In most instances, people only consider visiting a healthcare provider when a particular symptom presents itself.
This is an example of reactive healthcare, a model that, while with some applications, leaves multiple aspects of an individual’s health unaddressed.
Think of it as the opposite of preventative care.
The core philosophy of modern preventive care is about addressing health concerns before the symptom arises, not after.
Additionally, modern preventive care approaches have a growing focus on the integration of mental and emotional well-being along with the physical.
So, what does this look like in the real world?
It All Starts with Understanding Your Baseline
Know Your Numbers to Stay Ahead
The most important initial step in preventive care is to simply know critical health numbers.
These are important for both you and your healthcare provider to have an up-to-date picture of your defining your health:
- Blood pressure
- Cholesterol
- Blood glucose
- BMI
This is especially critical for chronic conditions that often go unrecognized.
With conditions like hypertension, the only way to know it’s present is to monitor your health.
If caught early, the only thing that might be required is a change to your diet and exercise.
This is what to expect in preventive care at your annual wellness visit:
- Comprehensive metabolic panel
- Monitored blood pressure and heart rate
- Body Weight and BMI
- Analyzed information from your medical history
You can think of this as a health report card, and you should update/review it at least once a year.
Physical Health Is Only Half the Picture
The Mind-Body Connection Is Real
Most modern preventive care does not segregate the brain from the rest of the body.
There is a multitude of research that shows chronic psychological stress activates the HPA (Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal) axis in the brain and increases the body’s stress (cortisol) levels, which in turn, creates chronic cardiovascular disease and a weakening of the body’s immune system.
In simple terms, the body is worn down physically, and the stress is the reason.
This is precisely the reason good models of preventive care incorporate the screening of mental health – a key part of integrated and preventative health.
For example, healthcare providers have been including the PHQ-9 (a depression screening tool) and GAD-7 (an anxiety screening tool) as part of their routine healthcare visits.
These screening questionnaires aren’t meant just to be completed; they serve as a gateway into the discussion of mental health.
Is it time to address your mental health in addition to your physical health? Here are some signs that may indicate this is the case.
- Feeling tired frequently
- Trouble focusing or sleeping
- Being more emotionally reactive than you usually are
- The sense of being worthless and the feeling that nothing you do has an impact
The sooner you address mental health concerns the more choices you have. Therapy and/or medication, or making changes to your daily routine.
Routine Preventive Care
Consistent Preventive Care
Most forms of preventive care do not require waiting for an appointment.
Instead, take preventive care into your own hands on your journey of health through the daily practices of preventative health care.
This is also why preventive habits are important – and why care is important at every stage, across all 3 levels of preventive care: primary, secondary, and tertiary.
- Sleep – Maintaining a constant sleep schedule (same wake and sleep times) leads to better cognitive functioning from the regulation of your circadian rhythm.
- Movement – Just 30 minutes of activity a day will significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Nutrition – Keeping track of how much processed food you eat and how often you eat it can eliminate the need for a strict diet.
- Social Connection – Increased loneliness has been associated with many health problems and is comparable to the effects of smoking on health.
- Mindfulness – Daily mindfulness practices have been linked to an increase in cognitive functioning and a decrease in the perceived amount of stress.
The practices above do not overly complicate things, they just need your attention.
That is the type of care we provide at Honeycomb Clinic.
We provide compassionate, patient-centered preventative healthcare solutions aimed at the goal of health maintenance before it becomes complicated.
Want to Get Started?
Good preventative care starts before you’re sick. It doesn’t matter if you’re due for a screening or if you’re due for checkup with us at the Honeycomb Clinic.
Book your appointment today.
FAQs
What is most primary and preventative care?
When looking at primary care, prevention, and sick visits are combined.
In preventative care, the focus is solely on the illness and includes procedures, vaccines, and consultations which are aimed at preventing illness.
This is also the difference in preventive care vs treatment and preventive medicine vs curative approaches – one works before illness, the other after.
How frequently should I be coming in for preventative care?
Most healthy adults should do this once a year. However, your doctor may recommend that you come in more frequently depending on:
- Your age
- Risk factors
- Family history
Are mental health screenings included in preventative care?
Yes, modern psychology includes a preventive health care approach which means mental health checkups are routine.
What is preventive care in health insurance?
Most insurance will cover basic screenings and visits that are considered preventative. Honeycomb Clinic is in-network with a variety of insurance providers – reach out to us to check your insurance.