Good health and fitness sets the stage for a vibrant, productive life, increases the possibility of a healthy and active old age, gives you more options and saves you money. Staying healthy and fit reduces the chance of obesity and related diseases, can prevent cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer, lowers the possibility of debilitating injury and contributes immeasurably to a good quality of life. Not convinced to pass up that second dessert and hit the gym? Read on.
Live Longer, Live Better
The U.S. has an average 78.2-year lifespan, according to a study by the U.N. Population Division, which is actually quite low when compared to other developed nations, primarily due to obesity and a lack of fitness. Anthropologist and author Mary Catherine Bateson believes that retirement is the beginning of an active phase of contribution to society for as long as an older person stays healthy, relatively mobile and independent. Healthy senior years are a gift of time, not a burden of declining capabilities exacerbated by serious medical problems.
High Cost of Healthcare
Health and fitness are economical. The California Healthcare Foundation released a 2008 study showing that the U.S. spends $2.3 trillion a year on healthcare costs, $7,681 per person. Multiply that figure by the number of people in your household and then calculate the cost of fitness. Healthy food, regular exercise, even classes, equipment and gym programs might look like real bargains compared to the costs of injuries and illnesses. Even if you can't put a price on good health, it seems you can put a price on the lack of it, and the cost is steep.
Eat Well to Stay Well
More than one-third of U.S. adults and nearly one-third of America's children are obese. According to the CDC, the annual medical costs of obesity are at least $147 billion. Those are medical costs, not lost productivity or harder-to-measure quality-of-life costs. The CDC also reports that the number of diabetes case in the U.S. will increase from a high of 1 in 10 in 2010 to 1 in 3 by the year 2050. Most of that increase will be in type 2 diabetes, a diet- and lifestyle-related disease that can be prevented or controlled. A healthy diet with a good balance of nutrients and fiber provides a resilient body, stronger immune system, longer active years and lower medical expenses.
Exercise to Avoid Injury and Illness
Stay fit and here are your rewards: healthy body weight, fat-burning lean muscle, active aging, improved self confidence, decreased symptoms of arthritis, higher energy, increased immunity. Avoid exercise and you risk heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and some cancers. The American Council on Exercise thinks that's a no-brainer. You don't have to be a jock to stay fit. Get just a half-hour a day of moderate physical activity like brisk walking to enjoy the health benefits of regular exercise. Add time, intensity and deliberate choices of aerobics and strength-training routines for more powerful fitness benefits.
Give Up Bad Habits, Schedule Regular Checkups
Check in with your health care providers regularly to diagnose any problems early and to reinforce healthy choices. And go for those healthy choices. The Mayo Clinic says that lung cancer kills more Americans every year than colon, breast, prostate, ovarian and lymph cancers combined and that smoking is a leading cause. Quitting smoking can reverse or reduce the chance of developing lung cancer.
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