Most people have traditionally taken their health for granted until something goes wrong. Today, however, revolutionary changes are taking place in health care and in people's personal priorities that are moving us toward a philosophy of prevention rather than intervention in an effort to achieve a higher quality of life. People from around the world are beginning to listen to scientists and health care professionals who tell us that lifestyle and nutrition play a major role, not only in the quality of our life, but also in longevity.

      Preventive health at all levels — primary (preventing disease), secondary (early diagnosis), and tertiary (preventing or slowing deterioration), requires active participation by all of us with appropriate support and guidance from health care professionals. The idea that our health and well being is more a personal responsibility has gained popularity and acceptance in the last 25 years or so. In 1981, the Surgeon General of the United States released a report, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, stating, "You, the individual, can do more for your own health and well being than any doctor, any hospital, any drugs, any exotic medical devices." The report spells out a strategy for improved national health based upon our own personal efforts. The fact that the national perception of health is changing is evident in that the federal government now has an Office of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.
      Today's major health care problems, and leading causes of death, are increasingly the result of individual behaviors-tobacco use, poor diet, lack of physical activity, and alcohol use. These and other lifestyle factors significantly influence our risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, arthritis, and some forms of cancer. Adopting preventive health habits is the single most important thing you can do to prevent or postpone most of these serious chronic diseases.

      This movement toward a philosophy of preventive health is also driving the growing interest in complementary health and alternative medical therapies. Many people are turning to health care professionals who practice preventive medicine, focusing on education and treatment as a means of preventing health problems, instead of just treating the symptoms of already existing conditions.
      Preventive health is more than just preventing disease. It also means taking responsibility for visiting your health care provider periodically for routine screening examinations for those diseases that can sneak up on you without advanced warning. Early diagnosis and treatment is the best way to prevent more serious complications. Preventive health also means learning how to better manage and cope with existing chronic conditions in order to prevent or postpone further complications that would impact your quality of life.

      Your health is your responsibility and how you maintain and enhance it depends on the decisions you make. Making appropriate preventive health decisions requires education, which provides the knowledge, skills and motivation necessary to both reduce behavioral risks and facilitate voluntary actions conducive to overall health and well being.

      With that in mind, those of us at Preventive Health Today invite you to avail yourself to this educational opportunity by further exploring our pages on pertinent lifestyle issues such as nutrition and fitness. It is our sincere hope that you find some value in the information provided on our site and that it motivates you to take action in making personal preventive health decisions.