When I was in medical school, I signed up for a 10-mile trail race on the Superior Hiking Trail. It was a bold move—I wasn’t a runner, let alone a trail runner—and I had no real idea what I was getting myself into. I’d hiked a few trails before, but running up and down rocky terrain for hours was a completely different challenge.
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By Natasha Vo, MD As the summer is starting to come to an end and school is about to begin,
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By Jonathan Dickman, MD, PhD Back in 2022 I wrote in this column how “thoughts and prayers” were not going
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“Follow up with your primary care provider.” Many people have heard this phrase after receiving medical care, whether at urgent care, the emergency room or even a cardiologist. Many do not understand why this is recommended, but patients are provided with this instruction for an important reason. A primary care provider (PCP) helps to coordinate your care and ensure that nothing is missed in keeping you healthy. Over time, the PCP goes beyond looking at only a single acute problem and cares for all aspects of your health. Connecting with a PCP is one of the few things in healthcare that has been shown to keep you healthy.
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By Steven Quam, MD An important aspect of being a family medicine doctor is considering the whole person. Our patients,
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With Spring in full swing, bringing with it allergy season, decreased air quality and more people out and about getting exercise, now is a good time to brush up your knowledge of asthma. This is a relatively common condition that affects up to 7% of children and up to 10% of adults in Minnesota. However, while common, this condition is not one size fits all and every person who has this is affected differently.
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You might take your car to a mechanic regularly to change the oil and make sure everything is running smoothly. What if you thought about your body in the same way?
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By Morgan Zander, MD West End Halthline While age and genetics are major risk factors for dementia, there are many
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It’s a new year and a new you! The time has rolled around again to write down your New Year’s resolutions and make good on your goals. Many people use this time to kickstart changes to improve their health. Unfortunately, research shows that almost 80% of New Year’s resolutions, no matter how well intentioned, come to an end by the second week of February. Often this is because the goals we set are too broad or unrealistic. For example, the goals to exercise more or eat healthier, while great ideas, do not give us a strong foundation to achieve those goals. Without specific steps and smaller milestones, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or discouraged when progress is slower than expected. When changes don’t happen right away, it’s easy to lose motivation, but slow and steady wins the race.
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