As I sat down to write this, I popped a couple of Dove dark chocolate pieces in my mouth. Little did I know that today’s Every Monday Matters entry is EAT HEALTHY. Well, at least it was dark chocolate, which has some redeeming and healthy qualities, right?

As the obesity rates in our country rise, it is not just the adults we have to be concerned about. If a child is overweight, there is a 79% likelihood that they will be overweight as an adult. Not surprising given that French fries are the most widely eaten vegetable. Honestly, that is like calling Ketchup a fruit, which, I admit, I did for many years when it was the only “fruit” Kamden would eat.

So what can you do to be healthy and help your kids be healthy? I like the analogy of the airplane oxygen mask. In the event of an emergency, put YOUR mask on first, THEN assist your children. The same can be true for healthy habits and healthy bodies. If you are living a healthy lifestyle, eating a rainbow of colorful foods (not the kind out of the colorful packaging, but rather, the raw fruit and vegetable kind), exercising (sorry, the thumb and forefinger exercises on video games DON’T count), and exhibiting a healthy body image, then chances are you will pass all of that along to your children.

Indeed, this is one area where you SET AN EXAMPLE. And that example can make a huge impact on the quality of not only your life, but also the lives of your children and other family members. Need help figuring it out? Browse the information at Nutrition.gov or check out what Good Housekeeping Magazine has to offer so that you and yours do not become one of the 400,000 people who die annually from poor eating habits and laziness.

A Santé! Which is “to your health” in French (the language, not the side of fries).