When the weather starts to warm up, many people start getting ready for the spring season. Along with cleaning and decluttering your home, you should also spruce up the space you live in every day—your body.
When you prioritize your well-being and do the proper up-keep for your health, it may help you stay ahead of potential medical issues.
To feel your best this spring and beyond, we’re sharing our top tips to keep you healthy.
Check for a clean bill of health
Setting our clocks forward can also be your reminder to set up a visit with your primary care provider.
“People should definitely add a wellness exam to their spring-cleaning checklist, regardless of age. Routine preventative care every year is very important,” said Wellstar Primary Care Physician Dr. Nayab Dhanani.
During a wellness exam, your provider will check your Foundational 4 numbers—body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
From there, your provider can help create a screening plan to help keep you ahead of chronic conditions or serious diseases. Recommended screenings may vary depending on your family history, gender and age, as well as your provider's recommendations.
“The importance of screenings is really to be proactive instead of reactive,” said Wellstar Primary Care Physician Dr. Facia Dew. “It’s better to know a person’s risk factors so we can screen accordingly. Our goal is to meet their unique medical needs and help them live a healthy life.”
Be sure to bring up any other medical concerns, health questions or wellness goals at the appointment. Wellstar providers are partners in your care, committed to keeping you feeling your best physically, mentally and emotionally.
Stay ahead of health concerns
It can be easy to put your own health on the backburner as life gets busy. This spring, make a commitment to yourself to get the essential screenings you need.
For women, screenings like pelvic exams, Pap smears and mammograms can help catch cancer, sexually transmitted diseases and other issues. These important physical and gynecological health exams can help you stay ahead of potential medical concerns, such as breast cancer, cervical cancer and ovarian cancer.
Along with a routine physical to stay in top shape, men can benefit from a prostate-specific antigen test. Having this simple blood test done can help catch prostate cancer in its early stages, often when it is more treatable. Men who are 50 or older should start getting screened for prostate cancer. Those at higher risk—including Black men and those who have had a close relative diagnosed with prostate cancer—may start screenings even sooner.
Talking about colon health can feel a little uncomfortable, but getting screened could save your life. Starting at age 45, everyone should get a colonoscopy. Those with a higher risk or family history of colorectal cancer may need to start screening even sooner. Learn more about the importance of colon screenings.
Freshen up your mindset
For people who experience seasonal depression during the fall and winter months, spring’s longer hours of light may bring a renewed sense of hope. Still, lingering feelings of sadness or other difficult emotions could be more than just the “winter blues.”
“We have a screening test called PHQ-2, which is used to screen for depression,” Dr. Dhanani explained. “Patients typically have to answer two questions, and it is a preliminary screening to see if you have any signs or symptoms of depression.”
“Plenty of times, patients don’t even know they have depression. Often, a person may have had the condition for a while and it could be untreated,” Dr. Dhanani said.
If you feel overwhelmed and need support, we’re here for you. Reach out to your provider or one of our behavioral health specialists for help.
Looking for more ways to stay well? Learn about screenings to help keep you healthy.
