I hear this from people all the time: "It's expensive to eat healthy." To be clear, I am a realist, and I understand that organic spelt bread is a lot more expensive than Pop Tarts, but I also know that you can't put a price tag on your health or your life.
I also know that the same people who tell me they can't afford to eat healthy are spending upwards of $30 a week on coffee, $6 or $7 for a pack of cigarettes, and at least $3 every day at the vending machine, but they can't afford to buy fresh fruit because it's "too expensive." Wake up, people!
You are either going to spend your money at the grocery store or the doctor's office. If you think buying a few extra bananas and a bunch of asparagus is expensive, try pricing out diabetes, cancer, heart disease, or any number of other diseases that can be controlled, reversed, or avoided altogether through diet.
I do understand that organic foods cost more. I also know that specialty foods like those that are gluten-free, vegan, and non-dairy are expensive as well. But when it comes to your grocery shopping, you need to stop thinking about it as an expense and start thinking about it as an investment... an investment in yourself!
Eating well and taking care of yourself is not a privilege reserved for the well-off -- it's a right that everyone should exercise! I'm not rich by any means, but I budget my money in such a way that I can afford to eat healthfully. Some weeks I may not be able to afford lots of organics and other specialty items, but I can always afford to throw a couple extra bananas and apples in my grocery cart, along with some frozen vegetables and a dozen eggs.
As a certified health coach, I work with so many people struggling with their health. When I tell them that the road to recovery can be found in their very own kitchens, they look so skeptical; that's because society wants us to believe that we have to buy a certain diet book, take a certain supplement, or invest in some fancy piece of gym equipment to make a change.
As a society, we've been duped by companies that are only interested in one thing... PROFIT! Whether you lose 10 pounds, 20 pounds or no pounds isn't their concern, as long as they get your money. I know the thought of changing your life by walking 30 minutes a day and adding a couple of extra vegetables to your diet sounds too easy to believe, and to be sure, for some people it's much more complex than that, but I've found that people who just start there start to feel better than they have in years.
I'm amazed at the number of people who will shell out $6 for a latte, but complain about the cost of fresh produce. I was amazed at the woman at the grocery store today who complained about the $3 cauliflower but jumped up and down like she hit the lottery when cookies were on sale, two for $5.
There are so many things money can't buy: good health, vitality, and longevity are some of them! It's time to start eating like your life depends on it, because it does! Don't "cheap out" on your health. Start to make the investment today!