As a primary care physician, Dr. Anokhi Shah enjoys the challenges of having in-depth knowledge of every part of the human body and being able to solve patients' health issues. She also enjoys building strong relationships with her patients.
“Relationships are important in my approach, which focuses on creating personalized treatment plans for patients,” she says. “I follow them throughout their whole adult lives - I've cried with them during tough moments and have also shared tears of joy. Improving the quality of their lives is what I find most fulfilling.”
Dr. Shah cannot stress enough the importance of seeing a medical practitioner on a regular basis and making sure you receive all the tests and screenings needed at different stages of your life. Many people put these off throughout COVID, which has led to later diagnoses of many illnesses.
Every individual is different not only with health problems, she says, but in terms of risks for certain conditions. “Knowing who my patients are is critical to designing an appropriate plan that will work in their lives. It’s important because sometimes one solution is not practical for everyone, but if we work together we can find what the patient will stick to and what will work for them.”
After moving from Washington D.C., last year, Dr. Shah started working for Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center and joined the Combined Medical Group of RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Health eight months ago. “Out of all the practices I interviewed with, RWJBarnabas Health felt the most like family,” she says. “The people I work with are professional and I look forward to coming into work every day.” Dr. Shah is currently accepting new patients and is looking forward to building those important relationships once again.
To find out more about Dr. Shah and to make an appointment with her, go to https://www.rwjbh.org/doctors/anokhi-shah-md/.
[Box 1] Screening guidelines will vary from person to person and it can change depending on if your own health status changes or as you discover new information about your family's health.
[Box 2] Get screened regularly for common conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. An often overlooked screening is for osteoporosis, which can affect women later in life.
[Box 3] Another important screening is for mental health issues. When you come in for a physical with me, I perform a mental health screening for depression and anxiety.
[Box 4] There are several cancer screenings we may suggest, depending on the patient's age and risk, which includes breast cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, and skin cancer.
[Side boxes]
Diet - Eat a diet that's high in fiber, full of antioxidants, and includes a variety of fruits and vegetables. Consume healthy fats and avoid processed foods. For bone health, women typically need about 1200 milligrams of calcium per day.
Exercise - The minimum recommendation is about 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week. In addition to cardio, focus on muscle strengthening and weight-bearing exercises.
Mood – Activities that are good for us and bring us joy are great prescriptions for strong mental health. For more serious issues, talk therapy and medication may also be necessary