Pay it to the grocer, or pay it to the doctor.
~ my Grandma, Gerarda von Stietz
Like many Americans, who pay for their own healthcare insurance, our premium nearly doubles January 1, 2014.
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| Photo of my health insurance contract taken by my cell phone. ~ VeggieBound.org |
From personal experience over the last decade, it's been tough to make sure we've had continuous healthcare for my husband and myself. The job stability our parents' generation enjoyed - along with continuous medical coverage - is long gone.
We took charge of our own careers...
As businesses navigated through the ups-and-downs of the past 30+ years, incorporating computers and then the internet, many went out of business, and innovative new companies - Google is a prime example - changed the world. Along the way, we learned to take charge of our own career advancement.
then took charge of our own healthcare insurance.
At first, we were grateful for COBRA, but at some point, to make sure we stayed in a healthcare plan of our own choice, we started paying for our own individual healthcare insurance.
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Eating a plant-based diet
kept our healthcare costs
low. We hope our country
will promote plant-based eating as a way to keep national costs down. |
We chose a plan that focuses on keeping us healthy. For preventative care, our plan provides an annual physical along with a menu of tests that screen for cancer, diabetes and heart issues, a free annual flu shot, and after meeting a specified deductible, provides for catastrophic care.
...we switched to eating a plant-based diet.
A plant-based diet lowered our cholesterol levels and we lost weight. We walk as much as we can and take stairs rather than elevators, we drink very little alcohol, we don't smoke...do you see where this message is going? Will we now be paying for the poor diets of others?
Poor Diet = Chronic Diseases
According to the Center of Disease Control, 75% of healthcare costs are for chronic diseases. And most of the chronic diseases are preventable through diet. For more information, click on this link: The Center for Disease Control
We already are paying for the general population's poor diet
The doubling 91.6% increase in our personal healthcare costs will help pay for someone else's healthcare. I fully understand this, and as stated at the beginning of this blog, a national healthcare system is long overdue. But how is our country going to help us manage the cost of healthcare? We personally can't pay much more.
A Call for a National Initiative
Plant-based Living means a Healthy America
There are so many negative consequences of poor diet, including national security:
Too Fat to Fight? Obesity Threatens Military Recruiting
Here are some ideas
There are so many negative consequences of poor diet, including national security:
Too Fat to Fight? Obesity Threatens Military Recruiting
Here are some ideas
- Set nutrition guidelines based on scientific research funded by the USA, not food or drug companies
- Revisit Nutritional Information labels on food products to eliminate language that blurs the truth
- Don't make a joke of the importance of good nutrition, for example, by classifying pizza as a vegetable
- Set incentives to help Americans take charge of their own health
- Run a National Health Campaign...similar to Kaiser Permanente's Thrive Campaign
Feeling great truly is the best reward of a plant-based diet. I feel better than I have in years!
Since eliminating dairy products, I've stopped needing a steroid inhaler for asthma (it was costing $200 per month). I didn't realize how the steroid affected my general energy levels, I was just glad to be able to breath wheeze-free.
Oh my goodness, feeling this good, having a level of energy I haven't felt in years...
of course I won't go back to eating cheese...and meat...and dairy...duh!
Okie doke...now for some cuteness!
Just because it's cute and Rex Harrison was awesomely talented and unique, here's a 4 minute movie clip, via my son and daughter-in-law:
Okie doke...now for some cuteness!
Just because it's cute and Rex Harrison was awesomely talented and unique, here's a 4 minute movie clip, via my son and daughter-in-law:
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Feeling great is the best reward for eating a plant-based diet! |
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