Home is Where Your Health Is

It's that time of year again. Dust the drapes, sweep under the rugs, wash the windows and flip the mattresses. (Truth be told, I’ve never flipped a mattress in my life. It's a good time to start, I suppose.)

In any event, when spring rolls around, it's time to clean house and get ready for warmer weather. In this column, I’ll give you some tips for improving the “health” your home.

In an ever more chaotic and stressful world, our homes as physical and mental sanctuaries become more important. Home is where we go to shake off the stress of life and to recharge our bodies and minds. Since we spend roughly two-thirds of our lives at home, the health of our homes largely determines the quality of our lives.

“Many people simply are not aware of how unhealthy their living environments might be,” says Debra Dadd-Redalia, author of five home health books including Home Safe Home (Putnam, 1997). “Individually, things such as toxic cleaners and reduced air circulation may have only a small impact, but collectively, they can have devastating effects on one’s long-term health,” she says.

Here are six simple steps to boost the “health” of your home:

STEP ONE: INCREASE AIR QUALITY AND CIRCULATION

I drive my wife crazy for many, many reasons. Here’s one: I am constantly flinging open all the windows in our home to bring in fresh air. It's a literal wind-tunnel at our house. Ok, perhaps I go a little overboard, but the quality of air inside your home is of paramount importance. Your body depends on a rich, clean supply of oxygen to function properly. But, in an effort to conserve energy, many homes are equipped with airtight windows, heavily insulated walls -- even gaskets that seal up doors and windows. While these advances are effective at keeping in heat and keeping out cold, they also trap contaminated, stale air inside your home. And that’s not healthy to breathe.

Open your windows to increase cross-ventilation. Also consider installing a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in your home, which removes particles in the air by forcing it through screens with microscopic pores. These devices work well and aren't too expensive. An item like this is especially important if you live in a big city where fresh air harder to come by. But do some research first; some experts believe HEPA filters don't do everything manufacturers say that they do. Consumer Reports (www.consumerreports.org) is a great place to research air filters for your home.

STEP TWO: STORE STRONG CHEMICALS AND CLEANING SUPPLIES OUTSIDE

We are all subjected to varying levels of air pollution each day. It’s unavoidable. But did you know that air pollution in your home can be up to five times worse than air pollution outside? This is due to two things: the products that we use to clean our homes and the fact that the fumes those products release cannot easily escape. This is known as “off-gassing.” Our bodies are not equipped to neutralize the chemicals used in many household items, and that may suppress our immune systems, leading to higher incidences of illness and fatigue.

Shelley Cartwright a home-health expert for Dreamlife.com, identifies three common household products that have a deleterious effect on the health of our homes and makes suggestions for nontoxic replacements:

- Bleach and other chemical cleansers. Many cleansers contain nasty ingredients (despite their upbeat names and cute mascots). Try to substitute natural cleansers whenever possible. Or at the very least, go through your home and place all cleaning supplies in a box. Then exile that box to the garage or away from your primary living spaces.

- Cooking hardware. Gas stoves and appliances release fumes into the air. If you insist on using gas -- as many people do -- make sure that rooms containing gas appliances are well ventilated.

- Candles. I’m a bit of a candle guy: I love candlelit dinners with my wife, stuff like that. (Yea, Harr is a honeydripper!) But, many candles release soot and other pollutants into the air. Those made with metal wicks are especially toxic, since they release lead into the air as well. Paraffin itself (a petroleum-based ingredient used to make candles) is known to be a pollutant. If you're concerned about air quality, try natural paraffin-free candles instead.

STEP THREE: GIVE EXTRA ATTENTION TO YOUR SLEEPING ENVIRONMENT

You spend roughly one-third of your life in bed. During sleep, your body goes to work -- repairing and restoring your body like an Indy-500 car mechanic. That is why it’s particularly important to create a healthy and soothing bedroom. Simple changes such as new pillows, an air filter, a small water fountain or lots of plants can transform your bedroom into an oasis of relaxation and recovery.

