Youth can trick people into thinking that they’re invincible. A diet of pizza and potato chips, 4 hours of sleep a night, and just an hour of exercise every month might not seem like it’s taking a toll when you’re young, but our bodies can’t handle that treatment forever. Many people are aware of this, but rather than changing their habits early on, they believe that they will just make those changes when age catches up to them, and their health becomes a problem. As we get ready to make our New Year’s resolutions, let’s buck that trend. Focus on wellness now, and you won’t have to regret your choices later,
Young people often think that they don’t need to visit the doctor if they don’t exhibit any health problems. This is one of the most common misconceptions about visiting the doctor. People think that they can neglect their diet, ignore exercise, and skip out on doctor visits, and that a physician will wave a magic wand (or a prescription pad) and fix whatever health problems they might develop. The reality of it is that you should focus on wellness for the long term, and doctors are there to help you make the right decisions and monitor your health.
You shouldn’t wait until you have a health problem or a complication that needs “fixing”. You should focus on wellness and preventing health problems, rather than waiting for a health problem to arise. That’s what primary care physicians are there to help you do.
It’s important to visit your primary care physician on a regular basis, even if you consider yourself to be healthy. Many health problems are hard to detect in their early stages, when it is easier to make a difference in the outcome. Other health issues may just not be on your radar. And your doctor will be happy to help you fine-tune your diet, exercise, sleep, and other wellness efforts.Visiting your doctor now, while you’re well, can make all the difference in the future.
Don’t wait for ill health. Even if you’re young and in good health, you should schedule an appointment with your primary care physician at least once per year to make sure that you stay in good health.