Health is more than just a policy matter; it's also very personal. That's why we asked the presidential candidates to answer a few questions about how health affects them, from guilty pleasures to defining moments.

What do you do to stay healthy?

• I like to walk for exercise and try to eat well.

What is your biggest obstacle to staying healthy?

• Being on the road is tough because I don't have as much time to exercise and there can be lots of food like cheesy pizza around. That's why I try to pack healthy snacks like apples, nuts, and grapes.

How do you handle the stress of the campaign?

• It's exhausting, but it's also exhilarating. I mean, at the end of the day, you know you've been working hard, but I find it really exciting. I get to travel and go in and out of peoples' lives, and only a few folks ever get to do so. I mean you're in their homes, their workplaces, you know, everything that you can imagine that's important, and they're telling you about it.

What health challenges have you or your family faced?

• I feel blessed that Bill's artery blockage was discovered in time for him to have successful heart bypass surgery. I hope that Bill's public health emergency encourages men and women to have checkups, to have their cholesterol measured, to not ignore any signs of pain or distress, but to really take heart disease seriously.

Who's the health enforcer in your family? ("No, you're not smoking that cigarette"..."Sorry, no stops at Burger King today")

• I'm probably the health enforcer in the family, especially since Bill's heart surgery. In fact, we used that in our spoof of the Sopranos.

Who makes the health/doctor appointments in your family?

• We make our own but like many mothers in the family, I do remind members of the family to make an appointment.

What is your favorite "guilty pleasure" food?

• I'm a sucker for chocolate ice cream of any kind.

Is there one experience that shaped your view of health?

• I had cared about health care for a long time, well before we got into politics, and I believed that access to quality, affordable health care was a right American citizens should be guaranteed. By the time Bill became president, 37 million Americans, most of them working people and their children, were uninsured. Growing numbers of citizens were being deprived of necessary health care because they were uninsured and didn't have the means to pay for their own medical bills. I often joke that I still have the scars to show for the health care fight, but I think now more than ever, Americans are ready for guaranteed, high-quality health care. And even though we did not succeed the first time, I'm still glad we tried and am excited to get it done as president.

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

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