The healthcare system in the US is broken.
I know that may sound like a political statement, but it’s really not. And don’t get me wrong: I’m not afraid to get political on here, but that’s not what this is. The way I see it, there’s nothing political about believing that people who are struggling with their health, should not struggle to afford their healthcare. Take it from someone who has had their fair share of health problems: the stress of worrying about whether or not you’ll be okay, is more than enough to handle. Stacking financial stress on top of that is damn near impossible to manage… And yet, it does happen.
It’s just wrong. And there are many ways to work to correct this system; but what I want to focus on today is helping you from falling victim to this cycle, through talking through some preventative care measures around your health.
If you could seamlessly integrate small routines into your life to avoid hefty medical bills later on, why wouldn’t you? And this is about more than your wallet, of course: the real benefit to making these little lifestyle changes is living a healthy life.
I don’t want to bore you with the things you already know.
We all know that a healthy diet, exercise, sleep and sunscreen are all important to keeping our bodies in tip-top shape. We know those rules—whether or not we actually follow them, is another story— but, reiterating what you already know isn’t helpful. So today, I’m going to give you three tips that will likely be new to you.
1. Don’t take the receipt. Recent studies have shown that the ink used in most receipts is toxic. Let me ask you something (and I swear this is connected): have you seen “BPA-free” water bottles advertised more and more in recent years? Even if you don’t know what BPAs are, you probably gravitated towards the BPA-free options because, well, if you don’t know what something is, you probably shouldn’t expose your body to it… and, sure, that’s a good rule of thumb… But let’s double click on BPAs.
BPAs are chemicals that disrupt your body’s normal biological functions, and scientists have found that there is a link between BPA-disruptions and health conditions like cancer and diabetes. Not only are BPAs found in certain water bottle materials (like plastics), but BPAs are also in the ink that is commonly used in receipts. Recent studies have found a link between exposure to that ink and cancer. So, next time you’re eating out and they ask if you want a copy of the receipt, just say no. If you really need a record of the receipt, you can take a picture of the receipt without touching it. And while you’re at it, let the person who’s waiting on your table know about this research. Maybe you can help your favorite restaurant opt into digital receipts, and help keep your community healthy in the process.
2. Don’t brush your teeth after you eat. And don’t even think about doing this if you’ve just downed some freshly squeezed orange juice. Brushing your teeth after meals, especially if you’ve had something acidic like citrus or soda, can soften your tooth enamel. And your enamel is what protects your teeth! We need that shit! Without it, you’re at risk of pesky bacteria running rampant, and that’s what leads to expensive procedures, like fillings, or god forbid, root canals. So either brush your teeth before your meals, or wait a half an hour before brushing.
3. Buy vitamin D supplements. Many experts now recommend that we should get 800 to 1,000 IUs of vitamin D a day. I know what you’re thinking: WTF is an IU? IUs are a unit of measurement for vitamins, but you don’t really need to know that. What you do need to know is that salmon, a food that’s famously high in vitamin D, typically has a little over 400 IUs of vitamin D; so you’d need to eat two full pieces of salmon every day to get your daily amount of vitamin D. Does that sound feasible? If you just said “no,” you’d agree with a growing amount of doctors. Those doctors are now recommending folks take supplements to help boost vitamin D intake, which may reduce the risk of some cancers. This is a great example of how sometimes a little investment can save you from higher costs later on: so spend the $20 now on vitamin D supplements, and save yourself from shelling out ten times that in hospital bills.
xo,
