It’s a New Year, Time to Check Your Health
As we begin the new year, many of us make resolutions to improve our health. According to Dr. Leana Wen, a leading expert in the field of medicine, one of the most important resolutions we can make is to find out if we have any chronic medical conditions and address them before symptoms appear.
Hypertension and diabetes are two common chronic conditions that are often left undiagnosed and untreated. These conditions can have severe consequences, including heart disease and stroke.
According to the US government’s Million Hearts initiative, over 77% of the 119.9 million Americans with hypertension do not have their blood pressure under control. Additionally, over 50% of people 30 and older living with diabetes did not take medications for their diabetes in 2022.
Dr. Wen stresses the importance of identifying these conditions and starting treatment, even if people do not have any symptoms. Untreated hypertension and diabetes can lead to long-term damage to the body, including heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.
Diagnosing hypertension is relatively simple, involving readings taken from a blood pressure cuff. For diabetes, there are two common types of tests: one that measures blood sugar at the moment, and another that looks at average blood sugar over the past few months.
Treatments for hypertension and diabetes include medication and lifestyle changes. For hypertension, medication can include blood pressure-reducing medications that work in different ways, such as reducing the heart’s workload or relaxing and opening blood vessels. For diabetes, treatment depends on the type of diabetes, with options including insulin therapy, oral medications, and lifestyle changes.
Lifestyle changes can also play a significant role in preventing the development of these conditions. Maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, and reducing consumption of unhealthy foods such as saturated fats, ultraprocessed foods, and sugary drinks can help prevent hypertension and diabetes.
In conclusion, taking care of one’s health is crucial, and making a plan to prevent and treat chronic conditions is essential. By following Dr. Wen’s advice and making healthy lifestyle changes, we can reduce the risk of developing these conditions and improve our overall well-being.
