Padres get Clevinger from Indians in 5th trade in 3 days

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Coaching great John Thompson of Georgetown dead at 78

A few months ago, I wrote about the importance of having a primary care physician, a doctor who knows you better than anyone else in your healthcare system and who helps you make the best possible decisions regarding your health and wellness.
				This week, I&rsquo;d like to urge you to go visit your doctor and seek any other routine care you may need, while the time is right.
				Many people have put off their routine care during the novel coronavirus pandemic, and that&rsquo;s understandable, but medical clinics are currently among the safest places to visit because of their exhaustive attention to safety and cleanliness. While cases of COVID-19 infection are relatively low in our regional communities, take advantage of your open, fully operational clinics and make an appointment with your primary care physician.
				We&rsquo;re all hoping cases stay manageable in our region, but we don&rsquo;t know what the fall will bring. The upcoming flu season is always a concern but could be particularly devastating if it coincides with continued waves of COVID-19.
				So, go see your doctor. Visit your dentist. Schedule your mammogram or colonoscopy or any other regular screening for which you&rsquo;re due. Because in the worst-case scenario, we could face another period of shutdown, of closed or consolidated clinics, of medical leaders asking healthy people to postpone routine care to limit their exposure and allow resources to be allocated toward another pandemic surge.
				Your primary care physician will be the first to recognize any concerning change in your health, help you manage your chronic conditions and advise you to make any lifestyle changes that are appropriate for you.
				Something as simple as your yearly bloodwork &mdash; a routine lipid panel &mdash; can be vital to maintaining or improving your health. Analysis of your cholesterol levels can inform your doctor in prescribing or adjusting medication, suggesting changes in diet, and recommending exercise.
				Ultimately, your lipid panel tells your physician if you&rsquo;re at risk for cardiovascular events, such as heart attack or stroke, and whether you need to consult a cardiologist.
				Routine cancer screenings are equally important, albeit not as frequent.
				A mammogram, low X-ray imaging that detects calcifications or masses in the breast, can lead to early detection and often successful treatment of breast cancer, a disease that affects one in eight women at some point in their lifetime.
				Colonoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure that screens the rectum and colon for changes or abnormalities that could be polyps or early signs of cancer. Other conditions, like inflammatory bowel disease, can be diagnosed, and polyps can be removed before they ever have a chance to become cancerous.
				And scheduling a dentist appointment to get your teeth cleaned and checked for disease may not seem pressing for folks who have healthy teeth and gums, but it&rsquo;s important to visit your dentist every six months.
				Even for those who brush and floss as regularly as their dentist recommends, those professional cleanings twice a year go a long way.
				So, if you&rsquo;ve missed your last dental cleaning, cancer screening or wellness visit with your primary care physician, schedule them now.
				Don&rsquo;t wait any longer.
				The only thing certain about tomorrow is uncertainty.

Now’s the time for routine care