Prevention is The Key

Benjamin Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” In old China, doctors used to get paid for keeping their patients well. If one of their patients got sick, the doctors had to treat them without getting paid. That is some health program! It’s crazy how health is viewed so differently now.

In our world today, prevention isn’t in the spot light. We get so focused on curing things that we forget about prevention. The book, “Staying Healthy with the Seasons” talks about the five building blocks to preventative medicine.

1. Nutrition- A natural balanced diet that avoids excess of any kind.

2. Exercise- It’s not just having an exercise program; it’s exercise being a part of your lifestyle. This includes strengthening, aerobic exercise, and stretching.

3. Sleep- Get a good amount of sleep each night. This is your body’s time to recharge for the next day.

4. Stress Management- Learning how to balance your life with work and play. Part of stress management is also learning how to relax. Find activities that you enjoy and make them a part of your life.

5. Attitude- Treat yourself and others around you well. Attitude determines how well the first four steps will be lived.

Preventative medicine helps the body to not reach the state of “dis-ease” or disease. The way to really prevent this state of “dis-ease” is to always be aware of how your body is feeling. If you take time to listen to your body, you will learn more about how to take care of yourself. Prevention is the key to having a healthy lifestyle. Stop and Listen.

Elson M. Haas, Staying Healthy with the Seasons. Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 2003.