The holiday season has drawn to a close, and now it’s time to set your New Year’s resolutions. For many, those resolutions are centered around leading a healthier lifestyle. If you are ready to ring in the new year with the resolve to do this, be sure to ask yourself if you are ready to dedicate the needed time and attention to your health and wellness.

If you answered yes, then schedule a wellness visit as soon as possible. Wellness visits can go by many names, i.e. checkups, yearly physicals, etc. They are designed to help you check in with your current health status, explore areas of concern related to physical or emotional health, and make a game plan for addressing issues or future preventive care needs.

Your health history is important and very pertinent to personalizing your experience and healthcare recommendations. Questions will be asked in regards to your medical history, lifestyle habits, and family history. A physical exam is performed and potential lab work and/or diagnostic testing is discussed. You may also need a more focused office visit to address concerns.

A few of these specific health concerns that are often addressed at wellness checks include fatigue, weight gain, and seasonal allergies.

Fatigue

When was the last time you woke up feeling rested? Or made it through the day bright-eyed and energized? Fatigue can be due to many different causes. Familiar ones include sleep disturbances, poor eating habits, and lack of exercise. But what also needs to be considered are undiagnosed issues with thyroid, blood pressure, anemia, or nutritional deficiencies, just to name a few. Discussion with a medical provider, a physical exam, and sometimes simple lab work can aide in determining a cause.

Weight gain

For many, the new year brings motivation to address those unwanted extra pounds. Healthy eating and exercise are the foundational elements for losing them, but sometimes they just aren’t enough. Advances in medications, including lipotropics (compounds that help accelerate the breakdown of fat during metabolism in the body), may be an appropriate option to discuss with your healthcare provider.

The body requires nutrition and vitamins to stimulate the right hormones to function correctly so the body will let go of fat stores it’s holding onto. Lipotropic injections contain several B vitamins which play a role in utilizing fat, distributing energy, and removing toxins from the body. So if eating right and regular exercise just aren’t eliminating that extra weight, ask your doctor if you are a candidate.

Seasonal allergies

Many of us get a well-deserved break from allergies during the winter months, and it is not until those first warm weather spring days that we remember what’s to come. Uncontrolled seasonal allergies can cause headaches, fatigue, persistent throat clearing, or cough. Now can be a great time to consider allergy testing for environmental or food allergens. Knowing your triggers helps you know what to avoid. If avoidance isn’t possible, medications or immunotherapy may be discussed and recommended by a medical provider.

Your primary care provider can be a great asset in helping you meet your health and wellness goals for 2017 – whether it’s providing reassurance that everything is on the right track, alerting you to medical conditions that require attention, or creating with you a treatment plan that may incorporate medications or referrals to specialists.

By getting the right health services, screenings, and treatments, you are taking steps that help your chances for living a longer, healthier life. So this year, keep that New Year’s resolution and make your health a top priority.