Dr. Benjamin Goold’s commitment to bringing health and education to Grays Harbor is a position of service. A recent transplant, Dr. Goold arrived at Grays Harbor Community Hospital by way of a rural farming community. Growing up in a small community, Dr. Goold recognizes the importance of access to comprehensive medical care. He is passionate about health, and emphasized the idea that a healthy intake of the right foods is key to maintaining health.
Dr. Goold’s interest in healthy eating is directly connected to his focus on diabetes education. When asked to describe the key points of diabetes education, Dr. Goold quickly informed me of his strong belief in the necessity of diet counseling and exercise. He emphasized that treating diabetes is not just focused on pills and insulin. He said, “There are certainly a lot of things people can do to help themselves with diabetes that may or may not be emphasized by the medical industry, but I try to put an emphasis on healthy eating.”
He rightly noted that diabetes is unfortunately quite common in Grays Harbor. He reflects on how the American population’s diet changed in the 1990s, resulting in an uptick in diabetes. Americans moved away from fresh produce and toward processed foods. Dr. Goold stresses that healthy eating can be a challenge and encouraged folks to not feel isolated but rather to talk to their health care provider about their struggles.
Dr. Goold’s focus on diet is an integral part of his work with Grays Harbor children and families. He is excited to be joining forces in a new family medicine clinic on F Street in Aberdeen.
His background taking care of kids is impressive, including a residency at University of Washington Family Medicine. The new family practice will emphasize taking care of the whole community, with a focus on Spanish speaking families. Dr. Goold will be joined by Ron Oman and Abigail Schwepker, who speaks Spanish. They will practice together, taking care of kids and adults.
In closing, Dr. Goold offered these words of advice about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. He said, “Biggest thing – exercise is very important, but diet is even more important. If you ate a Big Mac meal, to burn off those calories, you would have to weight lift for six hours, or walk for four hours and 57 minutes. Can you exercise that much? Exercise is important; diet is more so.“
If you are looking for a family physician who offers comprehensive care to every member of your family, Dr. Goold is accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Goold, contact Highland Family Medicine at 360-533-4599.
