I’m the sort of person who visits the Doctor’s ALL the time. I’m not a hypochondriac, I just worry about things… I guess like any Mother, when it comes to the children, I would always rather make a GP visit if I’m worried, get some reassurance and feel better but when it comes to me I worry too  sometimes but feel bad going into the surgery when in my heart it’s just a bit of reassurance I want. I suspect we’re all a bit like that really and then we end up googling things which make us even more paranoid! I think an annual MOT might be the answer but then I could see myself working up a worry to that too so perhaps not? Perhaps I should just try not to worry in the first place but then that’s easier said than done??

The perfect answer to this, for certain things, has been staring me in the face for a while now and I didn’t even know it! There’s a way to get instant reassurance over certain health matters in the supermarket would you believe!? And what’s more, totally free of charge! I had no idea until a recent visit that in Asda they offer FREE health tests for things like diabetes and high blood pressure! You can literally make an appointment with the Asda Pharmacists and away you go. You can check for a little reassurance when you’re shopping and if you don’t get the result you like or the pharmacist advises you to, then you can make your GP appointment afterwards.

You can check your glucose levels which might indicate if there is a problem with diabetes, have a cholesterol test to see if yours is higher or lower than it should be which might suggest problems with the heart, have your Blood Pressure taken or even just check your BMI in a safe and private room with just the Asda pharmacist. The Pharmacist will then spend time with you talking about the results and advising you what to do next be that go home and relax or make a visit to the Doctor just to check a little bit further.

I went last night while I was shopping and just quickly found out that I have normal levels of glucose in my blood so I shouldn’t worry about diabetes and also that my cholesterol is perfectly fine! I knew that with diabetes I didn’t have any of the symptoms; needing a wee frequently, being thirsty all the time and blurred vision are just three but with raised or low cholesterol there are absolutely no symptoms whatsoever so I was a little bit concerned about that! I had assumed if you were over weight that would be an indication but apparently it’s not at all! Even the slimmest of people can have bad cholesterol problems!

I was really impressed with my appointment, it was quick, just round the corner from my house and the pharmacist went over everything with me both before and afterwards explaining in great detail. He couldn’t have been nicer and because it was all in their private consultation room I didn’t feel self conscious or embarrassed. I made an appointment which they do recommend but my pharmacist said if they’re not busy they will try to squeeze people in!

It’s not just FREE health tests that Asda offer either but there are all sorts of other services at the Asda pharmacy which are inexpensive or FREE. For people with Asthma they can buy their inhalers direct from the pharmacy without a prescription for £7, pregnant women or women hoping to conceive are offered FREE folic acid (while stocks last) and did you know you can even pick up prescriptions for your pet?! Just another reason to shop at Asda! A little bit of a health MOT after your shop will save you effort, time and money, can’t say fairer than that now can you!

I have not been paid in any way to write this post and all opinions stated are entirely my own.

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