This Woman's Month, Discovery Vitality's Dr Mosima Mabunda shares how a treat might be just the trick your mind and body need to get your regular cancer screening checks done and dusted.
When's the last time you did your essential cancer screening checks? For women, that is a mammogram and pap smear because breast cancer and cervical cancer are among the most commonly occurring cancers in women.
Here are four reasons to make an appointment with your doctor today.
Screening for cancer can help:
- Find cancer early enough when it is easier to treat
- Which may mean less treatment
- And a better chance of survival if the cancer is detected early
- Plus, fewer things to worry about if your results are normal.
Not reaching for the phone just yet? Discovery Vitality's Head of Wellness Dr Mosima Mabunda shares the one trick that helps her make healthier choices daily ...
How to trick your mind into doing what's right
Dr Mabunda says: "Isn't it strange how we constantly have to trick our brains into completing tasks that are actually good for us in the long run? This is because our brain prefers the status quo, or the way things are right now. This is a type of cognitive bias or an error in thinking that can make people resistant to change. What this means is that we are likely to pick options that maintain things as they currently are. Like ordering in for the third night in a row instead of using those fresh vegetables sitting in the fridge to cook a nutritious home-cooked dinner. Or skipping a gynae appointment because, hey, there's nothing wrong with me so why go through the effort?"
How do you cross that hurdle in your mind?
Dr Mabunda explains: "Science tells us that it would be less 'painful' to do the right thing if you combine the task, what you have to do, with something you enjoy, what you love to do. Wharton Professor Katy Milkman calls it 'temptation bundling', a strategy designed to get us to do the things that we're not so excited about."
"At Vitality, we nudge you to exercise regularly by rewarding you with Discovery Miles for completing your weekly Vitality Active Rewards goals and other healthy behaviour. By rewarding you for what is ultimately good for your health, you are more likely to want to achieve your weekly goal," she adds.
Putting temptation bundling to the test ...
A passionate advocate for behavioural change, Dr Mabunda decided to put temptation bundling into practice. "This year, I booked a massage directly after my pap smear. Bundling a potentially life-saving health screening with a treat or an activity you enjoy can be the catalyst you need to build healthy long-term habits. And I can tell you it works because instead of dreading the appointments, I'm looking forward to getting them over and done with so I can get to the business of enjoying my reward pampering myself. I'm going to do this every year from now!"
So, when you book your pap smear or mammogram today, make sure to combine it with something you enjoy like a relaxing spa treatment, a delicious lunch or even a small, sweet treat that brings you joy.
Plus, Vitality members can earn 2,500 Vitality points a year for a pap smear and Vitality members over 40 can earn 2,500 for a mammogram - and you can cover the cost of your treat with your Discovery Miles, too. Now that's another reason to get your cancer screenings done this Women's Month.
Learn more about how you are covered.
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