healthy Archives — Beating Broke

Why My Health Became a Priority

Heart problems run in my dad’s family. I always thought I was fine because despite my inactivity and being overweight, my bloodwork always came back normal. Cholesterol was in normal range as was blood sugar. I knew I’d have to get serious one day about my health, but I kept putting it off.

When I started feeling heart palpitations, I went to the doctor. I had a stress test, and the doctor told me I had a heart murmur, arrythmia, and PVCs. His prescription? Walk two miles every day.

Implementing the Doctor’s Advice

When I received this advice from my doctor, I was obese and inactive. I started walking and watching what I ate. At first, I could only walk a half mile a day. But the more I walked and lost weight, the easier it became. Now, a year after that doctor’s appointment, I’ve lost nearly 50 pounds and am walking two to two and a half miles a day. My heart issues have largely subsided, and even better, my fasting blood sugar has dropped nearly 15 points.

Getting Healthy Doesn’t Have to Cost a Lot

For the first few months, I walked outside. However, I spent $350 to buy a treadmill to avoid walking in the Arizona heat. That’s all I have spent on my journey to get healthier.

When I compare that cost to how much I would pay in medical bills and medicines I would need if I didn’t take care of my health, getting healthier is much cheaper.

Benefits of Prioritizing My Health

There are two major benefits to prioritizing my health.

I Feel Better

Now that I’m exercising regularly, I feel much better. I sleep better, and my body feels lighter and stronger. I am able to get more done in a day.

I Avoid Expensive Medical Interventions

I should have exercised regularly years ago. Who knows? Maybe if I had, I would have avoided having any heart issues or at least delayed their onset. But I can’t change the past. Instead, I’m focusing on eating healthy and exercising regularly. Even starting these habits in midlife can affect the quality of my life as I age and help me avoid expensive medical interventions.

Final Thoughts

Many of us are guilty of thinking we’ll start a healthy lifestyle. . .sometime. But I’m here to tell you there is no time like the present. Not only will you feel better, but you’ll save yourself money by avoiding expensive medical interventions and chronic conditions.

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MelissaB

Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in Arizona where she dislikes the summer heat but loves the natural beauty of the area.

www.momsplans.com/

Years ago, during the coupon craze, I bought my share of convenience foods that I could get for just pennies. Thanks to couponing and buying the deals, I was able to save a great deal of money on groceries. But over the years, I found that the money I saved wasn’t really saved after all. Instead, the money just went somewhere else—to the doctor.

I had high cholesterol, high triglycerides, and after a while, serious stomach ailments that required me to go see a specialist.

I eventually switched to a Paleo diet, focusing primarily on eating fresh fruits, veggies, and some meat. Since the change, my cholesterol is nearly 75 points lower, I no longer have high triglycerides, and my stomach is much improved.

I still try to keep the grocery budget trim, but it’s much harder to do so without using coupons.

Coupons for Healthy Foods?

Coupon for Healthy Foods — Couponing for Health

For years, I just assumed that there are no coupons for healthy foods, especially foods that aren’t processed, but that’s just not true. If you know where to look, you CAN find coupons for healthy foods.

Where to Find Coupons for Healthy Foods

The best place to start is the manufacturer’s website. Here are a few of my favorites:

Organic Valley—sign up for the mailing list, and you’ll receive coupons straight to your e-mail box.

Earth’s Best Organic—you’ll find coupons for baby items here.

Blue Diamond Almonds—sign up for their newsletter, and you’ll regularly receive offers

Whole Foods Coupons—you’ll find coupons for a wide array of products sold at Whole Foods

Other Ways to Get Coupons

There are other ways that I like to get coupons for healthy foods:

Facebook

Some companies will occasionally offer a coupon when you like their Facebook page. This is my favorite time to like the page. Also, companies sometimes post coupons on their Facebook page as their status update.

Write to the company

I admit, this sounds old fashioned, but I’ve had great success with writing to the companies individually. I will find the e-mail address of the company on the product, and then I’ll send them an e-mail. I usually let them know why I like their product and thank them for making it. My kids have food intolerances, so if the company makes a product my kids can actually eat, I thank them for that.

I don’t specifically ask for coupons, but more than 50% of the time, they send me coupons. Some companies are very generous and send several high value coupons. If you create a stock letter for this type of e-mail, you can send out several e-mails, each to different companies, in a relatively short period of time.

Of course, just as when you’re using coupons for processed foods, the best way to stretch your savings is to stack the coupon with the item when it’s already on sale.

While getting coupons for healthy foods is a bit more difficult than couponing for processed foods, you still can use coupons to lower your grocery bill.

What are your favorite strategies for lowering your grocery bill when shopping primarily for healthy foods?

MelissaB