According to many doctors and my own parents, the answer is yes. Did you know that 70 percent of deaths in America are linked to preventable conditions such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease and several types of cancer? Many insurance companies are now incentivizing patients to start improving their health each day by getting regular check-ups, joining a weight loss plan or a gym.
You don’t have to be an athlete to work on prevention. My dad and mom lived everyday by the motto, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” They were always active. 365 days per year my mom walked 1.5 miles, no matter what the weather was in Michigan. My dad rode his bike 200 miles per week. We grew up going to the YMCA every Friday as a family–playing in the gym and swimming. In the summer we were camping, swimming, and hiking. There was always an emphasis on staying active. The picture in this blog post is them having lunch after they walked the Mackinaw Bridge for the 25th time!
It’s never too late to work on prevention. You can start by doing the following:
- Get a check-up by your primary care doctor. Ask what a good plan is for you.
- Start moving at work. Set a timer on your phone to move every couple of hours if you have a desk job. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk at lunch.
- Try getting a health monitoring device, like a FitBit. You will be surprised how monitoring your movement helps you focus on moving more.
- Set some simple goals. Don’t decide to lose 50 pounds this month. It’s unrealistic and will just cause more distress. Choose a few goals that can be accomplished right away such as having a vegetable each day or taking a walk after dinner two times per week.
Start today to make prevention a part of your daily routine so you can avoid a preventable healthcare disaster.
Tell me how you and your family are working on prevention. I’d love to hear from you!
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