Can you really avoid illness?

Health advice comes in many forms. The most comical advice I have ever come across was a health decree recently issued by the Mayor of a small town in Southern Italy. The decree prohibited anybody in his town from getting sick!

Specifically, the residents were warned not to contract any illness requiring urgent medical assistance, not to engage in activities that may get them unwell, and to stay put and rest most of the time. It wasn’t immediately clear how the Mayor’s decree was going to get enforced.

The background to the said Mayor’s advice was based on his town’s healthcare resources. The town has limited capability to take care of it’s residents’ health needs. There are hardly any healthcare facilities and very few doctors

He was essentially provoking action from regional healthcare authorities. In his own words, his decree was an ‘urgent and non-deferrable act of a precautionary nature’.

Can you avoid getting sick completely? The answer is no. But the decree given by the referenced mayor isn’t without merit. Many medical conditions are preventable. The list of what isn’t preventable can also be shrunken by health vigilance. The fewer the number of sick people in a community, the more such communities thrive in all other aspects of life. Not getting sick, at any cost, should be a desirable state for all individuals.

Your lifestyle is a major contributor to your overall health. Nearly every aspect of modernity habitually predisposes us to unhealthy behaviour.

Think of everything that predisposes you to a sedentary lifestyle. Think of everything that tempts you to poor eating habits. Look around and see how modernity leads you to consumption of toxic stuff that includes alcohol, smoking and drugs. You don’t need to look far to see reckless and risky behaviour that is all too common and unhealthy.

You should instinctively know what healthy behaviour is and what it isn’t. Your default should lean toward the healthier side, reducing your predisposition to disease. Health vigilance keeps you alert to what might catch you off guard.

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If you have a family history of chronic conditions, you can get screened to prevent them. While no law can make you disease-proof, your health destiny is largely in your hands. You can’t change genetic predispositions, nor completely isolate yourself from global epidemics. The recklessness of others can also affect you. However, adopting a vigilant and proactive approach can significantly reduce your chances of illness, allowing you to live healthier despite external challenges.

Dr Murage is a Consultant Gynecologist and Fertility Specialist. [email protected]