Yet patterns of healthcare expenditure in the OECD countries show overwhelming preference for healthcare strategies in which, on average, ninety-seven cents in the health dollar is spent on treatment and just three cents on prevention.



I know it sounds almost unbelievable but people seem to feel more confident and comfortable knowing there's some sort of ?cure? for their illness than about preventing it occurring in the first place. It's fair to say society is not particularly interested in prevention, instead, it's hooked on treatment ? and their governments respond accordingly.

There are a number of reasons why people have turned their back on prevention and topping the list is society's mindset. There is little doubt many people have been conditioned at a subconscious level by healthcare marketers, health authorities and their own observations to accept ill-health and aging as a normal part of living so that the concept of taking control of one's health and actually preventing the onset of illness is, for many, very difficult to entertain.

The way by which prevention has been promoted has also contributed to the community's attitude. Prevention has been presented either as strenuous gym workouts, jogging and diets; as a costly regime of vitamins, hormones, sexual stimulants or, in some instances, as ancient wisdom. Faced with those sorts of options it is hardly surprising people feel little enthusiasm.

Where do we go from here? Well, as the populations in industrialised nations age, two things are clear - the number of people working and therefore paying taxes to support healthcare systems will decrease and the number requiring treatment will increase.

With that reality and the almost certain continuation of the upward spiral in the price of treatment, the value of extending the life of a relatively few individuals ?at all costs? will have to be assessed against the potential benefits of funding large-scale public awareness and prevention programs.

One obvious solution is to reduce demand for treatment by stopping or at least delaying the onset of illness. To do that requires a new approach to prevention, one that is so enjoyable people embrace it enthusiastically ? it's what they want to do.

Few people know that we all have the potential for lifetime good health and great sexual enjoyment. Even fewer realise that the body's cells hold all the information needed to ensure we feel mentally alert, vital, sexy and really alive whatever our age.

All we need do is tap into the knowledge and there are many very pleasurable ways people can do that thereby removing the need to resort to drugs, hormones, stimulants, strict diets, endless jogging, strenuous gym workouts or other unnatural practices that are commonly promoted as a panacea.

So let's look at what form a preventative strategy might take. As a example, here's a sampling of the some factors you should consider when developing a program to Keep Your Brain Healthy ? surely a measure we would all like to take? but, unfortunately, most of us don't know how:

1) Physical exercise: Physical exercise can encourage a healthy brain to function optimally in ways that are not widely known or their value appreciated. For example, exercise can help the brain by promoting the production of new neurons (brain cells) and strengthening the connections between neurons.

2) Reduce stress levels: Stress plays havoc with the functioning of the brain and the body systems it controls. In particular, the sustained presence of stress hormones in the bloodstream can damage brain cells.

3) Encourage the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain: Increasing blood flow and oxygen can help support the survival of new neurons and foster neuron ?firing?. In simple terms, ?firing? means a neuron connecting with its neighbours ? which is how messages are transmitted to and from the brain.

4) Promote the generation and circulation of sexual energy: Sexual energy can play a key part in supporting mental health as it fosters, for example, the movement of chemicals called neurotransmitters between neurons. These play a critical role in the communication of information between nerve cells. As an illustration, the neurotransmitter serotonin associated with sexual behaviour and arousal is involved in a number of functions including influencing mood and alertness.

5) Control the breathing rate: Another important factor in optimising brain health is the practice of slowing down the breathing rate as that can enhance the activity of the hypothalamus and the pituitary and pineal glands, the optimum performance of which is central to the maintenance of both physical and mental health.

6) Challenge the brain with a variety of ?new? experiences: Walking backwards is a simple example. By experiencing such unusual patterns of behaviour the brain is stimulated and there is some evidence that the brain can actually increase in size.

7) Stimulate the senses:

The bottom line here is that you should take every opportunity to engage your eyes and smell sensors by continually sampling your surroundings ? consciously keep your eyes moving so you present your brain with new information to analyse and process while you ?sniff? the environment in search of smells and odours for your brain to identify.

In conclusion it is fair to say that all the above elements can have a marked positive influence on brain health in their own right. However, it is the synergistic impact of using them in combination that is likely to provide the most powerful benefits.

Hopefully you can appreciate, from the nature of the strategy outlined above, that prevention programs can be enjoyable and completely natural and that by incorporating such factors in your daily routine you will be helping your brain to help itself and keep your mind as sharp as a tack for life.