The Cost of Health

I love eating right. I believe that what we put into our bodies has a huge affect on how we feel physically and emotionally. Getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals as well as fiber and whole grains refreshes and cleanses the body and soul.

I also love being frugal. Worry caused by financial strain can drastically diminish our physical and mental health, especially when drawn over a long period of time. Being frugal not only makes you feel great in the short term, but it also affects your future and the future of your loved ones.

I cannot tell you how often I have stood in a grocery store, holding a product that offers so many health benefits while cringing at the price tag. I sit with an internal struggle between health and frugality, especially if the product does not fall into my Two Dollar Rule.

Should I buy store brand shortening because it is cheaper even though it uses beef fats? Should I purchase the organic food-based multivitamin even though the price is four times more than the synthetic? Is the organic herbal tea really worth the $10 shipping charge?

With three children, I worry excessively over putting the best foods into their body so they grow up with a healthy concept of eating right as well as the physical and mental long-term benefits offered. "Mom guilt" rings the strongest in my internal struggle of health versus budget.

To get the most health benefits for your money:

• Research. There is a ton of information out there about how certain vitamins and minerals affect your body. Determine what you want most out of your diet and then research the cheapest possible foods that offer the balance of vitamins you are looking for.
• Think bland. Food exists to sustain us. If you look at it in this way, you will be less likely to strive for the tastiest and most flavorful foods. Nothing is wrong with plain brown rice, lentils and broccoli for dinner. Skip the spices that offer flavor and reach for items that offer health benefits.
• Skip supplements. Most foods offer more than one sustaining quality. Milk gives you calories, fat, calcium and vitamin D. Oatmeal provides calories, whole grain and iron. Apples give you calories, carbohydrates and vitamin C. A vitamin D supplement offers you only vitamin D. Supplements are usually incomplete, particularly if they are synthetic. If you focus on purchasing foods that fulfill your nutritional requirements, you can find the right foods for a fraction of the cost of all the supplements and your body will process them more fully.
• Drop the guilt. Do not go over budget because you feel guilty about how you feed your family. It is better to feed them what you can afford than to wind up in a financial strain that will hurt your diet even more in the long run. Be grateful and thank God for all that you can afford and try not to worry too much about what you may be lacking.
• Always strive for improvement. As with anything in life, our diet is all about weighing the pros and cons of each item we put in our body. Constantly seek ways you can improve your diet for minimal costs and you will gradually improve your health without breaking your budget.

I cannot afford to buy the best of the best all the time. I do not always reach for organic or all-natural foods as much as I would love to. The idea is to not feel guilty. Recognize that you can only eat within in your means. Be grateful for what you can afford. Some in the world are starving and anxious for a bowl of rice. They do not worry that they cannot afford better, rather they gratefully consume what they can obtain. Don't let the magazines and media guilt you into going outside your budget to buy the "best" for you and your family. Just focus on the best quality foods that you can afford.

For more frugal and healthy living tips, check out: Learning the Frugal Life and Creatively Living