Why prevention matters

Experts explain why adopting healthier habits – even small ones – is an investment in your future physical and mental health

January 29, 2025 | 2 min read

When you dream about your future self—10, 20, or 30 years from now—what do you see?

Maybe you picture yourself hiking up a mountain on a bucket-list trip, in an epic living-room wrestling match with shrieking grandchildren, or relaxing around a kitchen table with friends, sharing stories over a home-cooked meal.

You probably don’t picture yourself in a hospital bed.

Most of us aspire to live long, healthy lives.1 No one wants to be sick as they age. Yet data suggests a growing number of us are likely to be.

While Canadians are living longer than ever, nearly half are doing so with at least one major chronic illness.2 The University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health recently forecast that 24% of Ontario’s population will be living with a serious disease by 2040—up from 19% in 2020—with one in four expected to require significant hospital care for their illness.3 Aggregate Manulife claims data reveals that the number of Canadians claiming medication to treat chronic conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension has grown notably in recent years. Claims for mental health treatments have also surged.4

As concerning (even scary) as those numbers are, for millions of Canadians, a healthy future —one where you live not just longer, but better—is still possible. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, about four in five Canadians have at least one modifiable risk factor for chronic disease—that is, variables we have some control over, such as low levels of daily activity, tobacco use, or poor diet.5

It’s true that no individual can eliminate the complex systemic, environmental, and genetic factors that influence our health and can contribute to illness. Nor can any one person fix the challenges facing Canada’s healthcare system. However, there is something you can do to reduce your own likelihood of disease and increase the chances of your dream future coming true: Prioritize prevention.

Prevention can help you feel in control

Preventive health involves actions, strategies and practices that are aimed at both preventing the onset of disease, and identifying health risks and health conditions early on, says Dr. Michelle Roseman with Cleveland Clinic Canada, Manulife’s Medical Director. This can manifest in many ways: Keeping on top of your routine screenings and immunizations. Taking precautions—like always wearing a helmet on a bike ride—to avoid injuries. Proactively tending to your mental health, even when you “feel fine.” Developing better diet and exercise habits—even small ones, like swapping your afternoon soda for a glass of water, or parking at the far end of the lot to get a few hundred extra steps.

Such healthy habits spark all sorts of positive ripple effects. “Changing what we do can significantly alter our physiology,” Dr. Roseman explains. She cites the example of taking a brisk walk every day—an activity proven to lower risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, improve musculoskeletal pain, promote better sleep, and enhance mental health.

A seemingly simple stroll activates our cellular pathways and immune systems in all sorts of beneficial ways—all while also combatting genetic risk factors. “It’s a tremendously powerful intervention,” Dr. Roseman says. “Healthy behaviours can help activate helpful health-promoting genes and turn off genes that have more negative effects.”

Related: Discover how Manulife Vitality can help you develop and maintain healthier habits

Check out our FAQs, hear from members and learn what makes Manulife Vitality different from traditional insurance.

Prevention can extend your “health span”

Together with social supports and health-promoting environments, proactive preventive measures can create a sort of armour against preventable health problems. They won’t guarantee you’ll never get sick, but they can reduce the likelihood of it happening, as well as the severity of the situation if it does. According to medical experts, this can all extend your long-term “health span”—that is, the duration you’re able enjoy a high quality of life—while also sparking some immediate physical, mental, and emotional benefits. (Think of the energy you feel after a nutrient rich lunch, or the focus you gain by taking a break in nature, or the rush of endorphins--the “happiness hormone”--that comes after a workout with a buddy.)

“The aim of preventive acts is to reduce our health risks in both our short-term and long-term health,” Dr. Roseman says. Her colleague, Dr. Stephen Pomedli, Primary Care Physician at Cleveland Clinic Canada, captures the magic of prevention a bit more bluntly: “If it were packaged as a drug, it would be a blockbuster.”

Dr. Al Qahwash, DPT, sees the power of prevention every day in his work as Director of Cardiac Care and Critical Care at St. Mary’s General Hospital in Kitchener, ON. The hospital’s PREVENT Clinic operates a multidisciplinary risk-factor reduction program—comprising individualized exercise plans, custom diet modifications, and smoking cessation support, among other measures—meant to prevent cardiovascular disease. (Manulife is a major supporter of the clinic’s work.)

“We know that preventive acts reduce the burden of chronic disease in our population, lower health-care costs, and improve people’s quality of life,” Dr. Qahwash says. “That’s why it should matter for Canadians.”

Prevention is a dynamite investment

Experts acknowledge that prioritizing prevention is not always easy, nor is it always particularly fun—not everyone loves salad, or stretching, or 6:00 a.m. meditation classes.

“It’s easy to get caught up in our day-to-day lives, and think ‘future me is a future problem,’ but the reality is, everything you’re doing today is adding up,” says Karen Cutler, Head of Underwriting and Chief Underwriter for Manulife’s Individual Insurance business.

But living a more preventive lifestyle doesn’t have to involve dramatic change, Dr. Pomedli says. Small, incremental tweaks can make a big difference if you stick to them consistently.

And having access to helpful tools and services also goes a long way. Cutler says prevention is at the heart of product innovation across Manulife. The Manulife Vitality program, for example, offers individual insurance customers education, support, incentives and rewards for taking steps toward a longer, healthier life. Group benefit plan members using the Manulife Mobile app now have the chance to earn Aeroplan® points for completing health-related journeys and challenges; and a partnership with TELUS health provides participating group benefits plan holders with on-demand access to primary care, mental health, and other wellness professionals.

Whatever prevention path you choose, the time to start is now. Cutler recommends thinking about your future health with the perspective you’d apply to your future savings or retirement planning. “Prevention is an investment in yourself,” Cutler explains. “It doesn’t take a lot on a daily basis to start banking for the future you want.”

3 expert-recommended habits you can start today to prioritize prevention

  • Go for a 15-minute walk after dinner. Even a small bit of exercise after eating can help stabilize blood sugar,6 improve digestion,7 and help you sleep.8
  • Make two meals a week plant-based. Include heart-healthy legumes or beans to up your energy and boost your brain function.9
  • Schedule time to be outside. A few moments in nature—even in a small urban park—can ease anxiety, lower stress, and boost your mood.10

®Aeroplan is a registered trademark of Aeroplan Inc., used under licence.

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose or treat a condition. If you have questions or concerns about your specific situation or are seeking medical advice, contact your medical doctor or your healthcare provider.

Cleveland Clinic Canada
Manulife is proud to have Cleveland Clinic Canada on board as Medical Director for our Group Benefits operations. Cleveland Clinic Canada has a wealth of global healthcare expertise and shares our goal to help Canadians live longer, healthier, and better lives. Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit organization that has been at the forefront of modern medicine since 1921. In recent years, Cleveland Clinic has worked with progressive companies in Canada and around the world to prioritize the health and well-being of their employees, customers, and communities.

St. Mary’s PREVENT Clinic

In alignment with our Impact Agenda and our commitment to sustained health and well-being, Manulife Canada is proud to support the PREVENT Clinic powered by Manulife. Located within the St. Mary's Cardio Pulmonary Rehabilitation, the clinic serves as a multidisciplinary, risk-factor reduction program for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.