Vim & Vigor - Winter 2013 - Parrish Medical Center - (Page 11)

SCREENINGS ARE UNCOMFORTABLE AND PAINFUL. EXCUSE I MIGHT HEAR BAD NEWS. IT'S OK TO SKIP THE DOCTOR. I'M SCARED. I FEEL FINE. I DON'T HAVE TIME Yes, you're busy. Between getting the kids to school, caring for older parents and working, it's easy to overlook your own health. Plus, what happens if the imaging center or the lab runs behind schedule? Take a deep breath and remember why you're having these screenings in the ﬁrst place: to potentially give you more time with the people you love. If the tests reveal a problem, you'll be glad it was found early, when treatment is easier-and yes, less time-consuming. If you're a multitasker, take heart. A blood test takes care of many of your important screenings, including blood sugar and cholesterol, with just one draw. Plus, for men, the prostate-speciﬁc antigen (PSA) measurement, a screening for prostate cancer, is a blood test that can be done at the same time, too. EXCUSE I FEEL FINE, SO IT'S OK TO SKIP THE DOCTOR "Wellness is not the absence of illness," says Steven Lamm, MD, a spokesman for Drive for Five, a men's health awareness campaign. "People feel well and assume they are well." The truth, he says, is that a lot of conditions take years to develop. "You don't wake up at 48 with heart disease," he adds. The earliest signs of heart problems stealthily appear much sooner. People who get regular screenings starting in their 20s are at an advantage. If you learn that your blood sugar or cholesterol levels are in a potentially dangerous range, you can take steps early to bring those numbers down. Not to mention that when people adopt healthy habits at a younger age, they're likely to stick with them. > WI NTER 2013 11

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Winter 2013 - Parrish Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2013 - Parrish Medical Center
Contents
Tasty Tips
Opening Thoughts
Community Calendar
Renovation and Rejuvenation
Lights of Love
Got Excuses?
Managing Your Health with a DIY Tool Kit
Is It the Stress Talking?
The Wonderful World of Greens
Knee-to-Know Basics
On the cover
Run for Your Life
14 Good-for-You Gifts
Special Delivery
Virtual Health
Pure Healing
Community Health
Foundation Focus
Ask the Expert

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2013 - Parrish Medical Center