Lesson #6
Jan 3 Written By Sara Doell
As we start the new year, I am taking the month of January to blog about my favorite life lessons from my book, Your Future Self Will Thank You. Follow along here to get the newsletter updates as well as a free PDF of the “Future You Defined” workbook!
Today we are talking about Lesson 6: GO TO THE DOCTOR! This may be one of the lessons that I am most passionate about.
I know so many people who have fear of going to the doctor because they do not want to get bad news about a health issue or about a lifestyle change they have to make for long term health. I get it- uncertainty and change is scary. The fear of hearing “cancer” or “high blood pressure” or “ you have to give up gluten” can stop you from moving forward. Sometimes we think ignorance is the best policy.
I am here to talk about the other sign of the coin: knowledge. Understanding your own health and your family’s health history can help you live a longer and healthier life by informing your daily choices. If you know that your genes have you set up for possible Type 2 Diabetes, breast cancer, heart disease or thyroid disorders (just to name a few), there may be ways to mitigate these illnesses or to screen for them so you and your doctor can make informed health care decisions. Not all diseases are preventable. But having a long history of doctors visits to help monitor things such as height, weight, BMI and blood pressure as well as your family’s medical history, can help your doctors advise you on what measures to take. Having an annual physical and blood work done can screen for certain conditions such as cancer, anemia, diabetes or HIV/Aids. Many of these things do not present themselves with symptoms for long periods of time. So being proactive and having an annual physical with blood work can help monitor or catch health issues quicker. And this can help you and your doctor make decisions on what medications, procedures, surgeries or lifestyle changes to make. Knowledge is power and making the choice to use this knowledge to take care of yourself can feel very empowering and can guide you to a longer and healthier life.
Weird transition: an ex girlfriend of mine died 15 years ago last month. I remember it well- she was only 28 years old and died of an aggressive cancer that by the time she went to the doctor was stage 4 and incurable. One of the things she said at the end was, “I wish I had gone to the doctor” because she may have caught it in time. That has always stuck with me and has been a huge part of my “why” in my health care.
So what is your “why” in going to the doctor? Is it because you have a family history of breast cancer? Is it because you want to live to 100 years old and shoot 100 on the golf course that year? Is it because you want to see your grandkids grow up and be there for many of their life milestones? Is it because you love moving your body and a proactive health care plan will support you in doing that for a very long time?
Whatever it is, identify your why and then make a plan. Make a plan to see your doctor annual for a physical. See your dermatologist and your opthamologist to get a skin and eye check. Go to the dentist every 6 months. Go to the gynecologist or proctologist and stay consistent with those visits based on their suggestions. Then follow through on the lifestyle choices they recommend. Take the vitamins or medications they advise you to. Develop the lifestyle habits they suggest.
You deserve to life a long and healthy life. AND making proactive choices around your health care can give you a fighting chance to get to 100.
Go to the doctor. Your Future Self Will Thank You.