Do you typically only schedule an appointment with a primary care provider when you're sick?

If so, you're missing out. That's because seeing your provider when you feel healthy is one of the best ways to actually stay healthy.

Why? Because these visits are a chance for your provider to make sure you're up-to-date on your screening tests and vaccines. That matters because screening tests can help find diseases early —from diabetes to certain cancers— when they're often easier to treat. Vaccines can keep you safe from serious and preventable illnesses like tetanus and shingles.

Your provider can also suggest lifestyle changes and possible treatments to protect you from diseases that run in your family.

What if you're already seeing your provider regularly because you have a chronic condition like high blood pressure or diabetes? It may be tempting to skip a checkup every now and then, but that would be risky. With close monitoring, your provider can spot any downturn in your health and address it quickly.

Checkups are also your chance to update your provider about any changes in your health. That might be a new ache or trouble sleeping. Or it could be a loss of appetite or a change in your mood.

Your provider can help protect your health, but to make the most of your time together, don't hold back. Be candid about what's happening to you. That's the best way to help your provider help you.

The Watson Clinic Foundation encourages you to establish your own primary care provider. This is a key resource to enjoying a lifetime of good health.

Watson Clinic offers a large team of Family Medicine and Internal Medicine specialists from a multitude of convenient locations. Schedule an appointment today by calling 863-680-7190.

Sources: American Academy of Family Physicians; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-