Why You Need Preventive Care

Do you know what kind of preventive screenings you need as an adult? If you’re a parent, then you probably know all about your child’s next trip to the doctor, where he’ll get his next round of shots and learn about screenings necessary for his age. Unfortunately, adults don’t always take as much care with their own health. Preventive care is essential to establishing a baseline and helping you to avoid long-term medical problems. Under the current Affordable Care Act, preventive care is covered at no added cost in every major medical plan, so there’s no excuse to skip your next screening.

A Pound of Cure
You may have heard the old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC has the figures to back that statement up. According to them, if every adult in the U.S. got the recommended clinical preventive care that they needed, then 100,000 lives could be saved every year.

Not only does preventive care help you to take care of yourself, but it also sets the stage for your kids as they get older. Establishing the practice of seeing a doctor for routine tests and screenings encourages young people to take their health more seriously. It might be inconvenient to get your blood drawn or wait in an office for an hour each year, but these simple steps could help to detect serious medical conditions well before they have a chance to evolve into long-term problems.

Men, women, children and infants require different preventive services at different times, but the current health care law protects these services at every age without cost sharing. This means that you won’t have to pay out of pocket for preventive care.

What is Preventive Care?
As its name suggests, preventive care is designed to prevent medical conditions from developing, but it also encourages patients to maintain good relationships with their doctors so that any abnormalities can be found and dealt with early. Preventive care includes:

• Vaccinations
• Well visits for women and children
• Testing for sexually transmitted infections
• Cancer screenings, such as mammograms and colonoscopies
• Tests for blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes
• Pregnancy services for healthy development
• Intervention services, including smoking cessation and weight management

More recently, health care experts, including the American Medical Association, are pushing for less frequent annual wellness visits for healthy adults aged 18 to 40. These guidelines do not apply to people with medical problems, and older Americans should see their doctors more regularly as they age to stay in good health. Preventive care and annual wellness checkups aren’t necessarily synonymous. You might be able to skip a yearly visit with your doctor, but you should get tested for certain diseases if indicated by family history and lifestyle.

How often you see the doctor depends on different factors, such as your age and medical condition. Pregnant women visit more frequently than single men in their 20s. However, it’s important to talk to your doctor about your needs before deciding on which visits you can skip.

Source:
https://www.cdc.gov/prevention

If you’re a parent, then you know that your kids need routine vaccines throughout their childhood to protect against specific diseases and illnesses. Did you know that adults need vaccines, too? Aside from an annual flu shot, adults need a series of vaccines as they age to ward off viruses, diseases and deadly illnesses. Not only will you need boosters for immunizations you received as a child, but you’ll also need new shots for new and different threats.

Protection as You Age

Research is clear: Vaccines save lives. There has been no medical link between vaccinations and autism in children, and for most of the population, immunizations protect against a host of serious, debilitating and often life-threatening medical conditions. Few people suffer significant side effects from vaccinations. As an adult, it’s important to stay on top of your immunizations because not getting vaccinated can affect your long-term health. According to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, vaccines can protect adults from these 14 threatening diseases:

• Influenza
• Pneumococcal disease
• Hepatitis A and B
• Measles, mumps and rubella
• Whooping cough
• Chickenpox and shingles
• HPV
• Diphtheria
• Meningococcal disease
• Tetanus

If you travel frequently, then you may need additional vaccines for other viruses that aren’t commonly found in the U.S. Depending on your occupation, you may be at a higher risk for developing certain diseases, such as tetanus, which means you’ll need a booster shot sooner than someone with a lower risk. People with weakened immune systems should also be diligent about getting vaccinated to protect themselves from contracting life-threatening conditions.

No Standard Schedule

Unlike children, who get the same vaccines at around the same time in their development, adults need different vaccines for different reasons, and there’s no set schedule for receiving them. The type of immunizations you receive and how often you get vaccinated depend on various factors, including your age, lifestyle, job and travel needs, and medical condition. You may also need different boosters depending on the vaccines you’ve had before.

