It would be a mistake to suggest only politicians in Washington, D.C., can contribute to improving health care in America.

Our first stop: the mirror above the bathroom sink.

When we look in the mirror, we see a reflection that is largely of our own making. Along with the quarter million other people who populate Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri, we determine much of our own destiny Â-- both in personal health status and in what it will cost to keep us going well into old age.

Some pertinent numbers are drawn from this summer's 2009 health assessment study done for Buchanan County as a joint project of Heartland Health and the St. Joseph Health Department. Here is what the survey of adult residents found:

* Have you ever been told you have diabetes? 10 percent

* Have you ever been told you have high blood cholesterol? 33.8 percent

* During the past month, did you participate in any physical activities or exercises? 52.3 percent (versus 76.7 percent in 2001)

* Body Mass Index (BMI, a measure of obesity) of 30.0 or higher: 23.6 percent

* Are you a current smoker? 27.9 percent

* How often do you use seat belts when you drive or ride in a car? 78 percent "always" or "nearly always"; 22 percent "sometimes," "seldom" or "never"

The conclusions we draw: Watch your weight and observe a healthy diet that includes ample fruits and vegetables, get regular exercise, quit or curtail smoking, and use seat belts whenever in a vehicle.

Do these things, and it is less likely you will visit a doctor or hospital for treatment of diabetes, coronary heart disease, arthritic pain of the joints, lung cancer or death or injury in a car accident. And that, perhaps more than anything, holds promise to keep your health care costs in check.

Next stop: the boardrooms of area businesses.

Wellness programs are gaining new traction at the largest firms because of studies that suggest the return on investment is $3 for every $1 spent. A treadmill in the spare office, fruit bowls on the conference room tables, meeting space for smoking-cessation classes - all seem a reasonable idea when measured on that standard.

Just as significantly, many area businesses are responding to economic pressures by offering employee-directed health savings accounts and shifting some costs back onto employees. Not surprisingly, this is prompting some people to make different choices about their lifestyle habits and how they access medical care.

No one is suggesting all health issues are preventable; that's why we favor broad access to reasonably priced major medical insurance. But there is truth in the notion that the best way to stay well - and to afford the insurance you must have - is by limiting the need to see the doctor in the first place.