I recently came across an ad in one of my health magazines. In it, we find out that 2 out of every 3 women die from diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and stroke combined.

The message of the ad is to live a healthy lifestyle in order to avoid death. But if we were to completely eradicate those diseases, what would we die of? That list is even uglier: most likely is pneumonia, followed by influenza, Alzheimer’s disease, motor vehicle accidents, other accidents, kidney failure, blood infection (usually acquired from another infection), and getting shot.

It appears that we are going to die one way or another. In fact, I would say that a massive stroke would probably be just about the most pleasant way to die.

So if not to avoid death, why should we live a healthy lifestyle?

We might want to do right by our bodies is so we can look good. But that is an impossible goal too, as we measure ourselves against media portrayals of ideals from a place where plastic surgery, food disorders, and drugs are the norm among a population that would already be naturally beautiful. Much like the artificial sets they work in, the health of actors can be simulated on camera, and to many of us it looks unattainable.

Then why should we, as the ad begs us to do; eat right, get active, not smoke, and see our doctor?

For me, it is simply freedom. I love being able to do things easily that were difficult before.