Out of every three American children, one is overweight. Today, in 2013, it isn't the zombie apocalypse we should be worried about; it is the health of our children and students. The change from apocalypse to health and prosperity is a simple, doable task that every person should strive to complete. Simple changes and encouragement can do so much for today’s children if they were only completed on a mass scale.
If you think of our bodies as vehicles, healthy eating is an easy topic to understand. You wouldn’t fill your car up with just mud and expect it to run would you? Well, it’s the same with our bodies. The fuel our bodies need to be productive is food that is packed with nutrients for growing bodies. Swapping your fries for a bowl of blueberries is a great place to start, and continue on from.

The top two discouraging factors of eating healthy are a) time, and b) money. However, if you look past the stereotypes of healthy living you’ll find that nutrient-filled eating can be both cheap and easy to do. Many cheap and easy snack items include: orange juice, pumpkin seeds, plain popcorn, and fruits such as apples and bananas. It’s as simple as grabbing them at the store and going! Packing your own lunch also has the benefit of healthy choices, personalization, and a much lower price tag in the long run.

Look back into your elementary school years, back when you had recess and played games in gym that you actually wanted to play; you probably got some type of satisfaction from that activeness. Or even fast forward to now when just last week your rain-soaked cleat flew over the touchdown line and your team won. That is part two in this apocalypse plan: being active. Workouts should ever feel like a chore; embrace your inner 8-year-old and play a game of tag with the kids across the street, or ride your bike to a friend’s house, or even take a dip in the local pool. Just an hour a day of some kind of physical activity can improve your life, mood, and outlook. A simple hour is all you need.

When the media confronts the issue of our student’s health they often forget the most vital part; our mental health. Your brain is a machine that processes every thought, word, and feeling you think, say, hear, and feel. Naturally it is physically protected by your skull, but emotionally you must work to remain healthy. A simple compliment to someone can boost their mental well-being, brighten their day, and keep them motived to accomplish even greater things. You can boost your own mental health as well by rewarding yourself for all the incredible things you have done, recognizing your skills and unique abilities, and having faith in yourself, because you never hear about the person who gave up accomplishing the outstanding things that you have the ability to do.

Our health is not just about how many greens we eat, or the weight we can bench-press. It’s about fueling the machines that make up our bodies, having fun and staying active while doing so, and having a positive mental state. By accomplishing these few, small things we can change a nation, we can change a world.