Aside from good luck, people wish the most for good health especially at the start of the new year.  This 2024, according to the Chinese zodiac, is the Year of the Wood Dragon that may be challenging health-wise to certain animal signs in conflict with the ruling sign.

But whether or not you believe in feng shui, which actually serves as a mere guide on how to navigate the interaction between surroundings and humanity, being mindful and careful of your health is a must all year round.

"Siyempre (Of course), we start with prevention," Dr. Frederic Hope B. Tan, assistant chief medical officer at Cardinal Santos Medical Center, tells DAILY TRIBUNE during the premier hospital's pre-Lunar New Year event held on 8 February at its headquarters on Wilson Street in San Juan. Festivities included a lion and dragon dance performance amid the rhythmic beats of traditional drumbeating that went through the halls of the buildings to ward off bad spirits and attract general good vibes.

"Kung kaya (If you can), mag-exercise regularly. Eat well. Of course, see your doctor, in case you're feeling or having some symptoms or concerns. Do not wait for it to worsen. Go see an expert. We have good wellness packages here and also executive checkups, so you can have it done to prepare you for prevention rather than waiting it to worsen."

Tan has these reminders for parents, especially dads, who see going for a checkup as an additional expense instead of an investment for a healthy future: "You have to protect first yourself before you can protect your family. Rather than wait na malala na ang nararamdaman (to worsen what you're feeling) because it will entail higher cost, paano kung maging (what if you become) debilitated ka or what if it leads to death?

"Maiiwan ang family. Iyan dapat ang i-view ng public, especially the men na feeling nila malakas sila. Isipin n'yo rin ang pamilya n'yo. Isipin na lang ang maiiwan na pamilya kung mangyayari 'yun. Magpa-checkup. Huwag matakot (You'll leave behind your family. That's how the public should view it, especially the men who feel they're strong. Think of your family. Think of the family you'll leave behind in that event. Have yourself checked. Don't be afraid)."

Dr. Antonio S. Say, CSMC's chief medical officer, points out at the event, "Here at Cardinal Santos, we want to give the best care to our patients. We strive to improve our services to more people. Now, we have new packages to help more people of all nationalities."

Concurring with his senior colleague, Tan adds, "This tradition we do every lunar new year is to strengthen our interaction with the Chinese community. There's a big community of Chinese doctors who visit our hospital. But we want to stress that Cardinal Santos is not restricted to certain nationalities. We cater to a diverse group of nationalities and religions. We encourage everyone to come and experience the excellent healthcare that we provide.

"We are incidentally celebrating our 50th anniversary. So, this is just the beginning of celebrations, packages and things that we've prepared for the whole year for our patients, doctors, employees and all our stakeholders."