We could think of the health of our body like a business. We are, in theory, the CEO of our own company - the company of our body and its health.

And, in the same way as a CEO must act in the interests of their business or company, we must think and act in the interests of our own health and wellness.

After all, we are the proud owners of a family business that we have inherited through our DNA: our body. The decisions we make on a daily basis affect our lifespan and the quality of life we lead and, if necessary, turn around unhealthy conditions before they do damage.

The end goal is to live your life in peak health and side- step disease conditions that can take you out long before your time. Of course, this brings additional challenges and responsibilities in decision-making and requires us to understand the effects of our day-to-day decisions on our long-term health and wellness.

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We need to get to know our "normal state". In today's world, stress is never far away. Unchecked, it can cause a permanent state of inner tension and unease. It is vital for each of us to discover our own "normal state", which is the point at which you feel completely in balance, relaxed and happy! Many people become so used to stress that they no longer realize how far out of balance their lives have become,

Contrary to popular belief, stress and a hectic schedule do not equate with efficiency and productivity. Quite the opposite: In the long term, they damage the body and mind impairing our ability to function.

Our health is built on four pillars: physical activity (exercise), nutrition, mind-set and stress management. These components are closely interlinked and completely dependent on one another. They are the foundations of good health and wellness.

It's a simple formula and not too difficult to implement with the right mind-set. This is the glue that holds the other three things together. The stress component is easily controlled with your fitness and nutrition program so you really only have ONE thing to implement and that is making sure your mind-set is right and concurrent with your long-term life goals.

You could think of the components as a four-legged chair. Each is essential in its own right and we need all four to ensure stability. The message here is, "Don't neglect even one of these components for any length of time!"

Also it doesn't make sense to drill into a complicated solution for one area if you are neglecting the basics in another area. Doing just the basics in each area can go a long way towards a healthy lifestyle.

Next, the aim of every business is to make a profit. In terms of our health, profitability means moving and feeding our bodies with the raw materials that will produce the maximum amount of energy.

We should think of our body as a power unit, a macro-economy that consists of multiple small enterprises. If you optimize the input to your body's cells, you will gain maximum output and use the energy you have to the best advantage and, in our case, building a lifestyle that is enjoyable, viable and sustainable for the long haul.

From time-to-time we need to perform a risk management assessment.

The older we become, the more important it is for us to apply the principles of risk management to our health. Compare the benefits to be gained by taking a good amount of exercise (both structured and incidental) during the day to the risks of choosing the low-effort (or no-effect) option.

As you get older, you need to follow a more sustainable strategy. The biggest mistake you can make to age prematurely and set the stage for disease is to skimp on exercise.

Lastly, do a business sustainability assessment. This means making a real effort to break any bad lifestyle habits that you identify. Many of the illnesses associated with growing older are the result of decades of unhealthy living.

While it's relatively easy to find short-term solutions to health problems, our aim should be to develop a holistic, long-term strategy for our health. Work on maintaining your personal balance by ensuring that, on average, you are doing the right things for your body and by reducing stress through effective time management, just like a CEO.

I really hope you can see now that maintaining a healthy body is like running a successful business - the same economic theories and principles apply.

YOU are the CEO of your own health....start making executive decisions today!