Sometimes you have to believe it to see it.

I have a relative who doesn't believe in what I do. He doesn't believe in good health. He doesn't have it. He says he doesn't know anyone who's in good health. That he said this with a straight face in front of my husband, who is 55 years old, awakens between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m., alternates just the weight lifting portion of his workouts with 1800 pound and 5640 pound workouts, and walks about 15 miles a week, shows me that sometimes you can't see what's right in front of your nose. Sometimes you have to believe it to see it.

Still, I get his point. Most Americans are not in great shape or great health. We eat too much and too many things that only by the greatest stretch of the imagination can be called food. We neither move enough nor rest enough. And we certainly don't relax enough.

So, what would it take to be madly healthy? Is it even possible?

I know it's possible. It's even probable for most of us if we change our ways. Another relative, a cardiologist, told me that 80-90% of chronic disease in our country is due to lifestyle. (I've heard this from other sources, but can't put my hands on the exact quotes right now, so I hope you'll take my word for the statistic.)

For me, a reformed cookie-chomping slug who is insanely grateful to be married to a man who's willing to wake up and walk the dog in all weather, since I'm not, being madly healthy means that I wake up with the energy to start my day and keeping that energy going until it's time for me to lay my head on my pillow at night. What does it mean to you? Are you there? Do you believe you can get there? Can you see it?