You've probably heard being over weight can lead to type two diabetes, and other life threatening illnesses.

Maybe your doctor has even suggested you lose a few pounds and exercise.

One East Linn County physician isn't just talking the talk, he's walking the walk, AND running, jumping, riding plus much more to help fight diabetes.

Doctor Tim Hindmarsh is in the business of health.

But many of his patients in rural Linn County are sick, because they're overweight and inactive.

Doctor Hindmarsh says, "I see 30 or 35 people a day, probably 1/3 or 1/2 are type two diabetics."

Instead of just telling them to get moving, he's is showing them.

At his home, he revs his motocross cycle, zooms off onto the dirt path and soars through the air on a jump.

Afterward he says, "This is a good upper body workout."

Motocross is just one of the doctors' passions. He also cycles, runs, skis, boards, windsurfs, jumps out of planes, bare footing, slalom water skiing and wake boarding.

For the third year in a row, he'll do it all in one day.

That's ten extreme sports in 24 hours to raise awareness about diabetes.

He says "We have 21 million diabetics, I think its time we really wake up as a society."

His July 13th, "Act Alive" decathlon will also raise money for diabetes education for the Lebanon Community Hospital Foundation.

Brad Canfield, with Lebanon Community Hospital, says, "There are a lot of people out of work and a lot of people who are overweight. What the diabetes fund at the foundation does is provide scholarships for people who've been diagnosed with diabetes and they need to take these really important education classes and they can't afford them. Dr. Hindmarsh has raised more than $10,000 so far, we used all that money for scholarships."

Dr. Hindmarsh doesn't expect anyone to skydive, or motocross jump to lose weight.

"The ten sports for the most part are a metaphor."

But he hopes people will be inspired to walk, bike, even garden, to just move.

He's also inviting people to join him on the biking leg or the running leg of his decathlon on July 13th. The cycling will take place at 3pm at Sweet Home Family Medicine, 679 Main Street. The Running and Walking event is at 6pm, beginning at the Pioneer Elementary School in Lebanon, 500 N. 5th Street.

Dr. Hindmarsh points out that diabetes contributes to heart disease and stroke, and that exercise can help control it.

"We can take a gigantic bite out of the #1 killer and at the same time make people feel good, to me that's what its about."

And at the end of the decathlon, how does he feel?

"I feel alive. That's the point, that's why I call it the 'Act Alive' decathlon."

To sign up for "Act Alive", make a donation or for more information contact the Act Alive headquarters at 541-451-7161 or email bcanfield@samhealth.org.

Or visit the Act Alive website at http://www.samhealth.org/hospital_foundations/lch/actalive.html