In the crisis of soaring healthcare costs in the United States, it is more urgent than ever to seek cost-effective ways to reduce health risks. To keep costs under control the solution is simple; we should spend more on prevention because it can avoid expensive treatments later in life. More importantly, we constantly hear about cancer victims dying due to late diagnoses. This fact leads us to understand that, just like cancer, many diseases may not be curable but preventable. Early diagnosis with appropriate treatment before it becomes complicated can halt or slow the rate of further decline. Preventive medicine contains the capabilities to escape the high risk of later diagnosis or treatment and reduce healthcare costs. It is necessary and beneficial not only for the individual but for society. However, to understand how preventive medicine can provide a good return on investment, we must understand how preventive medicine can reduce health risks. To clarify this, I will cover the following topics before concluding with my discovery and my point of view on this topic: what is preventive medicine, levels of prevention and the prevention of specific diseases. What is preventive medicine? The 21st century is a mechanically progressive experimental time. Each year, millions of Americans die from the five leading causes of death: smoking (18%), overweight (15%), disease, respiratory problems, and unintentional injuries (Vorwick, 2010). Although death is inevitable, most causes since death are preventable with behavior and lifestyle changes. Preventive medicine refers to measures taken to prevent a certain disease, as opposed to treating the disease once contracted. While...... at the center of the article...... style in a global paradigm of health and disease: skills and knowledge for predictive, preventive and personalized medicine. The EPMA newspaper. Retrieved July 6, 2014, from http://www.epmajournal.com/content/3/1/8Anderson, Charles & Johnson (2003). The awesome psychology article. Chicago: Lucerne Publishing Vorvick (2010, November). Cancer Statistics, 2010 - Jemal - 2010 - CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians - Wiley Online Library. Retrieved July 12, 2014, from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.3322/caac.20073/fullWalker, J. (1969). Can life expectancy in Western populations be increased by changes in diet and lifestyle? Cape Town: South African Journal of Nutrition. page 57World Health Organization. (2014, March). WHO | The top 10 causes of death. Retrieved July 12, 2014, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs310/en/index2.html