Introduction
What are you supposed to do with all the information about disease prevention and health promotion constantly bombarding you from television, radio, magazines, newspapers, Internet and sensationalist tabloids? How can you tell which preventive measures apply to you at your age, with your lifestyle, with chronic diseases you may (or may not) have? How can you judge whether exercise, moderate daily alcohol intake, or cholesterol reduction is good for you? The answer: it may not be easy. This article will attempt to help you evaluate which preventive measures and health promotion activities are applicable to you.
First, Talk To Your Doctor
Believe it or not, even though doctors are often accused of not paying enough attention to disease prevention and health promotion, they remain your best source for accurate data and opinions. However, if your physician rarely discusses prevention with you, it is important that you make it a point to bring up the subject and ask questions, either when you are in her/his office or on the telephone. Disease prevention and health promotion are just as important in the senior population as in younger age groups.
The Two Categories Of Prevention
We generally think of disease prevention in two categories.
- The first is
primary prevention
-- that is, stopping a disease or problem before it begins. One of the best examples of this is getting a yearly flu vaccination to prevent getting influenza.
Copyright 2009 NBC Health
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