Worried about your finances? It turns out, this common source of stress could be costing you your health. Read on to learn about the connection between your wallet and your waistline.
The Stress of Being Strapped
These days, it?s tough not to worry about finances. Will you have enough to pay your monthly bills? Do you have enough in savings? You?re not alone?financial stress was rated the number-one stressor in a study by Mental Health America. In fact, nearly half of Americans reported feeling stressed by their finances.
This kind of chronic stress is linked to a variety of diseases. It can increase the body?s production of stress hormones, raising heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar and putting you at greater risk for heart disease, stroke and other diseases. Chronic stress also prompts the body to store fat in the midsection?study after study shows that abdominal fat is associated with heart disease and other illnesses.
On the flip side, having enough money allows you to invest in your health by doing things like buying nutritious foods, joining a gym and paying for healthcare. Indeed, a 2010 Gallup survey found that people with high-incomes were more likely to exercise than those who made less.
The Price of Being Unbalanced
In many cases, financial stress is caused by things that are almost entirely out of our control?a struggling economy, losing a job, a health problem. But in some instances, the financial problem is one of our own creation.
I?ve noticed that many people who are out of control in one area of their life?such as finances?tend to have bad eating habits. Their life is too out of balance (they spend more than they earn, for instance), so they eat to distract themselves from the problem. When stress levels soar, they numb themselves with food.
To be healthy, happy and fulfilled, you have to address all the areas of your life, finances included. That?s why we?re focusing on worth in April.
I encourage you to look at your finances this month. What are your short-term and long-term financial goals? How well are you doing? What can you do to make some progress toward your goals? Perhaps it?s time to sit down with a financial planner, invest in some budget-planning software or apps, or simply have a conversation with your significant other about your financial goals.
Start out by investing in yourself?click for an easy exercise to help get your finances and life in balance.
Pin ItAbout Bob Greene, Best Life Founder
Bob is an exercise physiologist and certified personal trainer specializing in fitness, metabolism and weight loss and the driving force behind The Best Life. He holds a master?s degree from the University of Arizona and is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise. For 30 years, he has worked with clients and consulted on the design and management of fitness, spa, and sports medicine programs.
Bob has been working as a personal trainer to Oprah Winfrey for more than 15 years. He has since become a contributing editor for O, The Oprah magazine, and writes articles on health and fitness for Oprah.com. He is also the bestselling author of The Best Life Diet Cookbook, The Best Life Diet, The Best Life Diet Daily Journal, Bob Greene's Total Body Makeover, Get with the Program!, The Get with the Program! Daily Journal, The Get with the Program! Guide to Good Eating, Make the Connection and Keep the Connection.
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