The word ‘disease’ comes from the old French desaise meaning ‘lack of ease’. With this in mind, all dis-ease might be viewed as a ‘lack of ease’ in our body. Discerning when and how to intervene during periods of dis-ease in our lives is part of lifestyle medical wisdom.

Absence of disease can be conceived of as a period of early disease-development, where all internal and external factors that were contributing towards health are starting to dysfunction and no measurable markers of disease (symptoms) have yet emerged. It is the window of opportunity where lifestyle interventions, or behavioural changes, are key players in predicting and manipulating future outcomes of wellbeing. It is likewise a time when individuals can have pivotal influence over their own future wellbeing, which is determined by a dynamic multitude of everyday lifestyle decisions and behaviours.