The old saying 'health is wealth' never runs truer as the state of your health will always be the major determining factor in your quality of life, your life span, your energy level, and your outlook and enjoyment of life. The vast majority of people claim their health is of paramount importance to them yet they are unwilling to invest the time and effort to do the most basic things to ensure it.

Take your own health for example ? everything in life is moving in a single direction, either it is getting better or it is getting worse. Nothing is frozen in time waiting. Which direction is your health heading in and how is it now as compared to five years ago? What do you think your health will be like five or even ten years from now?

It is a shame that many people go through life believing that they do not need to make an effort to achieve wellness thinking that if they are not sick they are 'well'. How do we get off believing that having 'health' insurance will keep us healthy when it only pays for disease care? Isn't that by definition a bit late?

We can go through our life hoping the 'Lady Luck" will be kind to us and spare us from a life threatening disease or illness. But how much is our health really worth to us? Do we stick with the deluded belief that taking numerous medications, drugs and pills to control this and manage that is going to keep us healthy? If we were healthy would we need toxic drugs?

Take a long hard look at what are you doing, each and every day to improve your health. If the answer is "very little" you are riding on a knife edge as there is a 95% chance you will eventually end up with one of the 'big three' modern chronic lifestyle diseases, heart disease, cancer or diabetes. One can only imagine the horror of being presented with a diagnosis such as this.

How much time and effort would then be needed ? doctors, tests, specialists, procedures, surgery, travelling time and expense, time off work, maybe even losing your job. How much precious time would be spent waiting in doctor's offices, running around taking tests and more tests?

How much would the thought of losing not only your health but maybe your life be worth to you then? Would it be the old "Spare no expense man, give me the works, I want every test, and the latest and greatest technology. Money is not an option I don't want to die".

Wouldn't it be easier to spend some time each and every week ensuring you do not have to go through this? Just two simple things that you yourself can do would protect you by up to 70% from these diseases. How much better would this be?

It starts by you taking full responsibility for your health and wellness and making daily decisions to take care of your health. Then those decisions need to take the highest priority and commitment from you to achieve it.

The first thing you will need is a proper exercise program. This program should contain strength building and maintaining exercise. It should be set up by a fitness professional who will teach you not only exercise technique but at what level of intensity (degree of difficulty) to work at.

And no, going for a walk or doing a bit of gardening is not going to cut it. These activities are merely part of an active lifestyle and cannot ever replace a proper exercise program. You will be very disappointed in the results if you believe this. Next you need to eat right. This should include as little processed food as possible. Try for 4-6 small meals each day that include a source of protein at each meal.

Investing in things that promote health, like going for wellness care before you get sick, having a gym membership and buying quality foods are the things you need to achieve good health and to keep it right throughout your life. Make these things the only prescription you ever need to get filled.