Fulshear-Katy Community Guide 2024-25

HEALTHCARE

H We a l e t l h l n & e s s Your by Mara Soloway

O ur area has a wealth of excellent healthcare providers who work with patients to meet their medical needs, and numerous fitness professionals who can guide clients toward their wellness goals. We spoke with a medical doctor and two fitness gurus to share their advice on getting and staying healthy and active. Duyen-Anh Luu, DO, sees patients at Memorial Hermann Medical Group Katy Primary Care & Pediatrics in Katy. Board-certified in family medicine, she takes a team-based approach, building lasting relationships with her patients and their families. Her patients range in age from newborn to more than 100 years old. Dr. Luu wants patients, especially new ones, to know how to make the relationship between physician and patient more productive by bringing certain information to their office visits. This includes a list of medications and supplements they take (including the reasons they take them and dosage and frequency), a list of medical specialists they see, a list of prior surgeries or hospitalizations, their family medical A PHYSICIAN’S PERSPECTIVE

Her third recommendation is one we often overlook: getting a good night’s sleep. That can be helped by regular exercise, which will lower our stress levels and tire our bodies. “I can’t overstress the importance of sleep,” says Dr. Luu. “With a good night’s sleep, we can awaken better able to tackle whatever the day holds. It helps for patients to create a nighttime routine that minimizes distractions, including screen time. “These basics apply to everyone, of all ages and health conditions. I find that my healthiest older patients are the ones who have been living this lifestyle for most of their lives.” Patients can stay motivated to keep improving their health – and not stopping when they see a few signs of improvement – by having a support system and seeing their doctor regularly. “My patients tell me that their regular doctor visits help them stay accountable for taking care of their own health,” says Dr. Luu. “I explain that if we exercise with a group or partner, it’s that socialization and maintaining of relationships that really helps us to stay motivated.”

it was difficult to talk about mental health, including with your doctor, doing so has become much more accepted, more mainstream.” Patients likely can lessen their chances of having certain chronic diseases by starting with what Dr. Luu calls the basics. “Number one, eat a well-balanced diet. You don’t have to be perfect, but your goal should be to have at least half of what you eat be vegetables. The rest can be lean proteins or healthy carbs,” she advises. Preparing your own meals at home is healthier, allowing you to avoid the hidden bad fats, sugar and salt often found in restaurant foods. Secondly, Dr. Luu’s exercise recommendations mirror those of the American Heart Association: at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of both, preferably spread throughout the week. Add moderate- to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activities – such as resistance or weights – at least two days per week. She also reminds patients, “a walk around the neighborhood can do wonders.”

history, and their own health/medical history. Additionally, Dr. Luu wants patients to bring a list of anything they want to discuss. “Having this information lets us jump right to the reason they’ve come in, whether it’s for an annual physical or a specific issue,” she says. One important topic for physicians to discuss with patients is their stress level. Medical research is finding that physical and psychological stress are among the underlying causes of chronic diseases. Dr. Luu explains, “Chronic stress manifests in our bodies physically, causing a litany of symptoms such as the release of stress hormones, including cortisol, which trigger our body’s ‘fight or flight’ response. People often experience headaches, tightness in their neck and shoulders, difficulty breathing and even chest pain and heart palpitations. And continuous stress can bring on or worsen chronic health conditions, such as cardiovascular and gastrointestinal issues, fatigue, high blood pressure and diabetes. “The good news is that mental health, including mental stress, is now at the forefront of health. Whereas at one time

82 FULSHEAR-KATY COMMUNITY GUIDE & DIRECTORY 2024-25 ISSUE