What does health is wealth mean? We don’t always realize how some things in life are connected and affect other things. You may think your physical health and financial success are completely separate things, but they actually have significant correlations that you can control. I’ll show you how your health is wealth and how improving your health can lead to increased wealth.
1. Enhanced Productivity
Wellness Connection: Regular exercise and a balanced, nutritious diet improves cognitive functions and increased energy levels.
Nutrition directly affects productivity. Healthy people are likely to be more productive than sick people.
Did you know that what you eat also affects your mood? There is a strong connection between the gut and the brain, known as the gut-brain axis. A healthy gut microbiome, which is influenced by diet, can impact mood and energy levels.
A diet with sufficient fiber, probiotics, and prebiotics can promote a balanced gut, positively affecting mental health and energy.
A deficiency in essential vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin D, B vitamins, magnesium, and iron, can cause fatigue, irritability, and mood disorders.
Make sure you get enough of these nutrients through your diet or supplements to maintain energy levels and improve your mood.
Your physical and mental health are imperative for your success!
High processed foods also cause inflammation and can result in mood disorders.
According to several research studies, processed food was associated with obesity, cardiovascular problems, and many diseases.
These processed foods usually prioritize taste and convenience over nutritional value and are common in the U.S.
No one is saying you have to eat organic food and not indulge ever, but cutting out the fatty, sugary, mass-produced foods that we rely on when we have limited time will go a long way to improve our wellbeing.
The Financial Impact: Greater productivity results in improved job performance, leading to increased chances for promotions, raises, and new opportunities.
Being a better, more productive you creates a pleasant work environment for everyone.
You are someone employers want around and want to keep.
Improved productivity also inspires creation and aspiration. You are more likely to achieve your goals, whether it is working for someone else or for yourself.
To do: Start a new workout routine to stimulate brain function and metabolism.
2. Reduced Medical Bills
Wellness Connection: Proactive health measures, including regular checkups, can prevent or detect short term and long term illness. Better health means a better you.
Chronic inflammation and diseases caused by processed and high cholesterol foods increase your chances of becoming ill and reducing your lifespan and quality of life.
Medical professionals provide us with the guidance we need to avoid health problems, just as a financial advisor provides us with financial advice.
The Financial Impact: Lower medical expenses saves you money, and being healthy leads to reduced insurance premiums.
On the other hand, certain conditions caused by your diet may require you to see a specialist and increase your spending unnecessarily.
Think of how much money you can save by never having to see physicians or specialists for preventable illnesses caused by consuming the wrong foods or drinks with high amounts of sugar.
Listen to the guidance of your doctor or a health expert and avoid the unnecessary expense.
To do: Schedule a doctor’s visit and begin a wellness plan.
3. Mental Clarity for Financial Decisions
Wellness Connection: Physical activities, like cardio, can improve mental clarity and reduce stress. Your brain relies on a constant supply of nutrients to function properly.
Essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids affect mental clarity, focus, and cognitive function.
Deficiencies in these nutrients can also lead to mood disfunction and decreased energy levels, which in turn affect your ability and desire to exercise.
Potentially more important than physical activity is to rest your mind1.
Get some sleep and be a gatekeeper to your mind. Don’t let the wrong things in.
Control what you can control and know what those things are.
Who would you choose to be the gatekeeper to your mind? Would you choose someone who is confused or incapable? Absolutely not.
So always be ready to protect what comes in and then be able to detach from negativity and the things that don’t matter.
The Financial Impact: Clearer thinking helps you make better financial decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and recognize financial opportunities when they are presented. Fatigue, grogginess, and irritability are not helpful, ever.
Stress can cause you to make an impulsive and emotional financial decision you may regret later.
Plenty of rest, the right nutrition, and sufficient exercise will contribute to your ability to make sound financial decisions, plan ahead, and think straight when it matters.
The impact could be as simple as saving money here and there or as complex as a long term investment.
Health is wealth and your hard work toward your health will be easy work toward your wealth.
To do: Incorporate cardio or walking into your weekly routine.
4. Extended Earning Years
Wellness Connection: Maintaining good health can prolong your life and youthfulness, allowing you to be productive longer.
You may be able to take advantage of more opportunities, contribute to greater causes, and increase your overall earning potential.
Good health and well-being allows you to be in control of your life and decisions.
The Financial Impact: More productive years can result in a bigger retirement fund and more time to capitalize on your investments.
More income over time can pay dividends during your retirement and enable a more comfortable and deserving lifestyle.
Enhanced peace of mind will reduce the stress of needing to work longer than you want yet enabling you to work as long as you want.
To do: Look at your retirement plan and make changes to improve your chances at financial freedom.
