With the holiday season now behind us, people look forward to the fresh start of the New Year and all the possibilities it brings. For many of us, that means setting resolutions to live a healthy, full life.
Without the proper planning and support, however, these ambitions can quickly be put off or even forgotten. In 2022, it’s time to break the cycle and make progress towards your goals.
By following tips from Wellstar health experts, you can create realistic resolutions, better your health and stay motivated.
Article Category: Highlights
Here’s to a Healthy You in ‘22
Published on January 03, 2022
Last updated 09:43 AM January 03, 2022
Pick one or two resolutions that you believe to be important, implementable and impactful. If the resolution is important to you, be sure you understand the ‘why’ behind the resolution.
- Dr. Rebecca Gomez
Wellstar Clinical Health Psychologist
How to reach your health goals
Making a resolution can sometimes feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Dr. Rebecca Gomez, Wellstar clinical health psychologist and Clinician Resiliency & Well-Being Program Lead, shared easy ways to identify and create goals.
“Pick one or two resolutions that you believe to be important, implementable and impactful,” Dr. Gomez advised. “If the resolution is important to you, be sure you understand the ‘why’ behind the resolution.”
Use the SMART goal-setting system to help define your goal and develop attainable resolutions.
- Specific — Be clear about what exactly you want to accomplish. Include as many details as necessary, such as potential obstacles or extra requirements.
- Measurable — Use metrics to measure your progress and determine how to meet the goal. If you have a big goal, you may need to set smaller milestones along the way to stay on track.
- Achievable — Attainability is an important factor to consider when it comes to goal setting. “While behavior change comes with any resolution, it is also unfair to yourself if you set a goal that is not feasible,” Dr. Gomez added.
- Relevant — Align your resolutions with your life purpose and reasonable wellness goals based on your current health status and available resources.
- Time bound — Set a realistic, target deadline to reach your goal with checkpoints at intervals along the way. Markers provide an opportunity to measure progress and reassess any changes needed to stay on track.
Keep in mind, you may encounter some bumps in the road along the way. Recognizing all the small accomplishments can help you stay motivated and win in the long run.
“Find ways to celebrate success throughout the year. Focus on what small steps you’ve accomplished rather than how far you have to go,” Dr. Gomez shared. “Also, have a resiliency plan to help you bounce back after a more challenging day.”
Partner with a Wellstar provider
When it comes to your wellness goals, staying healthy starts with a visit to your Wellstar primary care provider.
Drs. Shamamah and Asher Niazi, Wellstar internal medicine providers, shared why regular appointments are vital for your well-being.
“Wellness exams and health screenings are so important because they can pick up problems that the patient is not aware of yet,” explained Dr. Shamamah Niazi.
“A wellness exam provides a full 360° view of a patient’s health,” added Dr. Asher Niazi. “This includes what risk factors they may carry, and if they are up-to-date on all their preventive care like immunizations, vaccinations and other screenings.”
To check your health status and screen for potential medical issues, your physician will take your Foundational 4 numbers for:
- Blood pressure. A blood pressure test helps diagnose hypertension (high blood pressure), hypotension (low blood pressure), heart disease and other conditions.
- Blood glucose level. The amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood can indicate the onset of diabetes or risk of heart disease, heart attack, or stroke.
- Blood cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), often called “bad” cholesterol, can show clogged arteries which may lead to heart disease, heart attack or stroke.
- Body mass index (BMI). A higher level of body fat may indicate an increased risk for heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure) and diabetes.
Abnormal results during these tests can indicate risk factors, such as obesity or high blood pressure, or even the onset of a serious health condition like diabetes. Your physician may also perform other screenings — including hearing, vision or depression — to check your overall health and well-being.
Whether your resolution is weight to lose weight, better manage a chronic condition or be more active, your healthcare provider is a great source of support. They will work together with you to create a personalized plan to help you succeed.
Ready to tackle your wellness goals this year? Book an appointment with a Wellstar primary care provider today.