STEP FOUR: GO GREEN

Health expert and best-selling author Dr. Andrew Weil says: “Houseplants, especially spider plants and Boston Ferns, can help reduce formaldehyde and other airborne pollutants in your home.” Remember, plants use carbon dioxide (CO2) as fuel and release oxygen -- which is the opposite of human metabolism (we breathe oxygen and release CO2). That’s why plants make perfect additions to your home. Pick up a couple Boston ferns and spider plants and spread them liberally throughout the house. You will breathe noticeably fresher air in a matter of days.

STEP FIVE: GET AN IONIZER

Do you ever notice how the air outside feels especially clean and fresh after a storm? One reason is that the air is filled with negative ions. Unfortunately, by sealing off our homes to the environment, the ion content inside can become unhealthful. A good deal of scientific research has shown that both the type and the quantity of ions in our air can have significant effects on our health. An ionizer will help to re-establish a healthy balance of ions in your home. There are countless models out there. Again, I advise you to hit Consumer Reports.

STEP SIX: LEAVE YOUR SHOES, AND YOUR WORRIES, AT THE DOOR

I learned this ritual while competing in a triathlon in Japan. Removing your shoes before entering the home may seem like a relatively small detail, but its benefits go deep. The Japanese place high importance on this, which is seen a show of reverence for their living spaces -- a way of keeping the chaos of the world outside of the peace of the home.

Next week: spring cleaning for your body!

Live the Life You Have Imagined: 4 Lessons

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” -- Henry David Thoreau

SPORT CAN BE a metaphor for life.

The thinking goes like this: By taking part in athletics, we learn to commit to a worthy endeavor, we come to understand that fear can be channeled into positive motion and we learn to push past what we thought was possible. That forces us to recalibrate our self-image which sends our confidence skyward and our lives on higher arcs.

If indeed this is true, then the sport of triathlon may be the ultimate metaphor for life.

On April 1^st, my wife Alexandra and I completed the Lavaman Triathlon on the big island of Hawaii. It was my first professional triathlon in a couple of years -- and it was Alex’s first triathlon in all of her years.

It was an extraordinary day for us both, mostly because we shared the experience. After finishing my event, I hopped on my bike and pedaled the last portion of the 25-mile ride with her, and then we ran every step of the 10k run together.

As is often the case with triathlon, many life lessons were revealed, and reconfirmed. Here are four that we experienced:

LESSON #1: Most things are not as difficult as they seem.

We tend to build up difficult tasks in our mind. At a point, the mental barriers can become more formidable than the physical ones. Once we finish the task, we often think to ourselves: “That wasn’t so tough! I made too big a deal of that!"

So went the thinking for Alexandra and her triathlon. I was her coach for the six weeks leading up to the event, and while she was well incredibly well prepared (I was her coach…come on!), her doubts grew as race day neared. Understandable. The triathlon can be a daunting challenge. But, the doubts started to erode her confidence forged from weeks of training, and she began to wonder if she should do the event at all. Fortunately, a glass of wine and some serious cajoling and wheedling on my part convinced her that she should.

And sure enough, with the aquamarine waters of Anaehoomalu Bay as a backdrop, Alex blazed across the finish line of the Lavaman Triathlon, completely besotted. On her face: a dazzling smile and a torrent of tears. The first thing she said was: “That was amazing! It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be! When can we do this again?”

When we were kids, we thought anything was possible. We didn’t give much thought to our own limitations. We’d see a tree, we’d climb it -- and we’d get stuck in it! The world was our oyster. Yet as we age, we tend to approach new challenges with more trepidation than optimism. We unconsciously list the reasons why we shouldn’t pursue something, rather than why we should. We become caution experts. That can chip away at our spirit, our sense of adventure, and our ability to have fun and feel youthful.

Sometimes, we need to get our mind out of the way and just go.

LESSON #2: We are stronger than we know.

Human beings have a phenomenal capacity for heroism. Ordinary people achieve extraordinary feats every day. We all have this power in us, but the mundane, rote nature of daily life can “tamp down” that heroic fire in each of us. Participating in athletics can fan the flames and draw out our inner heroes.

Nowhere is this more evident than at the finish line of a triathlon.

At some point during the triathlon event, most people seriously question whether or not they can finish. But in the end, almost all of them do. Hundreds of competitors at the Lavaman Triathlon were first-timers, like Alex, and when they finished the event, each one of them felt heroic in the truest sense of that word. And, they were.

