As we lay another young man to rest today, I find myself asking the same question over and over again.
What does it really take for people to take their health seriously?
My nephew left us far too soon because he didn’t take action. He didn’t look after his diabetes, and he didn’t take care of his kidneys. And the heartbreaking thing is, his life could have been so much easier if he had.
But like so many people, you think it’s never really going to happen to you.
Until it does.
Today I’m thinking about a memory from 2019 in the Barossa Valley in Australia. We spent the day simply driving around, walking, eating lovely food, and soaking up the sunshine. Nothing extraordinary, just one of those beautiful ordinary days you never imagine will one day become precious.
And now I realise that memory is something I will carry forever.
It makes you stop and think about what actually matters in life.
Not the endless rushing around.
Not the projects.
Not the money.
Not the things we convince ourselves are so important.
Because none of it means anything without your health.
And this is why I speak about prevention all the time. Not because I enjoy lecturing people or telling them what to do, but because I keep seeing what happens when people ignore the signs, delay taking action, or convince themselves they still have time.
The body whispers before it screams.
Most people are given chances long before something serious happens. High blood sugar, exhaustion, weight gain, poor sleep, high blood pressure, constant inflammation… these things are not random. They are messages.
But people carry on.
They push through.
They normalise feeling unwell.
And then one day, life changes completely.
If you are reading this today, please don’t wait for fear, illness, or loss to force you into looking after yourself.
Don’t wait until the choice is no longer yours.
Eat better.
Move more.
Pay attention to your body.
Go for the walk.
Make the appointment.
Take responsibility for your health while you still can.
Because at the end of the day, your wealth, your plans, your ambitions, and all the things you are chasing mean very little if your health is gone.
So today, once again, I ask the same question.
What does it really take?
And when are you going to take control of your life?
Prevention is better than a cure, always.
Milvia Pili
Functional Nutritional Therapist
