Protect connections and strive to build more.
As a part of my series about the “5 Things You Should Do to Optimize Your Wellness After Retirement”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Mohammed Elamir, MD, FACP.
Mohammed Elamir, MD, FACP, is a lead physician for Aviv Clinics, located in The Villages, FL. A Fellow of The American Board of Internal Medicine and The American Board of Aesthetic Medicine, Dr. Elamir believes in order to practice the best personalized medicine, one must be up to date with the latest medical information, innovation and advancements.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
I was exposed to medicine at an early age, having a Neurologist as a father. My fascination with the brain and cognitive function started when I first recall looking at MRI films while sitting in my dad’s office. Fast-forward 15 years later, I found myself sitting in his hospital room. He had suffered a stroke, which caused a significant expressive aphasia leaving him able to speak no more than 50 words.
This started me down an uncharted path — scouring for new ways to not only help my father, but to help patients with similar conditions. I asked myself, “What does the traditional model of medicine offer patients, and what tools does it offer doctors to help them?”
When I stumbled upon the research of Dr. Shai Efrati, the world-renowned expert in Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and Chair of Aviv Scientific Medical Advisory Board, I found answers outside the current standard of medicine and a promising treatment for my father. Through Dr. Shai Efrati’s research, he discovered the potential regenerative properties of HBOT.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
On a hunch, I had a 21-year-old female patient with borderline anemia that I had evaluated for colon cancer — and sure enough she had it. There were no obvious signs to make me think so for someone her age (no family history of colon cancer, no bleeding issues that she noticed). Sometimes a doctor’s intuition proves more valuable than protocols.
Can you share a story with us about the most humorous mistake you made when you were first starting? What lesson or take-away did you learn from that?
Starting out, I delivered a patient blood test results that showed they had prediabetes. The patient immediately proceeded to throw out their soda and candy bar from their bag. Moments later, I realized it was the wrong patient’s results and apologized — her results were normal and had no indications of the health condition. Hearing this, she picked her candy bar out of the garbage.
Lesson, always check and recheck all results. Also, habits are hard to break.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
My father is the epitome of hard work and it was his guidance that brought me to where I am today.
What advice would you suggest to your colleagues in your industry to thrive and avoid burnout?
Enjoy every stage of your education, training and career. Each encounter can be learned from. No matter how many times you’ve seen a particular case, you can still learn something new from the experience.
What advice would you give to other leaders about how to create a fantastic work culture?
In my experience, the biggest drivers of successful cultures begin with providing the opportunity to grow — empowering employees to be creative, hold a sense of purpose and feel included.
Thank you for the introduction. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. Retirement is a dramatic ‘life course transition’ that can impact one’s health. In some cases, retirement can reduce health, and in others it can improve health. From your point of view or experience, what are a few of the reasons that retirement can reduce one’s health?
Retirement is a change in environment that typically leads an individual to invest more or less in his or her health. While it may initially benefit health by reducing stress and creating time for other activities, adverse effects such as loneliness, inactivity and age often increase the longer retirement goes on.
Can you share with our readers 5 things that one should do to optimize their wellness after retirement? Please share a story or an example for each.
Five things that one should do to optimize their wellness after retirement include:
- Staying social and connected — Protect connections and strive to build more.
- Remaining active — Exercising doesn’t need to be vigorous or extreme. Walking around the neighborhood, swimming or biking should keep you feeling fit.
- Eating a balanced diet — Eating well provides energy throughout the day.
- Practicing cognitive activities — Puzzles, board and card games keep the mind engaged.
- Follow medical advice — Monitor your health to lead a long and fulfilling life.
In your experience, what are 3 or 4 things that people wish someone told them before they retired?
- Cherish every phase of life.
- Properly save so you don’t stress over money.
- Surround yourself with people who support you and your goals.
- Develop other interests outside of work.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you?
Life experiences always had a bigger impact on me than any book ever did.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Habits start early — universal paternity/maternity leave should be extended to at least 6 months.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?
It used to be Mark Twain, “Always do right, this will please some and astonish the rest.”
Now it’s, “If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present,” by Lao Tzu.
Is there a person whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why?
If it were possible, my son (currently 2 years old) when he turns 30 years old. Would love to for him to tell me what I’ll do right and what I’ll do wrong.
What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?
Readers can follow my Facebook page @Dr. Mohammed Elamir, MD, FACP and on LinkedIn & Twitter @AvivScientific.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
Mohammed Elamir Of Aviv Clinics: 5 Things You Should Do To Optimize Your Wellness After Retirement was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
