We see and hear a lot of advertising about joining the battles to conquer adult diseases, and many millions of dollars are poured into hi-tech research to find cures for the common adult diseases.

I have studied medicine, physiology and nutrition for 46 years, since I entered the pre-medical curriculum at the University of Virginia in 1956. That's a long time! All of my studies of health were done after graduation, on my own, through books, magazines, newspaper articles, pamphlets, and nutritional supplement catalogs.

Now at age 63, one of my greatest desires is to teach and impart health to everyone who will listen. My intention of describing my health and physical activities is not to boast, because I am constantly aware of the necessity to be under the covering of humility and gratitude before my Creator. Rather, my intention is to use myself as an example of how healthy an older person can be by eating healthy food, avoiding unhealthy food, taking a lot of nutritional supplements, and doing regular moderate exercise such as walking and going up and down stairs.

The title of this Article is: "The battle against cancer was won 16 years ago." I say this because 16 years ago the national associations which were "fighting" against the common adult diseases already knew the answers and they were telling everyone who would listen. The battle was over, but most people would not listen, because the answers centered around healthy food and exercise. They listened, instead, to advertising, as they do today ... eat junk food, eat fast food, drink colas.

But what were the answers which the national associations were promulgating 16 years ago? Here is one example I have in front of me as I write this. It's a 15-page pamphlet published by the National Cancer Institute, a division of the National Institutes of Health, in the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. This is a pamphlet published with taxpayers' money, but most taxpayers won't listen to it. Its title shouts the answer to defeating cancer: Diet, Nutrition, and Cancer Prevention: The Good News. It was published in December, 1986. Yes, 1986 is 16 years ago.

The opening lines of the pamphlet tell the story of cancer's defeat: "The news about cancer gets better all the time. This pamphlet is about the best news- that you can take steps to protect yourself & your family from cancer." Need I say more? This was the answer 16 years ago and it's still the same today: nutrition & exercise. This is very good news indeed ... because it's under your control.