Proactive Vs Reactive Health Care
May 21, 2015 19:15
Our healthcare system and even our attitude to our own health is generally very reactive. Many of us live our lives without any real consideration for the consequences of our lifestyles. That could mean eating a crappy diet, not getting enough sleep, failing to exercise or even allowing ourselves to live and/or work in toxic environments.
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These factors can all contribute to poor health, but it is common to wait until symptoms begin to emerge before we consider taking action. Our healthcare system is designed to treat issues after they become a problem, but this is not usually the best course of action. Consider health care as a business and it is obvious that in order to succeed you need to predict where problems will occur and do what you can to prevent them. That is what we should be doing with our health – taking a more proactive course of action.
Eating a healthier diet, getting regular exercise and reducing or eliminating substance abuse including tobacco and alcohol are all ways that we can reduce our risk of contracting many diseases. Doctors and other healthcare professionals are beginning to put much more emphasis on this which is why many healthcare plan providers like MDVIP are including proactive measures in their programs.
For individuals, the benefit is clear – when you take a proactive approach to your own health you are going to get sick far less often and when you do you are likely going to recover more quickly. In terms of the benefits to employers, if their workers are healthier they are going to need less time off due to illness which is why corporate healthcare plans which include proactive care are becoming increasingly popular.
1. Eat a more balanced diet This is one that we are probably all fairly guilty of from time to time. We eat junk food instead of a well balanced and healthy diet. This not only leads to weight gain, but can also cause other issues including high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. Eating properly is the first step in being proactive about our health.
2. Get enough sleep each night. It is important never to underestimate the importance of getting enough sleep. Our bodies rely on that time to heal your body and if we are regularly deprived of sleep then our health starts to suffer. Get into the habit of going to bed at the same time each night.
3. Exercise regularly. Not only will exercise help to maintain your weight, but it can also strengthen your muscles – including your heart. A healthy body is less susceptible to illness.
4. Keep stress to a minimum. One thing that is often underestimated is the impact that stress can have not only on our mental well being, but also on our physical health. Proactive healthcare plans will often include massage and other relaxation therapies designed to help keep us stress free.
5. Schedule regularly physicals. Instead of waiting until you get sick to see your doctor, why not schedule an annual physical? This will help get an overall picture of how your general health is and can pinpoint early warning signs before the symptoms begin to manifest themselves.
These are just some of the ways that you can be a little bit more proactive about your own health. Given time you will soon notice that you are generally much healthier and you will get sick much less frequently. Proactive healthcare is definitely the way forward if we want to live long and healthy lives.
image via
These factors can all contribute to poor health, but it is common to wait until symptoms begin to emerge before we consider taking action. Our healthcare system is designed to treat issues after they become a problem, but this is not usually the best course of action. Consider health care as a business and it is obvious that in order to succeed you need to predict where problems will occur and do what you can to prevent them. That is what we should be doing with our health – taking a more proactive course of action.
What Is Proactive Healthcare?
Proactive healthcare is actually pretty simple. It is working to keep your mind and body healthy so that you are less likely to suffer from some of the most common illnesses and/or injuries. A large number of medical conditions are actually preventable, even some of the more serious ones. As individuals, we can help to prevent them by being more proactive about our health.Eating a healthier diet, getting regular exercise and reducing or eliminating substance abuse including tobacco and alcohol are all ways that we can reduce our risk of contracting many diseases. Doctors and other healthcare professionals are beginning to put much more emphasis on this which is why many healthcare plan providers like MDVIP are including proactive measures in their programs.
Why Taking a Proactive Approach to Health is Better
For those individuals who have been used to the old reactive healthcare system where you get sick and then look for ways to get better may wonder why they need to start considering a proactive approach. The easy answer is simply that it carries more benefits not just for individuals, but also for their employers and even their health care workers.For individuals, the benefit is clear – when you take a proactive approach to your own health you are going to get sick far less often and when you do you are likely going to recover more quickly. In terms of the benefits to employers, if their workers are healthier they are going to need less time off due to illness which is why corporate healthcare plans which include proactive care are becoming increasingly popular.
How to be More Proactive About Your Health
So, having accepted that it is probably time that we all start taking a little more responsibility for our own health and well being, what can we actually do become more proactive? It is not as difficult as you might think. There are plenty of small steps that you can take which will have a big impact.1. Eat a more balanced diet This is one that we are probably all fairly guilty of from time to time. We eat junk food instead of a well balanced and healthy diet. This not only leads to weight gain, but can also cause other issues including high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. Eating properly is the first step in being proactive about our health.
2. Get enough sleep each night. It is important never to underestimate the importance of getting enough sleep. Our bodies rely on that time to heal your body and if we are regularly deprived of sleep then our health starts to suffer. Get into the habit of going to bed at the same time each night.
3. Exercise regularly. Not only will exercise help to maintain your weight, but it can also strengthen your muscles – including your heart. A healthy body is less susceptible to illness.
4. Keep stress to a minimum. One thing that is often underestimated is the impact that stress can have not only on our mental well being, but also on our physical health. Proactive healthcare plans will often include massage and other relaxation therapies designed to help keep us stress free.
5. Schedule regularly physicals. Instead of waiting until you get sick to see your doctor, why not schedule an annual physical? This will help get an overall picture of how your general health is and can pinpoint early warning signs before the symptoms begin to manifest themselves.
These are just some of the ways that you can be a little bit more proactive about your own health. Given time you will soon notice that you are generally much healthier and you will get sick much less frequently. Proactive healthcare is definitely the way forward if we want to live long and healthy lives.
