Be proactive in regard to your health. There are many conditions that you can prevent!

Start being proactive now

Prevention vs. treatment

Are you proactive or reactive? Do you try to prevent health issues from happening before they happen? Like many, I was guilty of waiting until I’m told I have a condition/disease. Then I get treatment to resolve rather than to take steps to prevent it from happening.

I allowed myself to become obese before taking steps to control my weight. Sound familiar? I also, found myself reacting to treat high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol.

Now, I am mindful of the diseases that are potentially next in line, i.e., heart disease and stroke. Through mindfulness, I am proactive in doing what I can to prevent these from becoming part of my life. Will you join me, let’s be proactive together!

Conditions you can prevent

1. Heart disease

   “Many forms of heart disease can be prevented or treated with healthy lifestyle choices.”¹ Mayo Clinic (MC).

2. Stroke

   “You may be able to prevent stroke or reduce your risk through healthy lifestyle changes.”² Center for Disease Control (CDC).

3. Cancer

   “Many cancer deaths could be prevented by making healthy choices like not smoking, staying at a healthy weight, eating right, keeping active, and getting recommended screening tests.”³ American Cancer Society (ACS).

4. Type 2 diabetes

   “You can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Stay at a healthy weight, eat well and be active.”⁴ American Diabetes Association (ADA).

5. Obesity

   “Overweight and obesity, as well as their related noncommunicable diseases, are largely preventable.”⁵ World Health Organization (WHO).

Lifestyle behaviors you can change

1. Inactive – lack of exercise or physical activity. “Inactivity is described by the Department of Health as a “silent killer”.”⁶
2. Diet – poor nutrition. “A healthy diet helps protect against malnutrition in all its forms, as well as noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer.”⁷
3. Smoking – tobacco. “There’s no safe tobacco, but what counts as tobacco?“⁸.
   Tobacco products: Cigarettes ♦ Dip ♦ Hookah (water pipe) ♦ Cigars ♦ e-cigs
4. Alcohol – drinking too much or binge drinking. “Researchers have linked alcohol consumption to more than 60 diseases.”⁹

Take care of you

I urge you to live a proactive lifestyle. You have the primary role in taking care of you. Do not delay start today. Live a better quality life now. Lower and possibly eliminate the risk of needing treatment. You will thank yourself later.

Sources:

CDC – Diabetes and Prediabetes. || ¹ MC – Diseases and conditions – heart disease. || ² CDC – Preventing Stroke: what you can do. || ³ ACS – Stay Healthy. || ⁴ ADA – Lower Your Risk. || ⁵ WHO – Obesity and Overweight.

⁶ Benefits of exercise – NHS.uk. || ⁷ Healthy diet – WHO. || ⁸ Know the real cost of dip – HHS. || ⁹  Health Risks of Alcohol – WebMD.

Recommended reads:

Self-control; Take Control Now with This Gift From God || Personal Responsibility Alert, Did You Know You Are in God’s Spotlight?

See what is available on the Sound Truth Ministry website.