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Feeling Sick? Know Where to Go to Get Care
Whether you experience an injury, minor illness or simply need a wellness exam, the most important step you can take is getting the care you need. That way, you can find trained experts for your specific medical needs, stay ahead of potential health issues or even help prevent your condition from worsening.
With primary, virtual, urgent and emergency care services available, as well as retail pharmacies, how do you decide which type of care is best for your medical situation? Learn the differences between each type of medical service so you don’t delay and get care right away.
Local Pharmacies
If you are ill and have minor symptoms, over-the-counter medications can help you feel better. At your local retail pharmacy, you can find over-the-counter treatments for minor conditions like colds. If your symptoms worsen or do not go away with over-the-counter treatments, contact your primary care provider or visit an urgent care location.
Local pharmacies also carry at-home COVID-19 tests, offering a convenient testing option for people who have been exposed or are experiencing mild symptoms of COVID-19.
Virtual Care
Whether you have a busy schedule or are just looking for a more convenient option, virtual appointments are an easy way to keep up with your health from anywhere.
At Wellstar, we offer virtual visits with both primary care providers and specialists — no matter if you are an established patient or not. Connect with your Wellstar provider over the phone or with video on a computer, smartphone or tablet.
If you’re an established patient, simply request a virtual visit through MyChart. If you don’t have an account, it’s easy to sign up for MyChart and keep all of your important health information in one secure space. You can also call your physician’s office directly and request a virtual appointment over the phone.
These days, many types of appointments can be done virtually, including consultations, care for chronic conditions and prescription management. In addition to virtual primary and specialty care appointments, we also provide virtual urgent care through WellstarON for minor medical concerns.
While virtual care is a convenient way to stay well, it should never be used in place of emergency care. If you are experiencing a life-threatening medical emergency, call 911 right away.
Primary Care
Primary care is ongoing, comprehensive care and preventative medicine that helps you live a full, healthy life.
Your primary care provider — either an internal or family medicine physician, pediatrician or OB/GYN, depending on your age and medical needs — gets to know you and your health history on a deeper level. That means they have a more accurate view of your overall wellness.
Services include:
- Annual wellness exams
- Health screenings, labs and imaging
- Care for chronic conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure
- Immunizations for children and adults
- Treatment for acute illness, such as the flu or colds
- Coordinating care with other specialists
- Physical and mental health concerns, such as weight loss or anxiety
Find a Wellstar primary care provider in your neighborhood.
Urgent Care
If you’re dealing with a minor injury or illness or need care after your physician’s regular office hours, going to urgent care is often the right choice. Wellstar Urgent Care Centers provide quick, convenient care for non-emergency medical conditions.
We also offer urgent care through WellstarON, which provides virtual health visits for minor medical concerns from the comfort and convenience of home.
Wellstar Urgent Care provides:
- Care for minor illnesses and injuries, such as coughs, colds, sprains and broken bones
- Treatment for medical issues like bites, burns and cuts
- COVID-19 testing and evaluation for patients 12 and older
- Lab and X-rays
- Sports physicals
- Occupational health services
- Worker’s compensation services
Find a Wellstar urgent care location near you or make a virtual urgent care appointment.
Emergency Care
In a life-threatening medical emergency, every second counts. Never put off getting the proper care when lives are on the line. Remember, driving yourself to the emergency department (ED) may delay care, so call 911 for the fastest access to emergency care.
When the unexpected happens, Wellstar is always ready in a medical emergency. Our trained team provides expert emergency care 24 hours a day for people of all ages. We even have several pediatric emergency room locations, specifically designed to treat children.
Recognize the signs of a medical emergency:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Chest discomfort or pain
- Severe abdominal pain
- Fainting or loss of consciousness
- Sudden dizziness, weakness or vision changes
- Sudden, severe pain
- Uncontrolled or severe bleeding
- Choking, coughing up blood or severe vomiting
- Suicidal or homicidal thoughts
- Changes in mental status, such as confusion or unusual behavior
- Traumatic injury due to a motor vehicle or other accidents
Find a Wellstar emergency department close to you. Remember, call 911 right away in a medical emergency. That way, care can begin sooner during the crucial time it takes to be transported to the hospital.
