DO YOU REALLY NEED THOSE DRUGS?

Supplements and screening tests may do more harm than good – the Wellness Journal can help you replace them with lifestyle changes

Saying yes to every form of health screening you can get may seem like a good idea, especially when a test is offered free – but if you don’t have symptoms or a family history that increases your risk of a particular disease or illness, then screening (any test that checks for a hidden condition where there aren’t any obvious symptoms) could end up doing you more harm than good.

One example is the prostate specific antigen (or PSA) blood test for prostate cancer which is free on the NHS if you ask for it. The problem is that a raised result, which might indicate cancerous changes, doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer – it could be the sign of a benign condition such as an enlarged prostate. Conversely, you could get a ‘normal’ result (a low PSA reading) and yet still have cancer.

It’s a similar story for mammograms – the scan offered to women over the age of 50 to check for signs of breast cancer. Despite many studies, there is still controversy about whether mammograms actually save lives. The scan is a great way to detect breast cancers, but it can cause unnecessary harm through overdiagnosis – showing up something which, if left untreated, might not have caused any problems.

We tend to err on the side of avoiding tests unless you have a family history or there is plenty of robust research to show it is going to do us some good. Bowel cancer and cervical cancer screening (via a smear test) are always a good idea, but general health checks or MOTs are not. In fact Health Secretary Matt Hancock has recently announced that the blanket check offered every five years to people aged 40-74 (without a preexisting condition) is to be abandoned – hardly surprising when you consider the test was estimated by some researchers to have cost the NHS about £450,000 for every life saved.

We believe much of the enthusiasm for screening checks comes from private companies that seek to profit, charging you to perform tests that are often pointless and dangerous. If they throw up dubious results they can end up generating more testing for which the NHS has to pick up the bill. So if you have no symptoms, don’t waste your time looking for problems. Instead, focus on the positive steps you can take towards a healthy lifestyle. We believe our Good Health For Life Wellness Journal is the best place to start. If you’re looking for extra motivation you could try the free NHS ‘what’s your heart age’ test (nhs.uk and search ‘heart age’).

HOW TO COMPLETE THE MEDICATION MONITOR

1. In the chart on page 6 of your Journal, list every prescription drug and over-the-counter medication you routinely use (painkillers, hay fever remedies, sprays, capsules, cough syrups).

2. Write the name of the drug/supplement in the chart, and underneath write in what you use it for.

3. Write in whether you think it helps (be completely honest – particularly about supplements) and whether you’d be willing to trial stopping it.

4. Check the information leaflet in the packet or the information on the bottle. Many side effects are vague, but are there any that you have noticed since you started taking the drug?

5. Discuss any concerns about side effects with your GP (for prescription drugs) or pharmacist (for overthe- counter medication) and ask specifically whether the condition this medication is aiming to treat can be replaced with a lifestyle change. You might be able to switch drugs or trial stopping taking the drug.