4 Health Habits that Save You Money

1. Floss

No, not this floss. But Colonel Sanders says hi.

Consistent and proper flossing on a daily basis could give you several long lasting benefits:

• A healthier mouth, gums and set of teeth

• Better aesthetic appearance

• Prevention of tooth decay

Consider the cost of dental implants should your teeth go bad: Root canals cost $300 – $1,200; Dental implants cost upwards of $2,000. Receding gums that amount from aggressive brushing or smotking further exacerbate the problem further. When it comes to dental health, prevention is truly the best approach. Flossing can save you a lot of money in the long run by keeping you from having dental health problems in the future.

In addition, studies have suggested that people who have poor oral health (such as gum disease or tooth loss) have higher rates of cardiovascular problems such as heart attack or stroke, compared to people with good oral health. While more evidence is required, we can all agree that oral health is indeed important.

2. Don’t Smoke

It’s not difficult to figure out that quitting smoking saves alot of money, especially in Singapore where a pack of Marlboro Gold is S$14.10. For the one-pack-a-day smokers, this means a whopping $423 a month (considering 30 days).

Now let’s consider the hidden costs of smoking:

Aesthetics: Yellow teeth, yellow nails, wrinkles etc cost smokers more to keep up their image. This includes more dental visits with teeth whitening as a focus, breath fresheners, skin care etc.

Health and Disease Burden: Statistics show that smokers have more medical problems and die at an earlier age than nonsmokers, leading to higher health and life insurance costs. Additionally, smokers often have more doctor visits and use more medications compared to non-smokers.

Home Upkeep: For smokers who smoke at home, they typically have to pay more to get rid of the scent of stale smoke at home. There is also an increased of house fires due to household items catching fire from a smoldering cigarette butt.

3. Hydrating with Water – A Cheap Habit that is Easily Overlooked

You have probably heard countless times that drinking water is good for you. We also know that 60% of our body is made of water. Water forms the very basis of our blood, digestive juices, and perspiration, and is contained in our lean muscle, fat and organs. However, many people may not like it as water does not have flavor, and there are so many sugared or caffeinated beverages that we have easy access to.

Not only is properly filtered water the cheapest beverage we have access to, it is also the most unadulterated and beneficial to the body.

Think about these ailments associated with dehydration:

• Fatigue – instead of reaching out for the coffee when you are having a mid-day slump, have some water instead

• Premature aging – dehydrated skin is more sensitive and prone to more skin problems. Before spluring on that expensive little jar of miracle moisturizer, consider your hydration habits.

• Weight gain – people often confuse thirst for hunger, and as such eat when their body is only really just thirsty.

Tip (thanks David Poon!): Add Chia Seeds to water for the additional Omega-3 Fatty Acid boost!

4. Exercise for Functional Strength

I am not referring to exercise just for the sake of aesthetics here.

If you spend time with elderly grandparents above 80, you would know that unless they spent time exercising for functional strength in their earlier years, they would likely be frail and have troubles walking. For some, it starts as early as 60.

And this does not come as a surprise. Age-related muscle loss, called sarcopenia, is a natural part of aging. After age 30, you begin to lose as much as 3% to 5% per decade. Most men will lose about 30% of their muscle mass during their lifetimes. Less muscle mass usually translates to poorer functional strength and dampened mobility, both of which may increase your risk of falls and fractures later on.

Do body-weight exercises to build functional strength, as early as you can. If you were once fit in your younger years but have fallen off the bandwagon, now is the time to pick yourself up again. It’s never too early!