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Between work, school, errands, and everything else life throws your way, staying healthy can sometimes feel like just one more thing on an already packed to-do list. But for busy professionals and families, small, smart choices can make a big difference.
At MedStar Health Urgent Care, we see firsthand how everyday habits impact your health. Whether it’s a quick visit for a cold, an unexpected injury, or a check-up to stay on track, we’re here to support your well-being year-round.
What gets in the way of healthy habits?
One of the biggest challenges busy people face is time. Between career, family, and daily responsibilities, it can feel like there’s never a free moment to exercise, buy healthy groceries, or cook a balanced meal. But making small investments in your well-being can actually give you more time and energy later.
Exercise is a great example. Even a brisk 20-minute walk or a short bike ride can improve your mood, focus, and productivity for the rest of the day. In addition to physical benefits, it helps you stay mentally sharp and emotionally balanced, too.
It might seem like self-care is just “one more thing,” but habits like these can actually make your day easier, not harder.
Simple strategies that make a difference.
Healthy habits don’t have to be complicated, expensive, or time-consuming. The key is to plan ahead and build small changes into your routine.
Start with food. Apps and delivery services make it easier than ever to order a quick meal, but those choices aren’t always the healthiest. Instead, try planning your meals for the week when you have downtime. Look for simple, 20–30-minute recipes online with just a few ingredients. Ordering groceries in advance also makes you more likely to follow through. Once you have the ingredients at home, you’ve already made the commitment.
Focus on high-protein, low glycemic index foods, like lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These help keep your energy stable throughout the day and can prevent spikes in hunger or sugar cravings. Need healthy snack ideas? For snacks, keep easy options like apples, cheese sticks, or carrot sticks on hand to avoid reaching for chips or sweets. Try to avoid heavily processed food and food with a lot of carbohydrates.
Make movement work for you. Think you don’t have time to exercise? Try pairing it with something you already do. Take a 20-minute walk while listening to a podcast or a work call. Play audio versions of books or articles you want to read and walk while you listen. Multitasking this way makes it easier to squeeze in movement and you’ll feel the benefits right away. Over time, those small steps can help to prevent health issues and extra doctor visits down the line.
Handwashing vs. hand sanitizer: What’s the difference?
Hand sanitizer is useful but not a replacement for soap and water. If your hands are visibly dirty or you’ve been around someone sick with a stomach bug, handwashing is more effective. That’s because hand sanitizer kills many germs but doesn’t remove them from your hands.
This matters especially with GI-related illnesses. These germs are often harder to kill with sanitizer alone. And if they’re still on your hands, you can pass them along without realizing it.
Remember:
- If your hands look clean and you’re on the go, hand sanitizer is helpful.
- If your hands are dirty or greasy, or if you just used the restroom or have been near someone who’s visibly sick, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Making handwashing a habit, especially before eating and after using the restroom, is one of the simplest and most effective ways to stay healthy and prevent the spread of illness.
Don’t skip your checkups, even when you feel fine.
Many people wait to see a doctor until they’re not feeling well. But by then, you’re already reacting to a problem. Wellness checkups can help catch issues early before they develop or worsen.
Think of your primary care provider as your medical quarterback: someone who tracks your health history, family risk factors, and important screenings like mammograms or colonoscopies. Guidelines for these change over time, so it helps to have someone who can remind you when it’s time.
Even routine labs can uncover subtle issues like high blood sugar or cholesterol before symptoms appear. And if you’ve had tests or scans for another reason, your primary care provider can follow up on any smaller findings that might otherwise go unnoticed or be a precursor to something down the road.
It’s like swimming upstream. It’s much easier to stay ahead of a health issue than to wait until you’re already struggling to keep your head above water.
Know when to seek urgent medical help.
Even with healthy habits, illness can still sneak up. MedStar Health Urgent Care is here when kids and adults need an evaluation for unexpected illness or injury. We offer rapid PCR testing for COVID-19, RSV, flu, and strep, along with rapid mono testing, X-rays, and on-site treatment options like nebulizers or medications, if needed.
Please seek an evaluation if you or your child experiences:
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Fever over 100.3°F lasting more than a couple of days
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Shortness of breath, rapid breathing, or deep “croup” cough
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Ongoing GI symptoms, leading to dehydration or a decrease in urine output
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Neck stiffness along with dizziness or confusion in children (This could be an indication of something more serious going on and likely an emergency department is needed)
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Underlying conditions like asthma, diabetes, or heart disease that could be worsened by infection
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Concerning flu, RSV, or COVID symptoms and you need to know what you’re dealing with so as not to expose others
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Signs of strep throat, bacterial sinus infection or pneumonia and you are concerned you may need antibiotics
More than a quick fix: How MedStar Health Urgent Care supports everyday health.
In addition, urgent care isn’t just for colds. We also offer a wide range of preventive, diagnostic, and specialty services, including:
Injury and sports-related care:
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Sprains, strains, and fractures, with X-rays at all sites
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Concussion assessment to determine if anything more serious is going on and emergency imaging is needed, as well as help with the follow up and return-to-school or work guidelines
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Real-time orthopedic consults via telemedicine with MedStar Health orthopedists
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Support and recovery tools, like boots, splints, crutches, and referrals to physical therapy
Preventative care and screenings:
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Physicals for school, sports, camp, work, and pre-op exams
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Vaccinations including flu, tetanus (Tdap), and rabies (preventive and post-exposure)
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Lab testing, including rapid STI testing for women, HIV testing, and routine blood work
On-demand access to MedStar Health specialists:
Our teleconsult system allows patients to connect with specialists in emergency medicine, orthopedics, pediatrics, neurosurgery, ENT, ophthalmology, vascular surgery, and more, as needed.
Your connection to long-term care.
MedStar Health Urgent Care is also your entry point into the largest health system in the region. If you need a primary care provider, specialist, or follow-up testing, we can refer you to trusted providers within the MedStar Health network, including those seeing patients at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital—just 20 minutes outside of Leonardtown.
We accept most major insurance plans, and our front desk team can verify your coverage. If you don’t have insurance, we offer an all-inclusive self-pay option that covers your visit, testing (including X-rays), and procedures like stitches or EKGs, so you can still get the care you need.
Taking care of your health is about small, smart steps, no matter how busy life gets. MedStar Health Urgent Care is here to help you and your family stay well, stay informed, and get care when and where you need it most.
