frugal tips #2: health

I've been fighting something off for three days, and today it finally bit me in the butt. I came home from work and conked out for a couple of hours and woke up feeling dizzy and definitely sick. This is probably the right frame of mind to write about frugal health.

I'm not going to get into the Great Insurance Debate. I'd like to make one statement and leave it at that: Insurance is good. You should have some. There are serious problems with the insurance system in the US, and that makes it difficult for a great many people to have adequate coverage.

These aren't problems I'm prepared to tackle in the context of frugality. Instead, I'd like to focus on prevention.

Fact: Smoking and obesity or obesity-related illnesses are primary causes of a great many health problems in the United States.

Fact: Smoking and obesity both aggravate other health problems and drive up overall health costs.

Fact: Having a healthier base population is both good for the economy and good for individuals because it reduces absenteeism, leads to lower health care premiums (insurance is an actuarial science: healthy people subsidize the costs of caring for sick people, so a healthier base population means lower overall costs), and generally greater happiness.

What are some concrete steps you can take to bring down your own potential health care costs through prevention?

1. If you smoke, stop. I know, I know: this is easier said than done. Smoking itself is costly because of the price of tobacco, but the long-term costs are even higher: emphysema, heart disease, cancer, premature aging, high blood pressure . . . the list continues. If you have children or a spouse, the risks of secondhand smoke are as bad as actually putting cigarettes in their mouths and lighting them. There are a great many products and programs available to help you stop smoking. Don't do it for your budget; do it for you and for your loved ones.

2. Maintain a healthy weight. Also easier said than done, but well worth it. One common fallacy that contributes to weight problems in this country is the assumption that a restaurant serving represents an appropriate serving size for an adult. In most cases, it doesn't: instead, it's two to four times as much food as an adult is supposed to eat. It takes attention and discipline, but a general rule of thumb is to plan on taking at least half of a restaurant meal home every time you go out. Dividing the food on your plate as soon as it comes is one way to do it; if it's too difficult to stick to eating only half while it's on the plate, it's perfectly okay to ask the server for a doggie bag as soon as the food comes.

Another rule of thumb pertains to convenience food. In general, home-cooked is healthier and cheaper than restaurant food. (Fast food is an exception, but I don't count products from McDonald's and other fast-food chains as food). The closer your food is to its natural state, the better it generally is for you. Keeping an eye on sugar, trans fats, saturated fats, and yes, calories will help you maintain a healthy food intake. You can get more detailed information from the USDA's food pyramid website and related links.

3. Moderate alcohol intake. While the scuttlebutt in the news today is that a glass of red wine a day is good for you, too much alcohol increases the risk of alcoholism and contributes to general health problems. In general, it's an unnecessary expense; on a tight budget, it should be considered no more than a once-in-a-while luxury.

For some people, it also contributes to inadvisable phone calls or emails. I'm just saying.

4. Use it or lose it. Anyone looking for a magic bullet for getting thinner and healthier need look no further: exercise is the fountain of youth. I wouldn't presume to tell you what exercise to do: the best suggestion I have is to find something you love (or can grow to love) and do it for an hour a day, six days a week. You won't believe the benefits.

5. Say aaah. Once a year, whether you think you need it or not, get a full checkup and bloodwork. This is especially important if either of your parents have developed heart disease, kidney disease, or other potentially hereditary conditions. Bloodwork is often an early-warning sign of problems on the horizon, sometimes the only one you get. Women, this one is a do as I say and not as I do, but see your gynecologist (yeah, I don't really do that) and get an annual mammogram if you're over 40 or according to whatever time scale you and your doctor think is appropriate.

As an aside, I've noticed that many older people grew up with doctors who made house calls and spent more time with their patients than is common today. If you're not satisfied with your medical care, you are the customer. Fire the doctor and find someone you can work with. In this day and age, you must be your own medical advocate. My parents haven't been able to adjust to this mindset, and the end result is that my sibling and I have to be very involved with their medical care and act as advocates on their behalf.

People, this is exhausting. Don't put your adult children through this. If you wouldn't put up with bad service in a restaurant, do not tolerate it when it comes to your own health. It's your job to educate yourself on your condition and be an active partner in the decision-making for your care.

Sermon over.

6. Keep your germs to yourself. If you're sick, stay home. Bringing your illness to work spreads germs and won't make you any more productive. If you need to take a sick day, it's your responsibility to yourself and your colleagues to do that.

7. Manage stress. Some people use yoga. Some people meditate. I blow it all out with exercise, and I'm much healthier for it. In truth, stress is a killer. Many employers have Employee Assistance Programs to provide counseling and mental health treatment services at reduced or no cost. If you have one, don't hesitate to take advantage of it.

8. Drink water. Drinking water helps flush out toxins and prevents dehydration. Anecdotally, I've noticed that it gives my skin a certain healthy glow that fades away when I haven't been drinking enough. Although many people drink bottled water, I don't generally recommend it. Unlike city water systems, bottled water isn't generally fluoridated and your teeth will know the difference. In addition, bottled water is much more expensive than drinking tap water, and the amount of PVC-laden landfill garbage generated by discarded water bottles is phenomenal. I find that a refrigerated Brita filter tank is easy to maintain and does a great job of removing impurities. It's just as easy to put filtered water in a reusable bottle as it is to buy a bottle, and it's definitely cheaper and gentler on the environment.

9. See your dentist. Lack of adequate dental care can result in gum disease and tooth loss. In addition, like bloodwork, dentistry is often a key to the only warning signs you might get for serious health problems.

10. Brush and floss. Correcting dental problems is expensive. Preventing them is cheap.

11. Manage pre-existing conditions. If you have chronic conditions, it's important to partner with your doctor in understanding them and minimizing their impact. Some conditions take more management then others. I have Hashimoto's disease and asthma (coming up on my one-year anniversary with that one), but knowing the symptoms of my conditions and changes to look for helps me get the help I need to keep these conditions effectively controlled. The end result is that they have little to no impact on my day-to-day life.

12. Take a multivitamin. Most women should take calcium as well. Although ideally, people should get all necessary vitamins and minerals from diet alone, in practice this is not that easy to do. Multivitamins help fill in the gaps, and that'll help you maintain optimal health.

There's obviously a great deal more that could be added, but that's a start. What are your tips for maintaining and improving your health without breaking the bank?