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Get Back to Taking Care of You - Get a Preventative Health Exam

Christi Taylor, MD – Chief Medical Officer, McFarland Clinic

It’s been a rough year on everybody. Whether due to being at home more and without typical activities with friends and family, or just so many things in life changing–it’s been a stressful year.

We have put ourselves into “survival mode." And we’ve done just that–we have survived! Iowans are tough people, and we do what we have to to survive and take care of those around us.

For a variety of reasons–whether it has been just being in survival mode or putting the needs of others before self–many of us have put our own health needs on the back burner. It is no secret that some of us may have chosen to delay or avoid interactions with our doctors over the past year. Balancing family life and isolation in the pandemic has caused individuals to make trade-offs and choices regarding their health care.

A lot has changed in the past year–maybe even your health.

In a single year, a chronic health condition can significantly worsen if not actively managed, and a “little nothing” can become a “real something.” That's why annual exams, screenings, and chronic illness follow up visits are vitally important.

Preventative Health Care

So what should we prioritize when it comes to our personal and preventative healthcare?

1) Schedule an annual exam.

Regular health exams with a provider can help find any problems early, when a patient’s chances of treatment and cure are better. If you don’t have a doctor or a primary care provider, McFarland Clinic is here to help. Complete a Primary Care Provider request form, or call 515-956-4110 to speak with our friendly Care Navigator who can help you find the right provider.

2) Get health screenings.

Health screenings are important to detecting any problems early. Your primary care doctor will recommend when screenings are necessary such as cancer screenings for breast, cervical, colorectal and prostate cancer. Mental health screenings are also important in your care.

3) Have your vitals checked.

Get your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol checked.

4) Monitor your mental health.

Talk about your mental health with a trusted healthcare provider.

Get Back to Taking Care of You

We’ve survived this past year, and hopefully soon we'll be getting back into “normal life” and enjoying life and activities as we did before the pandemic hit. The best way to experience life is making sure we are as healthy as possible both physically and mentally.

So on behalf of my physician and provider colleagues at McFarland Clinic, I want to encourage you to bring your and your family’s healthcare back to the forefront. This means eating healthy, regular exercise, attending to your mental health needs, and getting in for your preventative healthcare visits.

It’s time to get back to taking care of YOU!

Tagged As: Prevention and Wellness

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