One of the arguments that usually surfaces when trying to get someone to eat Paleo is cost. Sure, organic fruits and vegetables combined with raw nuts and other goodies can add up quickly, but being sick at some point in your life will cost even more. Here are the numbers:

Cost of living with heart disease or stroke:

• According to the CDC, living with heart disease will cost you upwards of $121,200 over 20 years.
• If you need surgery or other forms of ongoing care, the cost can realistically exceed $4.8 million over your lifetime.
• The estimated lifetime cost of a severe stroke in a younger individual is $500,000.

Cost of individual procedures:

• The average cost of a cardiac catheterization in 1992 was $10,880.
• The average cost of coronary artery bypass surgery in 1995 was $44,820.
• In 1996, the estimated first-year cost for a heart transplant was $253,200. The estimated annual followup cost was more than $21,200.
• The average cost of a coronary angioplasty in 1995 was more than $20,000.

Cost of living with diabetes:

• People diagnosed with diabetes spend over $4,100 more each year on medical costs than people who don't have diabetes.
• This gap increases by an average of $128 each year following the initial diagnosis.

As you can see, the cost of being sick is outrageous. Prioritizing your physical health and thinking long term is the perfect justification for making the switch to Paleo and allocating more of your resources (i.e. money) to food.

Spend more now, save a lot later!