Advice for Making Your New Year’s Resolutions If you are like many, your New Year’s resolutions will include more exercise, losing weight, and eating better. While these are important resolutions, here are a few more resolutions to consider. 1. Find a family doctor that really cares about you and your loved ones 2. See your family doctor at least once a year, even if you feel “fine”. Having and maintaining good health is more than simply recovering from the most recent illness. As we live longer, our quality of life depends on timely, preventative care. Living to 90 or 100 years old is becoming increasingly likely, and the likelihood of enjoying those golden years can be greatly improved with attention to preventative care. 3. Take prescribed medicines as advised. Keep in mind that overall compliance to prescriptions for chronic diseases is only 40-50 percent! Talk to your doctor before taking that herbal remedy recommended by a friend or opting for that amazing cure you found on the Internet. In addition, some herbal supplements may interact with your medications. 4. Know your blood pressure, BMI, blood sugar, cholesterol, bone density, vitamin D, and markers for any disease activity. 5. Make sure specialist have your medical records prior to your appointment. When seeing a specialist, ask your family doctor to send your records before your first appointment. After your appointment, request that the specialist’s report be sent to your family doctor. 6. Maintain health insurance coverage. If possible, contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA) that can give you greater control over your health care options in future years. 7. As you plan the coming year, set tangible goals with a target date. Share your resolutions with your doctor, family, and friends. These people will support you and help you stay on track. There is a reason why good health is usually the most important resolution. Without it, few other resolutions are likely to be fulfilled. |