As a parent, you will be intimately familiar with every cough and cold, virus and germ, injury, and accident that could happen to your child.

You will be able to spot whether the latest sickness is the same one they always catch at this time of year, which just needs a bit of bed rest, and which is something that you need to be more alarmed about.

And with the winter coming on, you know that this is the time of year when you need to be the most vigilant, now more than ever as we continue to keep one eye on COVID restrictions.

However, all that care and attention that we spend on our kids’ health can mean that we start to take our eye off the ball when it comes to our own.

How often have you dismissed an illness as something that you’ve probably picked up from your kid?

How often have you ignored that pain in your back because you need to do a school run in fifteen minutes?

The truth of the matter is that, as we get older, there are an increasing number of health issues that we need to be watching out for, even if we are spending most of the time watching out for our children.

Here are just a few of the biggest that you need to be aware of:

1. Heart Disease And Other Heart-Related Issues

We need to start with heart disease because statistics show that it is the biggest killer in the United States. As we get older, we need to be taking more care with what we are putting into our bodies and making sure that we get more regular exercise.

People will often ignore heart-related issues either because they think it’s nothing too serious (a sudden sharp pain can be explained away as indigestion if you’re not paying enough attention, for example), or they are scared about what going in for a check-up will reveal.

It is so important that you see a doctor if you notice a stabbing pain or a tightness in your chest. You can lower your risk of coronary issues by cutting down on red meat and other high-fat and high-sugar foods, cutting down on alcohol, and quitting smoking.

2. Cancer

The chances that we will suffer from cancer are statistically high. When we are faced with these kinds of statistics it can be easy to start to feel powerless, but one of the most important things that you can do is learn how to look for early warning signs.

Fatigue, unexplained weight loss, skin changes (such as moles or jaundice), pain in specific areas that are persistent, and a fever that won’t go away can be early warning signs.

Prostate cancer is a particularly common and serious issue that men need to be aware of as they age. Signs of prostate cancer can include blood in your urine or semen, trouble urinating, loss of bladder function, and erectile dysfunction.

If you notice any of these signs, you should consult your doctor right away. It is important to note that chances of survival and recovery from prostate cancer greatly improve if you can detect it early.

Ezra offers a full-body MRI scan that can screen for cancer in up to 13 organs.

3. Diabetes

Diabetes can be a risk for people of any age, but as with so many health issues, the chances of developing it do increase as you get older.

Early warning signs that you can look out for include increased thirst and frequent urination.

You may notice unexplained weight loss, fatigue, and irritability, and that you contract infections more frequently in your gums and skin. Blurred vision is also a sign that you could be suffering from diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is hard to prevent and can be made more likely due to inherited issues, and it occurs when your immune system attacks the cells in your pancreas that produce insulin.

Type 2 diabetes can be more linked to your lifestyle, which is why it is so important that you start thinking more carefully about your diet and your exercise routine.

Try to cut down on high cholesterol items and make sure that you are exercising regularly. Physical activity is just as important as your diet when it comes to keeping clear of diabetes.

4. Mental Health

One of the very few bright spots to emerge from the pandemic is that everyone has started to get a better understanding of what we are talking about when we are talking about mental health.

Of course, the statistics surrounding mental health issues have been startling, but it is so important that so many people have learned how to identify issues that they have personally, to work on tactics and approaches that help them, and to listen to other people who are struggling.

Mental health has been shown to be an issue that increases as we get older. When we have more responsibilities, it can feel harder to tell someone that we need help.

We know how big of an impact loneliness can have on mental health issues, and we all know that it is easy to start feeling more isolated in the winter months too.

So, with that in mind, we all need to start taking better care of our mental health.

Start by making sure that you have some time in your schedule that is just for you.

Remember to keep talking to your partner about how you are doing, and to ask for help if you need it.

Disconnecting from work is extremely important, especially if you work from home. Try to stop checking work emails and messages when you are done for the day and try to work in a separate room where you relax.

Exercise and outdoor time can help, but one of the most important things is to remember that you are not alone and that there are options out there to help you if you need it.