Certain shots only have to be administered once. For instance, the Tdap vaccine, which protects against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough in adults, is only given once as an adult after your initial round of vaccines for these individual diseases during childhood. Adults over 60 need a shingles vaccine, and the pneumococcal vaccine is for people over the age of 65. Everyone older than six months should get a seasonal flu shot.
Immunity from vaccines can wear off, and for older adults, there may be newer vaccines available that didn’t exist when you were a child. Today’s children, for instance, get vaccinated against varicella, the medical name for chicken pox, a condition that a lot of older adults did not get immunized against.

Getting vaccinated also helps protect others in your community, particularly people who can’t get immunizations due to adverse reactions or compromised immune systems. Talk to your doctor about getting updated on your shots. She can discuss your medical history, explain your risks and create a vaccine schedule that works for you.

Sources:
https://www.adultvaccination.org/what-vaccines
https://www.cdc.gov/features/adultimmunizations/

Start the Conversation

Before you start taking any supplements, talk to your doctor. You might not think that it matters since supplements are usually natural, but over-the-counter vitamins and minerals can interact with other elements of your diet, especially prescription drugs. Synthetic thyroid hormones, for example, should not be taken within four hours of calcium supplements because doing so affects absorption. If you take medication regularly, it’s always a good idea to talk to your primary care doctor or pharmacist about drug interactions when you start a new drug or supplement.

Follow the Right Regimen

Once you have the go-ahead from your doctor to start a supplement regimen, make sure you’re getting the right form of vitamins and minerals. Many prepared foods, such as cereals and bread, have been fortified with added vitamins and minerals today, making them a better option than the pill form. Here are a few vitamins that you might need to add to your diet if you aren’t getting enough through the foods you eat:

• Calcium – protects bones and fights against osteoporosis
• Iron – helps prevent anemia by improving red blood cell function
• Potassium – lowers risk of heart problems and counteracts high sodium
• Beta-carotene – promotes healthy vision, good skin and a robust immune system

You might have heard that taking extra vitamin C for a cold will help you fight the effects, but research has not found this to be true. Plus, vitamin C is found in a wide range of foods, so you probably don’t need to take the vitamin on its own as a supplement. As for multivitamins, research is conflicted over whether they offer any benefits. If you travel frequently or don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables, then you might consider a multivitamin just in case.

Supplement with Care

The bottom line is that you should get as many vitamins and minerals from natural sources as you can. The foods you eat, particularly fruits and vegetables, contain enough nutrients to promote healthy functioning, but other natural sources exist as well. For instance, you can get all of the recommended daily total for vitamin D from spending more time outside in the sun. All it takes is about 15 minutes daily. Vitamin D aids in calcium absorption, protects your bones and improves your mood. When you’re choosing supplements, consider your lifestyle habits and diet. You might need to take certain supplements if you have medical problems or a health condition, but getting vitamins and minerals from natural sources will typically be more effective.

Sources:
https://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20506267,00.html/view-all

Who needs a flu shot?

The CDC offers a complete breakdown on its website of who needs a shot and who should avoid it each season. Most people ages six months and up need to get immunized against flu, but there are restrictions, including:

• People younger than six months old
• People with allergies to the ingredients used in flu vaccines
• People with certain medical conditions, such as Guillain-Barré Syndrome

If you have an egg allergy, you can now get immunized against flu, but you should talk to your doctor first to learn about your options and risks. Pregnant women can also get vaccinated, but again, it’s best to see a doctor to check on dosage requirements. Barring medical problems or allergies, everyone older than six months should get a flu shot.

Is flu really a big deal?

For many people, influenza runs its course without the need for medical intervention. Keep in mind, though, that getting flu is not like getting a cold. While both conditions share certain features, symptoms of flu can be much more severe, forcing people to stay in bed for several days without relief. While most flu victims recover just fine, flu viruses have been known to cause much more devastating, even life-threatening, conditions.

The CDC doesn’t track flu-related deaths for adults, but they do report estimates on mortality rates associated with each flu season. Since 2010, it’s estimated that 140,000 to 710,000 people have been hospitalized due to flu-related complications. Flu-related deaths are estimated at 12,000 to 56,000 since 2010. Influenza can also be costly. Millions of people get sick each season, leading to lower productivity, lost wages and decreased profits worldwide.

How can I protect myself and others?