To me, being heoric comes down to one simple thing: hanging in there. Emerson said: “A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer.”

So, in sport or in life when you feel like you can’t take another step, take another step. Then, take another one. The fact is: regardless of how you feel at any given moment, you are much stronger than you know.

LESSON #3: We can do (almost) anything with the help of others.

One aspect of triathlon that never ceases to amaze and inspire me is the volunteers. These are regular folks who give up their Sundays to pour everything they can into helping total strangers complete something of great importance to them.

In a triathlon, the volunteers arrive early and stay late. Many of them stand in the hot sun, at aid stations, handing energy drinks and food to people as they hurry past. The volunteers cheer their hearts out all day long: “Go! You can do it! You look great! You’re amazing!” And, they mean every word of it.

No matter how I’m feeling in a triathlon, when I run past a cheering group of volunteers, a surge of energy and emotion rushes through me like electricity. I think it has to do with the fact that when others genuinely believe in you, you feel like you can do anything.

America is the land of “rugged individualism”; this is the notion that all individuals, or nearly all individuals, can succeed on their own. But the fact is when we work together, when we ask for help, when we cheer others on -- and mean it -- we can accomplish great feats. We simply need to be willing to give, and accept, the help from others.

LESSON #4: Life is a series of notable moments. Make the most of each one.

You’ve likely heard this countless times: “Seize the day. Make the most of every moment.” Wonderful advice, but the fact is: it’s not always possible. In life, most moments cannot be “seized” or “made the most of.” When I’m sitting in traffic and I’m cranky and dehydrated and hypoglycemic, there’s no way I’m going to “seize the moment.”

It’s when you happen upon “notable moments” (special time with your kids, a tender kiss, an athletic event, a success at work) that you must make the very most of it.

It’s also important to will those “notable moments” into your life. As Apollo Creed said to Rocky Balboa in the film Rocky II: “There is no tomorrow. There is no tomorrow!” The corniness of that scene and my suspect taste in movies notwithstanding, there really is no tomorrow. What we do, who we are and what we have is right here, right now. By falling into the habit of putting off until tomorrow those things we should do today, we run the risk of never getting to them.

If you’ve always wanted to climb a mountain with your kids, do it. If you want to run a marathon, do it. It you want to marry the woman or man you love, do it. If you want to lose 50 pounds, DO IT! Don’t want until the first of the month, or your birthday or the “perfect moment” or the summer solstice or harmonic convergence. Start planning it, and willing it, today.

Strive for your loftiest goals, because the fact is: most things are not as difficult as they seem, we are stronger than we know, we can do almost anything with the help of others and life is a series of notable moments. Make the most of each one -- and create as many as you can.

Fitness Mistakes That MOTIVATE

“What is defeat? Nothing but education; nothing but the first step to something better.” —Richard Sheridan, Playwright (1751-1816)

Obstacles, setbacks and errors are part of any diet and exercise program. Here’s how to use them to your advantage—even to inspire you to greater heights.

YOU NEEDN'T BE a conspiracy theorist to wonder if something -– or someone –- is secretly plotting to keep you from eating right and exercising each time an obstacle arises. Who’s in on it? Your demanding boss, inclement weather, the Stairmaster hog, nagging back pain, Ben and Jerry. Hurdles are part of the natural order in fitness. It’s not if you experience them in your exercise program, it’s what you do with them that matters. People who learn to use obstacles and setbacks to their advantage can enjoy greater success in fitness, and in life. “Making mistakes is a good thing,” says Todd Weitzenberg, M.D., a sports psychologist and sports medicine specialist at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Rosa, California. “You learn more because mistakes force more introspection than successes do. Mistakes can teach you how to improve your fitness program and your life.” As Friedrich Nietzsche said: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” Use these expert strategies for not only moving beyond the obstacles, but also emerging stronger, more confident and in better shape because of them.

TIP: Identify your roadblocks
Ignoring the factors derailing your fitness is as detrimental as ignoring what’s causing your financial woes or anything else in life; matters only get worse. So identify what you’re doing or experiencing that’s contributing to the problem, then use that information to change your ways, fortify your resolve and improve yourself.

