Living Your Best Life: A Roadmap to Health

From the family doctor who charts your course to lifelong health to the specialists you see as you grow (wiser), Minnesota health experts share the latest mile markers you probably aren’t tracking—but should be.

by

A longtime patient recently came to see family medicine physician Andrew Burgdorf, MD, for a pre-op physical. The orthopedic surgeon had reviewed standard surgical risks with her. But it wasn’t until Burgdorf explained the potential effect on her diabetes and increased risk of kidney failure that she opted to hold off on surgery. 

To help his patient make that decision, Burgdorf tapped into the deep relationship he’d built with her over the years and his full-body knowledge of her health and life goals. It’s something he does with all of his patients at Allina Health Clinic–Buffalo Crossroads.  

This understanding of people at all stages of life exemplifies what primary care is all about. For Burgdorf, it means learning what makes his patients tick so he can guide them through medical decisions and health challenges.

“Primary care doctors specialize in being generalists. But the truth is that it’s a specialty of recognizing the whole body in the context of what people want, in the continuum of options for comprehensive care,” Burgdorf says. “We agree to walk with our patients and partner with them on a journey. We will not abandon them, through thick and thin.”

It’s the mission of primary care physicians to help people stay healthy throughout their lives. Internal and family medicine doctors take a big-picture view of patients’ health, whether they are focusing on prevention, managing chronic diseases, or addressing serious illnesses, says Emily Downing, MD, a geriatrician and vice president of medical operations for Allina Health Home Care Services. 

Though specialists are essential for surgery or cancer, primary care physicians serve as the nucleus of knowledge about the entirety of patients’ medical issues, needs, and goals. “Primary care providers are really the overseers and integrators of all of that care,” Downing says. “Our role is to ensure that your care looks at you as a whole person.”

This whole-person approach encompasses mental and physical health. It’s something Ashley Gust experienced after the birth of her second child as she struggled with postpartum depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. A referral to Allina Health Perinatal Mental Health program assisted Gust with medication and support groups to ease her symptoms and help her through a subsequent pregnancy with twins. 

This integrated care was paramount to Gust’s diagnosis and recovery. “I felt like I had an ally through this dark road,” she says. 

Primary care physicians are important at every life stage. They serve as advocates for prevention and champions for patients’ health, staying by their side during health scares and challenges. Every day, these doctors help people live the lives they envision for themselves and their families, in the best health possible. 

Ages and Stages

A guide to your best health at every age and stage.

Age 20+

  • Find a primary care doctor and start annual exams.
  • Schedule an eye exam every three years. Eye doctors routinely catch illnesses long before symptoms start.
  • Healthy women should get a Pap smear and pelvic exam every three years.
  • DYK? More women die of heart disease than from the next four causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer.

Age 40+

  • Those at greater risk of stroke and heart disease need to talk to their doctor about daily aspirin regimen.
  • Women with an average risk of breast cancer should get an annual mammogram.
  • Get a diabetes screening every three years, as recommended by the American Diabetes Association.

Age 50+

  • Time to get tested for colon cancer. A colonoscopy is still the preferred screening method.
  • Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. Start the conversation with your primary care doctor.
  • Are you a long-time smoker? Ask your doctor about being screened for lung cancer.
  • 1 in 3 people over 65 have hearing loss. Ask for a baseline hearing test in your 50s.
  • DYK? New research suggests that hearing loss increases the risk for developing cognitive decline and dementia.

Age 65+

  • All postmenopausal women should get a bone density scan.
  • DYK? Approximately one in two women over age 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis.

Sharp Eyes

20s and up

If you want a quick assessment of your health, see an eye doctor. Seems strange, right? But optometrists and ophthalmologists can detect numerous medical conditions while examining your eyes. That’s because optical blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissues often reveal diseases before they even started causing symptoms. 

During exams, eye doctors spot changes that indicate high blood pressure, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, thyroid issues, sleep apnea, and more, says Ericka Koch, OD, an optometrist at Allina Health Bandana Square Clinic in St. Paul.

They routinely catch illnesses early, which generally improves outcomes. Eye doctors serve as a link to necessary medical care, referring patients to specialists or primary care providers who can treat the condition. 

Early diagnosis of eye diseases like glaucoma is another key reason to get your eyes checked. Annual visits are important for people with vision corrections, diabetes, and other concerns. If you don’t wear glasses, get an eye exam at least every three years, Koch says. 

Mighty Muscles and Movement

Lifetime 

To stay active and healthy throughout your life, remember that the seeds you sow early will bear fruit for years to come. Keeping moving helps you maintain strength and ward off aging concerns like poor balance, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis. 

The most important ways to make sure your body’s muscles, joints, and bones power you through life are to stay in motion, maintain a reasonable weight, and match the right shoes to the activity, says Joseph Bellamy, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Allina Health’s Sports and Orthopaedic Specialists in Edina. Find something you enjoy doing and do it regularly, modifying as needed. 

As people age and become less active, they become more susceptible to balance challenges and falling. Each year, between 30 to 40 percent of people over age 65 fall, and it increases to 50 percent after 80. Whether falls are caused by ice, poor vision, dizziness from medication, or shoe wear, they can seriously harm people of all ages, but especially seniors.

To prevent falls, Bellamy says, exercise regularly to preserve strength, remove loose throw rugs and other items from the floor, and see a physical or occupational therapist for balance training and exercises, if needed.

