Healthy makes happy.

Jan Pudlow's article in the July 1 News "What Makes Lawyers Happy?" was a refreshing departure from the same old, same old.

Career dissatisfaction, depression, and substance abuse are apparently rampant in the legal profession. Point taken.

Where the discussion foundered, however, was in making only a fleeting nod to the fact that attorneys are human beings more fundamentally than attorneys.

The media report virtually daily that overweight and obesity are prevalent in our society. Westerners, we are reminded, have terrible diets and don't get enough exercise.

One visit to most any courthouse will confirm overweight and obesity quite evidently pervade the legal profession too.

With the rise in overweight and obesity, the media remind us all, we are at significantly heightened risk of both chronic and acute medical conditions, including heart disease, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, cancer, etc.

And, in the effort to prevent, manage, ameliorate, and/or cure these secondary conditions, society (including attorneys) take increasing varieties and quantities of prescription drugs, possibly in addition to self-medication, and recreational substance use. Alcohol and drugs impact mood.

As a group, attorneys are even more sedentary than society in general.

Unquestionably, professional self-actualization would benefit attorneys ... and everyone...