| As you probably know all to well, the cost of | | | | stress, and increased productivity. If you are not |
| healthcare and health insurance premiums continue to | | | | doing so already, I encourage you to consider |
| increase at levels substantially above the general | | | | practical ways to promote a healthy lifestyle for you |
| inflation rate. The reasons given for these | | | | and your family. For example, one of the individual |
| extraordinary cost increases are numerous and | | | | health insurance companies my organization works |
| include: technological advancements in the medical | | | | with has an option that will offset 25% of the annual |
| field, increased demand for medical services and | | | | cost of a health club membership. Simple things such |
| prescription drugs, the aging of the population, cost | | | | as taking a walk, bike ride, or going swimming |
| shifting caused by the uninsured and governmental | | | | promote both a healthy body and mind. If you have |
| reimbursement rates, state and federal mandates, | | | | a sweet tooth, consider limiting yourself to eating |
| and costs associated with medical related lawsuits. | | | | desert once a week. You will enjoy it more and your |
| As individual consumers, we have very little control | | | | body will thank you. |
| over some of the factors contributing to the cost of | | | | Health insurance premiums will continue to increase as |
| healthcare. However, all of us have control over | | | | long as the cost of healthcare continues to go up. |
| lifestyle related health insurance claims. A simple | | | | The best way to reduce the overall cost of |
| formula of eating a balanced diet, getting the | | | | healthcare is to decrease our need for healthcare. |
| appropriate amount of daily exercise, participating in | | | | Healthy lifestyle choices and prudent use of the |
| annual physicals and other recommended routine | | | | healthcare system are the best and easiest ways to |
| care, limiting alcohol consumption, and eliminating the | | | | get a handle on our healthcare expenditures. Perhaps |
| use of tobacco products will no doubt reduce our | | | | the greatest benefit of a healthy lifestyle is our ability |
| personal healthcare costs. In addition to reducing | | | | to enjoy our precious time here on earth to the |
| medical costs, the other benefits of following such a | | | | fullest. |
| formula include more energy, self confidence, less | | | | |