It’s wonderful to know that you have options available when you need care quickly, but it’s never good to let pressing treatments during illness or injury be your only form of health care. Seeing a doctor regularly for checkups and physicals is the best way to stay healthy. When you don’t have time to schedule an appointment your new option involves an urgent care walk in clinic. There are many urgent care clinics across the country, and they are becoming the new go-to health location.What can preventative health care do for you? Prevention in health care is all encompassing. Eating healthy, exercising, and visiting a primary care physician and dentist regularly are all part of lengthening your life. Getting excellent health care when you have a problem isn’t the only step of living a healthy life. The best course of action is stopping any diseases before they start.How Prevention HelpsMany serious health concerns and deaths are caused by completely preventable diseases or chronic conditions that could be addressed with regular health care. How does prevention help?Chronic Diseases -7 out of 10 Americans who die every year, will die from chronic diseases. Many of these diseases, like diabetes, are preventable. And some, like heart disease and cancer, can be caught early with regular checkups.More Common Than You Think -If you break down the numbers, almost one in every two adults has a chronic illness of some kind! Many of whom are unaware of, or not properly treating, their illnesses.Children Need Preventative Health Care Too – These kinds of diseases are becoming more common in children as well. Simply because most children are healthy and have good immune systems after infanthood does not mean they can go without regular checkups. One in every three children in America is currently vulnerable to some chronic diseases simply by being overweight. Healthier children means more days in school and better learning!Those who discover chronic conditions, like cancer, early are more likely to survive. And many chronic diseases are found during routine check ups and doctor’s appointments. There are financial benefits to preventative health care as well! Healthier people mean less sick days, less company loss, and higher paychecks for everyone.What it Means to Engage in PreventionPreventative health care is wide in scope. So what does it mean to actively engage in health prevention?Visit the Doctor if You Are Sick -It means going to the doctor, including an urgent care walk in clinic, when you are sick so that a standard infection doesn’t become a dangerous secondary infection.Take Care of Yourself at Home -It means checking yourself for potential issues with safety measures like breast self-examinations and keeping good track of your body’s behaviors.Submit to Annual Examinations and Tests -It means submitting to even those tests you find embarrassing, like colonoscopies or prostate exams. Being healthy means putting pride aside and considering your body’s needs.Commit to Living Healthy -It means focusing on the best ways to make your body healthy with everyday living. Try to stop habits that have long term effects on your body, like drinking and smoking. Try to involve yourself in regular exercise. Try to note what you eat and how much you eat. Good nutrition means better health.A routine investment in your health is a long term investment in your future!