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The True Meaning of Prevention
For the past several years, I’ve been devoting an increasing amount of time and energy to helping corporations establish wellness programs. When I initially began communicating with human resource professionals of those corporations, many stated they already had preventive wellness programs. What I didn’t know, at the time, was that we usually were talking about two entirely different things. While I had been focused on disease prevention, and the enhancement of mental and emotional well-being, it turned out that a large percentage of the companies I was contacting were merely keeping tabs on the health status of employees through occasional check-ups and assessments.
While it’s fortunate that many companies offer HRAs (health risk assessments) and regular annual medical checkups, what is unfortunate is that too many companies offer nothing more. What’s being overlooked is the fact that medical check-ups and assessment tools are not the same as prevent-ion. While pursuing annual checkups is prudent in detecting whether there are health challenges that may have been developing, checkups are simply not enough; in fact, they are actually after-the-fact. While early detection of a health challenge is certainly better than late detection, preventing ailments in the first place is the key to enhancing productivity and morale, while cutting health care costs.
Let’s consider cigarette smokers as an example. Out of concern for the potential for lung cancer, Mr. and Mrs. Smoker continually go for medical checkups … as they continue to smoke. While it is smart that Mr. and Mrs. Smoker are taking the steps for early detection, does anyone believe that they are taking a preventive step? Of course not! Clearly, the only preventive step for cigarette smoking is to stop doing the very activity that will cause the symptoms – which is to stop smoking.
The same goes for all other forms of ailments, from prostate, cervical, stomach and breast cancer to diabetes, heart disease, dementia and Alzheimer’s. In order to prevent the ailments related to sedentary living and poor nutrition, stop living a sedentary lifestyle and eating poorly. While there is no guarantee of completely avoiding such ailments, the chances of developing them will be greatly minimized through lifestyle choices … more specifically, through physical activity, exercise, proper nourishment, and rest.
Whether you’re self-employed or run a Fortune 100 company, always remember that the only true form of prevention is through giving the body what it was designed to receive: lots of brisk movement, challenging exercise, and proper nourishment. In conclusion, as you continue with your assessments and checkups, keep moving and eat healthfully.
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