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A Healthy You in the New Year
A Visit a Year Keeps the Health Report Clear

Beginning early in life, we are conditioned to oppose doctor visits. Our parents bribed us to get us to our childhood check-ups with the promise of a lollipop at the end. As adults, we face the task of taking control of our own health, all the while making and keeping our own appointments (all without the promise of a lollipop for some reason!). We understand the importance of seeing a doctor, but we don’t always want to set aside the time.

As a new year brings the pledge of many health-oriented resolutions—losing a few pounds, exercising more, and eating healthier, we must acknowledge annual checkups as a vital tool of keeping good health. Again and again, we hear stories of how early detection of disease saves lives—a phenomenon occurring because people are going to see their doctors regularly.

How can an annual exam benefit you this year?
Early Diagnosis

As morbid as it is and as much as we don’t want to think about the possibility, we are all at risk of a terminal disease. Screenings your doctor provides at your yearly appointments aid in helping detect any early signs of disease. According to the Canary Foundation, for nearly all types of cancer, the rate of survival is substantially lower if the disease is caught at an advanced stage. Your yearly screen could be a lifesaving occurrence.

Detection of Early Problems

Although doctors are not fortune tellers, they can recognize early signs of disease before they develop. This is especially important for people who have family histories of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, or any other significant disease. Many Americans have the mentality of “if it’s meant to be, it will happen and nothing I do will change that.” That is untrue. Your doctor can help you identify issues and guide you in taking action to prevent them from worsening or developing into something serious. By making doctor-recommended lifestyle changes, you can increase your quality of life and proclivity toward health.

Continuation of Medical Records

Keeping up with your doctors’ visits will create an ongoing set of records about your medical history. This is important to have so doctors can observe and address any patterns or issues you might have over the years, again aiding in the detection of cancer and other diseases much at early stages.

Peace of Mind

By visiting the doctor, you are monitoring and keeping your body in check. A clean bill of health will allow you comfort and satisfaction within yourself.

The only thing you can lose by seeing your doctor this year is a few minutes out of your day. Schedule your yearly appointment and keep it—it could be the most important thing you do in 2017!

For more information on the importance of doctor visits and early detection contact the professionals at the Southern Cancer Center.

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