This is not the first time that I have talked about the link between your health and your wealth. If we look after ourselves and ensure we stay fit and healthy, we won’t need to spend money on medical treatments for preventable diseases. We will be able to use our hard earned cash for those big life aspirations.

Some like to argue with me and tell me that eating healthy is expensive but this is a false assumption. In fact, making  a few small changes to your diet can really improve your health and wellbeing while costing you very little. Here are a few tips to show you just how easy it is to make healthy eating part of your lifestyle:

• Eat whole foods. One of the easiest ways to cut the junk food from your diet, is to avoid anything that is packaged in any way. Instead, make unprocessed foods your diet staple. Eating whole foods means eating lots of fruits and veggies, brown rice, oats, lean meats, eggs, beans, lentils, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. We tend to eat mainly vegetarian so we further cut our costs but cutting out meat.
• Cook your own food. Make an effort to cook from scratch if you don’t currently do this. Treat yourself to a new cookbook that catches your eye and try some of the recipes. Cooking or baking your own favourite treats is always better for you than eating the store bought processed versions. By cooking yourself you will always know exactly what ingredients you’ve added which gives peace of mind (at least to me) to know what you are putting into your body.
• Meal plan. Meal planning helps you stay on track with what you eat during the week as well as outlines what you need to cook ahead of time. Stay tuned for a future post on how to get started with this.
• Drink water. Having water as your main drink can make a huge difference in your overall health. Plus, in North America, water is almost free. You don’t have to buy bottled water to get the benefits. Tap water is just fine. By switching to water you can cut down on the calories you consume in cans of pop, loaded coffees, or processed juices which will aid in a healthy weight. Begin your day with a glass of water before having anything else, then have a glass or two with each meal, and also before drinking any caffeinated beverages. This will surely get you in the habit of guzzling this powerful yet free drink.
• Commit to the goal. In order to reap the benefits of investing in your health you need to stay focused and stick to the plan. Make adjustments to your diet slowly and gradually so you don’t get overwhelmed. Working out what’s most important to you is key to sticking to your commitment.

Today, I want you to make a commitment to improving your health by choosing 1 or 2 of these habits and immediately implementing them. Stick to this until it becomes easy and then continue to make more adjustments over time. By making this pledge, I promise you will not only feel better and stronger, but you will also be able to enjoy your future wealth the way you have always wanted.

What simple changes have you tried to improve your eating habits? Or what struggles have you found in doing this? We can help you.