Feb. 28, 2005 -- Six weeks from now, your health could be a lot better than it is today. All it takes is a little know-how and the will to put that information to work.

Forget bizarre schemes that are hard to sustain. Sensible nutrition and exercise are what count, says Steven Aldana, PhD, an exercise science professor at Brigham Young University.

"This is not a diet, not a trend, not a fad that will go away," says Aldana in a news release. "It's adopting a nutritious way of eating and exercise that causes very important positive changes in your body's health in a short period of time."

Those changes aren't just about weight loss. They also yield healthier hearts and less risk of illnesses like diabetes and cancer, write Aldana and colleagues in the Feb. 28 edition of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

The researchers estimate that 70%-90% of deaths from chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes are due to "poor nutrition, sedentary living, and tobacco and are largely preventable." Change those bad habits, and better health will follow, they say.

Sound good? Then grab your calendar, circle six weeks from today, and start your journey to better health.