Did you know you don’t have to wait till you are unwell to see your doctor? In this article, we explore a different type of doctor's appointment, and how you can make the most of it.
When you think of going to see the doctor, what comes to mind? If you think of going to the hospital, then that’s absolutely correct. That’s what most people are used to. That type of healthcare is called curative care – as the name implies, we try to cure an illness or solve a medical problem.
However, there is so much more doctors are trained to do and can do. How much do you know about Preventive Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine? These two fields are similar and have lots of overlapping areas, however they are not entirely the same. I’ll explain.
Preventive Medicine seeks to prevent people from getting sick in the first place and there are various levels at which disease prevention occurs. There are policies at global, government levels that help whole populations keep healthy. Some of these include ensuring children are vaccinated, taxations on sugar, negative adverts on cigarette packs and restrictions on air pollution.
Then there is health education which seeks to empower people with the knowledge they need to help them take healthy decisions. The principle of health education is based on the thought that if people are well informed, rational people would make good choices. Health education is a major part of our mission here at New Beginnings Health Consult.
Screening exercises that help detect early disease also form part of preventive medicine. Early detection of illness can offer a chance for better outcomes. Examples of screening tests done include screening for breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and pap smears for people at risk of those diseases.
You can speak with your doctor if you think you may be at risk and may need screening. Some clinics have set schedules for screening. It is helpful to keep your appointments and get check-ups when scheduled for them.
Preventive medicine is not only helpful in people who are healthy. It also has a role in people who are receiving care for chronic medical conditions. The goal here is to slow down or halt disease progression by reducing or eliminating any modifiable risk factors. At this point, regular medications and follow up visits are important. For example, in someone who has had a stroke, we still want to prevent them from getting another stroke and so we would identify risk factors that caused the first stroke and try to eliminate them.
Lifestyle Medicine involves using lifestyle modifications such as diet, exercise, sleep and nutrition to improve health, prevent disease and as part of treatment of some medical conditions. Did you know there is scientific evidence that significant weight loss can improve the health of people living with diabetes? Did you know that studies show this improvement in health can be so great that there can be remission of the disease?
Remission is a fancy word to essentially say the disease process is under control or has been halted. Did you know that in some instances, the positive effects of lifestyle medicine are so profound that the people can be taken off medication safely?
In lifestyle medicine, we use evidence-based methods to help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. We take into consideration your preferences, financial resources and schedule when prescribing diet plans, exercise regimens and more. Plus it’s helpful to do these guided by professionals who can offer support throughout your journey.
Yes, so there is so much your doctor can do for you other than offer treatment when an illness pops up. Here at New Beginnings Health Consult, we are dedicated to offering you health education and coaching so you can live your best life and have a great time while at it!
We offer telehealth consultations so that you can enjoy coaching from the comfort of your home or office. Book a session to speak with a NewBe Health Coach today! Click the button to get started.
Reference: Newcastle University Website, 'Weight Loss Puts Type 2 Diabetes into
Remission for 5 Years' (Published 19 April, 2023) Accessed on 12/10/2023 10:25am UTC. Live link here
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