I grew up in the early 1940s and in those days when we got sick as children our family doctor made a house call, gave us pills, told us what to do to get better and we did, end of story. Fast forward to today and it’s a whole different scenario.
Although medicine has come a long way, sometimes there is treatment confusion, lots of questions often with answers “too good to be true” about cures, medicines, etc., thus it may be difficult for us to make proper healthy choices.
Frequently, as we get on in years, our well-being has to do with the amount of effort we put into trying to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Dr. Mario Werbin, of General Practice Associates in Hollywood, has been in practice over 30 years and agrees that although there are no guarantees in life “you can’t help getting older but can help getting old.” Aging well or not depends on the effort we put into it given chronic conditions we may have acquired along the way.
Our body is an amazing machine that keeps going no matter what. By taking an active role to maintain the ABCs of a healthier lifestyle we can overcome or adjust to our infirmities over time. Dr Werbin tries to instill the importance in all his patients to take a proactive role in their decision-making by establishing an open and candid relationship with him.
As one of his patients, I appreciate the discussions we have and the advice he gives me to continue to remain in
good health.
“With the busy professional and personal schedule that I have, I try to set the example for the life I want them to live,” Dr. Werbin says.
In addition to keeping himself healthy, his favorite pastime to relax and unwind is kayaking. The balance between mind (determination to be the best we can be always); body (eat, sleep, move right, small steps lead to big achievements); and spirit (never lose your passion to win no matter what obstacles may be in your way) are crucial to living a
fulfilling life as we continue our journey through time.
Many kudos to you, Dr. Werbin, for being my role model and encouraging me as your patient to be the best I can be.
Rona Levitt is a retired nurse who volunteers to share her life learning experiences and give back to the community.
