How to stay healthy on a budget in Nashville
Many view being healthy as a luxury of the well-to-do. When we see images of healthy foods or activities in the media we see supermodels on juice cleanses and joining the hottest high-end Pilates or yoga studios. Increasing access to health care or healthy activities has become a growing problem in the medical community, and one of the largest barriers is cost.
For many, being healthy is just too expensive. They can’t afford to pay for their medications and medical care, let alone a $10 juice or expensive gym membership. Fortunately, there are many tips, tricks and local resources that can help you stay healthy even on a budget.
Take advantage of employer health benefits
If your employer offers health insurance the first tip is to take advantage of this opportunity. The plans that employers offer are often cheaper than buying insurance on your own. Most millennials don’t have health insurance because they believe that they don’t need it because they’re young and healthy. But trust me, having health insurance is much cheaper than paying an emergency room visit out of pocket. Another great tip is to take advantage of a health savings account (HSA) if your employer offers one. You can put money into this account, pretax with some employer contribution. You can then use this fund to pay for copays, contacts or chiropractor visits. You can find the full list of eligible uses on the IRS website.
Free or income-based payment clinics
What if you don’t have an employer health plan or can’t otherwise afford access to medical care? It is still important to see a doctor for regular checkups and preventive screenings. There are a number of local clinics that offer free or income-based medical care and can provide a range of services, from primary care services to mental health counseling. You can find a list of clinics here.
For many without insurance or who are underinsured, desperately needed medication can be a prohibitive cost. Fortunately, in Nashville we have the Dispensary of Hope, an organization that provides medication for free or reduced cost to those who are uninsured or have limited income. Visit the Dispensary of Hope website to see if you qualify.
4230 Harding Road, Suite A-214
Nashville, TN 37205
Dr. Andrei Javier shares tips on how to be healthy in Nashville while on a budget as part of our Millennial Money Experiment series Marcia A. Masulla
Free health screenings
If you just want to check your blood pressure and body mass index there also are a few options for free blood pressure checks and health screenings around town. Select Kroger stores have Higi Stations where you can check your blood pressure, weight and even body fat percentage. Vanderbilt offers free screenings to help identify women at risk for heart disease at its 100 Oaks location, and an organization called LifeLine Screening holds periodic health screenings at local churches and community centers.
Vanderbilt Heart – 100 Oaks
Free screenings-9-12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m. Fridays
719 Thompson Lane, Suite 22100
Nashville, TN 37204
LifeLine Screening-Rolling Hills Community Church
1810 Columbia Ave.
Franklin, TN 37064
Learn how about healthy eating
Switching from the typical Southern diet to a more vegetable-heavy and healthy diet can be a daunting task. Learning to prepare healthy and delicious meals is a barrier to health for many people. Nashville Community Education classes offer a solution for a cheap price. They offer a full catalog of classes, from making plant-based meals and exploring the health benefits of juicing to a class literally on how to make healthy food choices on a limited budget called “Eat Smart — Get Your Family to the Table." Some classes are free, and others have a nominal $20 to $30 fee.
Community yoga classes
Memberships to yoga and Pilates studios are typically quite expensive. However, a few yoga studios in town offer a weekly community class for $5 to $10. It’s a great way to check out yoga if you’re a beginner or scope out some studios before you commit.
4920 Charlotte Ave.
Nashville, TN 37209
65 Music Square East
Nashville, TN 37203
Another great way to stay healthy on a budget is to make use of all the fitness and diet apps that are available. If your goal is to lose weight or even be more aware of what you put in your body, try using an app like MyFitnessPal or LoseIt. These apps allow you to calculate how many calories you need in a day and track your food intake, and they give you a breakdown of your daily macro-nutrient split. You can even join it with friends so you can keep each other accountable.
The good news is that some of the core tenets of staying healthy are completely free! Make sure you drink enough water, get eight hours of sleep a day, and get outside and get moving. Buy yourself a cheap refillable water bottle so you can stay hydrated all day and you’d be amazed at how much better you feel. Try this binaural beats app to help yourself fall asleep faster and stay asleep for those eight hours. And there are more ways to exercise than the new “it” workout. Take a free hike on one of Percy Warner Park’s lovely trails or explore the beautiful Tennessee landscape by jogging in one of our nearby state parks.
Don’t let a budget or high cost keep you from reaching your health goals. Health and health care should be available to everyone!