Maintaining Wellness in the Modern World: David Horlock, Adviser
For 8 Dimension Ventures Adviser David G. Horlock, preventing illness is the key to an individual’s health and wellness.
“Prevention is an area that is greatly overlooked, but is essential,” he says. “The 8 Dimensions of Wellness cover Emotional, Financial, Social, Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Occupational and Environmental. They all work in harmony with one another.”
Indeed, the current model of healthcare in wealthy countries is focused on the treatment of disease and illness. In the UK, just 3.7 percent of health expenditures go towards prevention, according to the OECD. That’s only slightly higher than the average of 2.4 percent for rich nations.
Treating illness rather than building the mind, spirit, and body is a backward approach to wellness. And it does not make sense financially. According to the consulting firm McKinsey, “prevention of disease is typically less expensive than treatment.”
It is extremely difficult to get the giant healthcare ecosystem ocean tankers to change directions. However, innovative startups can fill a gap where governments are unwilling, or unable, to go. Companies in the health and wellness sector can help individuals by supporting prevention. It also extends to investment firms: 8 Dimension Ventures is creating a fund that will fund businesses that focus on all aspects of health and wellness. The goal is to improve both people and planet.
Adviser David Horlock, an executive with the British Standards Institution (BSI), is excited about being part of 8 Dimension Ventures. “Health is the most valuable asset any one person holds. As such, wealth can be measured by the wellbeing of each individual, family, organisation, and community.”
Two of the dimensions, in particular, speak to him. Physical: He stresses the importance of physical activity, sleep, and nutrition in maintaining wellness; Spiritual: It’s vital to expand the sense of purpose in life.
“A positive mind (the Spiritual) is the most powerful chemical factory available and is critical during difficult times like we are experiencing with Covid,” he says.
