As you may remember in last month’s newsletter I spoke about the sudden physical and mental demise of my father.

For little over five months, my father has been battling major health concerns. We recently found out that he has a vitamin B1 deficiency and later, a neurological condition caused by that deficiency — and unfortunately, in the coming weeks he will be transitioned to hospice.

A once active man is now bedridden and my inner-detective can’t help but wonder how we got here. Was there a lifestyle modification that could have helped him? It’s hard to tell. But here’s what I’m certain of, he could have prioritized his health more, paid attention to what his body was telling him, and remained an active participant in his overall wellness plan.

Thanksgiving was two days ago, and as I reflect on what I’m grateful and thankful for in this moment of hardship, it’s my body and my mind. Both of which my father lost as he’s battled this illness.

Let’s face it…we’ve all adopted some bad habits throughout the pandemic. Maybe you drink more alcohol, exercise less and don’t prioritize water like you used to.

Now that the holidays are in full swing, I hope I can be a health advocate for my community in a way I wasn’t able to be for my father.

In the next two weeks, I ask that you do three things:

#1: Do an internal body scan. Does anything feel off to you?
#2: Schedule any needed or overdue doctor’s appointments.
#3: Get any necessary lab work done. Check for vitamin/nutritional deficiencies.

If you’re not sure where to start in your health journey or lost on how to continue it, I highly recommend you taking a look at our Self-Care Assessment. Our board-certified Internal Medicine Physician Dr. Denia Tapscott, MD, can help you prioritize your health and get you back to where you need to be.