Puerto Vallarta, Jaqlisco, Mexico - Finding healthy food in Mexico when you're broke doesn't have to be challenging. There is so much natural abundance.

When you're going through a bit of a money drought, but don't want to sacrifice the progress you've gained on your healthy living efforts, these tips will help keep a laid back, no nonsense lifestyle here in Vallarta. Living in a tropical climate affords us many nutritious foods that are grown year-round and are economical, as well as other wellness options to balance out those fish-bowl Margaritas or Coronas with lime. So here goes...

1. Don't forget to freeze everything! Go Bananas (take the peel off when they're ripe and store in little plastic bags or aluminum foil), mango, cooked beans, pineapple, even your t-shirts and shorts when you need to cool off! Things go ripe and they go bad as fast as we have intermittent torrential rains showering the streets. "Freeze for a rainy day" has become my new mantra.

2. Buy at the outdoor mercadito/market. Look there or at the little corner stores (called abarrotes, NOT OXXO) for your fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, spices, nuts, fresh fish (it's less expensive, and healthier than Costco's not-so-healthy farm-raised fish), and meats instead of at the supermarket. I usually go to the one on Emiliano Zapata. It's cheaper and many foods are local or from somewhere in Mexico. Plus, supporting your local market is the way to go. It supports the local people, economy, the land, and your tattered pocketbook all at once. Choose from native foods such as papaya, avocado, cactus (nopal), jamaica (dried hibiscus), tamarindo (tamarind), chayote (pear squash), chia seeds, cacao, and lots of chiles to experiment with (every now and then I like to throw Spanish words in to add a little language spice). Remember to soak the fruits and veggies in water and a little apple cider vinegar for 10 minutes to remove bacteria and pesticides.

3. Buy in bulk and from the bins whenever you can: Semillas y Cereales on Avenida Mexico, supermarkets and the mercaditos. You're not paying for packaging when you do this, or transportation, so it's a nice saving (ahorro) and it's better for a cleaner environment.

4. Grow your own food. Begin with herbs if you're not sure you have a green thumb. You can buy little potted plants sold at most nurseries of rosemary (romero), thyme (tomillo), basil (albahaca), aloe vera (sabila) and then water them, they will do a lot to liven up fresh drinking water (basil and some cucumber) or any dish such as lentils - add the fresh basil or any herb on top. Divine. Just picking up and smelling the aroma from these little baskets of flavor lifts your spirit.

5. Non-food peso savers: soul happy physical activities to keep you healthy. For me, walking or running on the Malecón (boardwalk) with my dog Mambo is enjoyable and a great way to start the day. Pick some of the rocks up below the barrier and use them as weights for shoulder presses or bicep curls with the ocean in front of you – it feels so She-Ra like, and how much would a view like that cost you at a Miami gym? Or go Salsa dancing at La Bodeguita del Medio (one of my personal favorites for obvious reasons) there is no cover to just go and saucy it up while breaking a sweat, or how 'bout going for a nice swim in the refreshing ocean, free - beats chlorine-filled swimming pools. And if you're not so broke that you're considering your very own recycling program for profit, a couple of gyms and fitness centers offer summer specials that allow you to work out with state-of-the-art equipment at reduced prices.

Staying healthy on a shoestring doesn't have to be difficult. Get creative, it's a chance to explore. When Cortez first discovered cacao beans during the Spanish inquisition and took them back to Spain along with gold and other "discoveries" it was the cacao beans that were used as currency, not the gold which was simply used to embellish for aesthetic purposes. I wonder what I can get for my ripe avocados?