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Save On Health Insurance Premiums

Living healthier could mean you qualify for lower health insurance premiums. For example, if you have a high-deductible health plan (or HDHP) then you may qualify for a Health Savings Plan (or HSA) and can end up saving more money on health-related expenses because it will be tax-free.

Dine-In Instead Of Eating-Out

Suppose you’ve become more accustomed to dining out than eating in. But you’ve now decided that the only way to reach your health and wellness goals is by following a customized eating plan, and eating out just won’t help you reach your diet goals any longer. You could opt to eat at home instead. This way could create a personalized meal plan for yourself as well as save on money too by not splurging on food that comes at restaurant prices.

Choosing to go vegetarian can also cut down on your food costs. Most of the money we spend at the grocery store is attributed to meat and dairy products. Nancy Addison of Organic Healthy Life has plenty of tips and resources for helping you to cut out meat and increase your consumption of organic goods. This is one choice that can be great for your body and your budget.

Walk Instead Of Driving

Another way you can save a pretty penny while enjoying a healthier lifestyle is by saving on transportation costs if you could walk, jog, or cycle to work, especially if the commute is short and you do so on a regular basis. Plus, you’ll no doubt be getting fitter and your actions will be beneficial for the environment too.

Hire Professionals To Spring-Clean Your Home

Perhaps, you need some help on the home front when it comes to giving your home a deep non-toxic cleaning once a month. While this may seem like an extra expense, this could end up saving you money. Plus, it may free up time so that you can focus on your health journey more.

Check Your Home For Health Hazards

Even with a great monthly professional deep clean, there are some health issues that can sneak through. For example, pests can become an issue that you need to contract with a professional to eliminate. But an even more overlooked issue is mold. Even a small plumbing leak can lead to dangerous levels of mold in your home. And if it turns out to be black mold, that is a major problem. To prevent these issues, look online for “plumbers in my area” and read through the reviews to find a few potential options. Then, have them come out for written estimates before committing to one choice. That way, you’ll find someone with reasonable prices and good customer service who can help eliminate the leak – and mold threat – quickly and safely.

Buy Food In-Season

Suppose you’ve decided to cut out meat to consume a plant-based diet instead, then it may be better to buy fruits and veggies in bulk and in-season to take advantage of any savings or discounts. Better yet, you could even grow your own produce. That way, you’ll have access to the freshest of ingredients, and you’ll save on grocery experiences by not having to purchase these items at a cost plus markup price.

Do Free Outdoor Activities

If you haven’t been noticing outdoor gyms popping up everywhere, then you have been missing out on a fun (free) outdoor activity to get fit and make new friends in the process. You can also choose to run, cycle, walk, or rollerblade around your neighborhood or local park.

You can also spend about $20 to invest in a few disc golf sets. It’s a fun activity that you can do alone, with friends, or with your family almost anywhere. There are disc golf courses across the country, and they are usually free or a few dollars for general park admission.

Make Money By Leading A Healthier Lifestyle

You can do more than save money by getting healthy. You may also be able to make money! For example, you can share how you managed to save money while getting healthy, and potentially make some serious passive income through affiliate marketing. Or you could choose to start a business selling athletic equipment or personal training. If you decide to go the business route, then it’s important to market your business adequately. You can create business cards with an online template maker and customize them to reflect your branding. If you have a logo, be sure to include it along with a font and color schemes that reflect your business.

In summary, living healthily will probably mean having to make short-term sacrifices in order to see long-term results. Furthermore, you may have to be more creative in how you approach this lifestyle so that you can save money whilst taking advantage of the many benefits that leading a healthier lifestyle offers. Be aware of your surroundings, keep your home free of germs and mold, fill your fridge with organic veggies, and find other creative ways to save money while you get healthier. Nonetheless, you are sure to reap the rewards soon enough and be happier for it because you decided to take positive steps forward.

Medical Disclaimer: Information provided in this podcast, blog, article, video is for informational purposes only. The information is a result of years of practice and experience by Nancy Addison CHC and Katherine Williams. However, this information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging.

Do not use the information provided in this blog, audio podcast, article, video  for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal or homeopathic supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your health care provider promptly. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking professional advice because of something you have read in this email.

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Storing it properly is important. We go to the store and buy delicious-looking food. But then we get home and end up storing it improperly, or we get busy and forget about it. Then we find our refrigerator having the aroma of over-ripe or rotting fruits and vegetables. One way we can spend less AND eat healthier is by storing our fresh food properly.

Many times we go to the store and see all of the beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables in season and on sale, and we overbuy. So, first, try to only buy what you truly feel you are going to eat in the next few days. Don’t try to buy produce to last for a week. It may not last that long. Some root vegetables can last a month if stored properly, but fresher, more fragile fruits and vegetables will only last about 2-5 days.

If you do buy too much, you can think about making a pie, or doing some canning, or freezing some of your more fragile fruits and vegetables before they spoil. Always store your food in its complete wholeness.

