In today’s world, it is not uncommon for doctors to see patients as checkboxes on a list, marking each one off after a quick consultation and passing them on to the next health provider. This is an unfortunate result of burnout, inefficient health systems, and other issues. This is why many people are enrolling in primary care memberships to guarantee personalized care for themselves and their families. However, regardless of the type of healthcare you use, it is crucial to take control of your own health before the need for professional health treatments arises. Managing your health preventatively can help ensure your body and mind are functioning properly and help you avoid exorbitant medical bills.

So how can you optimize your health?

Follow these steps to maintain a healthy body and avoid the need for serious health treatments:

1) See Your Doctor Regularly

Of course, following these steps does not completely exclude the need for doctors’ visits. Regular health physicals are still necessary to ensure your body is in good condition and to rule out any underlying issues that you may be unaware of. Visit your doctor each year for your yearly physical and even more regularly to check your labs and to discuss the need for any lifestyle changes. At each visit, your doctor will go through an annual physical exam checklist, but will also ask you if you have any concerns that he or she did not address. Use this as an opportunity to get answers to all of your most concerning medical questions.

2) Maintain a Healthy Diet

Every diet is better at supporting different kinds of lifestyles. So, what’s best for you may not be best for someone else and vice versa. We recommend diets low in carbs and full of vegetables such as the Paleo or Keto diets. However, there are a number of ways to eat healthy, so provided that you are eating a lot of fruits and vegetables and little sugar, your diet is probably sustainable in an overall healthy life.

3) Exercise

Physical activity should never be ignored in your efforts to improve your physical and mental health. Exercise is incredibly important for a healthy body and may even be an effective—and often safer—health treatment than certain medications. For best results, incorporate both cardio and strength training into your exercise routine four or five days a week. One of the best things about exercise is how easily it can be worked into your lifestyle. If you already play a sport that gives you some of the exercise you need, you can make up for the rest in the gym. If you choose to walk to work or jog every morning when you walk the dog, you can cross cardio off your list and focus on strength training during your dedicated workouts.

It can be hard to find time to fit in a full workout at the gym or elsewhere, so finding ways to get exercise in can help you significantly cut down on your time in the gym. However, in your efforts to fit exercise into your daily routine, it is important to avoid counting every little thing as exercise as this can actually cause you to get less of the exercise you truly need when working out.

4) Sleep Better

Bad sleep leads to bad health as it prevents you from doing some of the most important steps in this list, such as exercising and maintaining a healthy diet. Your body cannot function properly on an inadequate amount of sleep. As you start to feel sluggish and begin eating poorly, you enter a cycle of bad habits that can be difficult to end. Get seven or eight hours of sleep every night for optimal physical and mental performance.

5) Drink Enough Water

Water is fuel for our bodies and helps ensure everything is working as it should be. The amount of water you need to drink depends on your size and weight. Here’s an easy way to calculate how much you need: drink a half ounce to an ounce of water for every pound you weigh.

6) Get Some Sun

About 10-15 minutes a day without sunscreen is all you need. Moderate sun exposure will allow your skin to create vitamin D, boost your mood, improve bone health, and many other things. Remember: don’t overdo it! Wear sunscreen otherwise to keep your skin and the rest of your body healthy.

7) Laugh, Smile, and Socialize

Put the electronic devices down, look up, and socialize with friends and family in person. Spend time with people who make you feel happy and make you smile. Smiling helps your body release chemicals that help reduce stress, strengthen your immune system, lower blood pressure, and even increase endurance. If your mental health is poor, your physical health can be significantly affected.

Optimizing your health is your best bet in avoiding unnecessary hospital visits and health treatments. With a healthy body, your physical examinations procedures are quick and simple and your visits can be focused on general improvements to maintain your healthy lifestyle. A primary care physician is the best person to help you in this process because they genuinely care and are invested in the health of you and your family.

Get more from your doctor with personalized health treatments today!

About the Author

Matthew Abinante is a board-certified family physician providing direct primary care to patients of all ages. Offering excellent care, diagnosis, and techniques, he continually participates in educational opportunities to best serve his patients. Working in Huntington Beach, he analyzes common aches and pains, proposes innovative treatment plans, and provides specialized services for each individual patient. 

After excelling for years, Matthew received his DO and MPH from Touro University in Vallejo, CA. Matthew completed his residency training at PIH Health Hospital in Downey, CA, where he became a board-certified and trusted family physician who values patient-doctor relationships and clear communication.