A few weeks ago, I posted this video on CNN to talk about the healthcare crisis which is deeply linked to the economic crisis.  It is easy to feel helpless - as though these things are out of our hands.  But there is a lot that each one of us can do.It is fairly simple. 80% of our nation's healthcare costs are due to preventable illnesses.

I decided to do my part and lose 10% of my weight.   Two weeks ago, I posted this video, started exercising again and got back on WeightWatchers. Over the last 2 weeks I've lost 3 pounds. This is a start.  I've found WW easy to follow and exercising is not all that bad...with my ipod.

How about you? Fixing healthcare means driving down skyrocketing healthcare costs and only you and I can really do that together.  So...will you join me?

We could save nearly 200 billion each year just by quitting smoking and losing weight. And the government can't do much about lowering those bills without our cooperation. WE have to do it. Given the seriousness of rising costs for everyone, I consider taking care of our individual health to be an act of patriotism.

By the way, this is a really important issue that goes beyond being Republican or Democrat. It would be nice if this discussion reflected that. I come from a family that is half Republican and half Democrat. Yet we still sit down together at Thanksgiving and thank God for each other. So I have never seen the point in saying that one side or the other has 100% of everything right or wrong. Improving our health is something that we owe ourselves, our family and our country.

If anyone is interested, Weight Watchers online is at www.weightwatchers.com