That Gut Feeling: Digestive Health 

40s and 50s

Colorectal cancer is no joke—it’s the third leading cancer for men and women in the United States. Yet when caught early, it’s highly treatable. That’s why being screened for colorectal cancer is one of the most important prevention steps you can take. 

Most people should start regular screenings by age 50. African Americans have a higher risk for colorectal cancer, so they should start at age 45. Screenings start at 40 for those with a family or personal history of colorectal cancer, says Ross Sage, MD, a gastroenterologist at Allina Health Shakopee Clinic.

There are many options available, including traditional colonoscopies, sigmoidoscopies that screen part of the colon, virtual colonoscopies using CT scans, and blood or stool tests. Each option has pros and cons, but the traditional colonoscopy is really the gold standard, Sage says. It gives physicians a complete view of the colon and the opportunity to detect and immediately remove polyps or abnormal tissue, which can turn into cancer. 

If you get the all-clear, you won’t need another colonoscopy for 10 years. Other tests must be performed annually or every three to five years. Talk to your primary care physician about the best test for you. 

Your Brain on Hearing

50s and 60s

Hearing loss often creeps up slowly without many of us noticing. Yet it’s vital to protect our hearing because it keeps us engaged in the world around us—and with the important people in our lives. Another key reason is that good hearing keeps our brains healthy. 

Significant research shows a strong connection between hearing and cognitive health. Recent studies found that in large populations of people with memory loss, a higher percentage also have hearing loss, says Shannon Garlitz, AuD, an audiologist at Allina Health Northfield Clinic. 

“One theory is that the social withdrawal some people with hearing loss experience leads to less overall stimulation in the brain,” she says. “Another theory is that there is a connection between the parts of the brain affected by hearing loss and memory loss.” 

To prevent cognitive decline, mitigate hearing loss with hearing aids or other devices that amplify sound, Garlitz says. Aural rehabilitation exercises can enhance the brain’s ability to process sound in loud environments. 

She recommends a baseline hearing test in your 50s, then every few years. Hearing loss due to aging typically starts in the 60s, though losses from noise exposure or family history can start at any time. Wear ear protection for sounds louder than a lawn mower, and minimize your risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, which increase the potential for hearing loss. 

Taking Rx the Right Way 

Lifetime 

Medication does wonders for a multitude of diseases and conditions, but it also can be a pain point—especially for people who take an array of drugs. Some forget to take their medication, take the wrong amount, or don’t understand the purpose of their prescriptions, leading to duplication or confusion.

Medication mistakes deeply affect quality of life and health outcomes. Fortunately, a newer member of the medical team is addressing this concern. Called a medication therapy management (MTM) pharmacist, these caregivers help people take medication properly and find strategies to maximize their health, says Allina Health MTM pharmacist Matt Kresl. 

Patients who can benefit from MTM usually have multiple chronic diseases, have experienced a recent health scare, and/or face significant illnesses like cancer. An MTM pharmacist teams up with a nurse and social worker, visiting patients at home. The team explains the drug regimens—why and how the medication is needed—and helps the patient develop methods for following doctors’ orders, Kresl says. 

MTM pharmacists serve as a link between all of the person’s clinicians, advocating for their needs with a big-picture view of their health. “We’re going in and making them as well as we can, putting them in the best outcome possible,” says Kresl. “People tend to feel more empowered and better educated about their health in a way that they hadn’t before.”  

Tips for medication management

  • Keep a list of the medications you take and why
  • Use a pill box to keep medications organized and track whether you’ve taken them
  • Put medications in the same place every day, such as near the coffee pot
  • Create reminders, like written notes or an alarm

The Doctor Will See You Now ... Anywhere You Want

Consumers’ preferences for health care are coming through loud and clear: They want a range of options that are easy to understand and navigate, without hassle. 

Allina Health recently expanded its services to meet the changing landscape. Its traditional clinics have significantly expanded same-day appointments and hours of operation. And patients can now choose from online visits, video chats with providers, conveniently located urgent care facilities, and Everyday Clinics located within Hy-Vee grocery stores.

“We hear that people want their health care more convenient, affordable, and on demand,” says David Slowinske, senior vice president of operations. “Ultimately, we are designing our services and care around what works for consumers and not just what works for the health care system.”

To provide consistent, integrated care no matter the setting, Allina Health facilities are staffed with clinicians who have access to patients’ electronic health records. That way, providers can learn and communicate with each other about patients’ medical issues.

Other important attributes for consumers are staying connected to their providers and having the ability to obtain care quickly, even if they’re out of town. Now Allina Health patients have more access to same-day appointments, a 24/7 nurse phone line, and virtual e-visits.

“People want more value from the health care system. We all define that differently, so a personalized experience is important,” Slowinske says. “We believe we are more available to those we serve than ever before, creating deeper relationships and a more holistic experience.” 

Other Allina Health Initiatives

Virginia Piper Cancer Institute

It was October 2017 when Steve Lindberg was vacationing in Albuquerque with his wife, watching hot air balloons light up the sky. Meanwhile, inside him a spectacle of its own was taking place in the form of undiagnosed stage III pancreatic cancer. Read more

Change to Chill

Alexandra Riley, a 17-year-old junior from Hopkins High School, used to think about the future and all of its post-secondary “what-ifs.” A lot. Between grappling with the pressures of grades, sports, test scores, and jobs—plus social media’s comparison trap—it’s a particularly stressful time for teens like Riley, where life feels like a balancing act with no clear-cut answers. Read more

Be-Well Newsletter Signup

Your health and well-being.