The three most unhealthy aspects of modern life are stress, overeating and insufficient physical activity. Although we are all daware of the toll imposed by these mistakes the majority of us do nothing about about correcting them. It is a very rare person indeed who sets out to dramatically change the way he or she lives and are capable of getting the better of their nasty habits.

Year after year we continue to say, "If only I had the time I would..." We pop our pharmaceutical fixes for pain relief and stress, and others to sleep and to wake up. Tablets for food and tablets to slim. But none of these pills fix the real problems! All they really do is shut down your warning systems so that you are not aware your health is nose-diving to the point of no return.

Imagine being in the vast Empty Quarter in the company of a group of friends. Everybody talks about the beautiful oasis beyond the hazy horizon. Many are the theories on the best way of getting there, everyone wants to go, yet nobody makes a move. They all prefer talking about it. Does it sound hard to believe that people would be that silly? But that situation actually mirrors how many of us are comfortable in the rut of our busy lives. "If we only had the time..."

It is only when health collapses that we realise that without it we have nothing. Our wealth and standing in society will count for naught if we are struck down by crippling illness brought on by our bad habits. Once the freedom of good health is lost, it is rarely regained. What mostly follows is a state of suspended existence between the memory of past health and the threat of final collapse and death.

Must disaster aways strike before we take action? It takes little effort to acquire knowledge and adopt preventative measures to protect your precious health. Think of it as a very good business deal. Only a small investment in time and effort is needed to protect your health, but the return on your investment is enormous. What is more profitable than having the energy, fitness and inner strength to live your life fully?

You do not need to lose your health while acquiring wealth. Look inside your body and learn what to do to make it a safer house for the sentient being dwelling there.

Why treat you body worse than your car? You make sure to regularly service your transport to ensure that it is in peak condition, so why treat your body with any less consideration? It makes sense to maintain the vehicle in which we travel on our life's journey!

The issue of your health should be approached holistically. Be aware of all dimensions of your physical existence, such as how your organs and muscles function in your body. Once this knowledge has been acquired, you will not see exercise as an extra burden to be added to your busy day, but rather you will see it as a privilege. Give it some thought. All those big and little muscles in your body are designed to perform, so why not give them the exercise they require? The idle body offers an invitation for illness. God put you on earth with a body perfectly designed for life on this planet. It is your responsibility to look after your complex physical mechanism and to not ruin it by lack of maintenance.

Now is the moment to start changing your life, not tomorrow or next week, but right now! Put the magazine down and do these two simple exercises. Ten squat thrusts (7 seconds down, 3 seconds up), twenty straight arm side rises (5 seconds down, 5 seconds up). It sounds easy but if you do the exercises exactly as described, you will be surprised at the effort it takes. Do them regularly, and before you know it you will be on the road to better health and more energy.

In future issues of Al Shindagah I will outline my ideas on health through exercise. You do not have to spend hours in a gym to return to a level of fitness that you thought had gone forever. "The Hour of Power" programme for good health is for everyone, regardless of age or sporting background. It stresses the importance of the mental aspect of physical conditioning.