The Cost of Health
Apart from a lack of motivation, feeling like we don’t have enough time or money to focus on health are the top reasons we don’t make healthy choices. It’s very true that it is expensive (and getting more expensive all the time!) to eat whole unprocessed foods, participate in sports, take high quality supplements or access many care providers. And, for sure cruising through the drive-thru is easier and faster than cooking a meal at home. It seems health has become tangled in a balance between cost and convenience - sometimes leaving common sense out of the picture! Some select snacks for themselves or their children that are packaged in single serve sizes, ready to go - how convenient! We quickly forget that many fruits also come nicely “pre-packaged” in individual serving sizes - bananas and oranges for example. Guilty? Don’t worry - everyone needs little reminders of this so we can catch ourselves next time we’re strolling through the grocery store aisles! Sometimes medications are absolutely necessary, but other times, it’s simply that it’s quicker and easier to pop a pill than to take the time and effort required to solve the underlying issues (or maybe the ones we aren’t ready to tackle quite yet) and taking this route can eventually lead to needing additional medications as the problems continue to compound.
Regardless, here’s a bit of food for thought: the cost of health (both in the financial and in the time/effort departments) can be expensive, but we need to consider what the cost of being sick or injured is. When we really get down to it, the cost of losing our health is far greater. The amount of money spent on medication and appointments alone racks up quickly, not to mention the income hit that can come from time away from work because of symptoms, treatments and appointments. You can also imagine the quality of life and mental health toll that is also intertwined when we are suffering or battling a health concern. It suddenly makes the time and money sacrifices for our health seem much more manageable don’t you think? So yes, I agree 100%, being healthy is expensive there’s no doubt about that! But next time it seems like a pain and you wonder if it’s even worth it, keep in mind that the only thing even more expensive… is not being healthy.
Here’s a few tips for cost-effective healthy choices:
Get outside. You don’t need a gym membership to be active! Hiking and walking are free, so is playing at the park with a friend - and all are great for both your physical and mental health.
Be inefficient. Take the stairs, park on the far side of the parking lot rather than circling to find the closest spot, even just moving your printer to another room so you need to walk back and forth can make a difference over time!
Buy local. Visit a local farm or produce stand so you can buy direct when available. It’s often cheaper - and tastes better too!
Try a farm or produce box subscription. Boxes of produce or meats that are either picked up or delivered to your door come full of different in-season veggies and fruits or direct from the farm meats - if they are too big for you, split it with a friend or neighbour. Often the venders at farmer’s markets or local food banks have info on which organizations might offer this in your area.
Book a “tune up” appointment. Though it sometimes seems funny to book in an appointment every so often when you feel “fine”, getting your body and mind “tuned up” to keep things running well often results in less appointments over the course of the year. When you only go in when things are bad and there’s major issues, often many appointments from various providers are needed to get you back up and running.
Kick guilt to the curb. You should never feel guilty for taking care of yourself and investing in your health. It might seem “selfish” to take the time to go to that yoga class, do a meditation, or take a walk, but you’ll feel better for it and everyone around you will also benefit from the best version of you!