As Dr. Augustus Grant, president of the American Heart Association, puts it, "Poor diet, excess body weight, physical inactivity and smoking, are modifiable risk factors that contribute to the premature death of close to 1.5 million Americans each year."

"Last year," according to John Seffrin, head of the American Cancer Society, "over 80 percent of all deaths in America were from 4 things - heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes." And all of these 4 diseases are dramatically affected by a lifestyle of "poor diet, excess body weight, physical inactivity and smoking."

And Americans aren't the only ones. Now days, the rest of the world's population are joining us in a lifestyle that leads to early death. Even though most people are born healthy, with the potential to live a long healthy life, they're refusing to follow the guidelines from health experts and scientists all around the world.

Yet the evidence is undeniable and the message is being drummed out loud and clear on a daily basis. "You can do something about your health. You can protect yourself from chronic disease." But, what do we do instead? The majority of the population continues a couch-potato lifestyle, eating junk food, gaining weight and smoking cigarettes.

This health crisis is so severe that the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society have joined forces to get the word out by delivering a unified, clear, straightforward message.

Here's what the scientists and experts are saying. Most deaths are not caused by unlucky genes or even environmental toxins. People, all around the world, are dying prematurely because of the unhealthy lifestyle choices they're making every day - day, after day, after day.

Most Americans, for example, are way overfed and way undernourished. More than 60% are either overweight or obese. Yet very few are eating the recommended 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Most don't even get a pittance of that. And, when they do eat fruits and vegetables, it's usually in the form of unhealthy banana splits or French fried potatoes.

What's more, the majority of Americans still don't exercise for the recommended 30 minutes a day. Nearly 1 out of every 4 still smoke after over thirty years of health warnings. And these negative statistics are growing throughout the world.

But you don't have to be one of these statistics. If you want to avoid the fatal four - heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer - just follow the guidelines for optimum health. Eat a healthy diet, including fruits, vegetables and natural whole food supplements. Manage your weight. Exercise regularly. And don't smoke.

After all, wouldn't it be nice to live to be a happy, healthy, fit centurion and then die peacefully in your sleep with a big smile on your face, surrounded by loving family and friends?