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Areas of Care · Prevention

Prevention is the part
worth having time for

A fifteen-minute annual visit can cover the checklist. It can't cover what your history actually suggests you should be watching, or explain the tradeoffs in the screening you're being offered.

By stage

What tends to matter, and when

Guidelines are a floor, not a plan. Family history, prior results, and your own trajectory change what's worth screening for and how often. This is a general shape, not a prescription.

20s & 30s

Establish the baseline

  • Blood pressure, lipids, and A1c as a starting point
  • Cervical cancer screening on schedule
  • Iron studies if you menstruate
  • Mental health and reproductive planning
  • Immunizations including HPV where appropriate
40s

Risk starts to differentiate

  • Mammography discussion and scheduling
  • Colon cancer screening now begins at 45
  • Cardiovascular risk assessment, including ApoB
  • Perimenopause conversation before symptoms peak
  • Baseline bone health if risk factors exist
50s & beyond

Watch what's actually moving

  • Bone density screening
  • Continued colon and breast screening
  • Shingles and pneumococcal immunizations
  • Cognitive and hearing changes
  • Medication review as the list grows
How I approach it

What I do differently

Trends over snapshots

A value inside the reference range that's moved meaningfully over three years is worth discussing. That only surfaces if someone is reading across time rather than at a single result.

Screening you understand

There are real tradeoffs — false positives, overdiagnosis, and follow-up procedures carry their own risk. I'd rather you make an informed decision than an automatic one.

Insurance used where it works

Preventive visits and standard labs are billed through your plan when you're covered. Prevention shouldn't require a membership.

Where this fits

How prevention fits in

Continuous care

Integrative Primary Care Membership

Ongoing care with one provider tracking this over time — longer visits, messaging between them, and continuity as things change.

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Deeper, structured support

Functional Medicine

A time-limited program when symptoms are persistent or complex and benefit from advanced testing, a personalized plan, and closer support.

Book a Root Cause Review See the programs →
Common questions

Prevention questions, answered

This page is general education, not medical advice for your situation. What's right for you depends on your history, medications, and results.

Related reading Sleep and blood sugar: the connection most metabolic plans leave out
Is preventive care covered by insurance?

Annual wellness visits and standard preventive screening are typically covered when you're in-network. I accept Aetna, Anthem, BlueCross BlueShield and Medicare in both states, Cigna in Connecticut, and Medicaid in Colorado.

Do I need a membership for preventive care?

No. Preventive care is available through insurance-based visits. Membership adds longer appointments, messaging between visits, and greater continuity — useful for some people, not required for prevention.

What labs do you usually check at an annual visit?

It depends on age, history, and risk. A typical baseline includes a comprehensive metabolic panel, lipids, CBC, thyroid function, and vitamin D, with additions like ApoB, hemoglobin A1c, or iron studies based on what your picture suggests.

What is ApoB and why would I want it?

ApoB counts the number of atherogenic particles rather than the cholesterol they carry. It's a better predictor of cardiovascular risk than LDL alone, particularly when triglycerides are elevated or LDL looks reassuring.

How often should I be seen?

Annually for most healthy adults, more often if you're managing a chronic condition or we're tracking something specific. The right interval is a clinical decision, not a fixed rule.

Are whole-body scans or executive physicals worth it?

Generally not, and I'd say so before you spend the money. They reliably find incidental abnormalities that lead to further imaging and biopsies without improving outcomes for most people.

Due for a real annual visit?

Fifteen minutes to talk through your history and what's worth screening for.

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