Hello Wellness. Becoming a healthier you.
We can all be healthier. Starting today.
Good health is about more than just “the absence of illness, disease, disability or injury”. Defining ‘health’ as “a state of complete physical capacities, mental and social wellbeing” seems to be an elusive and unrealistic state to aim for. This 1946 definition of ‘health’ by the World Health Organization is still used today, but the last few decades saw a dramatic increase in new understandings of disease at molecular, individual, and societal level. The concepts of health and wellness need to be reframed to offer a more realistic and motivating definition of what it means to be healthy and how one can achieve it.
Unfortunately, we can’t always choose or control the state of our health. High cholesterol and hypertension are largely genetic. People are born with or have a family history of cardiovascular disease and a predisposition toward diabetes. Accidents cause injuries that last a lifetime. But wellness, on the other hand, is a very powerful choice. Wellness is the active process or action of becoming aware of and making choices toward better health - a dynamic process of change, growth and the ability to adapt. Wellness focuses on preventative care; keeping you healthy, as opposed to a traditional healthcare view looking only at getting you back to a state where there is no illness or injury. Thus, if better health is the desired outcome, wellness is the way we might achieve it.
Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes are responsible for 7 of every 10 deaths among South Africans each year. These diseases are largely preventable through a close partnership with your healthcare team or it can be detected through appropriate screenings.
Preventative screenings have two major benefits:
Encouragement to make positive changes: Even if you are healthy, you can learn to guard your health more closely. Test results can help you take steps to reduce your risk and the likelihood that you will develop a life-threatening disease or disabling condition.
Early detection: Even before symptoms are recognized or increased risks are identified, screening tests help detect disease in its early and most treatable stages. For example, if you are at risk to type 2 diabetes, detecting the disease in its early stages may help you prevent or manage the condition only by means of diet and exercise.
Some recommended preventative services include:
Immunisation: Receiving routine vaccinations can help prevent diseases such as measles, chicken pox or meningitis, as well as the flu. Immunising children also protects the health of the community.
Counselling, Advice and Help on topics such as smoking cessation, losing weight, healthy eating, treating depression, prenatal care and reducing alcohol consumption can improve health.
Colorectal Cancer Screening: A colonoscopy remains the gold standard for early detection and prevention of colon cancer, but it is estimated that less than 30% of adults (50+ years) are up to date with screening.
Hypertension Screening: High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for stroke, responsible for 1 in 2 strokes and 2 in 5 heart attacks. South Africa has the highest rate – 8 out of 10 people - of hypertension reported among people aged 50+ for any country in the world. Unfortunately, more than 50% of people with hypertension are unaware of their condition. Of the people diagnosed with high blood pressure, only a third is on treatment, and of those, only a third has adequate control of their hypertension.
Vision Screening, especially for the elderly: vision correction can reduce hip fractures from falls, improve quality of life, reduce accidents, help with proper use of medication, and increase activities such as exercise.
Cervical Cancer Screening (papsmear) is largely responsible for the 50% decline in cervical cancer mortality over the past 30 years.
Cholesterol Screening, people with abnormal cholesterol and high triglycerides have a greater risk of having type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In a national survey, only 4 % of respondents were aware they had high cholesterol.
Preventative Care seems to be the Key to Improving your Health and Staying Healthy
The right preventative care, early screenings, regular check-ups and lifestyle changes at every stage of life helps everybody to keep on top of their health. It can avoid or delay the onset of disease, keep diseases that are already present from becoming worse or debilitating, improve quality of life and reduce healthcare costs.
Better care, better cure, better future.
Sources: www.cdc.gov, www.who.org, www.labtestsonline.org, www.heartfoundation.co.za