Try this Think back to past problematic fitness scenarios and write down 3-5 ways to resolve each one. For example, if knee pain kept you from exercising, your list may read: 1. Schedule appointment with knee specialist, 2. Get proper running shoes for my biomechanics, 3. Run on softer surfaces. If your diet always gets sidetracked in the evenings, your list may read: 1. Make heartier, healthier dinners, 2. Plan after-meal activities, 3. Go to bed earlier.

TIP: Change your mindset

By understanding the reasons behind your poor fitness and diet decisions, you can identify negative patterns and make positive future choices. “Understanding how our thought processes lead us to make certain decisions is integral to self-improvement,” says Dr. Weitzenberg.

Try this The next time you opt for a candy bar over a tuna salad or a rerun of “Friends” over a workout, pinpoint and write down what you were thinking at the time. For example: if you felt too tired to work out, write that down and then write down how to re-think that attitude (ie. “Working out will give me more energy, not less.”)

TIP: Trust your instincts

Sometimes missing a workout or indulging in a few extra fats is just what your body needs. Pay attention to how you’re functioning, and if you flat-out don’t have the energy to work out, give it a rest. Likewise, if you’re getting hunger pangs, eat! “The human body goes through distinct physiological changes over the course of each month, often referred to as circatrigintan rhythms,” says Murray Mittleman, M.D. a board member of The American Association of Medical Chronobiology and Chronotherapeutics. “These physical highs and lows are perfectly natural. So listen to your body and modify your fitness program accordingly day to day,” he says.
Try this When you’re experiencing a low in your exercise program, work with your body, not against it. During your time off, write down how a day of rest is helping to rejuvenate your body. When you fuel yourself with foods that your body is craving, make a mental note of how they’re sating your appetite, or how you felt afterwards—and use the power stored in those foods to supercharge workouts the following day.

TIP: Defy your drawbacks

In fitness, an “all or nothing” mentality can lead to frustration and destroy your motivation altogether. “If being a slow runner is preventing you from running, you’re being a self-defeating pessimist,” says Dr. Weitzenberg. “Turn it around: use that weakness as fuel. Run one mile around a track and record your time. Then dedicate yourself to running it faster every week, even if just by five seconds. You’ll be amazed at how focused and motivated that makes you.”

Try this Write down things that keep you from exercising or eating smart followed by clear, direct challenges to yourself. For example, “Weakness: I am a slow runner. Challenge: I will run three times a week until I can run one mile under 10 minutes. I will prevail!” or “Weakness: I give into late-night chocolate cravings too easily. Challenge: I will not buy chocolate for 30 days.” Post that on your bathroom mirror.

Having the courage to transform your fitness and diet weaknesses into strengths—and following through on that commitment—is a powerful skill that can also net big dividends in your life.

Wakaya: Travel Review

Buddhists call it Nirvana. Greeks call it Elysium. I call it Wakaya.

As the sun rose to warm the day, I rose to warm my muscles.

Setting out on a dashing run, I soon found myself striding across some of the most eye-popping terrain I had ever seen. I have trained in many beautiful locales, but this place was without equal.

My legs carried me over hill and dale past ancient banyan trees and groups of (thankfully docile) feral horses -- as my lungs drew in the fresh, salty ocean air sweetened with frangipani and flower blossoms.

In my post-run reverie, I took to my 1500 square-foot cottage-suite (or “bure”) and lingered long in its outdoor volcanic-rock shower. I then adjourned to a beach-front gazebo and sipped down green tea, nabbed at papaya sorbet and gazed out at an impossibly azure and soothing sea.

You might call this halcyon moment post-run euphoria. I call it a sublime state of grace brought on by a place of unparalleled splendor.

Where in the world was I, you ask? At the Wakaya Club, a 2200-acre serrated sliver of paradise nestled among the 333 bejeweled Fijian islands.

Wakaya is widely-hailed as the paradigm of the luxury resort experience. My otherwise understated travel agent said I ought to brace myself for “an experience beyond your wildest dreams.”

I arrived at Wakaya by way of a 35-minute plane ride -- or more accurately, a luxuriant custom flying limousine -- from Nadi airport. Being the only person aboard, my pilot (nice to say) took aim at what looked like the island from the film Jurassic Park. As we approached the airstrip, I thought: “Could a place in today’s disarrayed world possibly be so pristine?"

