6 investments in your health

One in three adults often fail to take their prescribed medication, reports a Harris Interactive study. Sound like you?

Maybe you forget, don't like the side effects or don't have symptoms. But carelessness can be costly. Skipping cholesterol medication, for example, may lead to a heart attack, which could result in several days' hospitalization and a lifetime of treatment costs.

"Compared with treating disease, medication is an inexpensive lifesaver," says Dr. Julie Abbott, a preventive medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic.

Set a specific time of day to take your meds, and put them in a place where you'll see them, such as next to the coffeemaker.

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