Your health 2026

As we move into a New Year, take time to take care of your health.

“This is a great opportunity to take stock of what’s going well and what’s not going well in terms of your health,” said Dr. Kisha Davis, President-Elect, American Academy of Family Physicians.

Davis says the first item on your year-end health checklist is taking care of your medical needs.

"If you have conditions such as diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, or obesity, you should consider whether you need a health reset in the New Year. Be sure to factor in your family history.”

Next on the list is preventative maintenance.

“Are my vaccines up to date? Are those cancer screenings up to date for women? Have you gotten those, you know, Pap smears and breast exams for a gentleman? Have you gotten the prostate cancer screening for everybody? Have you gotten the colon cancer screening or lung cancer screening if you’re a current or former smoker?”

Davis says to also go over the medications and supplements you’re taking, and maybe some can be consolidated, reduced, or discontinued altogether.

Next, check on your mental and emotional well-being. This includes your social connections before and after the New Year.

Dr. Kisha Davis, President-Elect, American Academy of Family Physicians."

Even though people often are all around us, it can also be a time of feeling really lonely,” Davis said.

And finally, look at your lifestyle choices. Are you getting quality sleep, good nutrition, and exercising? All are critical for overall health --

“You don’t have to wait for New Year’s to start that resolution. You can start it right now or anytime in the year.”

Finally, it’s a good time to review Advanced Directives, or if you don’t have them, get them done.

By Mandy Gaither, The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

The Gayly online 12/31/25 @ 10:22 p.m. CST.