From the moment I touched down on Wakaya, my heart was stirred (not shaken), and I felt a palpable surge of energy come right up through my feet. It was vaguely magnetic. I later learned this was not imagined. The geomagnetic polarity at Wakaya is unlike anywhere in the world.

A rumbling 4x4 was on hand to transport me across the island to the resort. There are no paved roads on Wakaya; this place is so undisturbed, I was half-expecting a gentle brontosaurus to peek through the thick foliage and offer a prehistoric welcome.

After a 15-minute drive, we arrived at the Wakaya Club. Within seconds, I was gracefully greeted by a radiant Fijian woman and subsequently shuttled to my room by another. I thought to myself: “Could that possibly have been check-in?"

As I approached my bure, which is an authentic Fijian thatched roof cottage, I spied a smooth, round rock bearing the name: “Eric.” That charming welcome brought a smile to my face.

Once inside, I was agape: woven bamboo wall covering, soaring ceilings, native timber flooring, a gossamer-soft bed, carefully-selected objects d'art, a deep soaking tub and the pièce de résistance: a 10 foot-high outdoor shower assembled with lava rocks.

Every inch of Wakaya speaks to a tireless dedication to quality, comfort and elegance: from the Tibetan rugs that grace the bures and soothe every toe on your feet to the ambrosial, island-grown organic produce that nourishes every cell in your body.

And nourishing your body comes easily at Wakaya. While there, I dined on chilled cucumber and crab soup, grilled walu with sushi rice, maple-glazed Wakaya venison with kumala mash and sautéed local spinach and of course the Wakaya trifle with crème anglaise. The caliber of food is so high at Wakaya that if you eat with any degree of mindfulness you will gain nary an ounce.

My stay at Wakaya was a relief -- and a release. I lead a healthy life, but not until you come to Wakaya do you realize how much you need it. In the first 24 hours on the island, the ringing in my ears stopped. After 48 hours, the tight knots in my shoulders unraveled. And, within three days, every worry and concern had all but vanished from my (well-stocked) psychological file cabinet.

In the past decade, our noisy world has been given a violet shove into deafening. Each day, traffic worsens, pollution rises and the news media assaults our senses -- and insults our sensibilities -- with a blitzkrieg of negative images. Human beings are resilient and, without thought, we adapt to these stresses. But, in walling ourselves off from the world, we grow disconnected.

That is manifested in the unprecedented health catastrophe in America. Some experts believe we are reaching a moment of unbearable physical crisis, that we are dissociating from our human nature.

That is why it is more important than ever to seek out peaceful places of refuge; they serve as spiritual ballast in a turbulent world.

Sadly however, as the world modernizes, bona fide places of refuge become rarer. Most travel destinations have grown so commercialized they resemble the very world we seek to leave behind. That may explain why we can arrive home from a vacation as bleary and bedraggled as when we left.

That is what makes Wakaya so special -- and so important.

The two people we have to thank for this precious, unfading gift to the world is Canadian-born entrepreneur David Gilmour and his wife, Jillian, who is largely responsible for the utterly tasteful elegance woven into every crevice of Wakaya.

“The more the world changes, the more we gravitate to places that don’t,” says Mr. Gilmour.

In 1973, Gilmour bought a wild Wakaya which had then been uninhabited for 140 years. Since the purchase, he has been tireless and uncompromising in preserving its natural grandeur.

“I believe Wakaya to be the last bastion of ecological sanity in the world,” he says, “and I have made it a personal mission to make certain it remains that way.”

And, it has. In Wakaya, the Gilmours have created a place of unqualified beauty that permeates your soul and anchors you to the best part of yourself.

Early on, the Gilmours took steps to preserve the entire reef system. Step off the beach at Wakaya and you are immersed in an explosion of color and sea-life.

Wakaya is so untouched and protected from the ravages of traditional tourism that in the midst of a mountain hike, my guide stopped and reached into the Earth. In his thick hand were dozens of small, white seashells. He explained that the warriors who resided there 150 years ago delighted in the meat contained in these tiny shells. After harvesting this seafood, they would tote it up to their mountainside homes and cook it in giant pots. Then, they would dine on these delicacies and flick the casings into a big pile. These shells sat so intact inches beneath surface that it looked like the feast had taken place just days ago.

