It’s easy to think of medical professionals as they people to see when you aren’t well. But what if your goal is to simply feel better?
Think about who you want to be in terms of health. Are you worried about weight, ability to perform tasks, feeling emotionally content or mentally sharp?
Intermountain Health offers a checkup called the LiVe Well Center Assessment that’s less about solving problems and more about achieving goals.
During the assessment, exercise physiologists will measure clients with a tape measure, calipers and a bod pod – then ask the client to come back two months later to see if they are making progress.
Dr. Jake Veigel said, “I think it helps us to stay motivated to have our habits meet those goals, because we know we're going to be getting our body composition measured again in just a short period of time.”
Veigel specializes in sports medicine, but he and exercise physiologist Alex Ramos said they don’t want the word “sports” to scare anyone away.
“I've developed programs for people to do at home versus at a gym, you know, anywhere from running their next marathon to just really helping them climb up the stairs. You know, it's just depending on where they are and where I'd meet them or where they want to be met and then as far as improving from that aspect,” said Ramos.
During your LiVe Well assessment you’ll visit with a doctor, an exercise physiologist and a dietician nutritionist.
“Sometimes that has some mental health aspects to it. Sometimes it has sleep as a part of it. Sometimes it's being connected socially. It's not just about diet and exercise. There's more to it than that. So, we look, we look at a broad the broad scope of things,” said Veigel.
And sometimes people get surprised – pleasantly and otherwise.
“There can be somebody who is very healthy, and may not be the ideal weight, according to society standards. And there could be somebody who's very lean, that has some other metabolic issues that need to be looked at,” said Veigel.
LiVe Well Assessments also include blood tests which help the doctor and nutritionist work together, so the patient can leave with a prescription for medicine, diet and exercise.
Intermountain Health has Live Well Centers in Ogden, Salt Lake, Park City and St. George. To learn more or schedule an assessment, click here.
