"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." – Lamentations 3:22-23

The beginning of a new year is a great time to evaluate our health and wellness – particularly our prevention strategies. Let’s unpack what prevention means and what steps you can take to get the year started off on the right foot – preventing, reducing, and/or properly managing disease and illness to be well and serve well.

The CDC reports that 60% of Americans live with at least one chronic disease: heart disease and stroke, cancer or diabetes – some of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. Preventive care reduces the risk for diseases, disabilities and death – yet millions of people don’t get recommended preventive healthcare services (Source: health.gov).

• Primary prevention aims to prevent disease before it occurs. Even if someone has a family history or considered “at risk” for some other reason, a level of prevention is possible. This is where regular screening tests come into play, as well as healthy lifestyle choices.

   

• Secondary prevention is focused on reducing the impact of current disease or injury at an early stage. This includes making healthy lifestyle choices, in addition to taking prescribed medications and keeping regular appointments with providers and following their recommendations. 

   

• Tertiary prevention includes proper management of chronic illness or injury to improve quality of life and life expectancy. Once a chronic illness/disease has been identified, the goal is to prevent the disease process from progressing too rapidly and negatively impacting daily life. This may be accomplished by a combination of higher level of medications, more strict nutrition, exercise planning, etc.
  

Ask yourself:

• Where am I within the three levels of prevention?
• What am I already doing well?
• Are there areas that need more of my attention?  

Rather than setting extravagant New Year’s resolution(s), consider one to focus your attention and establish a plan of action. One step at a time.

Where do you start?

An annual physical with your primary provider is the perfect place! This comprehensive appointment with your provider will cover the usual items like height, weight, blood pressure, etc. Read this annual wellness visit guide before scheduling and going to your preventive exams.

• Am I due for any vaccinations? Your age, health history, occupation and lifestyle all affect the types of vaccines you need. It may also be time for a booster shot.

   

• Which health screenings or blood tests do I need? Mammogram, colonoscopy and other screenings shouldn't be postponed for long, since early detection can mean the difference between a treatable or untreatable condition. You can have your provider complete the “Biometric Screening form” available on your Vitality account and submit it for BIG POINTS – another great way to start the new year!

   

• Do I need any changes to my prescriptions? Changes to your health or lifestyle can influence dosages. Some medications may no longer be necessary, or a new medication may be appropriate.

   

• What lifestyle changes should I consider improving for my overall health? Blood pressure or weight changes may require you to tweak your diet or exercise patterns.

Attention Concordia Health Plan members: Use your gateway to wellness, Vitality, to support your prevention plan.

Your annual physical can easily be combined with your biometric screening – either through your provider or with Quest – via your Vitality account. This screening will assess your blood pressure, height, weight, BMI, waist circumference, lipids and glucose levels. Check out the "Biometric screening" info in the "Prevention" section on powerofvitality.com.

While you’re there, check out the two Challenges that are sure to help you with your preventive steps and earn you Vitality Points.

• “Prevention Challenge”
  • Jan. 1–March 31
• “Be Well, Be Ready: New Year Registration Rally”
  • Jan. 14–Feb. 16

  Join the Challenges

Dive into all things new with Vitality by watching this webinar.