If we observe the evolving wellness trends, we find most of them to be preventative. Efforts to enhance overall wellbeing are aimed to keep our mind and body free from ailments and disorders by making healthy and informed lifestyle choices. When we talk about various wellness treatments, it does not solely mean addressing a specific condition or concern but to give a proper service to our mind and body so that it runs smoothly without any major breakdown.
Preventative wellness – promoting health and mental awareness
A healthy diet, the right choice of food and nutrients, adequate rest and activity and a balanced lifestyle are all that are needed for disease prevention. Health promotion campaigns are aimed to educate and empower people to make the right choices. The behavioral changes of individuals significantly reduce the risk of chronic ailments and associated costs that have overburdened global healthcare. Just a few years back, the wellness moonshot campaign taken by the Global Wellness Institute to create a world free of preventable diseases deserve special mention.
Why preventative wellness?
Data from the CDC suggest nearly 70% of all global deaths every year are due to preventable diseases. According to the World Economic Forum, the global healthcare cost of preventable chronic diseases could touch $47 by 2030. It is having a crippling effect on the global economy. Preventative wellness is today’s most pressing need.
Preventative wellness provides better returns
While many agree to the adage that prevention is better than cure, there are skeptics who feel focusing too much on preventive measures and infrastructure can be costlier. Wellness programs at workplace, home or in clinical settings may not be financially viable especially in today’s scenario of drastic cost cutting everywhere. But an analysis by Healthcare Trends Institute finds, every single dollar invested in wellness programs results in $3.27 reduction in healthcare costs.
The good thing is that employers have started realizing it. As a result, we see widespread implementation of corporate wellness programs by organizations big and small. Private healthcare insurers are also getting the message clear. Some of them are offering mindfulness programs at workplace and also providing coverage for several preventative services. This leaves little doubt that preventative wellness programs reduce morbidity and save lives and are also cost-effective.
Wellness and prevention are not synonymous
Wellness covers a broader aspect with a holistic approach enabling an individual to lead a fulfilling life. Prevention comprises a set of strategies that help you to build resilience to illness. You follow a healthy diet and do regular workouts as a health management strategy but that does not always take care of your wellness as a whole. The good thing is the holistic approach to wellness automatically adds the layer of prevention as it takes care of your overall wellbeing.
Simple steps to preventative wellness
Big achievements start from singular efforts. Every single individual can make preventive wellness a habit for others to follow. You need to nurture that attitude and assess yourself considering all dimensions of life. How often do you do the following? Maintain a periodic journal and share with others.
- Allow yourself to take care of personal wellbeing
- Choose the right lifestyle like healthy eating, exercises, adequate rest and sleep and proper breathing techniques to balance your physical and emotional energy.
- Try to bounce back fast in the face of disappointments and setbacks
- Practice relaxing and calming activities when you feel stressed
- Build an optimistic mindset for future
- Bring in more passion and purpose to life and work
- Prioritize wellness in daily life for you and those around you.
- Work towards the wellness and happiness of others.
There is no ideal score for this assessment. By following this regularly, you will be able to track your progress in preventative wellness.
