One alarming trend resulting from the spiraling cost of healthcare is that more Americans, including relatively well-off middle-class Americans, are opting out of paying for healthcare completely. Yes, the working poor comprise the majority of the 41 million or so Americans who are currently uninsured. But in 2002, the growth rate of working-poor Americans without healthcare was matched by the growth rate of middle-class Americans who dropped their healthcare coverage because they simply couldn't afford it.

While I understand why out-of-work Americans, home-based and other small business owners, and high-health-risk Americans might want to try and save money by foregoing their healthcare plans, the decision to do so is suicidal. Without healthcare, prohibitive illness or injury could literally bankrupt a family. Worse, they risk not getting the medical care when they might need it most.

WHY SHOULD THE AVERAGE AMERICAN FOCUS ON PREVENTION?

Unfortunately, the current trends indicate that the retirement years for many — perhaps even you — will be marked by fighting for life rather than living it. Taking action towards prevention rather than relying on treatment will generate two positive outcomes. First, you will protect your lifestyle, meaning the activities that bring you joy and fulfillment, from unwanted ailments. For many, an ideal retirement means playing more golf, spending more time with grandchildren, and taking those road trips with the newly purchased RV. This all works if you and your bottom line are healthy. You cannot bounce your grandchildren on your knee if your body struggles to even support itself.

WHY SHOULD THE AVERAGE AMERICAN INVEST FINANCIALLY IN PREVENTION NOW? 

Spending $7.50 a month on a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement that bases its strength upon meeting the already flawed RDA benchmark will not cut it. Prevention means investing at least $100 a month on a multivitamin which becomes a $24,000 investment by the time you hit the age of sixty-five. According to the study from Fidelity Investments, a couple retiring today at age sixty-five will need approximately $160,000 in savings to cover their retirement medical expenses. Take into consideration that health-care costs continue to rise between 7–15 percent per year and that figure will equal $500,000 to $2,225,000 respectively in twenty years. The $100 a month investment towards prevention is just as important as any 401(k) contribution. Spending $24,000 to avoid $500,000 in potential medical costs makes good sense. Financial security, even avoiding bankruptcy as a senior will, for the first time, include a vigilant focus on health and wellness. 

WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO CREATE A "PREVENTATIVE" LIFESTYLE?

SUPPLEMENTATION — Perhaps the easiest route to improved health is through the addition of a quality multivitamin and mineral supplement. A daily multivitamin regimen can ensure that your body gets not only the nutrients it needs to survive, but also in the amounts that it needs to protect itself from environmental risk factors. Look for a company with solid scientific backing, a good quality assurance program, and a reputation for producing the best product around.

GOOD DIET HABITS — Start giving vegetables the starring role in your eating habits. Cut back on sugar, fats, and processed foods. Eat more fresh foods like fruits and vegetables and try to eat more fowl and fish than red meat.

EXERCISE — Gardening, cleaning the house, going for a walk, playing basketball with the kids or going for a swim all count as good physical activity. And remember that we're talking about thirty minutes of cumulative activity throughout the day. I look at exercise as a critical component to my retirement strategy. What good is a stable retirement fund without the health to enjoy it?