Prevention Of The Prevalence
If there is one thing that the world today has learned from the pandemic, then it’s the fact that prevention is better than cure. You may have wealth, name, and fame to get the best hospital and treatment, but suffering from the disease is the same for everyone, and no amount of money and status can take away that pain.
The unfortunate part is that when the topic of preventive healthcare arises, it is uncommon for people to say, “But I am a healthy individual. Why must I invest in preventive wellness? It is redundant to spend money on tests when I am asymptomatic! It is like wasting resources in preparation for calamities yet to occur!” And when they do, I encourage them to sit back, relax, go down memory lane and recall the age-old maxim our schools taught us — “Prevention is better than cure.”
The focus of preventive wellness is not ‘sick care’ but healthcare to prevent disease onset. Simply put, when we look after every organ in our human body with great care, we give ourselves a golden chance to recover faster than those who don’t. Don’t just leave it to genes and destiny.
When it comes to common lifestyle diseases like diabetes, thyroid disorders, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, PCOS, and cancer, most people blame it on genes and family history. “Diabetes runs in my family. I cannot help it.” - is a common saying amongst most clients I consult. Yes, you are indeed carrying a greater risk of developing diabetes, but it doesn’t mean you are destined to develop it too. Genes play a role, but your health isn’t limited to that. A field of research and science called Epigenetics explores the role of the environment and lifestyle on genes. Your habits can either switch on or off your genes for the better or worse. So you have far more control over your so-called “bad genes” (if you carry them) than you think.
Two powerful reasons to consider prevention:
• Cost-effective
A preventive approach towards health is way more cost-effective than a curative approach because it saves you from all the medical expenses. Heard of the phrase - “A stitch in time saves nine”? It holds true for your health too. What is just a stomach cramp today may develop into Ulcerative Colitis or an even more complicated disease like cancer, which means more visits to the doctor, more medications, and more check-ups, which is a financial drain. And maybe it isn’t about money for some of you because you have access to some of the best medical facilities. But do you want to spend the rest of your life on a laundry list of medications and walking in and out of hospitals, or enjoy the life you built?
• Lesser health complications
A preventive approach helps prevent not just the disease but complications that come along with it. Diabetes isn’t about diabetes alone. It is a condition that predisposes you to high blood pressure, kidney failure, neuropathy, vision loss, and, ultimately, multiple organ failure. The same is the case with every single disease. This is not to scare you. This is to inform you about what we see daily through our practice. People with uncontrolled diabetes, diabetic neuropathy, glaucoma, and a developing kidney condition, when all of it could have been halted at a prediabetic stage (which is 100 per cent reversible) with simple lifestyle changes.
What does a preventive approach entail?
Does this involve only undergoing regular screenings? No. It is a holistic approach that includes diagnosing lifestyle diseases, treating them, and making sustainable everyday changes. A preventive approach can be simple. Get the basics right, like nutrition, exercise and movement, sleep, rest, recovery, emotional health, connection with your spirit, and an environment that promotes better health.
A preventive approach isn’t about avoiding sugar and junk altogether. It is about avoiding eating it every single day. A preventive approach isn’t about going to gyms and working out heavily. Instead, it is about staying active and exercising regularly.
A preventive approach isn’t about missing out on social life in place of shuteye. Instead, it is about balancing work, life, fun, family, relationships, and health. A preventive approach is not about staying happy all the time. That is toxic positivity. It is about allowing yourself to feel every emotion but also being resilient enough not to remain stuck to negative emotions to learn how to move on.
• The preventive approach is not just for the sick
Preventive wellness is not just for the healthy but also for those who already have a condition. You can always prevent the disease from getting worse or complicating further. For instance, if you have a heart condition and recognise some of the risk factors that you can work on removing from your life, you will benefit your health to a great extent. When vital organs like your liver, heart, kidney, and gut start to deteriorate, there is nothing much that even the medical world can do. You may be given medicines to support you through the disease, but are you healthy without dependence on medication? Unfortunately, no. This is why a focus on prevention becomes necessary.
We all have this one fragile life to live and finite time. Most people think - ‘You live only once!’ - so why care? Yes, you live only once, but we could live a better life.