After the hike, it was back to my bure, then to another sumptuous meal and over to my beach-front hammock for 80 winks.

As so goes life at Wakaya: effortless -- almost ethereal. There was no resistance, nothing to pierce my idyllic reverie as I floated blithely from one setting to the next: morning run, outdoor shower, breakfast, hike, outdoor shower, “10-handed massage,” (yes, it is what it sounds like; otherworldly), lunch, snorkel, nap, tennis and…another outdoor shower. You can do it all at Wakaya because at Wakaya, hours draw on for days.

And more days, I wish I had -- for I would have partaken of deep salt-water soaks in the body temperature water shiatsu/plunge pool at the new jaw-dropping Breeze spa. I would have ambled over the 9-hole golf course that cuts a swath through a 19^th century copra plantation. I would have donned Wakaya’s professional scuba gear and sought out the sea turtles, trigger fish and manta rays trolling any one of the dozen prime dive sites just minutes from the resort.

Who knows, I may have even tried my hand at professional croquet.

For an exclusive paradise resort that welcomes a mere 12 couples at a time, Wakaya’s list of leisure activities outstrips most resorts many times its size.

As I meandered past one of the two boule courts on the island, my mind was whisked away to Villefranche-sur-Mer, in the South of France, when I played my first round of boule with a 91 year-old French poet named Cyrille.

Wakaya does that to you: while it grounds you in the magic of the moment, it also summons up your sweetest memories.

That enchanted atmosphere is orchestrated by the Fijian staff who are at the summit of their art. The staff-to-guest ratio is 12 to 1. And while your every conceivable need is met, it doesn’t feel one bit overbearing. Guest privacy there is regarded as “sacred.”

Perhaps that explains why Wakaya is where “those who have it all come to get away from it all.” When you visit Wakaya, and you must, you will likely find yourself in the company of luminaries from every walk of life. These people travel great distances to Wakaya, I believe, because it gives them what they need most: peace, privacy and beauty in an unchanging ambience of authenticity.

In the dying light of a warm Wakaya evening, I met a special friend of the Gilmours who upon learning I spoke French said to me: “Quand je pars ici, une partie de moi meurt.” It means: “When I leave this place, a part of me dies.” As night fell, I sat in my hammock and lost myself in the moonlit sea, allowing the whole experience at Wakaya to sink deep into my bones. I knew I’d be home soon.

The next morning, with bags packed, I stood listening to the entire Wakaya staff sing their rapturous farewell song to me. It was a strange juxtaposition: On one hand, I had never felt more alive; on the other, a part of me was dying. That man was right.

Wakaya is a haven to which I will never fail to return each year because I know it will never change. In a world that feels increasingly insane, I find warm comfort knowing Wakaya is out there, just as I remember it, and that it will forever remain my oasis of sanity.

5 Ways to Help Our Children Lead Healthier Lives

Our kids are in trouble.

The epidemic of childhood obesity is fast creating a national health crisis. According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, roughly 15% of American children, or nearly 8 million youngsters, are overweight; that has more than doubled since the early 1970’s.

To say nothing of the mental torment it inflicts on kids, being overweight can lead to a host of serious health problems from diabetes and sleep apnea to joint problems and gallbladder disease. Here’s something even more chilling: some experts content that this might be the first generation of kids to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.

We hear statistics like this on such a regular basis that we run the risk of being desensitized to them. It’s time to pull back and look at this issue with fresh eyes. After all, these are our kids we’re talking about.

First, it may be helpful to understand the mechanisms behind the rising rates of childhood obesity so that we can make more informed choices in helping our own kids.

A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the increase in overweight children is linked to growing social prosperity, which had led to children eating more and exercising less. Kids are immersed in playing increasingly compelling video games on increasingly wider-screen TV’s -- while munching on increasingly fatter foods.

It’s easier than you may think to help your kids live healthier lives. Here are five strategies to do just that:

Set a Better Example

Mahatma Ghandi once said: "You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

While 15% of kids are overweight, that number pales in comparison to adults: a whopping 60% of whom are overweight or obese. A recent survey by the American Dietetic Association Foundation found that, more than anyone else, parents have the most potential to influence their children’s behavior, including their eating habits. Parents were chosen by kids as their most important role model, outshining “rock stars” and “celebrities.”

