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“People hear this advice so much they sometimes tune
it out, but I cannot stress enough the importance of
drinking water, exercise, and watching what you eat,”
says Dr. Jessica Coleman of Nephrology & Hypertension
Medical Associates on Lady’s Island. “The kidneys
are the filter of the body and they undergo the same
wear and tear as the rest of the body but they silently
can become compromised, decline, and break down
if you are not careful.” (StatePoint) Most Americans
want to stay healthy and prevent disease and illness.
For many, this means getting regular check-ups and
using their health plan benefits. For others, it seems
that ignorance is bliss. According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Americans get
their preventive services only about half the time, even
though preventive care is fully covered at no cost by
most health plans under the Affordable Care Act. Preventive
services save lives and decrease suffering from
advanced illnesses. Vaccinations prevent life-threatening
diseases. Health screenings can find serious conditions
early. Managing diabetes, high cholesterol and
high blood pressure can prevent heart attacks, strokes
or kidney failure. Despite these facts, there
are numerous reasons people avoid their
doctors. “Understanding why you avoid getting
your needed preventive care is the first
step in taking action for your health,” says
Dr. Christina Stasiuk, senior medical director
for Cigna. Dr. Christina and the experts at
Cigna identified six types of people based
on common perceptions. Thinking about
where you fit can help you see why you
may put off preventive care: • Procrastinators:
Procrastinators fear that a check-up will discover a
condition that needs to be addressed and will impact
them personally and financially. They delay or avoid
getting a check-up to cope with their apprehension. •
What-if Worriers: What-if Worriers spend a lot of time
thinking about unpleasant hypothetical situations and
things. While some worriers see a doctor for every ache
or pain, others avoid checkups altogether because they
OFFICE LOCATIONS
BLUFFTON/OKATIE: 16 Okatie Center Blvd. S, Suite 100, Okatie, SC 29909 (843) 706-9955
BEAUFORT/LADY’S ISLAND: 16 Kemmerlin Lane, Beaufort, SC 29907 (843) 524-2002
www.TheKidneyDocs.com
/www.TheKidneyDocs.com