It is nearly impossible to read a magazine, newspaper, watch TV or do just about any public activity without being bombarded with health-related information. We are inundated with messages about wellness, graceful aging, yoga, nutrition, herbs, weight loss and sleep. And how many times do we question ourselves: Maybe I shouldn’t supersize that Big-Mac order. Maybe I’ll have just one martini tonight. Maybe I can make this pack of cigarettes last me two days.
“Health” is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. So in theory, anyone could suffer from a disease but still be considered “healthy,” and in my book…HOT! You can have diabetes or high blood pressure, but if you take your meds and take care of yourself, you are healthy. And you can even have hepatitis or HIV and still be healthy under appropriate care.
Lifestyle plays a very important role in overall well-being. Do you exercise? Have you had periodic checkups? Do you read nutritional labels and know what you are buying and eating? Even if the answer to all these questions is yes, there are likely other questions about your health that remain unclear: Do I need to take a daily multivitamin? Should I drink eight glasses of water a day? Do I need a tetanus or yearly flu shot? The answers may vary from person to person.
In large part, health is achieved or improved by intelligent lifestyle choices: simple, and for the most part controllable, life decisions that can make huge strides in improving our health. Exercising, getting enough sleep, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol use and avoiding smoking are prime examples.
Some people might think that healthy living is expensive, but there are important lifestyle modifications that actually save you money. (Ask anyone who smokes what the price of a pack of cigarettes is these days.) Once overall good health is achieved, maintenance is an ongoing process linked to healthy social relationships and a positive attitude.
Genetics may also play a significant role by predisposing us to the very illnesses that we are trying to avoid through healthy living: diabetes, for example. And something as simple as hygiene can have a huge impact. Avoiding contact with infectious agents and keeping the body clean to prevent infection and illness are major factors in maintaining long term health. It’s as basic as washing your hands often, properly maintaining your fingernails and toenails, and regular dental care.
The fact that you may feel well and that you may practice healthy living does not mean that you can ignore routine doctor visits. Modern medicine is based more on prevention than on treatment, and there are many diseases that can be detected early with a quick visit or screen. Through preventative medicine, formerly common and debilitating conditions have declined in incidence. And as you age, routine tests can screen for conditions that you may be at a higher risk to develop. Examples include high blood pressure, diabetes, lipid screening, cardiovascular diseases, and some types of cancer.
But what about the young and wild? Whether you “party” (use any definition you want) or not, there are things a strong patient-doctor relationship can help address. Here are a few examples:
Syphilis: It is a sexually transmitted disease that you may catch without noticing any initial symptoms. You can harbor this infection inside your body for many years without knowing it. Both the screening and the treatment are very simple.
Herpes: Many people go through life suffering from recurrent and painful herpes sores that can easily be treated and sometimes prevented with simple and safe medications.
Hepatitis: There are three different types of hepatitis: the so-called A, B and C. Hepatitis A is very common in the gay population because it can be easily contracted via oral sex. Infection with both hepatitis B and C requires more intimate contact. There is a vaccine for hepatitis A and B, but no vaccine to prevent Hepatitis C at this time.
HPV: (Human Papilloma Virus): Both men and women are at risk for anal HPV and anal cancer. As important as a cervical PAP smear for women, an anal PAP can identify patients at risk for these complications.
HIV: People unaware of their HIV infection are most responsible for driving this epidemic and unknowingly infecting others. Most newly diagnosed patients have no symptoms and are surprised to learn that they have been infected in the past. Get tested.
Overall good health depends greatly on your own choices. So take action now, instead of later. You will not believe how much of an improvement you will see in your quality of life…and that’s hot!
Dr. Edwin DeJesus is Board Certified in Infectious Diseases and specializes in HIV and Hepatitis care. He is the Medical Director for Orlando Immunology Center (OIC) located in Orlando, FL.
