13 ways to monitor your health between doctor visits

You see your doctor maybe once or twice a year, but you live in your body every single day. That makes you the best judge of your own health — if you know what to look for. These tips will help you play doctor detective.

This is especially important for women over 50 — who are at greater risk of osteoporosis — as a way of assessing posture, skeletal and overall bone health. If you're concerned, ask your doctor about having a bone density test.

Your urine should be a clear, straw colour; if it's regularly dark or smells strong, make an appointment to see your doctor.

• To test your heart rate recovery (HRR) after regular strenuous activity, count your heartbeats for 15 seconds, multiply by four — that's your heart rate.
• Wait two minutes before checking again.
• Subtract the second number from the first.
• If it's under 55, your HRR is higher than normal. Talk with your doctor.

If you have diabetes, look for blisters, fungus, peeling skin, cuts or bruises. Daily self-examinations give clues to whether you might have nerve damage.

• Catching testicular cancer early is the best way to beat it.
• The Canadian Cancer Society has information on how to do a testicular cancer self-check.
• If you have any concerns after your self-check, see your doctor.

• An 80-year-old should be able to do this for at least 12 seconds: Time yourself standing on one leg, but don't hold onto anything.
• Repeat on both legs (one at a time) three times.
• If you can't do this, or you wobble back and forth, you have poor balance and are at risk for a fall. Talk to your doctor. Exercises can help.

• Buy a home blood pressure monitor at the pharmacy. If the top number is more than 140 (130 if you have diabetes) and the bottom number is higher than 90 (80 if you have diabetes), wait a day, check it again.
• If it's still high, make an appointment with your doctor.
• The Canadian Hypertension Society has more information.

• If you're over 40 — or under 40 with a strong family history of heart attack or stroke — talk to your doctor about a cardiovascular risk assessment.
• Measuring cholesterol alone is not enough, as other risk factors may be missed.

Look for early signs of fungal infection or ingrown toenails, best treated early.

• You can download a detailed breast self-exam guide from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation at www.cbcf.org.
• Get familiar with your breasts and know what's normal for you.
• Report any changes to your doctor without delay.

The Canadian Skin Cancer Foundation shows you how to do a head-to-toe skin cancer check at www.canadianskincancerfoundation.com/early-detection.html. If you see anything unusual, visit your doctor.

• Body mass index relates weight to height. Search online for BMI calculators.
• A normal BMI is 18.5 to 24.9. A BMI of 25 to 30 puts you in the overweight category, while a BMI above 30 means you are obese.
• Talk to your doctor about your risk factors based on your body mass index and what you can do about it.

If your hair's falling out, ask your doctor to check your levels of blood ferritin, an indication of how much iron your body is storing. Some studies suggest low levels may be related to unexplained hair loss. Thyroid disease is another fairly common cause.