Diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and other chronic diseases are often preventable. No matter what type of chronic illness a person has, it’s going to reduce the quality of life. From costing you more in healthcare to keeping you from your daily routine, chronic diseases can negatively impact your life. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Your life doesn’t have to be filled with hospital visits, daily medication, and being confined to your bed. This can be achieved through preventive healthcare.
A Shot at Health
Preventive healthcare focuses on measures that deter or stop illnesses. These measures can be applied at any stage of your life, and the goal is to not only save your life but also allow you to live it well into your old age.
Preventive health falls into three categories: primary, secondary, and tertiary.
Primary preventive care covers the most basic thing you can do to protect yourself from diseases: vaccination. Vaccines are not just for kids; some might wear off, which means you’ll need to get another shot to prevent acquiring or spreading a disease.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the following shots for adults:
- Flu vaccine – which needs to be taken yearly
- Td booster – for tetanus and diphtheria; booster shots are ideal every 10 years
- HPV vaccine – protection against human papillomaviruses (HPV), which cause cervical cancer, among others
Talk to your doctor about which vaccination is appropriate for your condition because some adults with health problems might not be qualified to get shots. An appointment with your physician can also alleviate some of your concerns over vaccine safety, which has become a growing trend in America.
General Wellness, Seeing the Signs
Secondary preventive healthcare can be much easier because it covers better diet and lifestyle decisions.
Food can be your ticket to operating rooms, but it can also be medicine. Its influence on your health is profound. Consume enough of sugary food and drinks, and you could be setting yourself up for diabetes and heart disease. Eat only processed food, and you’re likely to increase harmful bacteria in your gut, creating the perfect flora for chronic inflammation.
The right diet will consist of food items rich in vitamins, minerals, protein, healthy fats, and all the other good stuff that blocks diseases. With a healthy diet, you stay in shape and protect your body from viruses.
Another critical part of secondary preventive care is health screening. How do you know you need one? Look for signs.
With men, a trip to an experienced urology specialist would follow when problems with urine and erection are hard to overlook. With women, heavy or painful periods or pain during sex should be sound reasons for making an appointment with a gynecologist. An early visit to your doctor would mean better management of the underlying conditions you might have.
Finally, the tertiary measures to preventing diseases. This will cover long-term solutions that prevent conditions from worsening. Treatments can include physical therapy and counseling to reduce stress.
Preventive care is a smart way to manage your health. You cut down on the need for hospital visits and medication. You also reduce your costs, ensuring you’ll stay safe from financial ruin. With healthcare expenses becoming a number one reason for bankruptcy, getting ahead now means securing your future.
