There I was, watching the third presidential debate along with tens of millions of battle-weary Americans, and suddenly I heard something so extraordinary, it made me jump up and cheer.

"No ... you're the puppet!"

Not that, though it was a highlight of the evening. The words I heard speak to the heart and soul of this column, a concept that is so key to a healthy lifestyle, you can't imagine one without the other.

For the first time in the Hillary Clinton vs. Donald Trump debates, probably for the first time in the history of presidential debates, a candidate actually mentioned the word "wellness."

It was Clinton, and it was part of a laundry list of programs that she wants to emphasize and improve as the Affordable Care Act unfolds.

"Wellness is the realization of our true potential to live a healthier, happier and more successful existence." Hillary Clinton didn't say that, but it is a popular definition found on Wellness.com.

Wellness! Yes! The most important thing you can do to reduce the crippling costs of U.S. medical care is to reduce demand, i.e., the number of sick people. Wellness training does that. Research shows that Americans who take care of themselves and manage their lifestyles — including such factors as diet, exercise, stress, smoking and alcohol — are healthier and more productive, have fewer absences from work, and make fewer demands for medical services.

"Wellness is not a 'medical fix' but a way of living," wellness expert Greg Anderson says, "a lifestyle sensitive and responsive to all the dimensions of body, mind and spirit, an approach to life we each design to achieve our highest potential for well-being."

In fact, wellness is so essential to the health and well-being of the country, it's time to revive a dreamy idea of mine from elections past. I call it the National Wellness Test. Before I explain how it works, I have to back up a bit.

People who want to drive a car in the U.S. know they first have to pass the official driving test. Every state has one. No one complains. We all know that driving a car is a big responsibility, and we take crashing seriously.

So we prepare for the test. We study the rules, memorize the different signs, and practice how to steer, turn, park and move through traffic. It takes hours and hours to learn this stuff, but we do it because if we don't pass the test, we can't drive a car.

So here's my brainstorm: Let's have every person who applies for health insurance study for, and one day pass, a National Wellness Test. It would be a written and practical exam — just like for getting a license to drive a car — and it would show that you've studied, you've practiced, you've been coached by a wellness coach (courtesy of the insurance company) and you know what you're doing when it comes to your well-being.

Sample questions might include:

How many calories in a bacon double cheeseburger?

What are phthalates, and why don't you want them lurking in your water bottle, deodorant, and 10 zillion other places?

What year did Jane Fonda introduce leg warmers?

Name 10 endocrine disruptors and your strategy for avoiding them.

Compare and contrast meditation and medication.

Demonstrate three delicious ways to prepare kale.

If you fail the National Wellness Test, you still get health insurance, but you have to pay a slightly higher premium. As soon as you pass the test — you have the rest of your life to study — your premium comes down.

If we teach the National Wellness Test in a way that shows empathy and support for the patient's autonomy, no doubt, over time, health care costs will come tumbling down.

But it's all just a dream of mine, coming off this nightmare of an election. There is no National Wellness Test, and requiring one is about as likely as convincing Donald Trump that he needs a lot more rest.

So that leaves the ball in your court, dear reader. Elections will come and go, but it's forever your responsibility to be a student of wellness so you can grow and thrive. Ignorance about your health isn't bliss. It's expensive, and it's heartbreaking.

And in this lifetime, please remember, you only get the one car.

ENERGY EXPRESS-O! YOUR LIGHT IS GREEN.

"This is your life. You are responsible for it. You will not live forever. Don't wait." — Natalie Goldberg

Marilynn Preston — healthy lifestyle expert, well being coach and Emmy-winning producer — is the creator of Energy Express, the longest-running syndicated fitness column in the country. She has a website, marilynnpreston.com, and welcomes reader questions, which can be sent to [email protected]. She also produces EnExTV, a digital reincarnation of her award-winning TV series about sports, fitness and adventure, for kids of all ages, at youtube.com/EnExTV and facebook.com/EnExTV. To find out more about Preston and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.