Health Insurance Articles
Get Fit With Exercise And Your Health Insurance Premiums
2010-05-22
With insurance premium on the rise, health care costs can be a real burden. That's why it's becoming increasingly important to get fit and stay healthy to get the best health insurance quotes from your insurance provider. Besides saving money, those who decide to make a healthy lifestyle change will look and feel better.
Sometimes it's hard to control the actual premium, or monthly insurance payments, but staying out of the hospital and doctor's office can help save cash. Each doctor's visit can cost $20 or more for out-of-pocket co-pays. A little exercise can help you avoid the doctor. Walking on a regular basis, about 30 minutes per day, has been shown to reduce or control many diseases. Moderate exercise reduces blood pressure, raises good cholesterol and helps maintain a healthy weight - three primary components of health. Medications for poorly controlled blood pressure and cholesterol can be expensive. And, overweight or obese people can count on higher health care costs over a lifetime than someone with a healthy weight.
Besides cardiovascular exercise, it's important to tone muscles with weight lifting and weight-bearing exercise. Weight-bearing exercise, such as tennis, dancing and brisk walking, is especially important for women to as it reduces the risk of osteoporosis. Also, having more muscle tone, instead of fat, allows your body to burn more calories. A pound of muscle burns 20 to 30 calories per day, while a pound of fat burns only five. Muscle strengthening contributes to better flexibility and balance, decreasing the chances of injury and a visit to the doctor. As a person ages, muscle mass is naturally lost, but weight-bearing exercising and lifting weights helps preserve that muscle.
Along with exercise, diet should be controlled to cut down on health care costs. Sugary treats and greasy fast food can be rather tempting, but avoiding soda, candy bars, fried foods and hamburgers from the local fast food joint can really make a difference in health. Fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains improve how the body functions and just like exercise, can lower blood pressure and increase your good cholesterol levels. Snack on an apple, a handful of almonds or a glass of skim milk to fill up and stay satisfied throughout the day.
Remember, even a small lifestyle change can make a big difference in health insurance quotes and costs from your insurance provider. You don't have to commit to extreme forms of exercise, like running a marathon, to see changes in your overall health. Choosing to take a walk after dinner or bike to the store can make for a happier, fitter you. Small changes can make for big impacts.
