Wellness Medicine - Continued

More and Better Information: Wellness medicine makes use of the best and most technologically advanced tests available in the world to make a highly accurate and detailed assessment of your overall level of health and fitness. We keep track of detailed laboratory results over time to track changes (improvements or declines). It's simply not good enough to know that you are within the "normal" range for any given test. We look at all the results and analyze them in harmony to determine what the optimal levels should be for you as an individual.

What is considered to be "normal" for the rest of the world might be too high for your particular situation. Thus a series of elevated results all falling within the high end of the normal scale might indicate a lurking condition that should be addressed.

There are many laboratories that can evaluate the patient at a hormonal level. This significantly improves quality of life issues that we normally blame on age related symptoms.

These tests are:
1) DHEA, a mother hormone produced in our adrenal glands that serves many functions (helping with the sexual hormones, improving the metabolism, circulation, bone formation and many others.
2) Cortisol is the stress hormone produced in the same adrenal glands which directly has to do with our energy levels, as well as mood, sleep and many other critical functions of our daily living.
3) Sexual hormones include Estradiol, progesterone and testosterone. These hormones not only have are involved with libido, but also mood disorders, fatigue, loss of muscle mass, bone loss, weight issues, etc.
4) Thyroid hormones are related with metabolism and energy.

Cost and Value: Wellness medicine does a better and more complete job of evaluating your overall health using the highest technology at an accessible cost. You can have these tests performed in the United States or other countries, but at a much higher price.

Insurance Companies in Panama now understand the value of preventive medicine in the overall healthcare strategy for the individual. In short, an ounce of prevention is still worth a pound of cure. (Editors note: In the US most insurance companies do not subscribe to the value of preventive medicine).

Summary of Recommendations: Aging is a natural process, but it can be positively affected by watching your diet, exercising, using the right supplements, and natural hormonal replacement for both males and females. Q

Dr. Jorge Paz Rodriguez, Board Certified in Internal Medicine, has an international practice at the Wellmed Clinic in Panama City. Located in Marbella, Calle 53, at Centro Comercial La Florida, (507) 269-1795. From outside of Panama, please add country code 011. In addition, Dr. Paz Rodriguez is Medical Director of the Stem Cell Institute of Panama.