Eating healthy, managing stress, and staying physically active are the most important things you can do to stay healthy at any age. It’s also possible for anyone, even older adults, to live a healthy lifestyle on a budget.
Life insurance rates are based on your health status, medical history, age, gender, and occupation. These rates are the cheapest when you are young and healthy. It can be challenging and costly to find term life insurance for seniors, but there are other insurance options for older adults.
We will include why a healthy lifestyle is important, tips for living a healthy lifestyle, and the impact this has on insurance rates.
Why is a healthy lifestyle important?
Eating a healthy diet and staying physically active are the best things you can do to lower your risk for health conditions. Diabetes, heart disease, and cancer are some of the most common chronic diseases in Americans. Living a healthy lifestyle goes a long way in helping prevent these conditions.
If you are eating nutritious foods and staying physically active, you will also experience many other health benefits. You will feel more energized, have improved moods, sleep better, and manage stress.
Older adults will find they feel better and move better when they are living a healthy lifestyle. You will have more energy to keep up with children and grandchildren. You will also find it easier to complete daily activities like carrying in groceries, checking the mail, and cleaning.
6 Tips for Living a Healthy Lifestyle
#1 – Plan Your Meals
Planning meals and snacks not only helps you eat healthier but can also save you money. Before you go to the grocery store, think about what meals you will eat in the few days or weeks ahead. See what you have on hand and make a list of what you need for those meals.
You can use the store advertisements to see what foods are on sale and plan your meals around those foods. Plan meals and snacks to include at least two to three food groups with a source of protein and fiber. Include colorful fruits and vegetables, plenty of whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy products for a balanced and varied diet.
#2 – Use Nutrition Labels
The nutrition labels on foods are a wealth of information. They list the calories, portion size, the amounts of various nutrients for health, how those nutrients fall into our daily recommendations, ingredients, and common allergens.
A quick and easy way to evaluate a food to see if it’s healthy or not is to use the percent daily value to the right of most of the nutrients on the label. If the percentage is 20% or above, the food is high in that nutrient. If the percentage is 5% or less, the food is low in that nutrient.
#3 – Try Other Protein Options
Meat can be an expensive part of your food budget. You can either cut back on the amount of meat you are consuming, buy meat on sale, or try other protein options. Foods that are a good source of protein but less expensive are beans, eggs, canned tuna, nuts, seeds, nut butter, and soy products like tofu and tempeh.
#4 – Schedule Exercise
One way to stick to an exercise routine is to plan it in your day like a doctor’s appointment or write it in your calendar if that’s helpful. Some people like to schedule fitness classes or meet with a personal trainer to help stay accountable. Others have success with exercising first thing in the morning, while some enjoy a workout after work or during a break in the day.
Staying active can fit into any budget. If you don’t want to pay for a gym membership, fitness classes, or a personal trainer, hit the great outdoors. You can walk, run, or do bodyweight exercises in a park or your neighborhood to enjoy the benefits of physical activity.
#5 – Do Activities You Enjoy
There’s no reason to participate in physical activities that you don’t enjoy. You are more likely to keep up with a routine if you are doing exercises and activities that you like doing. Swimming, walking, biking, or dancing are affordable and fun for any age.
#6 – Manage Stress
Everyone has stress in their lives, but the key is finding a way to manage that stress. Hobbies, exercise, counseling, relaxation, spiritual activities, social engagement, and staying organized are all ways to manage stress.
How does health impact life insurance rates?
Life insurance rates are based on your health status, medical history, age, gender, and occupation. These rates are the cheapest when you are young and healthy. Your health status and any medical issues can make insurance more costly.
You can work with an insurance agent or compare rates online to find the best life insurance options for your situation. Taking care of your health improves your quality of life and keeps you energized to live your best life.
Stay Healthy and Save Money
Living a healthy lifestyle can fit into anyone’s budget, from young adults to older adults. There are many ways you can eat healthily, stay active, and manage stress to stay healthy and manage money.
Melissa Morris writes and researches for the life insurance comparison site, ExpertInsuranceReviews.com. She is a university professor of nutrition and a certified sports nutritionist.
