Changing your lifestyle to be healthier doesn’t just mean you get to feel good — it means your wallet does as well.

Being a healthier person is always a good thing but it can also help lower health care costs with less trips to the doctor and such.

• Stop smoking: This is the big one. Smoking can increase your chance of cancer and cause a variety of problems for your lungs, throat and mouth. It also has a trickle down effect — smokers are generally more out of shape which can lead to other problems. Drop this expensive habit.
• Stay active: Most doctors recommend being active for 30 minutes a day to maintain and improve fitness and health. That could mean going out for a walk, taking the dog to the dog park, going for a job, playing pick-up hoops, etc. Just get out there and get moving.
• Loose weight/eat better: These go hand-in-hand, as watching what you eat will help you lose some weight and be in better shape. Exercise regularly and stay away from fatty and processed foods that will increase your blood pressure among other problems.
• Manage stress: Stress is one of the leading causes of your body breaking down and becoming sick. Learn to manage your stress by taking yourself out of stressful situations, picking up a healthy way to blow off steam (exercising, video games, writing, etc) and try to keep the stress off.

These are just a few easy lifestyle changes that everyone can do right now. By doing so, you’ll lower your trips to the doctor and lower your health care costs in the process.