Getting vaccinated against seasonal flu virus is the best way to protect yourself, your loved ones and others in your community against the spread of flu. You can also:

• Stay away from other people if you get sick
• Practice good hygiene by washing your hands in warm, soapy water for 20 seconds to eliminate germs
• Avoid sharing food with others and wiping down shared surfaces, such as doorknobs

It’s important to note that you might still get sick if you get a flu vaccine, but the vaccine didn’t cause your illness. Flu vaccines cannot give you flu. In fact, if you get flu after being immunized, you’re more likely to recover quickly and suffer fewer symptoms.

Routine Preventive Care
The best way to protect your teeth and gums is to take care of them before there’s a problem. Dental problems not only hurt your teeth and your overall health, but they’re also expensive. Total mouth reconstruction can cost at least $45,000, but even smaller procedures, such as oral surgery to remove decayed teeth, might cost a couple grand or more. Here are a few preventive measures that you can take at home to avoid costly issues:

• Brush after each meal or twice a day, and floss once a day. The best time to floss is at night after you’ve brushed your teeth.
• Avoid eating right before bed, or right before or after you brush your teeth. Allowing time between brushing and eating will boost the effectiveness of the cleaning.
• Include fluoridated tap water in your diet. Purified drinking water doesn’t have fluoride, and fluoridated water has been ranked as one of the top 10 public health achievements of the 21st century. If you can’t or don’t want to drink your local tap water, then use a toothpaste with fluoride as it prevents tooth decay.

The American Dental Association or ADA recommends twice-annual visits for preventive care. During a semi-annual checkup, your dentist or a hygienist will check and clean your teeth, go over your current and past medical history, and recommend follow-up care to improve your oral health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that just 62 percent of adults over 65 see a dentist for preventive care. Routine oral checkups can identify problems early, so don’t skip those visits to the dentist.

A Healthy, Nutritious Diet
Dental health affects your overall health and vice versa. What you eat impacts the chances of developing tooth decay and gingivitis, among other dental problems. You probably know that sugary foods and drinks can damage your teeth, but did you know that candy and soda aren’t the only tooth decay culprits? Avoid foods that contain:

• Added sugars
• Phosphoric or citrus acids, which wear down enamel
• Anything that dries out your mouth

Drying agents can include alcohol and medication. If your prescriptions are creating dry mouth problems, then talk to your doctor about options for protecting your teeth. To help offset the negative effects of certain foods, the ADA recommends drinking more water, eating sugary foods with meals, chewing sugarless gum between meals instead of snacking, and maintaining good oral hygiene.

Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/dental.htm 
https://www.yourdentistryguide.com/preventive-dentistry/
https://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/aging-and-dental-health
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=4062

Regular Activity

If 75 to 150 minutes sounds like a lot of time, consider that this suggestion is based on a whole week. That means that you should get about half an hour of physical activity every weekday or about 20 minutes every day if you include weekends. If you work behind a desk, then try these tips for getting more out of your workday:

• Take a break every 20 minutes or so to stretch, move around or take a brief trek to the water cooler. Staying in one place for too long can negatively affect your health.
• Swap out your office chair for an exercise ball, which can help you strengthen your core and balance while you work.

The most important thing is to get and stay active on a regular basis. A sedentary lifestyle can lead to a host of medical problems even if you get the recommended amount of daily activity.

Exercise Outside the Box

Walking, swimming, riding a bicycle and yoga are popular ways to work out, but they aren’t your only options. Think outside the box when it comes to physical activity. You’re more likely to stick with an exercise regimen if you enjoy what you’re doing. Try something new, such as rock climbing, kayaking, capoeira or horseback riding. Use the season to your advantage. In warmer months, take advantage of good weather to try outdoor activities. Colder months might keep you inside, but there are plenty of indoor exercises, especially high-aerobic dances.

Enlist the help of friends as you explore new activities. Having a partner to share the activity with will help you enjoy it even more, and it could keep you accountable to staying with it.

No Need for a Gym

You don’t need to join a gym to stay active. If your schedule is tight, then squeeze in a workout when you can. Even short, 10-minute walks three times a day can benefit your body. Use part of your lunch break to take a brisk stroll around your office building, or volunteer to walk the family dog in the morning. For yoga and other guided exercises, you can find videos online with full workouts to help you learn the basics. If funds allow, invest in a personal trainer to get the best bang for your buck. Working with someone one on one can give you a different perspective on your unique weight loss and exercise needs.

Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/exercise/faq-20057916