Without your health, you have nothing. Most learn that lesson when itâs too late.
Just like insurance, you cannot purchase it when you need it. It takes a lifestyle to be healthy, not a quick fix.
Most professionals believe they must put their health on the back-burner because salary and prestige are more important.
Until they reach retirement, they attempt to start figuring out how to loose 60 lbs, reduce their blood sugar levels, abolish their debilitating depression, and gain back their health via a single prescription.
As if that could happen.
You cannot deal with health at a later date and put it on pause.
Now letâs be clear, no money or amount of wealth will prevent your death, you will go regardless of your status, wealth, religion and financial capacity eventually but how you live your life matters a great deal towards your longevity, overall happiness and fulfillment.
Health is annoying because every food we eat, every action we take, what we do and where we live is either getting us closer to death or delaying it. Itâs something we must pay attention to along with our other responsibilities to keep us alive.
Especially when we are young, we donât pay attention to our health becuase its something we take for granted. We are able to breathe just fine, our legs work properly, our mind is sharp, no debilitating ailments and we donât have to take any medication to relieve chronic pain.
For those who are young with any medical issues, they at least appreciate every day and wake up with purposely instead of forgetting how lucky they are.
College students like to experiment. The teen years are about trying new things, meet new people, becoming adults and having no regrets until we try that new drink or inhale that toxic chemical. Itâs unfortunate that kids my age neglect the value of time and forge their health in order to seem likable by strangers theyâll never see again in a few years.
That is the exact reason why I take my health seriously as a 20 year old. Iâm proud of it and if you want to laugh at me for getting 8 hours of sleep per night or my wake up time at 5am to get 2 hours of exercise done, go do so but letâs see whoâs getting ahead in life.
Now I donât want to make this a competition. You do you. Waking up early, getting a good nightâs rest, eating healthy and being proactive about your health by investing in yourself seems to all mimic successful people habits and to be clear, following these habits wonât make you successful. They have to work for you and if you are completely exhausted by mid-day or perform an activity that impedes your growth, then thereâs no point in continuing.
So why is health exactly wealthy?
Regardless if you are rich or poor, you both have reasons not to eat and the worst diet trick to take on to attempt to loose weight or stay healthy is to do just that. Skipping meals reverses your metabolism and slows it down. It tells your body NOT to dig into the fat storage systems and instead slow down your digestive system because you arenât eating for a while.
Eating consistent small meals is best. A CEO to minimum wage worker can be both equally healthy. Itâs in the focus towards nutrition and daily activity that play a crucial role.
If you want to dive further into this issue, I would suggest you read if wealthier people are healthier.
Short answer is no complete answer, yes.
Healthiness
Before we dive into how our health plays an affect on our welath, what does health even mean?
We all have different definitions and thereâs no right or wrong answer.
Healthy for me means taking control of what I feed my body, my mind and having control over how Iâm treating everything.
For many professionals work life balance is hard. It involves taking care of yourself, tackling your job, family life, responsibilities, day to day chores and various other menial tasks no one signed up for and randomly sprang up in life.
Thatâs how handling health feels like. Itâs complicated and thereâs no 1 formula to stay healthy. Someone on a Weight Watchers plan for 5 years could still be unhealthier than someone whoâs never cut out sugar. With the influx of cheap alternative processed goods, Americans have not only become the unhealthiest in the world, but theyâve also forgotten what health is all about.
It has nothing to do with the scale and everything to do with the mind, body and spirit. Yes genetics plays an affect but if we all ate slower, didnât equate calories to exercise and ate everything in moderation we would feel and do better.
We all have our own ways of living but what is agreeable by all is that being healthy feels mighty powerful and good.
So when you feel healthy, what do you feel?
I feel strong, powerful, boost in self-esteem, confidence, not afraid to speak up, want to use my voice and most importantly want to become better at things. Surprisingly, even though I wake up at 5am when itâs pitch black, by the time I finish the elliptical or spin bike, I feel even more energetic. Maybe itâs the sweat or the adrenaline dopamine rush but it gets me going and keeps be who I am.
