Of course, I don’t know your specific situation, but chances are there are at least some similarities between yours and mine. So maybe some of ways I have found to integrate taking care of my health into my routine will assist you to do same. However you do it, I guarantee it will be one of best investments you will make.

Life as a whole can be overwhelming, so I divide it up into smaller, more manageable pieces. Every 24-hour period represents a ‘mini-life’ to me, which I want to fill with things I ‘have-to-do’ and, more importantly, things I ‘want-to-do.’

I am an investment advisor, specializing in no-load mutual fund investments, and have owned and operated my company for past 20 years. Besides doing extensive research so I can effectively manage millions of dollars of clients’ assets I am responsible for, I write and publish two weekly investment updates, a monthly newsletter, various investment articles, and handle 15,000+ subscribers to my free internet publications. In addition, I am a husband and an older parent of a 7-year old boy.

Though my plate is pretty full, over my career I have developed a lifestyle which balances my health and work very well, thereby making me a more relaxed and productive person.

Here’s how my 24-hour “mini-life” works.

After working at office in morning, at 11:30 sharp I head to fitness center for my 90-minute lunchtime workout. Afterward, I grab a nutritious sandwich and a health drink, and by shortly after 1 pm I’m back at office.

Thanks to my exercise regimen edge has been taken of and I’m relaxed knowing that I already have attended to my health needs. I may be physically a little tired, but mentally I feel very sharp, so afternoon is my most productive time. Since I generally enjoy my work, it's okay if my work day extends into evening. I feel good!

One of most important steps you can take to lower your risk of cancer is to maintain a healthy weight. Most of us have been hearing about genetic and environmental pollutants for so long that we think cancer is beyond our control, but in fact, more than 50 percent of all cancers can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle. While most people are aware that a healthy weight can reduce risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoarthritis, gall bladder disease, and sleep apnea, few realize that it can also lower risk of some of most common types of cancer, including breast, colon, and endometrial cancer.

Are You a Healthy Weight? A healthy weight is defined by a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or lower. Higher than 30 is medical definition of obesity, which usually marks threshold researchers define as associated with increased risks. To find out yours, go to www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/calc-bmi.htm