How to Save Thousands on Healthcare
There are times we need healthcare facilities, like hospitals. They have a role and purpose. Many of us rely on healthcare and are thankful for the advances they have made to save the life of a loved one. There is good with healthcare and many a good intended heart works in this space. However, they also have a great deal of shortcomings that hinder rather than promote health and well-being. It is with these in mind I find myself compelled to speak as I think it is preventing many of us from realizing how much of our health we are putting into the hands of others unnecessarily.
Healthcare is the one of the largest industry businesses in our country, followed by pharmaceutical of course. It is not that we do not need these businesses or their profits are evil, but rather what we think we need them for and how they have come to dominate our health that there is a cause for concern. I believe the reason healthcare costs so much and has barriers for some accessing care is because we have afforded them that right by giving them our health. They can choose who receives care, what types of care and what it costs. We have given them our power in food, medicine and health – the very essence of vitality in life.
When we get sick, most of us turn to a doctor’s advice and prescription pad to find relief quickly. We do not have time to be sick and it is not a comfortable situation even though most common illnesses are mere inconveniences. We are a people who dislike inconveniences and anything that is not instantaneous. The truth is though a lot of factors led to that event of being ill in the first place long before we started sniffling. Our lifestyle, diet, stress level, sleep patterns and care for ourselves indicate more than any other factor our state of health and where it is headed. Simply look at what you drink in a given day as a simple example. Most Americans start their day with a coffee, sweetened or not, and then switch to a soda or tea for the rest of the day. They finish their day with a glass of wine or two to wind down. Little to no water is actually consumed. Air and water are the basis of life every day. Yet we tell ourselves we need to boost to get through the day with caffeine and the alcohol in the evening to relax.
On top of not taking care of ourselves there is another lie that impacts our health. Namely that getting healthy is expensive and is time consuming. Inflation certainly has driven up costs of food, services and goods and many families are struggling. Adding in extra food to accommodate a special diet or eating plan just does not fit into the budget it seems. Gym memberships, trainers, equipment, clothing also add to already stretched dollars. Here’s the truth though, eating real food, simple fruits, vegetables, proteins and cutting out the processed foods saves significantly. It saves on the grocery bill and it definitely saves on health care costs. Kicking sugary drinks and diet drinks, to drinking water saves hundreds of dollars a year!
The truth here is most families struggle with letting go of convenience foods and drinks. It is a great time saver, the kids will eat it and we don’t have to think about it, just grab and go. Yet those types of foods are not only filled with ingredients that don’t fuel our bodies but they lead to physical and mental health problems, including ADD/ADHD, diabetes, obesity and more. Yes, it takes more time to cook a meal, prepare foods and have things ready but the savings and health influences far outweigh a little time spent in the kitchen.
When food prices started to rise, our family stopped eating out. It was not something we did all the time before, but it was a treat about once a week for us. I started making freezer meals that could be cooked in the crockpot or Instapot. We planted some veggies in the backyard and made a competition of who could