Highlights
HometownCare
Before Atlanta Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson was a world champ, he was a little league player at Adams Park in Kennesaw. He honed his skills on the field at Marietta High School. And while you can now see him playing in front of 40,000 fans at Truist Park, he hasn’t forgotten his metro Atlanta roots.
Now he’s teamed up with Wellstar, another hometown institution, to stay at the top of his game — continuing a tradition that started the day he was born at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center.
“For my family, sports are a tradition,” Dansby said. “We have another family tradition too — looking to Wellstar for high-quality healthcare. Generations of our family came into this world at Wellstar Kennestone, including me and my siblings and my sister’s kids too.”
With convenient access to comprehensive care, Wellstar is there to cheer on Georgians like Dansby and help our communities thrive. Whether you’re running the bases or running your weekly errands, we all want to feel our best and stay ahead of health issues — and that starts with being proactive about our health.
“To live like an all-star, you’ve got to touch base with your primary care team regularly, at least once a year,” Dansby said. “Staying on top of our health means fewer surprises from left field.”
Your primary care provider will partner with you to create a personalized game plan to help you reach your health goals. Just like you may track Dansby’s home runs and batting average if you’re a Braves fan, you should keep up with your own health stats by staying up-to-date on screenings.
A few of your own stats you should know include:
- Body mass index. This can determine if you have a healthy body weight.
- LDL and HDL (low-density and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol). This blood test measures cholesterol levels.
- Blood pressure. This is measured using an arm cuff and only takes a minute.
- HbA1c (hemoglobin A1C). This metric measures whether you have healthy blood sugar. If you are diabetic, you should check your A1C every three months.
Men are less likely than women to see their primary care provider regularly, but it’s still crucial they get regular screenings to stay healthy for themselves and the people they love.
“Men aren't always the best at making health a priority, but you need to know your numbers to keep you in the game and out of a slump,” Dansby said.
Men who are 50 or older should get checked for prostate cancer by their primary care provider. You may need to start screening even sooner, depending on your risk factors and family history. Ask your provider about setting up a screenings plan, so you can be proactive against prostate cancer.
With locations around metro Atlanta and West Georgia — and virtual care options available — Wellstar supports Braves fans all over Georgia. Find a location near you.
Highlights
Did You Know Prostate Cancer Screening Has Changed? Find Out Why It’s Better Now.
Quick history lesson: In the 1990s, U.S. doctors adopted the prostate-specific antigen test — or PSA — to identify prostate cancer early, when it’s more treatable. While the PSA helped more men get diagnosed, concern was raised over the risks versus benefits of biopsies, procedures and treatment. In response, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force gave a controversial recommendation against routine screening with PSA in 2012.
But with new evidence from a variety of credible studies, they changed their recommendation in 2017. The current Task Force recommendation focuses on men having a conversation with their doctors about their risk for prostate cancer and the risks and benefits of screening.
Why did the guidelines change?
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in males after skin cancer. According to projections by the American Cancer Society, there will be twice as many new prostate cancer cases diagnosed as lung cancer this year.
“The prevalence of the disease cannot be ignored,” said Wellstar Health System Chief of Primary Care and Medicine Service Line Dr. Jeffrey Tharp, a primary care physician. “Early-stage prostate cancer has higher survivability than prostate cancer diagnosed in later stages.”
Dr. Tharp pointed out that while guidelines have changed, so have the way doctors diagnose and treat prostate cancer. An elevated PSA does not automatically mean a cancer diagnosis. And when cancer is diagnosed, some care options have no side effects.
Read on to learn:
- Who should have a conversation with their doctor about prostate cancer screening, and when
- Who is at higher risk
- How the reason that’s holding some men back has changed
- What is a PSA and why having them at regular intervals is important
- Care options for prostate cancer