If you are like most individuals, you may see your doctor only 2 or 3 times per year for sick visits and an annual checkup. The standard annual checkup usually consists of a brief review and update of your medical history, an age and gender specific physical examination and basic diagnostic tests (blood work, mammogram, etc.) ordered by your physician. The purpose of the annual checkup is to look for evidence of diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. In addition, patients are given basic recommendations on lifestyle modifications for disease prevention.
Screening for diseases that have already developed is important, but outside of not smoking, eating a healthy diet and watching your weight, do you really know what your risks for developing such diseases are, and what you can do to prevent them? These diseases do not develop overnight, but are the end result of months to years of physiologic disturbances that occur on a cellular level.
How do you find out if you have physiologic changes occurring now that can put you at an increased risk to being diagnosed with a disease in the next several years? Can you do things today to ensure you live a life of wellness? Yes, you can!
The solution starts with becoming proactive about the wellness of your body. Wellness is the quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as the result of deliberate effort. There is much more to achieving wellness than what can be done in the standard 20 to 30 minute office visit. Identify physicians who can help you proactively take care of your body and mind with a focused approach to wellness.
A WELLNESS checkup should include:
A comprehensive annual history, health risk assessment, nutritional and fitness evaluation, and physical examination.
Standard diagnostic testing (blood work, mammogram, bone density, EKG as medically necessary).
Micronutrient and advanced cholesterol testing.
Hormonal and brain neurotransmitter evaluation.
Personalized wellness plan including exercise and nutrition plan, hormonal and neurotransmitter balancing, and customized nutritional supplementation to achieve optimal health and reduce the risk of chronic medical illness.
If there are physiologic disturbances found during a wellness checkup, many of these can be corrected with the proper combination of lifestyle modifications, quality supplementation, hormonal and neurotransmitter balancing. Your doctor should monitor your progress towards achieving wellness with regular follow-up appointments and modifications to your wellness plan as needed.
Are there physicians providing wellness checkups? Yes, there are. Physicians specializing in Anti-Aging Medicine approach healthcare with a focus on the early detection, prevention, treatment and reversal of age-related dysfunctions, disorders and diseases. More and more providers are offering these services. With a thorough wellness checkup, you too can be well on your way to a healthier you.
Dr. Afreen Pappa is a member of the American Academy of Family Medicine and the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. She was named one of Houston’s Top Docs 2009 by H Texas Magazine.
Dr. Afreen Pappa is a member of the American Academy of Family Medicine and the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. She was named one of Houston’s Top Docs 2009 by H Texas Magazine.