Taking good care of ourselves and avoiding expensive medical care isn't that hard.

     Most of it's a matter of good old-fashioned common sense.

 Each and every moment of every day, there are a host of seemingly insignificant things we can do for our body, mind, and soul that can have a big impact on how well we live, and how long we live.

     Here are cardiologist Stephen Yarnall's "10 Health Commandments" that can give you the edge on geing the best you can be.

Thou Shalt ...

There's no need to climb mountains as Moses did, but if you don't use it, you'll lost it.       A famous physician once wrote, "If exercise came in a pill bottle, it would be the most widely prescribed medicine of all."	A sound mind in a sound body...       Again, if you don't use it, you'll lose it.  Read. Write, Go back to school.  Exchange ideas. Be creative. Be reflective. Learn something new everyday.  Share what you learn with others.
Read inspirational and/or scriptural works. Don't be afraid to be open and loving.  Give -- and allow others to give to you.       Be sure there's balance in your life: 1) time alone, 2) time with one other person, and 3) time with two or more other people (group activities).	Examine your habits -- the ones you wnat to develop, and the ones you want to change.  Then, set goals and make those changes.
Laugh. Live, Create. Share surprises.  Help others find joy and purpose in their lives.	Schedule time for pure play, and find ways throughout your day to have fun.
Don't eat or drink or do anything else to excess.  Don't smoke cigarettes or use harmful drugs.  Don't take stupid chances.	Let go of the past, and move on!  Decide what's wrong (not who's wrong), and take action.
The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.       The future's not totally in your control, but if you take care of today, most of the future will take care of itself.	Learn from the past, plan for the future, and live in the present.       Love others (and yourself) appropriately -- now.  Look for leaders (living, dead, or imagined) who are worthy of admiration, and imitate their good qualities.       Pursue and preserve healthy relationships; you become like those you are with.
	What to write about?  Write about wha't happening in your life and how you feel about it -- your successes, failures, attitudes, emotions, fears, hopes, and dreams.       You can make lists and outline plans.  You can ask yourself questions ("What would I like to be doing five years from now, and what can I do today to make that happen?")       You can also record favorite quotes and save cartoons in your journal for future laughs and inspiration.
Buy a bound volume of blank pages (available in any bookstore), or a simple spiral notebook.	HOW A JOURNAL CAN HELP YOU
Don't worry about how often to write.  Some people write everyday.  Others simply make journal entries whenever an idea stikes them, or whenever something "memorable" occurs.  Or they write whenever they're feeling stressed, depressed, angry, happy, or excited and would like to do some personal reflection.	Your journal will force you to spend quality time with yourself so that you can better develop and organize your thoughts.  It will help you untangle knotty problems, make plans, set priorities, and think about the past, present, and future more objectively and honestly.
Make journal entries at a time when you won't be interrupted.  Don't listen to music or television when you write; listen to yourself.	When you look back at what you've written a week, month, or year later, you'll likely be amazed at how much you've learned and grown, and at how foolish most of your misery and worries were.

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