According to food scientist Barry Swanson at Washington State University, if you pull fruits and vegetables apart, you have broken the cells, and microorganisms will immediately begin to grow. Avoid breaking the skin and leave the stem intact.

He also says you should never place fruits and vegetables in airtight bags. That actually will speed up the decay. Be mindful that mold will proliferate quickly in airtight bags and can spoil the whole group of fruits or vegetables. Toss out any spoiled produce immediately, or put it into your compost bin.

Next, make sure you are storing the various types of fruits and vegetables with the right partners. Some give off high levels of ethylene gas (a ripening agent), which makes them and everything around them ripens or decay quickly. You want to keep these types of foods separate from each other.

Put things like kale and spinach in the same bin, and peaches and apples in another. If you put fruit with greens, it will cause the greens to rot or turn yellow in a few days. Greens are very sensitive to the ethylene gas. I have a little product called an E.G.G. (Ethylene Gas Guardian, which is shaped like an egg), and it absorbs the ethylene. I just put it in my bin with the fruits and/or greens.

Of course, if you need something to ripen faster, then you can use this knowledge to your advantage. You can put the one you need to ripen with a fruit that gives off the highest level of ethylene gas.

I also use produce bags by Bio-Fresh and Ever-Fresh. They will absorb ethylene gas and help your produce stay fresher longer. Keep root vegetables (including all kinds of potatoes) in a cool, dark, dry place. They can last up to a month if kept properly. Never store potatoes in the refrigerator, because they will develop a much higher sugar content.

Here is a list of fruits and vegetables, showing the best way to store them. These are high ethylene producers, and you can refrigerate them: apples, apricots, avocados, blueberries, cantaloupe, cherimoyas, cranberries, figs, green onions, guavas, grapes, honeydew, kiwifruit, mangoes, nectarines, papayas, passion fruit, peaches, pears, persimmons, plums, prunes, quince, and tomatoes.

The banana is a high releaser and should be stored in a cool dark place outside of the refrigerator.

The following fruits and vegetables are very sensitive to ethylene gas: asparagus, bananas (unripe), blackberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chard, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, garlic, green beans, kale, leafy greens, leeks, lettuce, okra, onions, parsley, peas, peppers, raspberries, spinach, squash, strawberries, watercress, and watermelon. Keep them separate from the high ethylene gas-producing foods.

Mushrooms should be stored in a dry paper bag or breathable container and put in a cool place. I’ve been told to gently brush them off under water to clean them before preparing them for consumption.

Try to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables that have been ripened on the vine or on the tree. Tree or vine-ripened foods contain salvestrols, which are compounds that have natural anti-cancer properties. (1)

In fact, the word salvestrol comes from the Latin word “save.” So, growing your own food or buying from a local farmer is one way of getting food that is vine or tree-ripened. Food that is picked green and then ripened on the way to market does not contain these salvestrols.

Organic food is best because it is more nutrient-dense. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides can destroy nutrients in the soil, like sulfur, chromium, minerals, and probiotics, which are vital for our health.

“The Organic Center study found that organic foods were more nutritionally dense in 61% of the cases” and they “found conventional foods to contain higher nitrates, which are widely considered a potential health hazard.” (2)

Farmers’ markets are one of the oldest forms of direct marketing by small farmers. The fresh, organic produce is local, in season, less expensive, fresher, and it’s fun to meet your local farmers. Find a local farmer’s market near you with Local Harvest. Click here for Local Harvest link.

With all the fresh fruits and vegetables enticing us from their bins at the farmer’s market or grocery store, now we can make those delicious meals with our properly stored produce!

Bon Appétit!

Source:

1. Johnson, Dr. Ben. Qtd. in Bollinger, Ty. (2014). The quest for the cures… continues. (Film transcript). TTAC Publishing.
2. Steury, Tim. (Winter, 2009). “Is organic more nutritious?” Washington State Magazine.

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Nancy Addison is a certified health counselor, nutritionist, chef, as well as a radio show host, who teaches people about living a healthier, happier life through nutrition and lifestyle. She has appeared on NBC, Fox, CBS, and in documentaries ( “Eating You Alive”).

You can reach her on her website, Organic Healthy Life, or find easy, healthy recipes in Nancy’s books (which are half cookbook).

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The information from Nancy Addison and Organic Healthy Lifestyle LLC is not offered for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of any disease or disorder nor have any statements herein been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We strongly encourage you to discuss topics of concern with your health care provider.

Medical Disclaimer: Information provided in this email, article, book, podcast, website, email, etc. is for informational purposes only. The information is a result of years of practice and experience by Nancy Addison CHC, AADP. However, this information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professionals, or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. I make no claims about healing anything.

Limits of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty

The author and publisher are not liable for the misuse of this material. This article, website, podcasts, and books are strictly for informational and educational purposes. Nancy Alisa Gibbons Addison offers information and opinions, not a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or healthcare provider before taking any home remedies or supplements, or following any treatment suggested by Nancy Addison or by anyone listed in the books, articles, or other information contained here. Only your healthcare provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.

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