In the Sisyphus story, Sisyphus was punished for his wickedness by being forced to roll a boulder up a hill for eternity.

Is it a fair trade to roll a boulder up a hill to live forever? Is a life of misery a life worth living? Don’t struggle with the questions too long.

The answer is no. And the things I am going to suggest are not miserable. =-)

We know that it takes very little to battle the chronic illnesses that permeate our society. 85% or more of the conditions that incapacitate and kill Americans are preventable by lifestyle choices.

Heredity is not to blame for the vast majority of these conditions.

Here are the three simple steps. The order is not specific.

Eat minimally processed food, and do not over-consume. What we put into our bodies we control. I am not recommending any specific diet here because what we know is that it doesn’t matter. What matters is consuming real food in the amounts that your body needs to function. This will always be true—no matter what new diet pops up. The fact remains. The sooner you accept it, the sooner your health will improve.

You do not need to be perfect. You need to be consistent.

Move daily. Movement can take any form you like. The simplest is walking. If you currently get less than 10,000 steps a day, make that your first goal.

Strength training. As I discussed in the post: Four ways to limit muscle loss as you age, muscle loss will end you. Find a coach if weight training is new to you. Find a gym if it is not. The time you spend in the gym or with a coach is returned to you tenfold.

Don’t make this list complicated. You don’t need new shoes; you do not need a new cooking device (unless you don’t have any!) You may need some help with strength training.

Let us know if you need help with any of these things. We specialize in all of them.