“Prevention is better than cure” and “A stitch in time saves nine” are wisdom bytes that have been repeated and heard for centuries now. But do we understand its significance? Do we effectively practice it?

An intelligent person is one who has a solution to all problems, but a wise person is one who prevents any problems and promotes harmony.

By transforming from being ‘intelligent’ to ‘wise’, we can drastically cut the risk for chronic non-communicable lifestyle diseases, related complications, and co-morbidities by making simple yet significant changes in our daily choices.

Preventive healthcare is all that we do to track our physical development and discover health problems early, when they’re usually easier to treat.

When it comes to keeping people of all ages healthy, the following are key:

• Periodic health checks
• Dental check-ups
• Total adherence to vaccination schedules, especially for kids

The following have been identified as barriers to preventive healthcare:

• Unaffordable costs
• Absence of a primary care provider
• Logistically inaccessible providers
• Lack of awareness about recommended preventive healthcare services

Awareness on the importance of preventive healthcare is critical to ensuring that recommended services are accessible to every single individual in the community.

On the personal front, the following are a few simple measures that you can take which is worth the effort for preventive healthcare:

1. Health checks at least once a year, or as advised by your trusted physician
2. Dental check-ups twice a year
3. A disciplined lifestyle that includes
   • Waking up and going to sleep at the same time every day, ensuring to get 7-9 hours of undisturbed quality sleep
   • Brushing teeth twice a day, properly washing hands on stepping indoors and before touching food
   • Having breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the same time everyday
   • Eating a well-balanced diet at every meal—including healthy vegetables and fruits—that gives you the recommended daily intake of carbs, fat, protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals
   • Staying sufficiently hydrated, especially during summertime, with at least 2 litres of water per day
   • Investing in a good “broad-spectrum” sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, recommended by dermatologists for Indian skin
   • Wearing a mask fully covering the nose and mouth if surrounding air is polluted or dusty
   • Engaging in regular physical activity or exercise for at least 150 minutes a week
   • Managing stress with proper relaxations techniques like breathing exercises, yoga, and meditation
   • Nurturing social wellness by being part of a community of like-minded individuals and actively speaking and listening to its members and seeking the opportunity to laugh heartily.
   • Taking a break from urban monotony every 6 months and travel on vacation that provides opportunities to trek, hike, swim, walk, jog, and connect with nature to unwind and rejuvenate

These practices will effectively protect you from contracting any chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, heart problems, kidney disease/failure, PCOS/hormonal imbalances, thyroid disorders, chronic respiratory diseases, and arthritis.