Frugally healthy: being organised is the key

This is a collaborative post.

I really don’t take my good health for granted. Being fit and able means that I can work to earn my living. I can keep the house and garden in good order, and do the physical activities I enjoy, like getting out with the dog.

As I get older, I certainly notice more joint creaks and aches and pains, though! It feels as if I have to make that much more of an effort to stay well. But I don’t have a ton of money to spend on myself, so I need to be frugally healthy. I find that being organised is the key to achieving this.

Here are some of the small steps I take to remain frugally healthy.

Regular exercise to stay frugally healthy

I think this is possible the most important way to stay well. But before you rush out to invest in a gym membership, a new bike or some fancy fitness gear, stop and have a think. 

A gym membership isn’t essential for your well-being. You can go running in your local area, use the council pool, exercise at home using YouTube videos or learn some exercises from a book.

My personal choice is yoga, which I generally do each morning for about half an hour. Consistency is key, so build your exercise into your day. I also walk twice a day with our dog, who is our personal trainer.

As for clothing and equipment, pretty much everything can be purchased second hand. Just yesterday I saw some brand new running trousers for £2 and a cycling shirt for £3 in the charity shop. Both were still in their packaging! Bikes and home gym equipment can also be found on Facebook, Gumtree, etc much more cheaply that if you were to purchase them new.

Drink water

Drinking enough water (rather than just gallons of tea!) is something I have to think about. I fill a large pint glass with water first thing and make sure it comes around the house with me, so that I don’t get dehydrated.

I also keep a reusable glass bottle near the front door to remind me to take water with me when I am on the move.

The NHS recommends that we all drink 6-8 cups of water or hydrating fluids each day (ie, not tea, coffee or alcoholic drinks, as these are all diuretics and will make you wee!). Why do you need to drink water? According to this article, being properly hydrated helps your mental clarity and physical performance, might help maintain a healthy weight, prevents constipation and maintains urinary healty.

Plus, water costs so little from the tap it is great for staying frugally healthy! Please don’t buy the stuff in plastic bottles as it’s so bad for the environment. In the UK, I don’t think you even need a water filter as it’s very safe to drink.

Eat your five a day

It’s not that difficult to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables each day, even if you are on a budget. This post gives some ideas on how to achieve it. 

Eating your five a day is crucial for getting enough fibre, vitamins and minerals and maintaining a strong immune system. That’s even more important in a pandemic.

Make connections

According to the Royal College of Nursing, “The effect of loneliness and isolation can be as harmful to health as obesity or smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Lonely individuals are at higher risk of the onset of disability. Loneliness puts individuals at greater risk of cognitive decline.”

It is really important to reach out and maintain your connections with family and friends, plus make new ones. Join clubs or reading groups, find out about adult education classes through your local council, attend a church, or volunteer. If you are an older person feeling lonely, Age UK has some advice and support here, including a Telephone Friendship Service.

Be organised with your meds

After years of fibromyalgia symptoms, with a few menopausal joys added for good measure, I finally decided to try HRT. I resisted because I felt I should be able to manage my health with good food and exercise. However, extreme hot flushes, insomnia, low mood and pain in all my joints tipped me over the edge.

I was surprised that HRT gave me more benefits than I was anticipating. Many of my aches and pains improved, I now have more energy and mental clarity, the hot flushes have gone and I am sleeping a little better.

Sometimes it pays to give in! To manage my meds, I buy an annual pre-payment prescription certificate, as this works out cheaper. I always make sure I get my new prescription when I still have at least a week of the old one too. I have also considered getting my meds delivered direct from a chemist, such as Oxford Online Pharmacy, as my parents do. It saves going out, finding a parking place and standing in a queue!

Hopefully, you can see from this post that there are many ways to be frugally healthy. You don’t have to earn lots of money; all you need is a little time and to get organised.