This newsletter is a remineder to anyone who has not seen their doctor in the past 6 months.

Think of your body like a high-performance car. You wouldn’t drive your car for years without checking the oil, rotating the tires, or going in for a tune-up. Why? Because things wear out, fluids get low, and small issues can turn into costly breakdowns. The same goes for your health.

1. Follow-Ups = Regular Maintenance

Your doctor isn’t just someone to see when something goes wrong—they’re your personal mechanic for your body. Follow-up visits are your health’s version of a scheduled maintenance check. They allow your physician to:

• Reassess your symptoms
• Monitor your progress
• Adjust treatments
• Catch new or worsening issues before they become serious

Skipping follow-ups is like ignoring the “check engine” light and hoping your car just magically fixes itself.

2. Symptom Monitoring = Listening to the Engine

Symptoms are your body’s way of telling you something isn’t running smoothly. But sometimes, symptoms are subtle or masked—just like that weird noise your car makes only sometimes. If you don’t bring it in, a small issue can turn into a full engine failure.

That’s why monitoring symptoms over time—tracking trends, severity, and triggers—helps your doctor fine-tune your care.

3. Lab Testing = Diagnostic Scans

Your mechanic uses diagnostic tools to look under the hood. Your doctor uses lab tests in the same way. Lab work can reveal things you don’t feel yet—rising cholesterol, blood sugar issues, inflammation, liver or kidney dysfunction—so action can be taken before symptoms start. This is preventive medicine at its best.

Would you wait until your brakes fail to get them checked? Of course not. So why wait until your health breaks down?

4. Prevention = Longevity for the Long Haul

You don’t just care for your car to get from point A to B—you do it because you want it to last, perform well, and be reliable. Same goes for your body. Prevention through regular check-ups, healthy lifestyle changes, and early lab testing keeps you running strong for decades, not just years.

5. Why Some Doctors Pull Away

Just like a skilled mechanic doesn’t want to waste time fixing a car whose owner won’t change the oil, physicians may become reluctant to continue working with patients who don’t engage in their own care. If you miss follow-ups, ignore advice, or skip lab work, it signals a lack of investment in your own health.

Healthcare is a partnership. Doctors want to help, but they’re most effective when patients show up, stay involved, and care as much about their health as the doctor does.