5. Less Time Off Work
Wellness Connection: A strong immune system and a healthy lifestyle reduces likelihood of illness.
Inflammation, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart conditions, and disease can be the result of sugary, fatty, salty, and processed foods and drinks.
Reducing or eliminating these altogether contribute to a healthier lifestyle and results in a more productive and reliable you.
You can significantly reduce your chances for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease by making these simple lifestyle changes.
The Financial Impact: Fewer sick days can mean more income and career options, reflecting positively on performance and ability to get the job done.
Having to take time off work makes you unavailable for opportunities and projects, critical face time, and potentially future prospects.
As the boss, you have to be available and well or your business will fail.
Take time off on your terms!
To do: Ensure you are consuming the proper nutrients and vitamins.
6. Improved Self-Discipline
Wellness Connection: Making your workout a habit and maintaining a balanced diet requires discipline.
When something healthy becomes a habit, it becomes part of your lifestyle and affects other choices you make about your health.
With improved self-discipline, you influence other decisions requiring the same level of discipline and significantly increases your chances for improved health and fitness.
The Financial Impact: This self-discipline correlates to better financial habits, like budgeting, saving, or investing regularly.
When you make healthy choices, you make plans for the future in anticipation of being able to work harder, longer, and then live to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Self-discipline is something that transcends into all decision-making, including significant financial planning and reduces your chances of making impulsive decisions.
To do: Find a routine that is enjoyable and easy to maintain.
7. Networking Opportunities
Wellness Connection: Participating in group fitness activities or sports can expand your social circle and routine accountability.
You can meet new people and then connect socially with those who are also participating in the same fitness activities.
This can also increase opportunities to connect with others who share the same healthy lifestyle goals.
The Financial Impact: Networking can increase your chances for new business ventures, partnerships, and job opportunities.
By surrounding yourself with likeminded people or others who share your wellness aspirations, you may also be surrounding yourself with others who have the same discipline financially.
Fitness activities, gyms, and sports are a great place to converse with others.
To do: Actively seek opportunities to network during your workout routine and make fitness a fun social experience.
8. Reduced Dependency Costs
Wellness Connection: Maintaining good health reduces the chances of dependency on others later in life.
There are many conditions that are entirely genetic and unavoidable, but those that are caused by our own choices are avoidable and can lead to a grim future.
Taking control of our intake now will contribute to decreased risk of illness requiring others to care for us.
The Financial Impact: Avoiding expenses on caregivers or assisted living improves financial freedom and independent wealth retention.
Imagine your hard earned money and the fruits of your labor going directly to someone else because of the decisions you make now.
It’s hard to imagine, but it’s real and it’s possible. Reduce your overall health care spending now and save it for your retirement.
To do: Make a long term healthy living and spending plan and start it now.
9. Positive Self-Image and Confidence
Wellness Connection: Regular exercise and a healthy diet enhances your self-image and boosts your confidence.
Poor health can be preventable and a healthy body can improve your self-confidence and lead to increased happiness.
By boosting your metabolism and your confidence, you will feel and radiate positive energy.
Your self-image will be enhanced both internally and externally. This will also provide you with continued motivation.
Confidence will cost you nothing but will improve your life in many ways and will enhance your wellbeing.
The Financial Impact: A confident demeanor is critical in negotiations, job interviews, and when presenting business ideas, leading to wealth creation and financial freedom.
A positive self-image will attract the right type of energy you need to be financially successful and will cost you nothing.
Your positivity and confidence will be apparent and a desired characteristic for potential employers, business partners, and customers.
This is the key to your success and financial wellbeing.
To do: Eliminate unhealthy nutrition and financial habits and start improving your self image and confidence.
10. Long-Term Strategy
Wellness Connection: Focusing on your health is an investment for your future.
Avoiding illness, feeling your best, increasing your productive years, enhancing your mental clarity, and improving your confidence are worth the effort and change necessary for your long term health goals.
The intangible costs of self improvement and a healthier lifestyle is nothing compared to the high costs associated with illnesses, medical services, pills, and chronic conditions.
The Financial Impact: This forward-leaning mindset correlates directly to financial planning, creating more long-term investments and savings strategies.
Making small and large changes now will pay off in the future and over time.
Our health is our greatest wealth! Work hard to protect it and live longer.
To do: Create new healthy habits now, consider long term investment strategies, and plan how and when you will spend retirement and enjoy your financial freedom.
Focusing on our health benefits both our bodies and our income; it can have tangible rewards for our future. This is the health is wealth meaning. When we invest in our physical well-being, we’re also laying the foundation for financial freedom. Protect your body and finances. Health is wealth and the key to happiness!
- Stulberg, B., & Magness, S. (2017). Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success. Rodale Books. ↩︎
