Being diagnosed and living with chronic disease and pain for many years, I realized there’s no better investment than investing in your health. I wrote previously about how to save money by being healthy but it’s not just for money reasons. Living with heath conditions such as chronic disease is miserable. When I was young I thought I was invincible, not going to the doctors regularly, eating whatever I wanted, not taking time to understand nutrition, and not consistently exercising.

In my 40’s, I had heart surgery. I get the comment that I’m so young to have had this. I thought it was genetics and pushed the blame on something else instead of looking at my lifestyle. After talking to many people, watching documentaries, and researching studies, you have full control of your health. I put this on myself and take full responsibility of my health. What could I have done better? A lot! And these are the things I would recommend.

Educate Yourself

Take the time to educate yourself about health and nutrition. You will find information out there that are actual studies, professional opinions, and objective/non-objective theories. There is so much information out there you may agree or disagree with so take the time to verify and confirm the accuracy. WebMD is a source I use for common medical questions and of course Google is there to help you search. I’ve been watching documentaries on YouTube and Netflix. On Netflix, there’s a documentary called “What The Health” and “Forks Over Knives” If you don’t have a Netflix account, use my referral link to sign up. A couple of YouTube videos that I’ve watched and recommend others to watch is Food Inc. and a TEDx talk. Again, do your research and form your own conclusions.

Regularly See Your Doctor

I dreaded going to the doctors, not because I didn’t want to see them but having to miss work. I always had medical insurance so why wouldn’t I use the insurance I had? I wrote how you can save money by being healthy here. Leverage the insurance you have and see them regularly. At the least, take a physical at least once a year. Also, if you are taking medication, take time to know what side effects they have. I’ve been impacted by side effects for years and didn’t think they were caused by them. Use this site to look up your medications.

Be Open To Other Options

Doctors may not have all the answers or all the right answers. Be open to second opinions and other medical treatments like acupuncture. I am a firm believer in acupuncture, specifically KOSA (Korean Acupuncture). For a long time, I experienced jaw tension and pain which I thought was from my hypertension and I had gone to many doctors, dentists, and specialists. My pain never went away. Then I decided to get acupuncture. After 9 sessions, my acupuncturist treated me, showed me where my pain was originating from, and taught me what I needed to do to get rid of my pain. He told me to go vegan and get off my medications. Not exactly what I wanted to hear but it became evident that my diet was a major root cause.

Eat Healthy

You are what you eat. Never knew how much truth there was in this statement. For years I thought I was eating somewhat healthy and after educating myself, I knew I was brainwashed from all the marketing out there…eating foods I thought was healthy when in fact they aren’t.

• Start eating organic, non-GMO foods
• Reduce the amount of food you consume
• Buy health supplements that are organic

I started the vegan route. I never knew how much processed foods I was eating but eating healthy is not impossible. For years I thought I was eating ok when in reality I was doing more harm to my body. I went back and forth eating ok and not eating ok. To make a true impact, make the decision and stick with it. This time I decided to go all in and make the plunge. Eating healthy doesn’t have to cost a lot, which is what I had always thought. If you combine reducing the amount of food you consume and shopping for organic foods, you will be spending about the same amount. By eating healthy, my goal is to eliminate my reliance on medication. Don’t forget to supplement your diet with minerals and vitamins. These are the ones I eat now. 

Exercise

You probably heard the saying that 80% is diet and 20% is exercise. Don’t forget to exercise whether it’s a simple walk, job, or run, weights, high intensity, karate, jiu-jitsu, biking, or any other activity that works your body.

Investing in your health is one of the most important choices you can make. If you’re not around to enjoy your savings or retirement (keyword is enjoy), then what’s the point? I started my vegan journey 6 days ago and I can feel a huge difference. I don’t eat as much. I don’t have cravings like I used to. I’m more conscious about what I’m eating. My body feels great! I’m hoping the changes I make today will have a long lasting effect long term so that I can reach early retirement and truly enjoy it. As always, consult your physician. If you are interested in following my journey, email subscribe to get alerts of latest posts or follow me on Facebook.