Itâs hard to find what makes you better but if you know how to prioritize you, you will get farther and that paves the path to growing wealth.
Now donât get me wrong, doing 100 jumping jacks, eating whole foods fresh from the ground that isnât processed junk and getting your daily dose of vitamin D and C wonât make you instantly richer, it will only allow you to have an easier time to harness your potential because after all your mind is a muscle and powerful force that controls everything about you.
The quality of your mind is the quality of your life. If your mind is in check, your body is too. Workaholism and burnout are real. Working 24/7 till death is not only dumb, it will impede your growth.
Health = Wealth or Wealth =Â Health
Being physically and mentally active offers a plethora of benefits that no matter what your income is, you are able to feel as well. Sure that SoulCycle class will let you burn more calories, but why not save that extra $45 + water + rental shoes + wasted time getting there and take a walk instead!
Getting physically active helps:
-Increased chances of living longer
-Reducing the chances of depression and chronic disease
-Improves concentration and memory
-Enhances mood
-Having stronger muscles and bones
-Achieving or maintaining a healthy weight
Getting physically active is a key part of the plan and there are no excuses to do so.
When you feel better, you do better ready to accomplish more.
Best Chances
The thing with health is that along with time you cannot replace it. Sure you can loose weight or take medication but you can never completely erase your preconceived conditions or lingering covid symptoms.
How to reduce your chances of disease or negative consequences to your health are limited but you have more control than you think and it starts with your diet.
80% food, 20% exercise.
If you can cut out any processed junk, food that has excess sugar, fat, carbohydrates and focus on real organic rich nutrient dense foods that are a bit on the pricier side but are worth it in the long run, you will significantly lower your risk for practically any disease from dementia, to Alzheimers, cancer, kidney stones to death!
Food is powerful so use it as fuel. The rich focus on diet as a lifestyle. They donât weight themselves daily, they make it an obligation to eat well and focus on what they can control. They tend to eat out more and surprisingly it is less expensive because they feel more satisfied, have no distractions besides people, donât go for second servings as opposed to what you would do at home and eat smaller portions.
Yet organic food to eating out is still pricey for the less fortunate.
These are also the reasons why their health is keeping them away from building wealth:
Access to healthy food
Residents of low-resource neighborhoods often have limited access to sources of nutritious food. They are more likely to live in neighborhoods with food deserts, an over concentration of fast-food outlets,25 convenience stores, corner stores, bodegas, and liquor stores; and a shortage of restaurants that offer healthful food choices and menu labeling.
Built environment
Low-income communities tend to have limited access to green space, recreational programs, and facilities for regular exercise and active living. Their neighborhoods are often less conducive to walking or cycling to school, work, or shopping.
Advertising
Low-income and minority communities are more frequently targets for advertising of tobacco, alcohol, and high-calorie foods, often targeted to youth.
Housing
People with limited resources experience higher rates of inadequate and unstable housing (and homelessness) and exposure to indoor pollutants (e.g., lead-based paint, asbestos, and dust mites).
They often experience barriers to moving to a better neighborhood with healthier housing stock.
Transportation
Public transportation is often inadequate to enable residents to commute to employment, to find a better job, or to reach a supermarket, a reliable childcare provider, or health care services.
School Systems
People with low incomes are more likely to live in poorer neighborhoods with a weaker tax base, thus reducing local resources that support public schools and social services.
Jobs and Health Care
Low-resource neighborhoods often face a shortage of employment opportunities, as well as primary care providers and high-quality clinical facilities
Environmental pollution
Low-income residents are less likely to be able to afford living in neighborhoods that are free of pollutants32 and may of necessity live near busy highways with vehicle emissions, factories with billowing smokestacks and water emissions, bus depots, and other sources of air and water pollution.
As a result, lower income households live shorter lives due to factors they cannot always control:
Changes on a Budget
To some extent, income and wealth directly support better health because wealthier people can afford the resources that protect and improve their health. With more disposable income, they can more easily afford medical care, a healthier lifestyle, choose more organic foods, have paid leave, worksite wellness programs and work is more stable and flexible.
