But many people are missing the most important scheduled event of the year - an annual physical exam.

Our busy lives are marked by stress, inactivity, and an unhealthy diet - all of which take their toll on one's physical health.  Weight, blood pressure, heart and lung function are all things that can change slowly as people age.  Dramatic changes, however, can be an indication of a larger health problem.  An annual physical exam is the easiest and most effective way to regularly track these changes and determine if one is at risk for serious illnesses.

Preventive medicine focuses on finding and addressing health issues before they turn into more serious problems.  As people put more emphasis on wellness and healthy living, the preventive medical field has grown substantially.

Preventive medical physicians take an individualized approach to annual exams, creating a personalized plan for good health. Using this approach, a physician can specify testing or lab work that applies directly to one's age, health history and current health level.  For example, a 45-year-old, overweight man with a strong family history of heart disease should not get the same preventive care as a 35-year-old man with few cardiovascular risk factors.

Regardless of age, however, regular screenings can diagnose diseases earlier, allowing many patients to start medication or make lifestyle changes to minimize the effects of these ailments.  According to the American Diabetes Association, 6.2 million Americans have diabetes but remain undiagnosed.  Untreated, diabetes can increase risks for eye disease, kidney disease, complications from poor circulation and many other conditions.  Likewise, high blood pressure is a risk factor for stroke, heart, and kidney diseases and is especially dangerous because it often has no warning signs or symptoms.  An annual exam provides regular blood pressure screening and allows you and your doctor to discuss safe, natural ways to control blood pressure.

While there has been some recent debate on the effectiveness of yearly physicals, physicians consider it a vital tool in health maintenance.  In most cases, a routine, well-patient physical provides a valuable opportunity for exploring patient concerns and educating them about what they can do to improve their overall health.  In addition, a perceptive doctor can be alerted to a potential health problem simply by taking the time to listen to his or her patient.

In today's hectic world, appointment books and PDA's have become more important to our lifestyles than fitness and good nutrition.  Strained vision, high blood pressure and increasing waistlines could be signs of something more serious than simply being overworked.  Annual physical exams allow physicians to track medical issues and help patients take preventive steps and develop strategies for healthier living.

It's an event we should all remember.