Start 2026 right. Here’s how to assess your health going into the new year
Dr. Kisha Davis says that the first thing someone should have on their year-end health checklist is to take stock of medical needs.
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It is almost the start of the new year – but before the clock strikes midnight, there is still time to take care of your health.
“This is a great opportunity to take stock of what's going well and what's not going well in terms of your health,” says Dr. Kisha Davis, president-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Davis says that the first thing someone should have on their year-end health checklist is to take stock of medical needs. Anyone with health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease or obesity should determine if they need a health reset in the new year and factor in family health history.
Next on the list is preventative maintenance.
“Are my vaccines up to date? Are those cancer screenings up to date for women? Have you gotten those, you know, pap smears and breast exams? For a gentleman, have you gotten the prostate cancer screening?... Have you gotten the colon cancer screening or lung cancer screening if you're a current or former smoker?” says Davis.
Davis advises reviewing the medications and supplements one is taking. Some may be able to be consolidated, decreased or discontinued altogether.
The next step is to check in on one’s mental and emotional well-being – including social connections – before and after the new year.
“Even though people often are all around us, it can also be a time of feeling really lonely,” says Davis.
The next step is to take a look at lifestyle choices. Getting quality sleep, exercising and good nutrition are all critical for overall health, says Davis.
“You don't have to wait for New Year's to start that resolution. You can start it right now,” the doctor says.
Davis notes the last things on that checklist should be making sure one has submitted all of the FSA claims and receipts for this year -- so that they can get reimbursed. People should also take a look at their health insurance in the new year and review advance directives or get them done.
