Preventive medicine involves taking certain proactive measures in your lifestyle in order to prevent health problems before they occur. It is an approach to healthcare that focuses on disease prevention and health promotion, rather than always reacting and treating after the fact.
Most people know that preventive medicine is important, but many don’t realize just how important it can be to your quality of life and longevity. By following a few simple guidelines, seniors can help to reduce their risk of developing serious health conditions and even issues that can cause chronic pain.
Let’s talk about some of the most important preventive medicine healthcare tips for seniors, and where you can go in Hollywood – and throughout South Florida and Central Florida – to receive top-notch healthcare to keep you happy and healthy.
What Is Preventative Medicine?
Preventive medicine is designed to be an enjoyable, personalized lifestyle that keeps you healthy while not interfering with the things you love to eat and love to do. Here are the basic tips:
Tip 1. Eat a Healthy Diet
One of the most important preventive medicine healthcare tips for seniors is to eat foods that are good for you. A healthy diet includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, as well as limiting your intake of certain foods that may exacerbate any existing health problems you may have. For instance, people who have high blood pressure or heart problems should limit their sodium intake.
Being overweight increases your risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. A healthy diet is integral to maintaining a healthy weight.
Tip 2. Stay Active Both Physically and Mentally
Staying active has countless benefits for your mental and physical health. For seniors, the emphasis in workouts should be on moving regularly, not necessarily moving vigorously. Low-impact cardio exercises such as swimming, walking, biking, or yoga classes are great ways to get exercise without applying excessive wear-and-tear on your joints.
It is also important to “exercise your brain” by continuing to learn new things and challenge yourself. For instance, learning a new skill, volunteering, or taking or teaching a class will stimulate the brain and help to slow down cognitive impairment.
Tip 3. Quit Smoking and Avoid Tobacco Products
Smoking and using tobacco is one of the biggest risk factors for developing serious health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke. It’s therefore important to quit smoking and to avoid the use of tobacco products altogether if you want to live a long, healthy life.
Tip 4. See a Doctor Regularly for Checkups and Screenings
Regular checkups with your doctor are a key aspect of preventive medicine healthcare. During these checkups, your doctor will perform screenings for various diseases and conditions in order to catch them early, before they have a chance to cause serious damage.
For instance, our likelihood of developing cancer increases as we get older, so regular checkups can help the doctor to identify early signs of cancer. This way, if it does occur, it can be treated as soon as possible and possibly even cured.
Preventive Medicine in Hollywood, FL
Preventive medicine is one of the most important aspects of healthcare for seniors. That’s why Palm Medical Centers offer preventive medicine services to our patients in Hollywood and throughout South Florida and Central Florida.
Our preventive medicine services include screenings for various diseases and conditions like cancer, heart disease, and stroke. All of our patients are given regular checkups with our board-certified internal medicine physicians and certified primary care physician assistants. During these checkups, we can identify any health problems you may have, and we can help you take steps to prevent them from becoming serious.
If you’re looking for quality preventive healthcare for seniors in Hollywood, Florida, look no further than Palm Medical Centers. Call us today at (833) 500-PALM (7256) to schedule an appointment, or register to become a patient. We look forward to serving you!