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An Ounce of Prevention

An Ounce of Prevention

Mammogram

With a new year around the corner, now is the time for a tune-up.

By Colleen McNally Arnett

For those aged 40 and better, staying in tip-top shape today requires a proactive approach. Routine annual health checkups combined with innovative trends in preventative care can make it easier to maintain your personal wellness goals, inside and out, all year round — and consistency is the key. Here, local experts share strategies for creating a preventive care plan that is effective, sustainable and tailored to you. Consider this your wellness wishlist for the holiday season.

Get Screened

The first step to any sound preventive wellness care plan? Check yourself. Talk to your primary care doctor about what vaccines and screenings are recommended for your age and background, and stay current on the latest guidelines, suggests Dr. Ilana Graetz, the co-leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.

“This year, there was a big change with the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations for breast cancer screenings,” Graetz says. “It used to be 50 years and older, and they changed it to 40 years when screen mammography should start.” New this year as well? Each time you get a mammogram, you’ll learn about your breast density which can be used to determine your breast cancer risk.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation also issued new screening guidelines that recommend Black men begin baseline blood tests for prostate cancer as early as age 40, considering this population is diagnosed with and dies from prostate cancer at a much higher rate than white men, according to the American Cancer Society.

Get Fit and Cut Back

While the research on genetic risks for cancer is ongoing, there are already many known factors that can be addressed to reduce risks while also supporting overall health. In addition to recommended screenings, Graetz also cites moderating alcohol usage, not smoking, being physically active and managing diet as essential components of preventive care.

According to a 2024 report from the American Association for Cancer Research, alcohol consumption has been linked to an alarming rise in breast cancer and colorectal cancer among adults under age 50 over the last few decades. Experts recommend starting by tracking your alcohol intake, setting specific limits, and finding healthier alternatives like mocktails or seltzer. Gradually reducing your intake can make it easier to maintain, and incorporating alcohol-free days into your week can help reset your habits.

Unsurprisingly, what you eat also has a big impact on your overall health. “There is a lot of research on different things in your diet that can affect your risk of cancer,” Graetz says. To reduce exposure to harmful chemicals and additives that may increase health risks—such as artificial trans fats, sodium nitrates and artificial food dyes—focusing on whole, minimally processed foods
is key.

Bestselling author Michael Pollan said it best in In Defense of Food when he advised, “Don’t eat anything your great-great-great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.” As often as possible, try to get your meat and produce at a local farmers market and from vendors who grow their food with organic practices. Graetz cites soy-based (edamame, soy milk and tofu) foods and those packed with fiber (avocados, raspberries, beans, quinoa) as two examples of food types that can help keep you in tip-top shape.

Get a Boost

Aging is not a linear experience, as new research from the Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine at Stanford University suggests. Rather, the study found that aging occurs in at least two significant milestones around the ages of 44 and 60. 

Feeling the shift? After checking the boxes on the routine screenings and maintaining a healthy weight and diet, HydraPlus patients may be eligible for additional supplements to boost their well-being, such as specialized, vitamin-rich IV therapies designed to target specific concerns, whether that is hydration, energy, immunity, pain, metabolism or mental clarity.

“One of the things we have started seeing a lot of clients for lately is platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for aesthetic purposes,” Clontz adds. A treatment that uses a patient’s blood cells to accelerate healing in a specific area, PRP injections are gaining popularity for a variety of conditions, from sports injuries to hair loss, according to John Hopkins Medicine. “A lot of times people will do PRP if they have pain in their joints or trying to regrow their hair, but now we are using it in the face for improving marionette lines or dark circles under the eyes,” Clontz says.

Bonus: HydraPlus offers an On Demand mobile IV clinic that comes to your home, hotel, or event, making it even easier to incorporate these treatments as a consistent part of a preventive care plan.

What’s New In Checkups?

Screen mammography should start at age 40 instead of age 50

Black men should begin baseline blood tests for prostate cancer as early as age 40

What’s Next?

After your checkups you may want to consider supplements to boost your well-being, such as specialized, vitamin-rich IV therapies designed to target specific concerns, such as hydration, energy, immunity, pain, metabolism or mental clarity.

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