The Best Way to Prevent Disease

You know the expression "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"? One of the very best — and easiest — ways you can prevent disease and ensure you stay healthy is through routine health screenings!

You may be thinking, But I'm healthy! Why should I get tested for diabetes, cervical cancer, or any of the other conditions my doctor wants to test for? The answer is that screening is meant for healthy people to determine if they're at risk before a condition develops or becomes more serious.

You won't get a diagnosis from screening; it will only tell you if you're at risk for having a condition or illness. Your health care provider may perform a diagnostic test as a result of your screening results — or he/she may simply recommend you come back after another year or two or some other period of time to be screened again. Your health care provider may also use your screening results to suggest lifestyle changes you should incorporate in order to reduce your risk, such as changing your diet, increasing your activity level, or quitting smoking.

Keep in mind that screening is not perfect. If a screening test shows that you are not at risk for a specific disease or condition, there is still a small chance that you may develop it. So if you are having symptoms that suggest a specific condition, be sure to tell your health care provider about them, even if the screening test told you that you were not at risk.

Screening is important at all ages — no one is too old or too young. Are you up-to-date on all of your tests and immunizations? Have you discussed your family history of specific conditions with your doctor? This month, make a commitment to yourself to finally take care of any outstanding doctor visits or tests. Not sure if you are up-to-date? Members can log in to check out the recommended screening tests for adult men and women.