What Do Doctors Want for Your Health in 2020? Get the Scoop.

At this point in the New Year, you’ve probably already jotted down your resolutions and have an idea of your goals for 2020, but did you take your doctor’s opinion into consideration? Probably not. We talked to doctors across the Valley and compiled their feedback to share key health habits they want you to focus on for better health this year.

Exercise

1. “Focus on getting daily exercise of some form. Find something that you like – walking, hiking, swimming, etc. Try organizing with a friend to hold you accountable. Apps like My Fitness Pal can help you keep track on your progress. It also is very easy to track your calories on the app.”

– Janice Johnston, MD, Arrowhead Family Health Centers

“If you are starting an exercise program, wear the right shoes for the activity and ease into the program in order to avoid injury from happening. You should take care of your feet while starting an exercise program, making sure toenails are cut correctly and moisturize your feet – which could help in preventing ingrown toenails and calluses. If you notice any type of pain or discomfort, make sure to rest and take time off from that activity. If the foot pain persists, you should get it checked out in order to make sure the injury is not severe.”

– Margaret Withrow, DPM, Roadrunner Foot & Ankle

Mental Wellness

3. “Integrate Mindfulness Meditation in 2020. Mindfulness Meditation (MM) involves being attentive to the present moment in a nonjudgmental way with an awareness of breathing. Meditation allows for the creation of a “relaxation response,” or a period of time with reduced stress levels – this relaxation response becomes longer as you continue to practice meditation more often. By extending the duration of the “relaxation response,” we can essentially reduce our baseline stress levels and improve overall health. Calming the mind is a difficult but rewarding process that can significantly improve your overall health without side effects, risk, or cost. In our ophthalmology practice, we discuss the medical benefits of meditation – specifically, that meditation can reduce eye pressure by 20-25% – the equivalent to a medication. There are many different resources available online and at your local library to help along the way, as each person responds to different techniques. Wishing you a healthy and peaceful 2020.”

– The Physician Team at Eye Physicians & Surgeons of Arizona

Nutrition and Weight Management

4. “Focus on overcoming obesity and managing your weight. This plays a very important role in controlling diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, metabolic syndrome and joint pain. In particular, obesity markedly increases the risk of endometrial, breast, and ovarian cancers. Most importantly, I want all my patients to feel well and have a sense of overall well-being.

– Meena Venugopal, MD, Excel Primary Care and Med Spa

5. “Our Dietitians would agree that seeking out safe, quality health and diet information and increasing self-accountability would be a great focus for 2020! With the amount of fad diets and quick fixes around these days, working with a Dietitian can help you develop a safe and realistic nutrition plan to meet your goals, while optimizing overall health and nutrition. By utilizing behavior modification techniques along with the latest nutrition research and recommendations, having the assistance of a Dietitian will improve the health of any patient. This becomes especially important for individuals struggling with obesity, diabetes, chronic disease, or very restrictive eating practices such as eating disorders, food allergies, GI concerns or other serious health conditions.

Along with quality information, increasing accountability is key for excellent health. Keeping a food, hunger, emotion or activity log can help you pick up on habits that might otherwise go unnoticed. With the help of a Dietitian’s review of your habits and behaviors, you can overcome challenges and barriers while staying motivated to reach optimal health.”

– Amy McCallister, RD, AM Nutrition Services, LLC

If you have questions on any of the recommendations above, it’s always a good idea to talk to your primary care provider to see what’s best for you and your health. If your primary care provider is part of ACN, an ACN care coordinator can also help you find the specialists you need to improve your overall health. Contact the concierge line at 602.406.7226. ACN wishes you a happy and healthy 2020.