Living Well on a
Fixed Income
Elizabeth Black, LADC
ODMHSAS Wellness Program Coordinator
What do we know?
• On Average our consumers with co-occurring disorders die up
to 30 years earlier than the general population.
Mortality
Average Age at Death by Cohort
90
80
Age at Death
70
60
71.7
57.5
50
43.2
40.6
Substance Abuse
MH & SA
40
30
20
10
0
Mental Health
General Population
Causes of Death for BH Population
500,000
450,000
400,000
350,000
300,000
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
Behavioral Causes of Death in
U.S.
43,000 38,400
8,300 25,700 31,700 16,300 33,700
443,000
365,000
Obesity
• Results from the 2013 ODMHSAS consumer survey:
60
50
40
Underweight
Normal Weight
30
Over Weight
20
Obese
10
0
Percentage of Consumers
Nutrition & Behavioral Health
• The Brain is 2% of our body, but accounts for 25% of our metabolic
needs (Drake & Haller, 2011).
• Nutrient intake impacts
• brain chemistry
• the functioning of nerves in the brain
• levels of neurotransmitters
• Nutrition and mental health is interlinked.
• Good nutrition is an important component of an improved mood
and an increased sense of well being
Healthy Eating
• According to the National Institute of Health, a division of the
US Department of Health and Human Services:
“Healthy eating is not hard. The key is to:
• Eat a variety of foods, including vegetables, fruits, and wholegrain products
• Eat lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, and low-fat dairy products
• Drink lots of water
• Limit salt, sugar, alcohol, saturated fat, and trans fat in your diet”
• Simple enough, right?
Barriers to Healthy Eating
• Time
• Coping skill
• Symptoms
• Medication
• Low education/Skills
• Culture
• Cost
Limited Income
• SSI: $721
• SNAP benefits:
People in Household
Maximum Monthly
Allotment
1
$ 194
2
$ 357
3
$ 511
4
$ 649
5
$ 771
6
$ 925
7
$ 1,022
8
$ 1,169
Each additional person
$ 146
(October 1, 2014 through September 30, 2015)
ChooseMyPlate.gov
Eating Well on a Budget:
Portion sizes
• Portion Distortion
• Example serving sizes:
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•
•
•
Deck of Cards= Meat
6 Dice= Cheese
Computer Mouse=Baked potato
Golf ball= nuts/seeds
Eating Healthy on a Budget:
Budgeting Strategies
• Make a Budget
• Pace income
• Plan ahead
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•
•
•
Create a meal plan
Build meals on items you already have
Check store flyers for upcoming promotions/sales
Make a list
• Garbage check
• According to a study done by the University of Arizona,
Americans throw away about $600 in food every year
Eating Well on a Budget:
Shopping Strategies
• Don’t shop when you’re hungry
• Use coupons (but only for items you would normally buy
anyway)
• Shop Generic or Store Brands instead of Name brands
• Shop high and low
• Check sell by dates and Pull from the back
• Buy in bulk when possible for a better deal
Eating Well on a Budget:
Shopping Strategies (cont.)
• Check out the bakery- items are often cheaper and fresher
than commercial brands
• Buy versatile ingredients
• Stock up on staple foods
• Buy in season
• Buy whole foods vs. processed foods
• Shop the perimeter of the store
Eating Well on a Budget:
Shopping Strategies
Eating Well on a Budget:
Cooking Strategies
• Cook in large batches
• Make easy substitutions (i.e. whole wheat pasta vs. regular
pasta)
• Look for shortcuts (i.e. using frozen veggies)
• Find easy meals
• Build a cupboard
• Avoid prepared food
• Check for basic cooking skills
Eating Well on a Budget:
Fruits and Veggies
• Fruit makes for quick portable healthy snacks
• Buy only the amount of fresh fruit and veggies you can use
before it spoils
• Considering buying frozen and canned fruit and veggies
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•
•
•
•
•
Can be cheaper than fresh
Usually packaged at peak of freshness
Longer shelf life
Easy to add to meals for additional nutrition
Look for veggies with “Low sodium” or “no salt added”
Look for fruits canned in 100% fruit juice or water (no syrup)
• Buy fresh fruit and veggies in season
Seasonal Produce Guide
Apples
Bananas
Bell Peppers
Blackberries
Blueberries
Broccoli
Carrots
Cantaloupe
Corn
Lemons
Lettuce
Onions
Oranges
Peaches
Pears
Pineapple
Pumpkin
Potatoes
Raspberries
Spinach
Strawberries
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Turnips
Fall
X
X
X
X
X
Winter
X
X
Spring
X
X
X
X
X
Summer
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Potatoes
• Good staple product and meal builder
• Versatile; can be prepared in a variety of ways.
