Living a healthy lifestyle can look expensive if we’re to believe all those ads on television and in magazines, like $2,000 exercise bikes and imported farm-raised seafood at $150 a pound. But that is not only unrealistic, but it’s also unnecessary. The truth is, eating meals prepared at home and an old-fashioned exercise routine are not only economical but healthier. 

Here, your mystical guide, Marisa Grieco who is a master of healing energy, teaches us how to live a healthier, more natural, and less expensive life.

Food as Fuel

The average American spends nearly $250 a month on “out of home” foods. In addition to the cost financially, the risk to our health from dining out is staggering. A recent study has shown that Americans who ate meals prepared away from home were 18% more likely to die of cardiovascular disease and 67% more likely to die of cancer. Those statistics should frighten anyone into eating meals prepared at home, even if cost was not an issue. 

Buying meat and produce from local farmer’s markets means getting fresher, more organically grown foods and is considerably cheaper than shopping in the organic section of your chain grocery store. Eat This Not That lists the best foods to buy at your farmer’s market, including honey, berries, tomatoes, and onions. An alternative to some of those foods is to grow them yourself. Common home garden foods like peas, tomatoes, carrots, and beets are good food choices and healthier because you control how they are grown. Plus, gardening is a great way to reduce stress, which will in the end save you on medications and therapists. When you do shop in grocery stores, buy in bulk as much as possible and look for discount shopping stores that offer off-brand products. Meat is expensive and there are better, less expensive ways to get the protein needed in our diets like eggs, lentils, and chickpeas. 

Good Old-Fashioned Exercise Routines

Walking is the purest form of exercise we can do and is also the cheapest. The only thing required is a safe place to walk and the proper shoes on our feet. Among other things, walking improves our immune systems and eases joint pain.

We can even save ourselves money on gas if we use our feet for short trips instead of the car. Or, if walking to our destination would take too long, consider biking instead. Biking improves our cardiovascular systems, increases bone density, muscle strength, and joint mobility. And used bikes are available everywhere, local bicycle shops, neighborhood social media pages, and used sports equipment stores.

 Instead of an expensive gym for weight training, look for alternative places like your community rec center or YMCA. And make sure you’re properly fueled for exercise by eating the right foods ahead of time. 

Earn From What You’ve Learned

If you’ve found that you truly did enjoy growing that vegetable garden, consider being a seller instead of just a shopper at your farmer’s market. Maybe you found bicycling is now your passion, and you’re thinking of opening your own repair and retail bike shop. If you took up Yoga or Tai Chi, you might wish to open your own studio to provide classes in your community. 

Making a business plan by utilizing online resources can be an inexpensive way to get started. You can also make your marketing materials, like business cards, with free online apps. Then, once you’re up and running, you can even get a free invoice maker to produce your own personalized forms. It’s an easy app to use and one that will save you money since you’re doing it yourself. 

So Many Ways to Save

Food and exercise are only some of the ways to save while getting healthy. You can participate in your employer’s health plan program, ask your insurance company about cost-saving incentives for getting regular checkups, and if you’re self-insured, look into the Affordable Care Act, which offers Americans lower-cost insurance options. Look at alternatives to supplement your standard medical care with ways to unleash your spiritual energy by registering for courses and counseling with Marisa Grieco.

Being healthy shouldn’t and doesn’t cost more, and if you’re doing it the smart way, it can actually save you money.