Primary care · 3 min read
5 preventive practices you should start today
The handful of preventive habits and screenings that change outcomes most, without the noise.
By Charles Wade, FNP-BC
Prevention gets marketed as complicated. It is not. A small number of things account for most of the benefit.
1. Know your blood pressure number
High blood pressure has no symptoms until it causes damage. A $30 home cuff, used twice a week, catches it years earlier than an annual visit will.
2. Get the screening for your age, once
Colorectal screening from 45, cholesterol and A1c checks, mammograms, bone density where indicated. Cologuard means colorectal screening can now start at your kitchen table.
3. Protect sleep like an appointment
Chronic short sleep drives weight gain, blood pressure, mood problems and blood sugar. It is the cheapest intervention available and the first one people drop.
4. Move most days, modestly
150 minutes a week of anything that raises your heart rate, plus two sessions of resistance work, covers the evidence. Walking counts.
5. Have one provider who knows your whole history
Fragmented care misses patterns. One provider tracking your labs, medications and family history over time catches what a series of one-off urgent visits will not.
This article is general information, not medical advice for your situation. Book a visit to discuss what applies to you.
