Sadhana’s birthday is just a week away. She will be thirty and she can’t believe it. How time seems to have flown! At 40, Mrinalini is surprised at how tired she is feeling. Her husband wants her to have a complete health checkup.

We all celebrate our birthdays in different ways. Have you thought of celebrating your birthday by giving yourself the gift of health? An annual medical checkup is important, whatever your age, and it is certainly smart to tie it to another important annual event: your birthday.

What should you do on your birthday?

Health is not the mere absence of disease. It is a feeling of well-being which encompasses your emotional, mental and physical state. Taking certain steps can ensure that you will continue to be healthy year after year. Your birthday is a good reminder to check on your present state of health.

Your weight, waist and BMI

Everybody hates getting up on the weighing scales, but an ideal weight is at the very core of all your attempts at maintaining health. Calculate your body mass index (BMI) by dividing your weight in kilos by your height in metres². For example if your weight is 68 kilos and your height is 1.58 metres, then your BMI is 68/ 1.58 x1.58= 27.2. A BMI of 25 or more is considered overweight and 30 or more is considered to be obesity. Let your birthday be the starting point for a weight loss program.

A simple tool like an inch tape can predict the status of your health. Check your waist size by holding the tape lightly around your waist at the level of the navel. We know that women with high BMIs, and a waist size more than 85 cm, are at high risk for developing diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancers of the breast or uterus.

Check your blood pressure

It takes only five minutes to have your blood pressure checked but that step may add years to your life. High blood pressure has long been called a "silent killer" because it often causes no symptoms. Untreated, high blood pressure can lead to other serious health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.

High blood pressure (or hypertension) can have a number of causes and often runs in families. Lifestyle habits can increase your risk for high blood pressure. Women who are overweight, are not physically active, have diabetes or have a family history of high blood pressure, are more at risk.