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One of the main reasons people have for not using supplements is the significant expense. How much should be budgeted for supplements? The right answer to that question will be vastly different from one person to the next. And you certainly won’t find an answer in this article, but you may find a different perspective on how to frame the question within your life circumstances.
How much to spend often depends largely on your finances. Acknowledging the financial struggles that many people face, most people have choices about where to invest their resources. Retirement accounts, homes, nice cars, medical insurance, vacations, restaurant meals, a gym membership, nutritional supplements, and the lowly grocery budget–all competing for your investment.
And yet, it’s impossible to know how much to spend on supplements unless you can compare costs to alternative expenses. What expense category do they belong in? Are supplements a grocery expense supplementing basic nutrients we should get from foods, or should they be considered under our health budget as an alternative to prevent later medical expenses? Would supplements support our mood and quality of life more than what we’re spending on coffee and dinners out? Only you can answer these questions. This article only seeks to provide some context for your choices by pointing out some realistic financial comparisons.
Your Body, The Most Important Vehicle You Will Ever Own
As the vehicle that carries our soul, our body is the most important vehicle we will ever have. Unlike a car that lasts an average of 12 years, we need to plan on maintaining our bodies to last 100 years in good condition.
Thankfully, our bodies are built to be self-repairing. Yet, our detoxification and repair systems only work properly when they have all the right building blocks in the form of nutrients, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. At the same time we need to limit the damage caused by toxins in our foods, personal care products, and environment. Then there is the inflammation caused by overeating, sedentary lifestyles, and stress.
One thing about this body–there’s no option to trade it in, and medicine can’t really fix much of what might go wrong with it. Yet when the body is truly healthy, most diseases go away or never show up.
Cheapest is not always the least expensive.
Talk Radio Host Bruce Williams
Most Americans Are Vastly Underinvesting in Health
When we really think about it, what to invest in the health of our body is an investment decision much like many others. Working under constant stress, drinking too much, sitting instead of moving, scrolling instead of sleeping, sugar and ultraprocessed foods in vast excess. Look around, we’re not healthy. That lack of physical health is robbing us of our mental health and quality of life.
By the time we reach retirement age, too many of us are suffering from multiple chronic health problems, unable to enjoy life, and spending vast amounts on medical care to try to mitigate the effects of decades of deferred health maintenance.
Time to Reframe Our Investment Strategies
Marketers begin selling things to us as toddlers and they never stop. Processed foods, new shoes, vacations, and nice cars generate their corporate profit and marketers know how to manipulate us to focus on those things. Yet media seldom focuses our attention on the things that matter most. Physical vitality and emotional health.
The “Pareto Principle” suggests that 80% of outcomes result from 20% of investment. It applies to our investments in our health as much as to any endeavor. Nutrition is the 20% of your health expenditure that gets you 80% of your health–the vitality that drives your productivity and gives you the emotional wellbeing to serve your family and friends and fulfill your purpose in life.
The Cost of Nourishing The Body: Food Costs
Investing in quality, nutrient-dense foods is not only a healthier choice but also a financially wise one. Consider the monthly expense for a single adult on a moderate-cost food plan, which ranges from $300 to $400. Surprisingly, a significant portion of the average American’s food budget—about 50% to 60%—is spent on ultra-processed foods, which often offer less nutritional value per dollar compared to whole foods. This expenditure extends to frequent dining at restaurants, coffee shops, and fast food outlets, which can further strain budgets while offering limited health benefits. By redirecting some of this spending towards higher quality groceries that are rich in nutrients, individuals can enhance their health, potentially reduce future medical costs, and get more value from their food budget. Making this shift not only supports personal health and well-being but also prioritizes long-term financial savings over immediate gratification.
The Cost of Disease Care In The US
The majority of “healthcare” spending is going to support treatment of chronic lifestyle diseases. This is a massive part of the U.S. economy, accounting for about 18% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Nearly one dollar out of every five goes to the treatment of diseases. This proportion reflects the comprehensive cost of all health services and products—from hospital care and physician services to nursing care, home health care, and drugs.
The high expenditure is driven by various factors including advanced medical technology, high prices for healthcare services, and an aging population requiring more intensive, long-term medical care. The cost of insurance is staggering:
- Medicare: The government spends about $13,600 per enrollee each year. This includes coverage for hospital care, physician services, and prescription drugs.
- Medicaid: The average government expenditure per Medicaid enrollee is approximately $8,100 annually. This cost varies depending on the population segment being served, with different states having different allocation strategies.
