Skip to main content

Choose Your Own Adventure – Taking an Active Role in a Healthier Life

Joanna Murray Primary Care

Have you ever read a “choose your own adventure” book? As a child, it was fun to me to be able to see how one choice played out versus another. “If Leonardo takes a train to the castle, turn to page 95. If Leonardo decides to walk to the castle, turn to page 57.” Choosing the train, I would turn to page 95 to find that the train ran off the track, burst into flames, and Leonardo did not make it to his destination. At that point, I would typically turn to page 57 to see how that choice worked out. There, I would find that Leonardo met a beautiful princess, fought off a dragon, and lived happily ever after.

Wouldn’t it be nice if life was like that, to be able to look at two options and be able to see where each path leads?

“To quit smoking, turn to page 87. To keep smoking, turn to page 24.” You read how the story plays out with each option and then make your choice.

Although life has a fantastic way of throwing us curve balls, we actually do have the ability to make an educated guess about how life decisions may play out, especially health related lifestyle decisions.

For example, we know that up to one half of the people who smoke can expect to die from a tobacco-related illness. “Smoke those cigarettes, turn to page 9.” There is about a 50% chance that the story from page 9 will end with death by heart disease, cancer, pulmonary disease, etc.

Choose a Better Ending

We have mountains of studies that link our daily choices with outcomes that can lead to happier, longer and healthier lives. So, let’s “choose our own adventure” and start making choices that are more likely to lead to the better story’s ending. Here are some examples of those choices:

  • Choose to never pick up that cigarette, pipe, cigar, or smokeless tobacco product. If you have already started that habit, choose to work on quitting.
  • Choose to get to or stay at a healthy weight.
  • Choose a diet that is high in fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein sources, lean dairy foods, and low in saturated fat, sugar, and salt.
  • Choose to get regular physical activity.
  • Choose to get yearly check-ups to make sure that you are not developing chronic diseases such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or diabetes, and to make sure that you are doing the cancer screening tests and getting the immunizations that you need to keep you healthy.

Great Resources to Help You Choose the Best Path

If you are not sure which page to turn to in your personal “choose your own adventure” health story, there are plenty of great resources to guide you.

A few of those resources include:

Your primary care provider is always happy and honored to help you too. We are thrilled to partner with you as you choose which page to turn to next.

Find a primary care provider within the WakeMed system that best fits you and your needs.

Learn More About Joanna Murray, MPH, PA-C

Joanna Murray is a board-certified physician assistant with clinical interests in preventative medicine and women’s health. Joanna believes in caring for the total patient since our health depends on not just our physical lives, but our emotional, spiritual and relational lives. She believes in partnering with her patients, listening to them and working together to decide how best to move forward. Schedule an appointment with Joanna today.

Share