Visiting your primary care physician isn’t just for when you’re feeling ill; these visits are also important for preventive care—or assorted check-ups that ensure your health and wellness.Here's what you should know about this important type of care here as part of your commitment to your health. 

What Is Preventive Care? 

Prevention-based health care is designed to help you avoid assorted illnesses and diseases. It comes in many forms, including annual physical exams that check your vital signs, blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Annual physicals include questions about your lifestyle, such as how often you drink alcohol, exercise, use tobacco, and enjoy healthy foods. These exams also allow you to inquire about anything related to your health.

Other types of prevention-related health care include childhood and adult immunizations to protect against diseases like tetanus, hepatitis A and B, mumps, measles, shingles, and influenza, as well as cancer screenings. Colonoscopies, for example, look for precancerous and cancerous polyps in the colon that can turn into colon cancer without removal.  

What Are the Benefits of Scheduling a Checkup?

Preventive care provides important information about your health, which offers lasting peace of mind. If any issues are found, you can take steps to mitigate if not reverse them. It is always easier to treat minor health issues before they become severe and complex. For example, being diagnosed with prediabetes provides the chance to make healthy lifestyle changes that prevent the issue from becoming diabetes, such as exercising regularly and limiting the intake of simple carbs. 

By scheduling physicals, cancer screenings, and other prevention-based care regularly, you’ll improve your health in the long term and subsequently lengthen your life span. You’ll also learn more about healthy lifestyle habits and what you can do in between appointments, like taking up strength training to prevent osteoporosis and manage your weight, or eating more fiber for optimal colon health. 

If it’s time for your next preventive care appointment, make it at Argyle Family Practice & Aesthetics. Based in Argyle, TX, this family medicine practice offers a wide range of services that helps area residents live healthy lives, including DOT physicals and chronic disease management. Call (940) 226-4850 today to make your appointment or learn more about health care services online. Like the Facebook page for the practice’s latest updates and health tips.