UNITED STATES—Have you ever asked yourself whether it’s worth the effort to maintain a healthful lifestyle? Whenever people discuss the topic, they usually get bogged down in a long list of physical benefits and medical concepts. But, there’s a lot more to living well than just the health benefits. Those who practice things like following a balanced diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, avoiding excessive alcohol intake, and not using tobacco often discover unexpected advantages from their positive lifestyle. Lower medical bills and cheaper life insurance premiums are just two of the benefits. Here’s more about what you should expect to gain from living a wholesome, healthful life.
Lower Medical Expenses
It seems like common sense that those who take care of themselves don’t need as many medical services throughout their lifetimes. That means if you are not obese, don’t smoke, and don’t use drugs, chances are very good that you will not visit emergency rooms as often as people who tend to be unhealthy.
Cheaper Life Insurance Premiums
If you’ve ever priced life insurance policies, you likely know about this advantage of healthful living. Those who see a doctor regularly to stay on top of their heath can tend to pay much lower rates for all kinds of insurance coverage. This is especially true for life insurance. This benefit comes into play not only when you purchase insurance coverage but if you ever decide to sell a life policy for cash. If you are unfamiliar with the process of selling a policy, you can review a comprehensive online guide about how the process works. Essentially, once you decide to sell the policy for cash, a third party will purchase it, and you can use the proceeds for whatever you want.
Fewer Sick Days
Eating right and having regular medical checkups means not being ill as often as those who neglect their well-being. If you want to miss fewer days of school or work, aim to take care of yourself, washing your hands after being in public places, and avoiding others who are ill with the flu or similar maladies. Regular exercise and getting enough sleep are other factors that play into the overall goal of being sick less often. Everyone has to take a day off work or school now and then due to the flu, a severe headache, or a fever. But healthful living can reduce those sick days to a minimum.
More Money to Spend
One of the biggest surprises for people who start taking better care of themselves, and especially for those who begin to pay attention to what they eat, is that they spend less money. Why? For starters, cutting out just half of the junk food, fast food, and sweets that so many people consume on a regular basis, it’s easy to save money. Convenience foods tend to come with a very high per-serving cost, which is why you can tighten up your budget by simply eating more meals at home that at fast food restaurants. Unfortunately, convenient, unhealthful food and drink choices are everywhere, so it can be harder to eliminate them from your life than you might think.