This post was written by Ryan Singerman, DO, PPG – Weight Management & Bariatric Surgery.
“He’s at the 30 … the 20 … the 10 … touchdown! And the crowd goes wild! Look at that celebration dance!“
Do you ever wonder why caring for our health isn’t as fun as watching a big game or our favorite athlete? Most of us want to be successful, healthy, driven, to live full lives, but something is holding us back.
In many cases, we can attribute fear of the unknown, perceived lack of time, difficulty with resources and general feelings of being superhuman (the “It won’t happen to me” mentality) to why men will either put off or actively avoid addressing our health needs, at least until something happens and we are forced to face our own mortality.
Treat yourself like a top player
Athletes have an entire team of individuals helping them be successful: a head coach to call the plays, squad mates to hold them accountable, scheduled conditioning, dietary guidelines, rigorous training and frequent check-ins to ensure optimal success. Without this support, they would likely fail on the field when it counts the most.
When it comes to your health, you can, and should, engage that same team approach! It starts with regular screenings and checkups with your primary care doctor. Together, you can develop a game plan to get everything running in tip-top condition and address any potential issues. Most of us wouldn’t skip an oil change, tire rotation or fuel pump flushing on our vehicle, but we will happily ignore high blood pressure, daily stress, frequent headaches, blurred vision or elevated blood sugar. Remember, just like ignoring routine maintenance for a vehicle can lead to a roadside disaster, ignoring symptoms and signs from your body can yield a similar result.
Live your best life
Once you know the areas of opportunity, your primary care team can get you connected to the right resources. This might be a dietician or health coach to help you create a nutrition and training roadmap. Maybe it’s scheduling preventative exams and “kicking the tires” to get you to that next 5,000 mile check-in. Parkview providers can address sleep, stress, diet, exercise, sex, erectile dysfunction, excess body weight, poor concentration, fatigue and any other issues keeping you from peak performance. These steps may take a little bit of effort now, but the payoff is worth it.
Most importantly, actively picking up the ball now ensures a long and successful life! Don’t wait until the third strike or a setback that gets you sidelined. We celebrate and cheer alongside our patients as they become healthier, shed pounds and medications, reduce stress and persevere against adversity. This is not a fantasy league–it’s your reality. You just need to make the decision to step up to the plate and swing.
