Your Wealth and Health are Connected
By Charlene A. Day, PhD
Image Credit: Monster Ztudio/Shutterstock.com
People in the know have suspected the strong connection between wealth and health for centuries. The American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson shared the thought "the first wealth is health,” as far back as 1860 and recent research suggests that increased financial security is linked to improved physical and mental health outcomes and overall better quality of life. Research from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and its report Wealth Matters For Health Equity have shown that wealth may make it possible for families to live in healthier conditions, safe homes and neighborhoods, eat healthy food, and have the opportunity to play and exercise in safe spaces. Of course each of these factors are linked to a health outcome. A safe home might be a lead free home or a home free of mold and cockroaches, the former which could cause neurological damage in young children and the latter which can trigger asthma, stress, sleep deprivation and other health challenges.
We see this in everyday life don’t we? Another way of looking at this link can be seen in the life of an average or ordinary Joe or Jill. He or she will go to work everyday and hopefully earn a paycheck that allows them to pay for the things they need and hopefully some of the things we want. But what if that paycheck stops? Or what if that paycheck was never enough to afford what we may think of as essentials in living…shelter, food, healthcare. What if Joe or Jill were living in poverty or with a perpetually low income? Being poor, repeatedly year after year, generation after generation, might be directly linked to generational health concerns and therefore potentially poor health outcomes. In our scenario, Joe or Jill might get sick, impaired or incapacitated. Imagine that they have not been vaccinated because they do not have health insurance. Think of what happens without being vaccinated when they become pregnant and have a child. The unborn child may be prone to disease like measles. Likewise, the poor, low income or uninformed pregnant women may not have access to nutritious food, resulting in malnutrition during pregnancy. This may cause low birth weight and developmental defects for the baby.
What Do We Do With This Information?
How does the average Joe or Jill, Jernae or Johnson, Juan or Julia, maximize their wealth to positively impact their health. It seems that one first step has to be the recognition of the link between health and wealth. The great poet Maya Angelou once said…”When you know better you do better.”
So the next time you have to make a choice between saving money for a “rainy day” or a “healthy day” and hitting the drive-through for your favorite fast food chain, make the harder choice and drive to the bank. Feel the satisfaction that comes with seeing your account increase and knowing that when that rainy day comes, you will have enough money set aside to afford a new umbrella.
Here are some other lifestyle decisions that may help keep you healthy and wealthy.
Consider creating healthier meals at home. Do so with the entire family participating so that you are passing the good health habits down to the next generation.
Walk to local grocery and convenience stores when necessary instead of driving. Bring a reusable bag which will also help save the environment.
Create both health and wealth goals and share them with the family. Better yet, let everyone be involved in monthly budget conversations.
Learn how to budget effectively and check your money transactions every night by saving your receipts and reconciling them with your weekly budget.
Create fun ways to spend time with family without spending money. Game night is a good example of a low expense high pleasure activity.
Keep reading these blogs as I will attempt to shed light on this fun and not so complex issue while providing some simple, baby steps for increasing your wealth while taking control of your health.
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