10 Common Questions and Answers About Health – From a Doctor

1. Q. How much water should I drink daily?

A: There is no ‘best’ amount

Note. There is alot of hocus written about this questions. There is no normal or desired water intake. And MyHSN knows no evidence for ‘drinking more’ to ‘flush out the kidneys’ (and one of MyHSN’s doctors is a kidney doctor!).

Drinking about 1.5-2.5 litres a day is a good average human consumption (in non-hot conditions).

2. Q: What’s a healthy amount of exercise?

A: Aim for 180 minutes of moderate exercise per week – best carried out as 3x 60 mins (one hour)

3. Q: What are the symptoms of dehydration?

A: Headaches, fatigue, dry mouth, and darker urine; when serious, it leads to dizziness and falls

4. Q: How can I lower my blood pressure?

A: Exercise regularly, reduce sodium intake, and manage stress – and if necessary, take blood pressure tablets reliably.

5. Q: What’s a healthy sleep schedule?

A: Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

6. Q: How can I reduce stress or anxiety?

A: Try meditation, deep breathing, or yoga or pilates. If the cause is really stressful, remove yourself from it

7. Q: What constitutes a balanced diet?

There are seven key components of a balanced diet: calories, water, carbohydrates, protein, fats, salt, fruit/vegetables (that contain alot of vitamins).

Note. What are its benefits? Maintains healthy weight, supports energy levels, and reduces disease risk.

8. Q: How often should I have a check-up?

A: Annually for adults over 30 years, or as recommended by your doctor.

Note. MyHSN recommends yearly ‘routine screening blood tests’ (FBC, U+E, LFT, bone, glucose, HbA1c and cholesterol) and blood pressure measurements for all people after the age of 40 years, and for Black and Asian people, over the age of 30 years.

9. Q: What’s the best way to prevent flu and COVID-19?

A: Get vaccinated each year. Avoid people who you know ‘have a bug’ (cough, cold, earache, sore throat etc)

10. Q: How can I improve my mental health?

A: Practice self-care, connect with others, avoid stress/anxiety (known triggers) and seek professional help when needed.

Bonus Questions and Answers

Q. How can I prevent cancer?

A. Don’t smoke, avoid obesity, exercise, and have cancer screening tests when offered (e.g. tests for blood in faeces (poo), lung CT; and cervical screening, mammography in women).

Here is more information about how to prevent cancer.

Q. What are red flags for cancer?

Here are some examples.

• Breast lump (breast cancer)
• Blood in poo (bowel cancer)
• Blood in urine (kidney or bladder cancer)
• Coughing up blood (lung cancer)
• Change in mole (melanoma)
• Unexplained bleeding or bruising (blood or lymphatic cancer)
• Unexplained weight loss (many cancers).

Here is more information: 10 red flags for cancer.