We live in a world where visiting the hospital has become as normal as buying bread from the corner shop. It’s no longer shocking to hear that your neighbour, colleague, or even that young, vibrant church member has been diagnosed with high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, or worse; all before turning 40. And here’s the part many of us don’t want to hear: a good number of these sicknesses are not handed down through our DNA; they are delivered to us through our daily choices.
Let’s be honest: we are living in a time when how we live is quietly killing us. We eat like royalty, yet move less than a security camera. We boast about having “food on the table” but don’t care that the food is processed, over-salted, over-sugared, and fried to the point where even the vegetables have forgotten they were once healthy. Our ancestors may not have had hospitals on every street, but they had what we’ve lost; wholesome diets, active lifestyles, communal eating, and less stress. They may not have known what “LDL cholesterol” was, but they knew that walking miles, eating fresh produce, and sleeping when the sun went down kept their bodies in balance.
Today, we’ve replaced that wisdom with fast food, fast money, and fast living – but our health is slowing down.
The hard truth is this: your health is not the responsibility of your doctor; it is the result of your daily habits. Doctors can treat you, yes, but they cannot live for you. You cannot live on sugary drinks, skip sleep like it’s a bad habit, sit for hours scrolling on your phone, and then be shocked when your body sends you a shutdown notice. Your body is not a piece of furniture you can dump in storage and retrieve later; it’s your permanent home.
Now, here’s where the conversation gets personal, family values. We often think of family values in terms of morality, respect, and discipline, but we forget that health is also a moral responsibility. If you are the one stocking your fridge with soda instead of water, deep-fried snacks instead of fruits, then you are training your children to normalise sickness. And if the dining table in your house has turned into a decorative piece because everyone eats in front of a screen, you’re not just losing family bonding; you’re losing an opportunity to pass down healthy habits.
A family that eats together, learns together. When you sit with your children and model portion control, moderation, and balanced eating, you are sowing seeds of health into their adulthood. But when you teach them that late-night meals, zero exercise, and sugar-filled breakfasts are normal, you’re planting time bombs that will explode in the form of preventable diseases.
We live in a society obsessed with achievement; we want our children to pass exams, secure jobs, and “make it” in life. But what’s the point of making it if they can’t live long enough to enjoy it? We preach success but neglect to teach how to sleep well, eat right, manage stress, and listen to the body’s cries for rest.
Let’s face it: if you are too busy to take care of your health, you will be forced to make time for your sickness. That’s why the rhythm of our lives; the hours we keep, the way we walk, the intensity of our work, the food on our plates, and even how we “relax” – must reflect the health we want.
And no, this is not about becoming a gym rat or eating like a rabbit. It’s about creating a lifestyle that works for you, your age, your needs, and your family’s well-being. Good health is not just about avoiding sickness; it’s about living a life that is worth living; laughing without running out of breath, playing with your children without aching joints, thinking clearly without brain fog, and loving your family with the strength to be present.
So, here’s your Sunday challenge:
- Eat like you want to live long – because you do.
- Rest like your life depends on it – because it does.
- Move daily – because stillness kills silently.
- Guard your family’s health culture – because unhealthy habits are also inherited.
We may not be able to control every illness, but we can control the kind of lifestyle that either invites or rejects it. Your lifestyle is your prescription, and you are the one writing it every single day.
Ewere Okonta is the CEO of EOB Media. He is a family values advocate. He writes from the Department of Business Administration, University of Delta, Agbor.