Healthy choices now can pay big dividends later on

Eating a healthy diet is one way to ensure quality of life.

By MICK SEVERIN
The Trucker News Services

6/6/2008

When you think about what it costs to take care of your health are you thinking about your contribution to 17 percent of a Gross National Product expenditure of approximately $3 trillion?

Probably not. More than likely you relate those costs to your doctor, insurance premium, deductibles and your local drugstore.

Statistics show us that health insurance coverage for an average fairly healthy individual with a standard deductible costs around $6,000 a year. You can double those costs for a family and on top of those costs you can add higher deductibles, co-pays and your contributions, in taxes, to state and local health funds.

As you can see we have some pretty substantial health expenses. Oh, wait a minute, if you have a heart condition, diabetes, pulmonary issues or are overweight you can add thousands of dollars to that “average” cost estimate.

We’re not done yet; none of those costs reflect over the counter cold, allergy, aches and pain medications. Nor do these costs reflect or measure the damage done when we put off regular medical exams or didn’t seek medical treatment on a minor condition that has now become a “full blown” medical issue because we didn’t have the time or the finances.

Many of us make life or death decisions every day based on time and finances. Truth is it’s hard to be judge or jury when someone has to make a decision like that. Do I get this problem checked, that’s not really bothering me too much, or do I put tires on my truck? Do I get this odd looking mark on my skin looked at or put fuel in my truck?

Answers to these questions seem like no brainers when you’re on the outside looking in don’t they? Fact is, it happens all the time. All of us find ourselves in that position at one time or another and pick the tires or the fuel. Naturally we find comfort by telling ourselves we will have the money and the time later.

Do you see anything wrong with this picture? All of the monies, situations and decisions we have just discussed are based on being sick.

The government spends just over $1, no you didn’t read it wrong, one dollar per year, in disease prevention. Before you go on a tirade on how the government might be neglecting your well being how much of your own finances and time did you invest in disease and illness prevention last year?

In financial terms the latest studies by Hope and other institutes suggest that for every $10 you invest in disease prevention you will realize hundreds of dollars in savings and quality of life issues.

In terms of time, for every moment you deliberate and make good nutrition choices and for every minute you exercise and take command of stressful situations with forethought and relaxation you will add countless moments of quality time to your life.

The descriptive word “quality” is the key difference between the money and time you pay to be ill and the time and money you pay to live life.

Here’s another perspective for you to contemplate: if you exercise, consume the right nutrients and have a great attitude in life you take those things with you everywhere you go, people notice and they want that feeling.

If you are ill, being sick takes you wherever it wants to go, people worry about you and they don’t want that feeling.

Sometimes no matter what precautions we take, some illness, disease or unforeseen situation comes out of left field and takes us down. But if we have tried our best to be healthy with good nutrition and exercise, most of the time we will weather the storm and bounce back as good as new.

So, next time you find yourself trying to make a financial decision about that medical check-up, a book with health information, that gym, lunch or nutritional product, base that decision on your quality of life, not your checkbook.

God Bless you and yours, Mick.