The importance of being proactive with your health

It’s easy to take your health for granted, and sometimes it’s only when issues arise that the true value of health is fully appreciated. Proactive health is becoming more important, not just for the benefit of a persons own health but also reducing the strain on healthcare services.

Proactive health is about taking deliberate steps to maintain and improve your well-being, both physically and mentally. This focuses more on prevention and empowerment, rather than simply reactive responses to illnesses or injury.

There has been an increased interest in a more preventative approach to health, and there are many that believe this could not only revolutionise healthcare but reduce the strain on healthcare services.

There are some key proactive health strategies that are known to benefit your general health:

1. Regular Exercise
2. Balanced Diet
3. Adequate Sleep
4. Stress Management
5. Social Connections
6. Monitor health: Check-ups and Screenings

Regular Exercise

Engaging in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five days a week can lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers while improving memory and mood. Recent studies have shown that aerobic could also act on improving memory.

Balanced Diet

A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats can improve physical health while also enhancing mood and cognitive function.

Adequate Sleep

Adults require 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night. Insufficient sleep has been associated with a higher risk of obesity, diabetes, and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

Stress Management

Chronic stress is a risk factor for both mental and physical health issues, including heart disease and depression. Mitigating stress is not easy, but practices such as mindfulness, yoga, and meditation can be beneficial.

Social Connections

Maintaining strong relationships and a robust social network can reduce stress levels. Loneliness has even been linked to an increased risk of mortality.

Monitor health: Check-ups and Screenings

Engaging in national screening problems such as mammograms and bowel cancer screening can be critical in catching diseases like cancer in their initial stages.

In addition, regular health checks, such as blood tests are also a great way of monitoring the current state of health as well as identifying patterns of change. A general health MOT test will assess multiple functions of the body such as Cholesterol levels, organ function and immune system. Take a look at the range of blood tests available.

Taking a stance on proactive health offers numerous advantages that extend beyond just avoiding illness:

1. Increased lifespan and health span
2. Improved quality of life
3. Early detection of health risks
4. Cost savings
5. Empowerment and control

Increased lifespan and health span

While lifespan refers to the number of years you live, health span focuses on the quality of those years. Proactive health measures ensure you’re not only living longer but living better, free from debilitating conditions.

Improved quality of life

When you’re proactive about your health, you’re more likely to enjoy activities, work productively, and maintain independence as you age. Regular physical activity and a healthy diet contribute significantly to energy levels and overall happiness.

Early detection of health risks

Many chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, are often asymptomatic in their early stages. Understanding your own health can detect these conditions before they become severe, enabling more effective interventions.

Cost savings

Preventative and proactive health care is less expensive than treating advanced diseases. For instance, managing prediabetes with lifestyle changes is far more cost-effective than treating full-blown diabetes and its complications.

Empowerment and control

Taking charge of your health fosters a sense of empowerment. Knowing that you’re actively reducing risks and improving your well-being contributes to mental resilience and confidence.

As mentioned already, the differentiation between health span and lifespan is key. 

While the global average lifespan has increased over the last century due to advancements in medicine and public health, the focus has shifted to health span—the period of life spent in good health, free from chronic diseases and disabilities. Extending health span ensures that individuals can enjoy their later years rather than enduring prolonged periods of illness.

For example, someone may live to be 85 but experience a decline in health starting at 65. Proactive health measures can delay or prevent this decline, allowing for more fulfilling years in the latter part of life. The ultimate goal is to compress morbidity—reducing the time spent in poor health near the end of life.

Here are 4 proactive health tips to help extend the number of healthy and active years avoiding illness:

1. Build muscle mass
2. Stay mentally active
3. Limit harmful substances
4. Vaccinations and preventive care

Build muscle mass

Strength training is important in maintaining muscle mass and bone density, especially as you age. This can prevent frailty and falls.

Stay mentally active

Engage in activities that challenge your brain, such as learning new skills, reading, or solving puzzles.

Limit harmful substances

Avoid smoking and limit alcohol intake. Smoking cessation alone can add up to 10 years to your life expectancy.

Vaccinations and preventive care

Vaccines such as ‘flu, pneumococcal, shingles and COVID-19 boosters can help protect against serious illnesses, particularly in older adults.

Proactive health is not a one-time effort but an ongoing commitment. By incorporating preventive measures, prioritising physical and mental well-being, and understanding the importance of health span versus lifespan, you can take control of their health journey. 

The benefits of this approach—from increased longevity to improved quality of life—are worth the effort. In the end, proactive health is not just about adding years to life but enhancing quality of life.