This survey confirms what we’ve long known: Kids watch what their parents do and they follow much of that behavior. That certainly includes eating and exercise. Research has found strong links between the food mothers eat and the choices made by their children.

We cannot slunk into the couch and cavalierly command our kids to “go play, go get some exercise.” Part of helping your child commit to better fitness is becoming a positive role model by making your own exercise a priority and by playing with your child more often.

Exercising with your children is a great way to spend quality time with them, improve their health and make your own exercise more rewarding. Staying fit can improve your child's self-esteem and decrease their risk of developing serious illnesses, such as heart disease or Type II diabetes.

You can also set a good example by eating better. Improving your diet needn’t be unpleasant or unpalatable either. Health food isn’t what it used be. There are more sumptuous options out there than ever before; it’s just a matter of taking the time to find them.

Limit Tube Time

The average American child gets less than one hour of exercise per week, but watches more than 30 hours of television. Thirty hours. The mind verily boggles! A University of Buffalo study found that a child’s risk of obesity doubles for every hour of TV he or she watches each week; for many kids, that’s a whole lot of doubling going on. You may consider striking a deal with your children: for every two hours of TV viewing, they must engage in one hour of fun physical activity. The operative word there is “fun.”

Make it Fun (Really Fun)

According to the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, 75% of high school students do not attend physical education classes. Much of that has to do with the fact that it isn’t fun. If it were, more kids would attend. Parents, coaches and teachers need to band together and commit to keeping sports fun and challenging for kids. If kids who are overweight are having fun, weight loss comes as a natural consequence of the activity, rather than the focus. Make having fun the singular focus of your child’s relationship with physical activity.

“Kids who enjoy sports and exercise tend to stay active throughout their lives. And staying fit can help improve your child's self-esteem and decrease the risk of serious illnesses (such as heart disease and stroke) later in life,” says Steven Dowshen, MD, Chief Medical Editor for KidsHealth.com.

Expose kids to new activities that they truly enjoy – and that they excel in. I was an overweight, gangly mouth-breather in grade school. I hated sports. That is, until I played my first game of soccer. My parents took the time to help me discover my bliss, and once I did I couldn’t be stopped! I was even known to sleep with my soccer ball.

Never before have there been more sports available to kids: ballet, lacrosse, water polo, soccer, golf, tennis. Keep trying new activities until you find the one that clicks with your kid.

Strike a Junk Food Deal

Each year, the average American child partakes of 28 pounds of French fries and consumes 868 cans of soda a year. (Yes, you read that right). You may want to consider this approach: no junk food during the week, but on weekends, allow your kids to slack off and have the bad stuff. That way, they’re consuming less overall junk food, and you haven’t made it as taboo, which only increases their desire to have it. Another related strategy to help kids eat better is not to deny the “bad foods,” but merely to insist that they have the “good stuff” first. The idea is that after eating the good, they will have less room for the bad. That’s not a bad suggestion for parents, either!

Spend More Time Eating Together

In our culture, we tend to view food as a tool rather than as nourishment. We often eat on the run and give little or no thought to what we’re putting into our bodies, or how we’re doing that. We need to give more reverence to food -- and to mealtimes. Establish daily meal and snack times, and eat together as frequently as possible. Some research has shown that kids who sit down to eat with their families develop healthier dietary habits. This is a tip that can benefit parents as well.

Parents, it’s a now-or-never proposition to keep our children healthy and fit; their lives depend on it. Exercising with your children is a great way to spend quality time with them, improve their health and make your own exercise more rewarding. Staying fit can improve your child's self-esteem and decrease their risk of developing serious illnesses, such as heart disease or Type II diabetes.

We cannot blame this problem on video games, TV commercials, Tony the Tiger -- or the “resistance” put up by our children. That merely disempowers us. The solution to the problem of childhood obesity in this country – resulting from too little exercise and poor nutrition -- rests squarely on the shoulders of parents.

Let’s all take the concerted and consistent action necessary to improve the health and fitness of our children. After all, they are our most precious asset.