Whether you are an “executive” running a business or a household, in this day and age of information overload and being busy, tired and overwhelmed, it is most important to take care of yourself. I often see people taking care of others and their work and neglect themselves until something serious happens. Executive health exams can help you know if you are on track.

Executive health exams can be done in a variety of ways. Most are a checklist of exams that look at the overall metabolic and physiologic health of your heart, lungs, kidneys and liver. You may get scans and preventive exams and save time by doing it all in one day.

General Exams vs. Thorough Exams

Most executive health exams do not help you optimize your health or teach you how to look and feel your best. What if you had an exam that is also educational like having a workshop on how to function at your peak? An exam that covers a broad variety of aspects that affect physical and mental performance can be a valuable experience.

Rarely do most executive health exams test very vital processes such as cognitive brain function, executive decision making, memory, processing speed, and reaction time. Testing is not enough: it’s what you do with the results that is imperative. Being taught some very important skills that enable you to function optimally both physically and mentally can be a key driver to your overall life and health.

When you learn and practice how to balance your sympathetic (stress) nervous system with your parasympathetic (relaxation) nervous system you can perform better and make better decisions. Athletes and CEO’s use this technique to get in a state of flow with mental clarity and focus to achieve their goals. The information and skills you learn are what can guide your life and health decisions from a higher perspective. This can also enable you to prioritize how you spend your time and money.

Why Is It Better to Have a Thorough Exam?

Typical executive health exams don’t individualize nutritional advice. Moreover, use nutrition to achieve mental clarity and focus. Nor do they prescribe exercise to keep you functioning at your peak physically and mentally. However, The Vibrance for Life ® Executive Physical covers all aspects of how to take care of yourself so you can live younger and healthier, make good decisions and achieve your personal and professional goals.

Compare executive health exams to determine how they will help you function better. Are they just going to tell you that your tests are normal? Will they teach you how to prevent or reverse illness? Will they just do a series of scans to rule out heart disease or cancer? Or, will they teach you how to function well?

What Should Good Executive Health Exams Evaluate?

What you need to evaluate to live younger and healthier:

Metabolic function – test your blood sugar, cholesterol particle sizes, and numbers, fasting insulin, hemoglobin A1C, C-reactive protein
Hormone function – estrogen (even in males), progesterone, testosterone free and total and dihydrotestosterone, DHEA, TSH, free T3, free T4, reverse T3, thyroid antibodies
Physical function – strength, flexibility, reaction time, balance, pulmonary function, arterial stiffness, nitric oxide for arterial wall health, blood pressure, pulse, body composition
Nutritional evaluation and plan – food diary analysis, food sensitivities, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, composition of macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fats). In addition, micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), supplement program with access to high-quality supplements at a discount direct from the manufacturer
Genetic testing – evaluate risks and learn how to turn bad genes off and good genes on using lifestyle
Mental function and stress management as stated above

Executive health exams differ greatly in their purpose and what they offer. If you want to learn how to prevent or reverse illness and function at your peak, be good to yourself and call to schedule a Vibrance for Life ® Executive Physical. Live and be your best self.

Lorraine Maita, MD is an award winning physician, speaker, and author of “Vibrance for Life: How to Live Younger and Healthier.” She can make you slim, sharp, sexy and supercharged. She is an expert in anti-aging medicine, bioidentical hormone replacement, weight loss, medical nutrition, supplements, and executive health. Dr. Maita was the medical director for 3 Fortune 100 companies and has a private practice specializing in Functional, Integrative, Personalized and Anti-Aging Medicine in Summit and Basking Ridge, NJ (https://thefeelgoodagaininstitute.com/). She educates virtually at www.vibranceforlife.com. She is also an advisory team member for Change Your Attitude, Change Your Life on WOR radio, the #1 talk radio station in the NY Metropolitan area.