As a whole our society has reached a turning point in development. We have hit a cross road and need to start making some very important decisions for the future. While we have been so solely focused on technology and development we have neglected other important aspects of our lives including fitness and health.

The activity that used to be required for all tasks has been taken away. We do not need to exert any energy in order to get shelter, obtain food or keep warm. We have created tools such as cars and computers that make it easier than ever to live without getting off the seat of our pants. The problems we are now facing as a whole are based on man made tools and technology. We have no one else to blame but ourselves for the health epidemic we are facing, and thus no one else to look to for help.

The simple truth is that 50 percent of the world is affected by some chronic illness or medical condition. Some people are even affected by more than one. Two thirds of our population is obese and most of the rest are just plain lazy, tired or depressed. There is only really one factor that can be blamed for this and that is our society's lack of exercise.

Are you having a hard time believing that lack of exercise is directly correlated to the increase of chronic disease? Just look at the way our world works these days and consider that our average life span has decreased by an average of 25 years over the last decade. This is even with all the new technology and advances in modern medicine. It is something we must be ashamed of. This is the legacy that we have left behind and what we will be remembered for.

Everyone in the world is affected by this problem and thus we must make a stand together. We must put up a fight and change the downward spiral that we are heading in towards a more positive direction. Change happens with you. Once you understand the effect that your lifestyle has on your health, then you can begin to make changes in others. We need to stop believing that medicine and doctors can cure us from disease. We must admit that the best medicine is in fact prevention. A healthy lifestyle and physical activity is actually the best method of prevention known to mankind.

In order to work properly our bodies need and crave physical activity. This exertion forces the production and repair of all the important tissues and cells within the body. The less exercise we engage in, the less efficient our body becomes. Our immune system thrives on activity and without it we are painfully susceptible to all kinds of diseases. We must make a stand now before this epidemic gets even more out of hand.

All we see nowadays on the internet and television are all these get fit quick schemes. The entire market has been saturated with money making plots that do not work and will not make that positive change in your life that you so desperately need. We are being swayed by marketing and simply untrue facts every day. We purchase the most colorful boxes of food in the stores simply because it looks nice and is dirt cheap. We run right past the natural, healthy food aisle because we feel that fruits and vegetables are overpriced. This is the attitude we must stop. In order for our species to survive and live on we must create awareness in terms of a healthy lifestyle and proper choices.

The first step is taking personal responsibility for your actions. You cannot hope to make a change in the lives of others until you can set a positive example. Start small by making small changes. Start promoting healthy choices in your life with daily exercise and an improved diet. Simply by doing that people around you will start to take notice and want to make the same changes in their lives. Often, a great example set by another can be the most motivating factor in society. Start making a change today and watch as you not only help yourself but help everyone else around you.