With the cost of health care increasing steadily in the United States, and fewer and fewer employers offering adequate coverage, Americans are spending more and more of their income on these expenses. From costly, time-consuming visits to specialists and expensive prescriptions, to surgical procedures and hospital stays, the drawbacks of poor health are increasingly extreme. In light of all these factors, the value of prevention as the best method of treatment has never been higher. In fact, practicing good, preventive health maintenance will not only improve your overall health, but spare your finances and increase your overall quality of life in the process.
Better Overall Health
Modern medicine has achieved great successes in recent decades, and as a result, people are living longer than ever. Even so, our ability to keep our population alive longer has not evenly translated into a healthier population. The World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” In other words, just because we are alive and functioning does not mean that we are necessarily healthy. Better overall health cannot simply be obtained by visiting the doctor and relying on advances in medicine or surgical techniques, rather, it requires a long-term, conscientious approach to the way we go about our lives on a daily basis. Choosing to eat healthy, exercising regularly, practicing good mental health behaviors, and surrounding yourself with people and activities that bring you happiness, serve as much more effective ways of achieving health than do treatments after a disease, injury, or illness has occurred.
Improved Finances
At first thought, improving your finances may not seem to be an outcome of obtaining better health. Yet, when considering the debilitating costs of doctors visits, surgical procedures, hospital stays, and prescription medicine—not to mention all the time and energy that treatment requires—the logic takes shape. Sure, things such as healthy, local foods, gym memberships, yoga and/or meditation classes, and other expenses related to maintaining one’s health may be financially challenging for some, but they still pale in comparison to the often exorbitant costs of treating illness. Therefore, while maintaining a high level of health throughout one’s life is not without expenses, these remain much smaller than the costs of treating illness, not to mention the potential long-term expenses of nursing homes or hospital stays.
Higher Quality of Life
Now that achieving better overall health and improving one’s finances has been discussed, it figures that a higher quality of life would result from following these practices. It may be obvious, but with better health comes the ability to enjoy life more fully. Whether it be simply having more time to spend on hobbies and activities instead of going to doctor’s visits and picking up medicine, to benefiting from a better mental state to more fully appreciate your life, the life benefits of good health are vast. Plus, with better health you will have more money to set aside for experiences and things that make you happen, and less costs related to health care. Finally, not only will you be able to have a better, richer life, but you will likely have a longer life as well. Simply put, taking steps toward preventing health problems before they start will give you the ability and freedom to live your life to the fullest.
How to Achieve a Lifestyle Focused on Prevention
It’s already been alluded to in this article, but the best way to achieve prevention—and as a result, better health, improved finances, and a higher quality of life—is to do the little, daily things that make the difference over a longer period of time. Live In The Now has a wealth of articles on this subject worth reading, but generally speaking, there are a few basic actions to take in order to prevent disease and illness from occurring. Eating healthy, natural foods, while limiting foods that are high in calories, sugars, and other undesirable ingredients, and avoiding too many processed foods and drinks, will give your body the nutrition it needs to function properly. Similarly, eliminating tobacco from your life altogether, and restricting your alcohol consumption to recommended levels, are important steps to include. Meanwhile, getting plenty of physical exercise, and taking steps toward good mental health—whether it be meditation, yoga, counseling, getting enough sleep, or doing whatever it is that helps you feel good and positive—all contribute to preventing health problems from arising. Begin the process today—identify and define the steps you need to take in order to improve your overall health and prevent health problems from occurring, and enjoy the healthy living, savings, and quality of life that result.
Derek is a technical writer and editor with 10 years of experience in the health care field, having first earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Delaware. He is a contributing author on a number of textbooks in the medical field, ran a nuclear cardiology licensing course, and has written a variety of other pieces from online training courses to medical software manuals. Derek pursues his personal interest in health and wellness by playing multiple sports and running marathons. An insatiable traveler, he spent 16 months working and living abroad while traveling through South America, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
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