Each year, Minnesotans flock to the original Body Mind Life Expo for tips on staying healthy. In 2010, that information takes on extra importance. 

If you think a trip to the grocery store takes a big chunk out of the family budget, consider the costs of getting sick. From co-pays that cost more than a tank of gas, to deductibles, lost wages from missed work and out-of-pocket expenses that can exceed a mortgage payment, even getting the flu can be expensive. Healthcare costs in an already troubled economy are providing many Minnesotans with more incentive than ever to find new ways to take better care of themselves.

Each year, thousands of Minnesotans attend the original Body Mind Life Expo (www.101expos.com) at the Minneapolis Convention Center for ideas on staying healthy. This year, most will be looking for ways to do so on a budget.

As the largest health and natural products consumer event in the Midwest, this expo is the ideal place to find experts who can provide mainstream and holistic advice on nutrition, physical fitness and disease prevention, as well as emotional and spiritual well being. This year’s expo, to be held February 27-28, 2010, is expected to attract even more people eager to learn tips that will help them avoid spending time in a doctor’s office.

Prevention is the modern mantra. The gloomy economy has not dimmed nutritional supplement sales. The changing lifestyle and growing elderly population is making space for the nutritional supplement industry to grow. Americans spend more money than any other country on nutritional supplements, and are credited with having the greatest health awareness. According to Natural Products Insider, specific demand for functional foods and beverages benefitting digestive and immune health, as well as cardiovascular health, is on an upswing.

People also are looking for new ways to cope with the stress in their lives. Renowned spiritual teacher and author Leonard Jacobson will present two free seminars at the expo to help people learn how to live in the present and achieve a deeper level of peace.  

Over the years, the Body Mind Life Expo has become a trusted clearinghouse for health-related information. Those watching their pennies appreciate the fact that admission always includes free back-to-back seminars on everything from proper exercise techniques, weight management and anti-aging tips, to the latest on the use of therapeutic essential oils and other fact-based ideas for taking control of your health. 

People also spend quality time exploring local resources including holistic services, environmentally-friendly products, stress-free vacation ideas, workshops and classes, counseling and motivational centers, clinics, acupuncture/bodywork services and more.

Benefiting underserved women and their families touched by breast cancer. Mid-America Events & Expos, producers of the Body Mind Life Expo, is donating 50 percent of all ticket sales from its 2010 expos to Hope Chest for Breast Cancer, which will also be given a booth at each show.

Visit www.101expos.com to Shop at the Show before you go. Admission is $3 with the half price coupon available at www.101expos.com, and free to kids 17 and under when accompanied by an adult. Further information is available on the expo hotline: 612-798-7256.

This year’s Body Mind Life Expo is made possible in part by 5 Eyewitness News, KSTC Channel 45 and The Edge: Soul of the Cities.