Healthspan is focused on how well, not necessarily how long, life is lived. Much of our modern society is preoccupied with the quantity of life (length) instead of quality of life. The conventional practice of medicine often echoes this sentiment by prioritizing fear of death over living life well/fully. This ideological conflict of quantity vs. quality also appears in many aspects of our lives, often subtle, but sometimes overt. For example, was your decision to read this piece determined by how long the piece was?
Historical Wisdom:
The Greeks demonstrated the importance of healthspan embedded within a cautionary tale within mythology. The story of Tithonus provides a warning for seeking immortality (extending lifespan, QUANTITY) without asking for/seeking eternal youth (healthspan, QUALITY). Tithonus aged, but did not die, resulting in his strength, vigor, and vitality wilting away to the point that he could no longer move or remain a functional person, creating a protracted existence consumed by misery and slow decay.
The HolSpan view of health and wellness strives to bring awareness to the importance of understanding long-term outcomes in your life that are created via modifiable actions that build healthy habits you can control now.
An informative exercise is to reflect on how most people die. In the Western, industrialized world, the common causes/contributors of death can be broadly classified as:
These causes of death tend to be characterized by prolonged periods of declining health and chronic disease/deterioration (often characterized by poor quality of life). While these conditions above would not be of particular interest to a urologist, we are here to convince you otherwise. Many urologic conditions are intimately associated with the same risk factors that impact healthspan.
The overarching goals of the HolSpan approach are to:
1 - Optimize healthspan by establishing strong foundational lifestyle approaches
2 - Integrate foundational wellness principles along with lifestyle interventions that are at the heart of building a desirable future and vibrant life now
3 - Build a strong base that allows for more responsible use of conventional medicine approaches. Complementary approaches strive to improve the effectiveness of treatments along with outcomes and patient experiences.
4- Convince you that the time is now, as these habits, like investments, are more impactful if implemented early
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HolSpanMD counsels patients on a personal level to achieve their optimal metabolic health, focusing on precision wellness and preventative care. Reach out to us today to schedule an appointment or ask a question.
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