Most of us are quite good at dealing with health problems when they become difficult to ignore.

An ear feels completely blocked. A headache will not shift. Something hurts. We feel unwell. Suddenly, finding the time to do something about it moves rapidly up the list.

But looking after your health is not only about responding when something goes wrong. Sometimes it is about checking in when everything seems fine.

A little awareness now can help you understand what is normal for you, notice when something changes and make more informed decisions about your health in the future.

Some health problems don’t make much noise

It is easy to assume that if you feel well, everything must be fine.

Often, that is true. But not everything affecting our health announces itself with obvious symptoms.

High blood pressure and raised cholesterol, for example, can exist without making you feel noticeably unwell. Changes in hearing can also happen gradually, so you may adapt without really noticing how much things have changed.

That is one reason routine health checks can be useful. They give you information rather than leaving you to rely entirely on how you feel.

And sometimes the result is simply reassurance that everything looks as expected. That can be useful information too.

Think of it as getting to know your normal

There is a big difference between constantly worrying about your health and simply paying attention to it.

You do not need to test everything, track every number or turn looking after yourself into another full-time job.

Instead, think about building a better picture of your own health over time.

What is your usual blood pressure? Has your cholesterol changed? Is your hearing as clear as it used to be? Have you been putting off something minor because it does not yet feel important enough?

Having some idea of your own normal can make changes easier to spot and gives you something useful to discuss with a healthcare professional when necessary.

Small things are often easier to deal with early

We are all capable of putting things off.

The blocked ear that is only slightly annoying.

The health check you have been meaning to arrange.

The vaccination you will definitely book before your trip.

The symptom you keep thinking will probably disappear on its own.

Sometimes waiting is perfectly reasonable. Sometimes it simply means a small job becomes a bigger inconvenience.

A useful habit is to ask yourself:

“If this is still bothering me in a month, will I wish I had dealt with it today?”

You do not need to become preoccupied with every small change. But neither do you have to wait until something is seriously interfering with daily life before asking for advice.

Make looking after yourself easier

Good intentions tend to work better when they are convenient.

You are much more likely to do something if it fits naturally into everyday life rather than requiring a complicated process, several phone calls or a journey somewhere unfamiliar.

Community pharmacies can now help with a much wider range of health needs, from everyday advice and vaccinations to health checks and specialist clinic services.

That means some of the things you might once have continued putting off can now be dealt with locally, often alongside the other things you already do.

Give your health an occasional check-in

There is no single checklist that everyone needs to complete every year.

Age, family history, lifestyle, existing conditions and individual circumstances all affect what is useful and appropriate.

But it can be worth occasionally asking yourself a few simple questions:

• Is there anything about my health that has changed recently?
• Is there something I have been meaning to get checked?
• Am I up to date with vaccinations that are relevant to me?
• Do I know important health information such as my blood pressure or cholesterol?
• Is there a minor problem I have been tolerating rather than dealing with?
• Would advice from a pharmacist or another healthcare professional help?

You may discover that there is nothing you need to do at all.

Or you may find one small thing that is worth acting on.

Both are better than simply waiting until your body demands your attention.

A little more support throughout the year

Dears Plus Annual Membership has been created for people who would like to make greater use of Dears Pharmacy services throughout the year.

Membership includes selected health services as part of the annual membership, together with savings on eligible private clinical services and eligible purchases in participating Dears pharmacies.

It is not about looking for problems that are not there. It is about making it a little easier to check in with your health, deal with things you have been putting off and make use of local pharmacy care when you need it.

Look after your health before it has to ask for your attention.

Click here to out more about >>Dears Plus Annual Membership<<, what is included and how membership works.