In this great nation where you and I live we are seeing the newest diet fads coming along, claiming to be the only way to fix the ever-increasing obesity epidemic. It is hard to tell the good advice from the bad and those that do not work or are unhealthy.

This nation does have a problem. This epidemic comes with a rise in heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and so on. It is time for you and I to take control of our lives and do something about it.

I have a very good idea for the reasons behind this epidemic in our nation, but that is another article.

Food is am important part of our lives. It comforts us, we use it to entertain, to show off our cooking skills and to survive. You and I just need to refocus better on why and when we consume it and do it in a more nutritious and smarter way. We can still enjoy all the foods we love, but just need to pay a little closer attention to our consumption. We just need to know when to start and when to stop.

Then there is the exercise part that we have no time to do. I am guilty of driving around the parking lot for 15 minutes looking for the parking place 30 feet closer to the door. I see others doing it everyday, so I'm not the only lazy one in the world. How lazy is that though? I am not parking in the back of the lot on purpose now so I can walk just a little more.

It is a mind set we need to get in. The mind is the most important part. We have to train our mind to want, to need, and to make us do things we need to start doing automatically so we can start to live healthy, full, good lives.

So what you and I need to do is:

• Eat right, which is consume more healthy foods in the right proportions and just a little less of the foods that are not good and that we have learned to love.

• Squeeze in some sort of physical activities, or exercise. Just walk a little more is a good start.

• Think a little smarter and get into the right mindset.

Smart food choices are simple. Your body needs food for energy and food helps speed up your metabolism. Starving yourself only will slow down your metabolism and cause you to lose energy and your body will not burn off the calories as quickly.

Our diet must consist of all kinds of foods to function properly. We need carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Everybody's friend, complex carbohydrates, like wheat bread, bran cereals, legumes, and vegetables give us energy and make us think a little better or more clearly.

Proteins, that are in many foods like grains, beans, fish, and poultry make our bones, cartilage, muscles, blood and skin stronger and better.

Fats that are naturally found in nuts, oils, fish are also much needed.

We also demand plenty of water. The best way to eat, is to eat all day. Not stuff your face all day, but a good breakfast, a good healthy lunch, and a good healthy dinner. Small proportions of good healthy food of every kind. You also need to squeeze in snacks between those meals, good snacks. Don't get too hungry before eating and don't overeat when you do. This will keep your metabolism in good running order.

Being busy and not having enough time to eat right is a bad excuse. If you don't eat right you will lose precious energy, not be able to think fast and right, and will end up wasting a lot of time.

Shopping right is where it all starts. You don't need the canned foods, or processed foods for a quick meal. Frozen vegetables are flash frozen and are fine, and still have all the nutrients. When you cook them though, please don't boil them to death. Just steam them for a few minutes. If they get over 115 degrees they lose their important nutrients. If you boil them to death, throw them away and just drink the water, it's better for you. Frozen fruit is also a good one. There's nothing like a fruit smoothie. A perfect breakfast is a couple of eggs on whole grain bread, and a bowl of fruit. You get your protein with the eggs, your carbs with the bread, and a good start on some nutrients. There are so many good quick and easy meals that are good for you. The ones that take all day and night to prepare and cook are usually not good for you. Sure they taste great, but are loaded with things you don't need and you end up eating too much, because you are sampling while you cook. Buy plenty of fruits, vegetables, low fat yogurts, packages of dried fruit for smacks, fish, poultry, legumes, eggs, low fat milk, bran cereals, whole grain bread and things like that. You can make some quick easy meals that are very good for you. Plan ahead, make a list and stick to it. Don't shop when you are hungry either, I'm sure you've heard that before.

You and I have to help end this epidemic in our nation. Let's start with ourselves, and our families, and then our families will spread it to their families and friends. We can do it. Just get in the right mindset, park far away from where you need to go and walk, and eat right all day long. It's just that simple.