Healthcare Tips

Welcome the New Year with a Healthier You

January 24, 2025

It’s hard to believe the new year is already here—and moving fast! But while you might already feel like your to-do list for the year is stretching a mile long, there are a few health appointments you should make sure stay at the top of your list. No matter who you are, or what your current health may be, here are the important appointments you should make in the new year to be the healthiest you. 

Cancer Screenings

For women between the ages of  21–65, regular cervical cancer screenings at least every three years can help detect cervical cancer early, and give better treatment outcomes in the event you are diagnosed. Additionally, women ages 40–75 should get a yearly mammogram screening for breast cancer. And if you have a family history of the disease, you may consider going even sooner.

Men shouldn’t slack on their preventive screenings, either. Starting around age 40—or earlier, if you have a family history—men should begin getting regular screenings and colonoscopies to detect prostate and colorectal cancer. Additionally, lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in men, and if you smoke, or have smoked within the last 15 years, your risk goes up. 

Hancock Health’s state-of-the-art cancer care center can help you check cancer screenings off your list, so you can focus your attention in the new year on more important things.

Mental Health Exams

Mental health is an often overlooked part of our health care. Sometimes, we become so focused on treating physical things that we forget to check in with our minds. Stress, anxiety, and depression can lead to physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, digestive issues, and even a compromised immune system. For people managing chronic conditions—like diabetes or heart disease—it can be hard to stick to treatment plans, manage symptoms, and stay motivated in adopting healthy behaviors if mental health concerns are not properly addressed. 

Which is why regularly checking in with your mental health becomes all the more important, regardless of age, gender, or lifestyle. Hancock Health counseling services are a great resource for addressing your mental well-being, and can get you started on a treatment plan that works for you.

Physicals

While cancer screenings and mental health exams might be top of mind, smaller, routine checkups may slip through the cracks. So while you’re making appointments for all the big stuff, make sure you don’t skip out on your annual physical, either. Your primary care provider will be able to help you identify other health concerns that may not be caught during a specialized screening, or can help guide you to a healthier lifestyle that suits you best. 

No matter what you’re looking for, Hancock Health can make health possible for you. Schedule an appointment today.