- Private Insurance (Individual Market): For those purchasing insurance through the individual market without employer assistance, the average annual expenditure is about $6,900 per person. This figure can be offset by subsidies for eligible individuals.
- Employer-Sponsored Insurance: The total annual expenditure per person for employer-sponsored insurance averages around $7,800. Employers typically pay a substantial portion of this, with the employee’s share averaging about $1,200 annually.
Medical Costs For The Top Diseases: “The Four Horsemen”
Among the many health issues we face, the “Four Horsemen” stand out as the most likely to affect our personal health—cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. These conditions stand out because they are so common and also because medical treatments don’t offer a cure. Instead, the focus is largely on managing symptoms and slowing progression.
Here’s some food for thought:
- Cardiovascular Disease: Cost: $393 billion per year. * The American Heart Association reports that about 82.6 million people in the United States currently have one or more forms of cardiovascular disease. *
- Cancer: In 2020, the U.S. spent over $200 billion on cancer care, with 42% of that being out-of-pocket expenses. * This works out to $43,516 for initial treatment, $5,517 for annual care, and $109,727 in the last year of life. *
- Diabetes: Half of US adults have either diabetes or prediabetes. The total annual cost of diabetes in 2022 is $412.9 billion, including $306.6 billion in direct medical costs and $106.3 billion in indirect costs. People with diagnosed diabetes now account for one of every four health care dollars spent in the U.S. * The average cost of a diagnosis of diabetes is $12, 022 per year for diabetes, 19000/year total. *
- Alzheimer’s: In 2022, the estimated healthcare costs associated with AD treatment were $321 billion. The total lifetime cost of care for a patient with dementia is estimated at $412,936. *
Inflammation: The Driver Of All Disease
Chronic inflammation is a fundamental key driver in the progression of many diseases, including the “Four Horsemen”. Each of these conditions is influenced by inflammatory processes that damage all our body systems at a cellular level, disrupt normal bodily functions, and accelerate disease progression. For example:
- Cancer: Chronic inflammation contributes to the creation and growth of cancerous cells by causing DNA damage and supporting the environment that tumors need to grow and spread.
- Diabetes: In type 2 diabetes, chronic low-grade inflammation impairs the body’s ability to use insulin effectively, leading to insulin resistance and eventually to the disease itself.
- Cardiovascular Disease: Inflammation plays a critical role in the development of atherosclerosis, where inflamed arteries become lined with fatty deposits, leading to heart attacks and strokes.
- Alzheimer’s Disease: Chronic inflammation is believed to play a crucial role in neuronal damage and the decline of cognitive functions in Alzheimer’s disease.
The Medical Industry vs Nutrients & “Lifestyle Medicine”
Given that many medical treatments primarily manage symptoms rather than cure diseases, it makes sense to focus more on prevention. By choosing to eat more anti-inflammatory foods, we can cut the inflammation that drives these chronic diseases leading to disease. The solutions are simple. Whole foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and fatty fish are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and phytonutrients that help calm inflammation and keep our bodies healthier. This proactive approach to food choices can make a big difference in how we feel and how we manage our health in the long run.
On the other hand, it is just as important to cut intake of pro-inflammatory foods, soda with its massive doses of inflammatory high fructose corn syrup, sugary deserts and baked goods in toxic doses, deep fried fast foods, and all-too-convenient ultra-processed foods. These foods create the inflammation that drives all of these diseases.
Along with changing our food choices, incorporating anti-inflammatory supplements like turmeric, omega-3 fatty acids, and green tea can also support the body’s natural defenses against inflammation. Together, these nutritional strategies along with exercise and stress management form a comprehensive approach that truly aims at the center of the root causes of these diseases before the “Four Horsemen” can take hold.
To Sum It Up
It’s clear that our reliance on traditional medicine is failing to cure the chronic diseases of today. It is clear that we should be investing far more in nutrition to prevent the need for medicine. The future of healthcare lies in individuals taking charge of their health. When evaluating the cost of quality food and nutritional supplements it’s important to evaluate their value within the context of a healthcare system that is massively overspending on disease care.
By investing in foods rich in anti-inflammatory nutrients, committing to regular physical activity, and incorporating research-backed supplements, we can take charge of our personal health and reduce our risk of chronic diseases. This is the only approach that improves our quality of life and cuts the need for invasive and expensive medical intervention. Investing in health is the best decision we can make for our future.
