There's an astounding difference in the cost of preventing common chronic illnesses and diseases versus treating or curing them, both in money and time spent suffering.

This year, I've spent some time in the hospital visiting loved ones who were dealing with health challenges, and (as I'm sure you already know) hospitals are awful!

• The healthcare providers working there are often rude and apathetic.
• They are full of sad, dreary people.
• They are seemingly uncomfortable and soulless by design.
• It's next to impossible to get the kind of healthy food I'd like at hospitals' cafes and restaurants.
• I'm not good at waiting. I especially despise, waiting in line to talk to a person sitting behind a desk or counter. And at the hospital, you do A LOT of waiting.
• Every year in the news we hear endless stories about egregious medical malpractice; the catastrophic death toll of medical malpractice is 250,000 souls annually in the USA alone making it the third-leading cause of death there. Which should make you seriously consider medical tourism elsewhere if you get sick in America.
• In some countries, a hospital stay is extremely expensive. In the United States, it costs on average $2000 a night, maybe a lot more depending on what you're there for. Insurance often covers a significant portion of hospital care but you have to deal with ridiculous, confusing paperwork and they make it a major pain for you to figure out how much you'll have to pay out of pocket. If you don't have insurance many hospitals and doctors take cash payment upfront, but that's also expensive and if you can't afford it you'll be stuck waiting for hours and hours in an Emergency Room.
• You getting sick and being in the hospital takes a tremendous toll on your loved ones. They spend days or weeks (or longer) stressed and concerned about your wellbeing. They have to take time off work and spend a lot of time coming to see you.

It's worth almost any expenditure to prevent the kinds of health issues that are going to land you in the hospital. The good news is that the cost of preventing chronic health issues and disease is between 5% - 10% of the cost of treating and curing them if they arise. It's just smart to invest in prevention.