I am cheap.
My parents grew up in the great depression and taught me to be very careful with my money. We grew up eating pretty much Western Family brand everything and planning our summer vacations based on the price of gasoline.
I wait to buy things until they go on sale. I am always looking for ways to get the most “bang for my buck”.
As a physician, a lot of what I do at work is writing prescriptions for VERY expensive medications. Over the last 20 years, I have written for lots of medications that reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in my patients.
There are now a number of cheap, generic medications available that literally save lives. Lots of lives.
The coolest thing is that research has now conclusively proven that the best medication to reduce heart attacks and strokes is 100% free.
That makes the cheapskate inside me smile.
The absolute, best medication to reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke is 30 minutes of daily exercise.
30 minutes of mild to moderate exercise each day decreases your risk of cardiovascular events by 30 to 40 percent!
That is as good or better than medications that cost hundreds of dollars per month.
And the only side effects are decreased anxiety and depression, loss of weight, reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, reduced cancer risk, stronger bones, improved function, prevention of falls, and longer life.
This has led to a recommendation by the Surgeon General that “every American adult should participate in 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity activity on most, and preferably all, days of the week.”
Moderate activities are things like walking briskly at 3 miles per hour, or yard work, household tasks, cycling, or swimming. These activities would burn about 600 to 1200 calories per week.
And the activity can be “accumulative”… in other words you can do 10 minutes in the morning, 10 at lunch, and 10 when you get home.
So the best, cheapest, most “bang for the buck” prescription I can write is for exercise!
The weather is finally beautiful. Our excuses are gone….
Go for a walk, ride your bike, mow the lawn, hike the “Y”, play with your kids. You will live longer, better lives on the Western Family brand!
