Stop Saying Disease Prevention, It’s all About Health Promotion.

As part of my running an international health institute, I listen to do different health care providers share their stories, passions, and what drives them. More often, then not, I hear a lot of practitioners talking about disease prevention being the key to a healthy lifestyle, and longevity. I would have agreed about 6 years ago. Now, I disagree with the linguistics of disease prevention. I full heartedly believe that we need to change our lifestyles, mindsets and increase our exercise. That is part of happy, healthy and wealthy. We MUST STOP saying disease prevention.

What does disease prevention mean?

It means how not to get disease. Somehow, along the way, disease became an inevitable fate of humans. We need to do everything in our power not to end up with disease. Well, that mindset isn’t helping anyone. It is harming them. Our focused is place on “how not to get a disease”, and all our unconscious mind hears is DISEASE.

Disease is not guaranteed, and we need to stop installing the idea that it is. Our patients and clients are coming to us for help, we need give them the best care possible. The intention behind disease prevention is about creating an amazing and enriching lifestyle that promotes health. So let’s fully embrace that. Stop saying disease prevention and start saying Health Promotion.

Sing it from the roof tops and start using it will every beautiful soul that sits in front of you. This small change in your language will have a huge impact with your patients and will start to impact the wellness industry dramatically.

Every time I changed someone diet, I always told them what they needed to take out; gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, nightshades and so on. The very first question they always had was, “well what can I eat then?”

When I was first starting out I would give them a few examples of what they could it. Those patients found it harder to stick to their “restrictive diet”. They were focused on all the foods they couldn’t have. I took note and started to give my patient a large laundry list of all the foods they could eat. I told them to take this shopping list with them and gave them cookbooks that worked with all the foods they could enjoy. This dramatically improved my patients’ compliance and results.

When we place our focus on what we want to happen, naturally our behaviours follow suit. Imagine all your patients will now find it easier to change their diets and add healthier lifestyle interventions because they clearly can see what they need to focus on.

Not only will you improve their health results you will also subtly shift your clients from their sympathetic nervous system into their parasympathetic.

Simply, close your eyes and say out loud, “Disease prevention”. Note the feeling you have in chest, notice if there is any tightness in your shoulders or throat. How shallow is your breathing? What is your heart rate like?

Now, close your eyes and say “health promotion” out loud. Note the feeling you have in your chest, notice if your muscles have relaxed, and your breath gets deeper. You may even notice your heart beating slower with an even rhythm.

It is small like changes like these that will have a great impact on the wellness industry. If we all start making these subtle shifts and set our patients up for success from the get go. It starts with the practitioners learning to focus on health, and start saying it the way they want it. Your patients will naturally follow your lead.

Remember to say it the way you want it… You specialize in health promotion.

What just shifted? What ah-has did you have? Do you have any questions? What do I need to know? I would love to hear your story and see how we can work together. Book a Zoom Tea with me. Right Now.