thesis statement
DianeR
APAEnglish2013.docx
Healthier choices can even on a budget help prevent preventable diseases
Diane Hernandez
Jersey College
English 201: Composition
Professor Guarnuccio
April 6, 2022
The lack of income of certain classes has a lot to do with not only bills but it also affects how much you can afford after bills are paid to keep food on the table. The bigger the family, especially with small children, the higher the grocery bills. Unfortunately, short cuts must be made to survive the week or every two weeks when a check comes in to feed the household. Those shortcuts often are unhealthy and can affect your health over time. You will read about various ways to cut corners and still eat healthy while on a budget. One thing that hasn’t changed much throughout the years is the need to work and have money and to eat, etc. The two go hand in hand. Over time the demand for work has increased due to the cost of living increasing but paychecks not increasing as much. This has really put a strain on households all around. Due to this short cuts are made to our diets that have truly proven to be unhealthy and deadly to our bodies. Here you will learn about ways to stop eating poorly and maintain a healthy eating lifestyle without breaking the bank.
Being on a budget and eating healthy is not as hard as you might think. You don’t have to be rich to be able to afford healthy food for your body. It is a common misconception that people eat poorly due to lack of income because the cheaper thing is the only thing they can afford.
Knowing what is healthy and unhealthy is key to maintaining a healthy long lifespan and it is actually more affordable to what one might think. There is a saying that says “you are what you eat”. What does this mean? What you put into your body is basically what your body will resemble. According to the Center for Disease Control less than 1 out of 10 adolescents and adults actually eat the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables. In addition about half
adults consume sugary drinks on a daily basis.
Who doesn’t love to dine out. Often your income and or even your schedule will dictate not only what you eat but where you eat. Don’t let this limit you from treating yourself once or twice week. Here are some tips from webmd regarding this. When ordering food, order take out instead, save yourself that extra $5 to $10 that you would have spent on the tip. Every penny counts when you're on a budget. Eat an early dinner. Some restaurants don't stop their lunch menu, which is cheaper, until 5pm. Doing this is also good for digest because you won’t have a heavy meal sitting on you stomach just before bed. How bout this, order from the kids menu, it literally actually gives you the size serving you should be having and you get to save a few dollars. For those times you may be celebrating in event or what have you. You can still enjoy yourself and be healthy by making the right choices. For example…in many restaurants there are courses. Instead of that heavy cream base soup substitute it for a salad with a light dressing on the side. Avoid heavy cream based pastas. Opt for baked potato instead of french fries. Try and avoid any foods that may be fried. Opted for a baked salmon opposed to fried chicken. There are many options out there when you go out to eat. The hardest task is knowing what is more
nutritious and won’t break your bank.
There is a common misconception that fresh groceries are unaffordable to people who are in a lower tax bracket. This is so far from the truth. Here you will see an abundance of ways to shop healthier yet on a budget. Cleveland clinic gives several ways to do this. Buy perishables from retailers online such as amazon, walmart, target, or your local neighborhood grocery store. You can purchase items such as protein bars, granola bars, or dried fruits. Frozen fruits and vegetables which are less perishable and are still healthy and are more affordable and last longer than fresh ones especially when you may want them when they're not in season. Buy meat ,cereal, oatmilk, instant mashed potatoes,sd in bulk, especially if you have a big family. And remember portion control is key to ensuring you’re consuming the recommended daily values in
each food group.
When going grocery shopping it's best to make a list before going. Doing this ensures you get everything that is necessary on that list and keep from overspending. Keeping a limit is a key to staying within your budget. Lastly, coupons are great but not all are great. Using coupons is a great way of saving a few dollars but read and use them with caution. Some require you to buy 3 and save 50 cents where as one may say buy 1 get one free or buy 2 get two phrases. Yes they may look like a good save but make sure there are items that you need. Dont; spend money that you don’t have to.
Keeping yourself educated and up to date on healthier ways of eating. The more you know about what you’re putting in your body the better choices you can make to keep you and your family healthy. Here are a few tips to help you save even more money. Shop store brands instead of name brands. Believe it or not the flavor of most really isn’t that much different. It's cheaper and at times you get more than what you would get if you purchased the name brand. At times the cost difference may be a few cents to a dollar. Some the price range can be as much as $4 or even more depending on the item. You know when you buy meat on the platter already cut and all you need to do is clean, prepare, and cook, which is usually about $8. Believe it or not if you’re not afraid of getting your hands dirty, if you buy a whole chicken for about the same price and cut it up yourself, you can actually prepare 2-3 more meals from it instead of just the one with the platter. Buy only what you know you will eat in an allotted time. When on a budget, wasting food is not really an option. It's good to buy a head but if you're unsure don’t buy it. Better off buying it if and when you need said item(s). If you're older and money is a little tight ask your neighborhood grocer if they have discount cards for senior citizens. With that and throw in some coupons as previously mentioned you should save a pretty penny.
Making healthier choices will help you prevent diseases that may be debilitating to your health and in many cases can prevent diseases, maintain an already existing condition, and may prevent premature death. Obesity. This one controllable disease can trickle down to so many other diseases and even exacerbate an already existing one or more. What is obesity? According to the Mayo clinic; obesity is a complex disease involving an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity isn’t just a cosmetic concern. It’s a medical problem that increases the risk of other diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain cancers. How can we prevent this? Eating a healthy balanced diet, which you have read is very doable and exercise.
Making better choices on a budget can have great long lasting effects on your health. Ensuring you keep yourself up to date will help you make better and affordable choices. Not only is healthy eating more affordable than you thought you can have a much longer life span. Disease prevention and healthy eating are key to having a tomorrow. Don’t let being on a budget dictate you making poor decisions on what to put in your body. Healthy eating on a budget can be done
with ambition of a longer lifespan and discipline.
Sources
· Poor Nutritionpdf icon[PDF – 476 KB
Volu
19, Article number: 231 (2019)Center for Disease Control
· https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/healthy-eating-budget.html
· https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/19-ways-to-eat-healthy-on-a-budget#TOC_TITLE_HDR_3
· Webmd.com
· https://www.eatthis.com/worst-eating-habits-shorter-lifespan/#:~:text= Consuming%20too%20much%20food%20in , chronic%20diseases%2C%22%20Young%20says .
· Health.clevelandclinic.org
· https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/10-tips-eating-healthy-budget
· https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/symptoms-causes/syc-20375742
