You may not realize it, but your health is actually your best investment. All the money in the world won’t mean anything if you can’t even enjoy it due to a lingering ailment, right? On the other hand, when you enjoy excellent health, you can do just about anything you set your mind to. This is why most people today have health insurance. And, with health exchanges currently open for enrollment, people are comparing affordable health insurance quotes online.
Physical Benefits
Individuals who are physically fit and healthy have lower occurrences of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cancer, osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes. They sleep better and they also have high energy levels.
Mental Benefits
Being healthy also provides benefits to your mental well being. When you exercise regularly and are mindful of what you eat, you can reduce stress in your life. Exercise triggers the brain to produce chemicals that make you happy. Moreover, a healthy lifestyle improves your judgment skills, reduces depression, enhances learning and sharpens your thinking.
Financial Benefits
On average, it will cost a patient $10,000 for a 5-day stay in the hospital. A coronary artery bypass costs around $45,000 on average. Without health insurance, the average Joe is at risk of facing a financial crisis. Even with co-pays and deductibles, you can still save a lot of money when you have a health plan.
How to Live Healthy
There are many things you can do to be healthy. To start with, take stock of your current health status. See your doctor and your dentist so they can evaluate the status of your health. Check if you need dental implants, teeth cleaning, invisalign, or any other dental procedure like getting Runnels retainers in Destin, FL. Check your weight, height and BMI. You should also start taking note of what you eat. I recommend getting a food diary. Then assess your physical activity. How often to you exercise? The CDC recommends that you should at least get 2.5 hours of moderate physical activity each week along with two days of muscle-strengthening activities each week.
Next, you should seek treatment if you have any chronic health issues, such as a thyroid problem, arthritis, depression, diabetes, heart disease, and others. If you don’t get yourself treated, then keeping healthy can be increasingly difficult to do. The same goes for destructive habits like smoking, alcoholism and addictions of any form.
Then push yourself to move more. If you’re working at your desk 8 hours a day, you should stand up and walk around every 30 minutes or so. If you have some free time during weekends, enroll in a belly dancing class or attend yoga. You could even try training for a 5K just so you’ll be more inclined to exercise. Don’t forget to take note of your physical activities each week and keep track of your progress as well. The key is to make exercise fun, instead of something that you have to do.
Finally, get a good health insurance policy. The skyrocketing costs of health care have pushed some people to avoid seeking medical treatment or undergo preventive tests. But when you have health insurance, you don’t have to worry about getting sick. Studies show that people who have health plans are healthier than those who don’t.
