People are not the only ones who make new year’s resolutions. Industries do as well. However, these are often referred to as trends. It’s important for patients to be aware of these trends so that they can benefit from the additional focus and resources they offer. To that end, our internal medicine Bedford TX specialists (as well as our teams in Flower Mound and Benbrook) have put together a list of some of the top health trends for 2023.
Priority on Mental Health
Mental health has never had more available resources in our world than now. Unfortunately, the demand has also never been greater, either. The World Health Organization (WHO) stresses that the impact COVID-19 made on our mental health cannot be made light of. This really hits home for anyone who has felt an increase in anxiety and/or depression since early 2019. Health experts recommend making note of an increase in any of the following symptoms:
- Difficulty falling [or staying] asleep
- Loss of interest in hobbies and/or friendships
- Decreased ability to focus on tasks
- Excessive anxious thoughts
- Increased frustration or anger in response to small events
- Lowered ability to cope
- Excessive sadness
If you or someone you love has been experiencing symptoms of mental or emotional distress, it’s time to get the help you need. Schedule a consultation with one of our Bedford doctors accepting new patients (or at our Flower Mound or Benbrook location) today. We can offer you a variety of different resources and help, including mental health service referrals.
Personalized Health Through Tech-based Resources
This year, technology may just surpass the dog as “man’s best friend.” (Not really.) However, health-related technology is at an all-time high as far as performance and availability are concerned. It’s come a long way since the days of a simple step-counter. For around $30, you can own a smart watch that monitors activity level, heart rate, sleep quality, and more. Some even offer the feature of alerting the wearer any time he/she has been sedentary for too long.
Along with a smart watch, consider giving any one of these additional trending health technologies a try:
- Apps that help monitor daily nutritional habits
- Mindfulness/meditation apps
- Virtual gym subscription services
- Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices for T1 & T2 diabetes
- Apps for period/fertility tracking
Wellness Coaching
Like life coaching, wellness coaching offers people access to personalized support for achieving a healthier lifestyle. This service can be done in a 1:1 setting as well as within a group or workshop setting. Wellness coaches offer a variety of specialties, and many have additional expertise and certifications to support their services.
For example, many RNs are also certified as Nurse Coaches, offering the same professional experience of a clinic without triggering the anxiety many get when walking into a doctor’s office. Wellness coaching can also be found through registered dietitians, fitness instructors, mental health professionals and more. Be sure to check in with your primary care physician to see if he or she has any recommendations prior to booking.
Responsibly Sourced Health & Beauty Products
In years past, the push to read labels completely transformed the grocery shopping experience for many folks. This year we’re seeing the label reading trend expanding into the health and beauty industries. Consumers are becoming more and more aware of the dangers of synthetic ingredients in their lotions, hair products, makeup and more.
Not only is there an increased demand for natural health and beauty products but also a desire for the ingredients to be responsibly sourced. This means the products are made with low amounts of waste, locally sourced, harvested in sustainable ways and manufactured by employees who are paid fair wages. This trend is not just good for the individual, it’s great for the whole planet.
Internal Medicine Bedford TX
While trends come and go, our healthcare mission doesn’t change. At Your Family Medical, our core belief lies in that achieving optimal outcomes for our patients requires building a mutual partnership of trust, understanding and information, with our goal being to empower them with the knowledge and skills needed to achieve an optimal state of health and well-being. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with a member of our team at any one of our three convenient Texas locations: Bedford, Benbrook and Flower Mound.
