Taking Care of Oneself

In the United States, the price of healthcare is on the minds of so many people, especially now with an ongoing economic crisis. In such situations, some people may forgo doctor appointments, prescription drug refills, and other medical expenses in order to make ends meet for non-medical expenses, such as mortgages and utility bills.

If you think about it, some medical conditions are preventable, and a healthy lifestyle can ultimately save money. Consider, for example, an obese person who has type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia and ultimately suffers from a heart attack and obstructive sleep apnea. This person can easily prevent all of these conditions with a healthy diet and regular exercise and thereby minimize his or her medical costs. Otherwise, there would be expenses associated with medications, materials for home insulin injections, cardiac angiography, coronary revascularization treatment, and a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine.

Basically, taking care of oneself greatly improves quality of life, not just in terms of physical disabilities but also in terms of financial costs. There would be less worry about medical costs and, possibly, additional money available for leisure, especially in retirement. It does require discipline, but the rewards are worth it.