As we grow older, we become more aware of our own mortality. Getting a life partner, having kids, buying a house and ticking off all of those milestones can make us all too acutely aware that life is shorter than we’d like. We want to ensure that we are around to see our offspring grow up, be present for the birth of our grandchildren and be able to enjoy our twilight years. Eating healthy and partaking in regular exercise are well-known facets to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and maximizing our chances of making it to retirement. However, there are a number of conditions that can appear symptom-free making in difficult to determine if we are being affected by them at all. It’s vital that you understand these ailments and that you are proactive in ensuring that they don’t limit your lifespan.

High Blood Pressure

While it’s not unusual to see a surge in blood pressure after you’ve been out for a run or you’ve had a particularly stressful day at work, you should not be living with chronic hypertension. The chances are you won’t even know you are suffering from it. There are no headaches, pangs of nausea or itching. Silently, the walls of your arteries can buckle under the pressure of the blood pumping around your body leading to a heart attack or stroke. Because of the symptom-free but deadly nature of hypertension, it’s important that you make an appointment with one of the many specialist vascular doctors in your locality. A comprehensive health check can be carried out to assess your high blood pressure risk. A treatment plan can be set up, and you can receive regular check-ups to monitor the condition. Hypertension can be combated successfully with a change in lifestyle and mindfulness sessions.

Anemia

Perhaps not quite symptom-free, but definitely not symptom noteworthy for many is the condition anemia. You might feel a little more fatigued than usual, or perhaps you have always felt an urge to sit down, rest and catch forty winks throughout the day. Anemia can strike at any age, and there is often an underlying cause. A low red blood cell count means that there is less oxygen to go around your body to fuel your vital organs. While a relatively minor health condition for many, for a select few the increased risk of heart attack, should be enough cause for concern to get checked out by a doctor. If you have heavy or long periods, you should also make an appointment at the surgery.

PCOS

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome can be a symptomless condition affecting one in ten women. Most of these women don’t realise they have the condition until they begin trying for a baby. You don’t have to be suffering from irregular periods to have PCOS. You may be having regular menstrual bleeding, but you may not have ovulated resulting in no egg to be fertilized. This can leave you infertile. However, some medications can rebalance your hormones so that ovulation can occur and fertility can be restored.

Just because you aren’t enduring symptoms doesn’t always mean your health is in tip-top condition. Always head to your doctor for a checkup each year for peace of mind.