I remember when the message was that our body was our temple. It still is, but we go to McDonald's and Ben & Jerry's more than we go to temples.

Being well depends on five things: genetics, diet, exercise, attitude and sleep. Genetics are like weather - we can't change them; but we can change diet. Recently I was diagnosed with a severe wheat allergy. Eliminating wheat from my diet meant eliminating bread, muffins, pizza and pasta. It also meant eliminating things like salad dressings and soy sauce. If life were fair, I'd be allergic to radishes. I could lead a full and productive life without radishes.

Then there's exercise. No one in the know seems to know exactly what kind of exercise we need; but the consensus is that it should improve strength, endurance and flexibility. If that's true, the longer I'm married, the healthier I'll get.

I took up yoga to improve my flexibility. Although I'm trying to learn to take my foot out of my mouth and put it behind my head, my favorite position is called the child's pose. It's like being in a fetal position while on my knees. This position is so relaxing I can feel my body letting go of stress. I'd like to be in the child's pose whenever I have to hear bad news. I'd like to stay in the child's pose whenever my mother-in-law visits.

More and more people are realizing that a positive attitude is an important part of being fit. Unfortunately, realizing it is a lot easier than being positive; but even when I'm feeling negative, I'm positive that having a positive attitude is healthier.

Last, but not least, is sleep. Many people don't know about or ignore the importance of sleep. Sleep is necessary to regenerate parts of the body - like the brain. Lack of sleep reduces alertness, shortens attention span and slows reaction time. It also affects memory. In other words, the more tired we are, the less likely we are to remember the importance of sleep.

My mother knew the importance of staying fit. She constantly told me to eat right, exercise more and get enough sleep. Frankly, I'm healthy because I had a pain in the neck - my mother.