• They are affordable at about $.19/lb
• Excellent source potassium, fiber, and vitamin C
• Cheapest to buy by the sack vs. individually
• Can be frozen up to 3 months
Grains
• Grains are full of fiber which helps to fill us up faster
• Buy whole grain versions of the foods you already love:
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•
•
•
•
Cereal
Pasta
Rice
Bread
Crackers
• Look for store bands to save money on expensive packaging
• To tell if a food is a whole grain, look for the word “whole” as
the first ingredient on the ingredients list (i.e. whole wheat,
whole oats, etc.)
Protein
• Save money by supplementing meat proteins with plant
proteins (seeds, nuts, soy, beans, etc.)
• Eggs are one of the most affordable sources, at about $.15/ea
• Choose lean proteins (fish/birds) more often than red meat or
pork products
• Substitute ground beef or bacon for turkey/veggie alternatives
• Buy proteins in bulk during good sales and freeze what you
won’t use right away
• Try grilling, broiling, roasting, or baking vs. frying
• Avoid canned meat (except tuna) due to high sodium content
Dairy
• Dairy is high in calcium which is important in building and
maintaining bones.
• Choose low fat (2% to 1%) or nonfat (skim) milk products
• Buy a block of cheese and shred it on your own
• Replace sour cream with plain low fat yogurt
• Alternatively, you can try plant based milk which includes soy,
almond, or rice milk
• Check expiration dates (don’t buy more than you can use)
• Ice cream doesn’t count
Staples
• Build a pantry by stocking up on staples, which are items that
you will use frequently for a variety of different dishes.
• Some items might be costly in the beginning (i.e. Spices) but
buy them as they go on sale and eventually you build a variety
to choose from.
• Staples may include:
Spices
Baking powder/soda
Cooking Spray
Cornmeal
Cornstarch
Canned vegetables
Rice
Condiments
Vanilla extract
Flour
Pasta
Soups
Sugar (brown, table, confectioners)
Tomato sauce
Beans
Vegetable Oil
Feel Great, Hydrate
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Our bodies are made up of 70% water
Save money by drinking water
Drink out of tap vs. bottled
Invest in a filter if necessary
Invest in a water bottle to drink on the go.
If the average 12 pack of coke cost $4.00 and you drink 2 per
day, you spend almost $250 per year.
• It adds up quickly!
When eating out
• Limit eating out, but when you do:
• Drink water when possible. At most places water is free vs.
drinking soda or alcohol.
• Ask about specials.
• Skip the appetizer and/or dessert
• Stick to 15% tip and make sure the tip isn’t already included
• If you typically don’t finish the entire meal, ask if you can order a
smaller portion for a reduced price.
• Take a doggy bag home with any uneaten food so you can make
another meal out of it.
A couple more things
• The easiest way to make change is to start small (baby steps)
• Add to your diet/not subtract
• There are no good or bad foods
• Find nutritious foods that taste good to you
• Food can be a coping skill and a source of shame
• Relationship with food = Love/hate
• Emotional vs. Physical hunger
• Food Diary
Food Diary
Time/Date
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Meal
Food/Beverage
Amount
Mood
PB&J
Resources
• SNAP
• Offers financial assistance for food items
• Program participants can also purchase seeds and plants to grow
their own food
• Farmer’s Markets
• Support local farmers while getting fresh foods
• School programs
• Offers free or reduced cost meals to families with limited finacial
means
• County Extension Offices
• Offers nutrition education and resources
• WIC
• Offers financial assistance for mothers with young children
Physical Activity on a Budget
• People with behavioral health problems are overall less
physically active than the general population.
60
50
40
30
Active
20
Moderately active
10
Inactive
0
BH Population
General
Population
Physical Activity on a Budget
• The CDC recommends that the average adult get 2.5 hours of
exercise each week
• Physical activity does not have to be formal.
• May include gardening, cleaning, riding a bicycle to the store, etc.
• The most popular form of physical activity is walking
• Due to it’s affordability, accessibility, and low-impact.
• Small changes result in long term maintenance
• Something is always better than nothing
Low cost physical activity ideas
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Swimming in a lake
Frisbee golf
Walking/jogging/running
Dancing
Throwing a football
Shooting hoops
Strength exercises (push ups, sit ups, etc.)
Hiking
Running/walking stairs
Stretching
Workout videos
Resources
• Used sporting good stores
• YMCA
• Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department
• Community Events (Walks, Festivals, etc.)
• Local resources
• Your facility
Fostering Change
• Is it will or skill?
• Evolution, not resolution
• Set realistic, measurable goals
• Start small
• Focus on one thing at a time
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Promoting intrinsic motivation
Find support
Record progress
Reinforce success
Develop a routine
Foster patience and self-acceptance
Thank you!
Questions?
Elizabeth Black, LADC
Elizabeth.Black@odmhsas.org
405-522-1661
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfFjt9EXFgc
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