Navigate Your Journey to Wellness

Your Wellness Journey

People often use the word wellness, but what does it truly mean? Wellness likely means different things to different people. What might be wellness for you, may look completely different for your neighbor or your friend. From a health care perspective, wellness is actively engaging in healthy habits to enable your best physical and mental outcomes. Wellness can be attained, but it must also be maintained in order to achieve a person’s best health. The following tips are presented to help you on your personal wellness journey.

The COVID-19 Detour

When talking about wellness, it’s hard to ignore this past year and the health challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. But even amidst the health care upheaval, Adena teams have been on the front lines preparing for your office visits. We know the importance of wellness and want patients to know that our Primary Care Physicians (PCPs), Pediatricians and all of our health care specialists are here for you. We are taking extra precautions so you can continue your wellness journey.

In addition to wearing a mask and maintaining six feet of distance between you and others, we also strongly encourage all patients to get their seasonal flu shots. The flu shot is designed protect a person from getting the flu or lessen their flu symptoms. If someone gets the flu without having had a flu shot, they may be more vulnerable to contracting COVID-19. Adena offers flu shots at most of its locations, including Adena Urgent Care facilities (Chillicothe, Circleville, Hillsboro, Jackson and Waverly), the clinic at Walmart in Chillicothe and at all Adena Primary Care and Pediatrician offices.

Adena also recommends that all persons 65 or older or those with a chronic condition such as lung, liver or heart disease, diabetes, alcoholism or smoking, should talk to their PCP about getting a pneumococcal vaccination (pneumonia vaccine). Many COVID-19 patients have struggled with the extra burden of pneumonia in addition to COVID-19. This puts them at greater risk of respiratory failure. Your Adena PCP can help you determine if a pneumonia vaccine may make sense to reduce this health risk.

Taking precautionary measures, getting your flu shot and practicing safe COVID-19 guidelines, are all proactive steps you can initiate on your path to wellness.

The Highway of Lifestyle

Healthy lifestyle habits, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking and reducing stress, can help you on your path to achieve and maintain wellness. If a person is used to living a certain way, it’s not always easy to adjust. But there is help. Adena offers counselling and guidance from physicians and diet/education specialists who can advise patients in making lifestyle changes. The key is starting gradually, making incremental changes you can control and plan for. For example, a newly diagnosed patient with Type 2 Diabetes will likely need changes in their diet, weight, exercise and medications in order to help control their blood sugar. Adena Diabetes & Education specialists are available to guide patients in this new territory. Making small initial changes like eliminating soda, tea or energy drinks from a person’s diet can make a big difference. When a patient starts taking control of their wellness they are working to feel their best.

Along the Way

People, especially as they get older, should envision wellness as a destination, not just a side trip. To help them navigate, it is important for patients to visit their PCP or pediatrician to receive annual wellness checks, vaccines and to get age appropriate health screenings. Adena Family Medicine professionals are committed partners in guiding patients through health risks and for knowing when screenings are necessary. Adena also has convenient online health risk assessment tools. Our PCPs are recognized by NCQA,  a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality, as a Patient-Centered Medical Home. This means our PCPs educate, diagnose and treat all basic health needs, including physicals, immunizations, health screenings and disease prevention. Screenings enable early issue detection and early detection can be lifesaving. This chart is a quick guide for when certain screenings are appropriate for adults*:

Because wellness can look different for each person, Adena is here to help. Adena health care professionals are experienced, skilled and caring. They are committed guides in your journey to wellness. If you are due for an annual well-check, or have health questions or concerns, call us to connect you to, or help you find a doctor at 740-779-FIND (3463). At Adena.org, you can find a physician, schedule an appointment and visit the Adena online Wellness Library to or find more wellness tips and information.