Trying to be healthier? You might be surprised about this.

We hear it over and over. Eat right and exercise to prevent obesity and improve health.

“The Today Show” reported this morning that even though gym memberships are up over the past ten years, there is also a 17% increase in obesity.

Why? Several reasons. Diet, for one. Research shows that only one out of ten adults eat enough fruits and vegetables. Americans eat too much fast food. No doubt we, as a nation, consume too many sweets.

Another reason: stress. We live in a fast-paced world. Jobs are stressful. Ask any teacher. Ask people working in the medical field. Ask people working in large corporations with huge assets and risks. Stress in relationships. Stress in families. I could go one and on.

The third reason: lack of sleep. Because our calendars are packed full, we let sleep slide. Adults require at least seven hours of sleep a night for maximum benefit, according to the experts. Teen-agers need even more, but most don’t get even eight hours a night.

Health care is big issue in our country. We don’t like paying the high premiums. High premiums are caused by high claims (and maybe greed by the insurance companies, but I am speculating there, just my opinion). Some of our health issues can’t be avoided. But some of them can. It has been proven over and over that being overweight or obese causes health problems. Heart problems, diabetes, and more.

The take-out from this report this morning is that exercise alone will not prevent health problems or being overweight. Exercise doesn’t give us a license to eat whatever we want.

We’ve heard it before, over and over. Exercise (at least 30 minutes five times a week, enough to increase your heart rate), eat right, get enough sleep, and take measures to decrease your stress.

Keep in mind that genetics play a role. Most of us will never have that ideal body shape. Some people have a slow metabolism and will never be as thin as they’d like. I will never the shape I’d like because of genetics. And overweight doesn’t necessarily mean unhealthy. A family member lived to be over 100, and I doubt she had a slim day in her life. But she exercised. She ate well. and, yes, she had great genetics. As far as I know, she didn’t have blood pressure problems until she was in her 80s. She was amazing.

This post isn’t about body shape or appearance. It’s about health.

I share this not to be preachy. I fall short in many ways. I share this because I maybe someone will take the time to read this short blog who might need a little motivation in their journey toward better health. Those who know me know that I am a faithful walker and have been for years. I do eat healthy, for the most part, although a daily Diet Coke is my guilty pleasure. (I’m trying to cut down, Kevin, really I am. And I have.) Chips and salsa are my weekly splurge. Eating healthy doesn’t mean you can never have the bad stuff. It just means make the bad stuff an occasional treat, not the norm in your life.

I have seen this work in my own life. Fifteen years ago I was diagnosed with elevated bad cholesterol (genetics here). I basically eliminated fried food and red meat from my diet. No cholesterol problems now. My triglycerides this past June were only 64. Last year they were 40. In 2001, I was almost 20 pounds heavier than I am now (students were wondering if I were expecting a baby, so that gives you an idea what my stomach looked like!). I kicked it in gear and made changes. I know it works. At 62, the only medicine I take is an over-the-counter eye vitamin for people with macular degeneration, AReds2. With my family genetics, I should be on blood pressure medicine, cholesterol medicine, and even diabetes medicine, but I’m not.

I attribute it to a basically healthy diet and exercise.

The report this morning said that a healthy diet and exercise can prevent certain cancers as well as the more obvious diseases.

Once again: a healthy diet, regular exercise, control stress, get enough sleep.

The result: A healthier you. A healthier me. A healthier country.

Maybe you and I will have diseases anyway, but if we can prevent even one health disorder, aren’t we better off? And who knows? Maybe our health insurance premiums will drop . . . Yeah, right.