ROI, or Return On Investment is a term that is thrown around quite a bit in the business world, but you may not think about it playing into your health. There is one though, and it can be huge!

Let’s look at a few scenarios. But first I want to paint a picture for you. Why? Because maybe you, like so many other Americans, have bought into the statement, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” Thus we wait until we have a symptom to do anything in relation to taking care of our health. Unfortunately, by then it is too late in some cases. Yes, we can always lose weight, or put a stint in to deal with a blockage in our heart. We can even get a transplant or go through chemo if we get cancer. But what about the damage that does to your family in the meantime???

It is crazy all of the things we can do to “fix it”, but what if we never needed to?

Think about it.

Some people live into their 80’s 90’s and longer with ZERO major health issues, yet 2 out of 3 Americans have heart disease, cancer, or diabetes. Heck, 35% of us are walking around with some undiagnosed disease.

So, think about this from a child’s perspective (young or old). They are going through life - as a toddler, getting to middle school, junior high, high school, and even adulthood with you, their loved, one being healthy. Then, one day they get a call out of the blue, and the person on the other line is telling them that you have had a heart attack. You are stable but are in the hospital. They need to perform surgery to keep your heart working. You come out of surgery, but have a greatly diminished energy level and cannot do many of the things that you were able to before. You can’t toss the football with them or walk the mall for an afternoon.

Think about the impact on your life, but more importantly on theirs. It may not be a heart attack for you; maybe it is cancer. Maybe for you, like my mom, it was MS or another auto-immune disease that robs you of every ounce of your energy.

This is not a woe-is-me moment, but I cannot tell you how many times I have said I wish I knew then what I know now. I can’t tell you the number of clients I have worked with over the last 10 years that said they wished they could get the years back they spent with a health issue which robbed them of time with their family before actually doing something about it.

I implore you to take action to improve your health, if you are not feeling your best! And I bet I speak for your family in that request too.

So here are a few things you can do today that can provide a HUGE return on investment for you and your family:

Drink more water. It sounds so simple and trivial yet it is crucial! When you drink water. By example, it teaches your kids to do the same. Water flushes out the toxins that build up in our systems eventually causing cancer if not removed. It lubricates our joints so you can play with your kids, pain-free. Water helps to keep you clear-headed so you can make better decisions and be present with your kids.

Eat whole foods in balance. This means laying off the junk food. Again you are leading by example, making sure you and your kids are getting the proper nutrients and building blocks for a healthy body. When you eat them in balance for your Metabolic Design, you can maintain your blood sugar and make maintaining your ideal weight much, much easier. When you feel better, you can be more present with your family. When you are more present with your family, they feel your love and they do not have to simply trust the words when you tell them.

Move your body. Get active doing something! Go for a walk with your kids. Pull out the Wii Fit, golf, tennis, or bowling game (something with movement, not killing zombies). Turn on the radio and dance like a fool with your kids. (They are your kids. I am sure they have seen you act more silly than dancing badly.) Go to a driving range and hit a few balls. I promise you will get more bonding done by engaging in an activity with them than watching TV or yelling at them to do their homework.

Relax. When you work all the time and you are a walking stress ball, it gives you a much shorter fuse. You unfortunately take it out on those closest to you, your spouse and kids usually. I have one client who is working a minimum of 65 hours a week right now. She recently realized that if she asked her daughter for a foot rub at the end of a long day, her daughter was grateful for the few special minutes of “just us” time and she got a few minutes of peace and relaxation along with connecting with her daughter she loves, but doesn’t get to see much in the hustle and bustle of daily life. (Just a side note: this will also lower your risk of a heart attack. J)

What could you do to unwind, yet still engage with your loved ones? I promise those few minutes, whether it is 5 or 55, will be cherished times for them…especially if you make it about spending time with them.

You must make choices, big and small, on a daily basis about so many things in life. Do not let your health and the health of your kids be one that you ignore. There is more at stake than you will ever imagine until you are faced with losing it. We always say, “You don’t know what you’ve got until it is gone.” right? It is so true for our health!! So I will leave you with one final thought…

If you ignore your health, IT WILL GO AWAY!! Take some sort of action to protect your health TODAY, for you and your family! Be well!