When your life is moving at breakneck speed, it can be tough even to slow down and breathe easy. Amidst the daily chaos, there is scarcely any time to really take care of yourself - let alone being able to foresee any big health-related issues.

But here’s the catch - preventing some big illnesses takes much less time than you think! All you have to do is get yourself tested at the right time, and then you can keep all the potentially life-threatening diseases at bay. In short, no matter how chaotic your 30’s might be, you can still prepare yourself for the future without putting in a lot of effort.

How do you ask? Medical tests are the answer.

Screening tests can detect a developing health condition before it fully starts to display its symptoms, thus allowing you to take preventive measures to counteract it. Doing so, these medical screening tests definitely act as a lifesaver.

Without further ado then - here's a list of essential medical tests you should definitely undergo in your 30’s

Blood Pressure: Just because you’re excellent at handling pressure, doesn’t mean your blood is, too! In most cases, an ideal reading would be below 120/80, but you have to consult your trusted physician to be sure.

Blood Sugar: If you’ve been gorging too much on sweets for an extended period of time, and are leading a largely sedentary lifestyle - then you should most definitely get this test. Not only does this help detect diabetes, but it also tells you if you have prediabetes, in which case you will have to take an additional HbA1C test to indicate the average blood sugar levels over the last 3 months.

Complete Blood Count (CBC): Not specific to one condition, this test is used to detect certain types of cancer, and it can also diagnose anemia, as well as certain infections. In particular, this test is recommended for Indian women, as they tend to suffer from anemia.

ECG: To check whether the heart is functioning the way it should, an electrocardiogram (ECG) test is recommended, as it details the risk of impending heart disease. Even if the report comes out fine, you should still repeat this test at least once a year.

Kidney Function: A significantly elevated reading of serum creatinine may indicate impaired kidney function, and reading of 0.3-1.2 is considered normal, in relative terms. Diabetes and high blood pressure are two conditions that can severely damage the kidneys, so if any of the earlier tests have indicated something, this one’s a must!

Lipid Profile: This is a test which provides an accurate indication of your overall heart health. It measures the total cholesterol, the separate HDL and LDL levels, and well as the triglycerides levels. In eras gone by, healthy individuals were recommended to take this test once in 2 years, but these days, everyone should be taking this test at least once a year.

Liver Function: If you keep yourself company over the weekends with a bottle of your favorite spirit, this test should most certainly be on your cards. You should get this test done annually to screen for liver conditions, such as Hepatitis B and C, fatty liver disease, and alcohol-induced liver damage.

Pap Smear Test (For Women): This crucial test can detect changes in the cervix which may indicate cancerous growth in the near future. It is suggested that every sexually-active woman over the age of 21 should get this test done at least once a year.

Screening for STIs: Whether you wish to conceive or have multiple sexual partners, it is necessary that you check for sexually transmitted infections, like chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and more. Ideally, you shouldn’t be taking this test more than once a year.

Thyroid Function: To ascertain if you have an underactive or overactive thyroid, these tests are imperative. Even if the tests results come out to be clean, you should still get this test done once a year.

Test for Vitamin D Deficiency: Vitamin D deficiency is a condition which is hard to detect, as it doesn’t come with symptoms you can immediately link back to it. It’s important nonetheless to cure its deficiency since, among other things, it increases the risk of bone loss and osteoporosis once you grow old. As with other tests, annual screening is recommended for this.

Urine Analysis: This is an important test which analyses urine for the presence of sugar, proteins, and blood, which can detect kidney disease, among many other conditions. The last being especially essential for smokers, who are at high risk for bladder cancer.

Conclusion: It’s not that difficult to keep health your topmost priority.

A bevy of medical tests in one go might not sound like the best health insurance plan if you already have a lot on your plate - but remember, you can still eat off one! And if you wish to continue doing so, it’s advisable that you get these medical tests done, so as to be safe and sound in the near future. Don’t just stop at getting a test, though - you should keep in mind that all reports will need to be reviewed by a trained professional, who will be able to guide you better in terms of what you need to do to continue to be healthy.