails have started to flake or break more often and have white stripes on top… we are not talking about a purely aesthetic problem. This state can denote a lack of B group vitamins, iron and even approaching osteoporosis.

The usual table at the appointment of an ophthalmologist is not the only way to check the state of vision. Stare at the window frame for 30 seconds and close your eyes. Then open, alternating your left eye and right eye. If the image you see with one eye is blurred and the lines aren’t parallel, you could be at risk of having or developing macular degeneration, a dangerous condition that leads to vision loss.

Take the second test near the parking lot. Move away from any car at a distance of 20 meters and try to distinguish its license plate. If, despite all your efforts, you cannot see the numbers and digits on the license plate well, it is time to make an appointment with an ophthalmologist.

Try to listen to a conversation between two people who are at a distance of 5-6 meters from you. Can’t understand their words no matter how hard you try? This could be a sign that it’s time to see a doctor.

This method does not work in noisy public places. For example, in a cafe full of people where the music is loud and you can’t even make out the words of the person sitting opposite you. This responds to the effect of auditory masking, which manifests itself when a faint sound becomes indistinguishable from another sound with a much stronger background.

In addition, today we can find many applications that help to check the acuity of hearing.

Look at yourself in the mirror in a way that allows you to assess your entire body, from head to toe. You should be concerned if you notice a layer of fat above your waist. This is visceral fat, which covers the liver, interfering with its function.

The whites of the eyes turn yellow, while small white spots on the face (especially on the eyelids) and plaque on the tongue also indicate that the liver is not working well.

Note of clarification: These tests cannot be used to make a medical diagnosis. But they can be useful as a tool for those who take care of their health and want to keep it in perfect condition. Always consult a doctor.