Although these benefits arenât available to everyone, your health is mostly compromised of the food you eat which is going to make the biggest difference and wonât break the bank if you know where to shop
Discount/bulk retailers such as Samâs Club, Walmart, Costco or even Trader Joes offer extremely affordable prices for any level of income. Spend less by buying quality items that will keep you more satiated and bring out your peak energy.
Money is an excuse. You can eat rich vegetables, fruits, take a daily walk and get fresh air for free. Although health services and insurance are expensive, if you become more active, quit the alcohol and tobacco, your health insurance premiums will be lower. Similarly to car insurance, the less you drive, the less you pay.
Wealthy Healthy Secrets
So how do the rich stay healthy while managing their hectic lifestyle?
The truth is, itâs not all possible. In order to get work-life balance, for a few years you cannot have it. When youâre young you have peak energy and can make the most money to establish your nest egg, pay off any lingering student debt and start to invest. Obviously during every period of your life you want to prioritize your health but since you have the most opportunity in your twenties and thirties, focusing on your job is crucial right out of school.
Why Being Healthy is A Priority Even For the Rich:
HEALTHY WORKERS ARE MORE PRODUCTIVE
When we are in good health, we can work more productively. Studies have shown that people in good health are able to earn more money and work more productively.
FEELING UNSTOPPABLE GIVES YOU CONFIDENCE
When you have a high level of wellbeing, you will also tend to have a confident and go-getting attitude which will enable you to succeed in all of your aspirations.
HEALTH INSURANCE BECOMES MORE EXPENSIVE.
If you get sick, your health insurance bills can skyrocket.
BEING UNHEALTHY ADDSÂ UP
Believe it or not, eating McDonalds every day increases your chances for all types of health impairments from higher blood pressure, obesity, cancer, etc. simply due to the excess sodium fat, carbs and fat your body cannot handle. If you want to feel, look, work better and live longer, eat healthier. It doesnât have to be torture. Broccoli and whole wheat pasta isnât boring.
EXERCISE IS NOÂ EXCUSE
Exercise like jogging, yoga or taking a brisk walk before work instead of taking the subway is all free and puts money back in your pocket. You donât need Barryâs Bootcamp to keep you going. Do it yourself and feel rewarded.
HEALTHY PEOPLE STAY PRODUCTIVE FORÂ LONGER
You should always aim for working smarter not harder and getting more done in less time but there is scientific proof that you are technically able to work longer after having taken care of yourself.
Making money takes energy, so having peak energy levels is crucial.
HEALTH BOOSTS YOUR BRAINÂ POWER
Foods rich in zinc, omega fatty acids, fiber, potassium, fish oil and other vital nutrients keep your brain working to its highest potential. Cut out anything you cannot pronounce or cannot grow from the ground.
HEALTH IS AN INVESTMENT
You may spend money on sneakers, smoothies and so on. But, this is an investment that will pay dividends just like when you invest in yourself through education, others will too.
Going Forward
The use of work incentives, programs that promote walking, family-strengthening programs, wellness centers, paid time leave, volunteering/gardening, rest days and homeownership are in place in many companies to promote a better wellbeing. Companies with a better net promoter score with healthier employees see a boost in revenue and performance overall as well.
Being healthy isnât just your physical body, itâs how you feel. More affluent individuals produce higher cognitive performance and more success down the road not necessarily due to their privilege or worth rather due to the tools and resources they are provided to take advantage of.
âHealth is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind, and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open.â
There are countless resources and methods you can take to shape the best version of yourself. It isnât complicated or messy, it should be fun and simple.
Start taking advantage of these tips today and live a life full of wealth and health:
-Get natural Vitamin D and C from the sun
-Fresh air is a must
-Be out in nature
-Eat a rainbow and half the plate
-Drink more water
-Consume foods animals would eat
For more tips you can check out my eating guide here. A healthy mind directly affects the wallet.