An interesting thing happens when you get broadsided by a terrible disease or condition. You start paying attention to what countsyour body and your health.

Whether you get hit with cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, osteoporosis, diverticulitis, degenerative arthritis, or chronic fatigue, the reality and the seriousness of the situation you face can hit you hard.

Sometimes, you find yourself stuck in a boxthe could of, would of, should of, but didnt box. You are confused. You are scared. You want to help yourself, but really dont know where to start.

You feel trapped.

You say to yourself, I could have taken better care of myself. I could have eaten more fruits and vegetables. I could have eaten fewer highly processed, junk, and fast foods. I could have eaten less of the high fat, high cholesterol, fiber-less meats and dairy products. I could have eaten less white sugar and white flour goodies. I could have drunk less coffee, pop, and alcohol. I could have exercised more.

In fact, if I had only known that this would happen to me, I would have been more aware of what I put into my body and how much I moved my body.

And now I know that I should have paid more attention to my body and my health and my future, but the fact remains, I didnt.

And, here I am, trapped in this box.

Instead of focusing on the could ofs, would ofs, or should ofs, lets focus on what you can you do right now to help you break out of the box.

If you have been fortunate enough to avoid that box so far, what can you do right now to continue to avoid that box? If you are already doing many of the right things to promote the function of your body and your health, what else can you do to improve upon your knowledge and positive actions, which can open the door to an even higher level of health and fitness and overall well-being?

Your body, fitness and health are dependent upon many factors, most of which are simple and straight forward:

Health-supporting foods One hour of daily physical exercise (nonot every other day for 30 minutesbut every day for one hour) Adequate rest and sleep Clean air and water Positive attitude Spirituality Stress awareness Avoidance of drugs and toxins, including alcohol, nicotine, and, yes, coffee. Structural integrity (including maximum movement and function of the spine)

You are probably familiar with most of the factors that are absolutely critical to a well-functioning body and optimum health. However, you may not do everything that you know you should do.

Of all the factors that contribute to your good health, you are more than likely the most confused about the one factor which, in our culture, is talked about the most but is understood the leastfood.

And even if you have a general idea of what are the best foods to put into your body, for some reason, you remain unable or unwilling to change your way of eating.

Why are most Americans, and perhaps you too, so stuck in their old ways of eating even though they know their old food and lifestyle habits do not promote good health and, in fact, hurt our bodies and our health and interfere with the quality and quantity of our lives?

Awareness is the key to discovering what is your own personal reason or reasons for eating the not-so-good-for-you foods that you continue to put into your mouth.

Awareness leads to knowledge and knowledge leads to motivation and motivation leads to change and change leads to life-saving transformation that can jump-start you out of the could have, would have, should have, but didnt box.

Perhaps you still eat what your mother taught you to eat. You just like it. Perhaps you are emotionally attached to certain foods. They provide comfort and friendship.

Perhaps you are overwhelmed or confused or just tired of trying to figure out what is the best food to put into your body; so youve given up.

The quicker you discover what keeps you trapped in your old, unhealthy way of eating, the quicker you will be able to avoid or leap out of the box of ill-healthfor good!