Health, as they say, is riches. The link between financial and physical health, however, is more nuanced than can be captured in a proverb. It can be difficult to work when you’re physically unwell, and the opposite is also true.
Catch-22 situations like this one have a tendency to spiral downward as symptoms worsen and finding extra money becomes increasingly difficult. Here are several coping mechanisms, as well as how money affects your emotional and physical welfare.
1. The cost of cutting corners is revealed by research to be high handicap rates and poverty leads to lower life expectancy . While some commentators blame the poor for their decisions, until you experience shortage, you can’t fully understand how it impacts your judgment.
You are aware that the dollar menu burger should not be ordered, but the salad is $5 more expensive. Perhaps you could cook a more nutritious lunch at home. But you’re too worn out to cook after rushing from one low-paying job to the next on the same day. If you’re down to your last $7, the desire to unwind with a bottle of wine can take precedence over the desire to eat.
Evaluating your assets is one definite approach to put money in your pocket. For instance, if you wear jewelry, you can get $1,400 per ounce of gold. Why, five years after your divorce, are you still wearing your old wedding band?
2. YOU AVOID VISITING THE DOCTOR Regrettably, in America, the majority of the time your health insurance is dependent upon your employment. If you lose your employment, this arrangement becomes problematic. The fact that many businesses no longer provide benefits to their employees, which severely harms people under the age of Medicare, is even worse.
Since three-quarters of Americans aged 50 to 62 are employed in non-traditional occupations, they are not eligible for retirement or health insurance benefits from their employers. If they don’t have a partner who benefits from such things, they frequently lack insurance, which means one emergency hospital visit could put them out of business.
When you don’t visit the dentist or doctor frequently, your health suffers. Consider the numerous Americans who suffer from Type 2 diabetes. Leaving this illness untreated might lead to blindness, renal failure, and can lead to heart problems . Periodontal disease, which increases the risk of heart attacks and Alzheimer’s, might develop as a result of neglecting regular dental cleanings. Poverty is the gift that yields dreadful benefits when it comes to illness.
Even if you cannot compel your employer to provide insurance, this year is an election year. Vote for and support candidates who believe that all Americans, regardless of age or poverty, should be guaranteed access to health care. Send letters to the editor of your neighborhood newspaper and call your elected representatives to call for change. Since they are your tax funds, shouldn’t you have some say in how they are used?
3. There are only 24 hours in a day, regardless of how wealthy or poor you are, thus you don’t get enough exercise. If you have a minimum-wage job and an you want to afford housing , you will need to report to a second or third employment. There isn’t much time left over for going to the gym.
You’re welcome to go outside and take a walk; it’s free. However, if you reside in an impoverished and crime-ridden area , trying to exercise your muscles could put your life in danger. Even before COVID-19, staying inside seemed safer for many people in these locations. Even if you can afford to buy a single item from a fitness app, the monthly recurring fee can put you off.
4. While conservative commentators prefer to praise so-called “welfare queens” who purchase steak and lobster with food stamps, the reality of life for SNAP benefit recipients is far different.
Only $127 for the entire month , or $1.40, is given to the typical receiver per meal. Even cheap TV meals are hard to buy at the grocery store for that amount. As a result, plenty of people eat foodstuffs like ramen noodles. While these give you the calories you need, you can end up with serious nutritional shortages.
5. You develop mental health problems as a result of the constant barrage of desperation brought on by poverty. Women in poverty experience more than those who earn a living income. Cross-gender concerns with depression, anxiety, and substance misuse are on the rise.
Support groups provide a way to get assistance. You can still go to Narcotics and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings during the shutdown. Some community health centers offer therapy services to people without insurance on a sliding scale.
When you don’t have enough money, you can’t afford to take care of yourself the way you should. Better finances equal a healthier tomorrow. Nevertheless, you can stop the negative spiral by making modest but significant progress toward bettering your physical and emotional well-being.
Though there is no assurance, improving your wellbeing frequently leads to more opportunities.
Author bio
On his website, Just a Regular Guide, Dylan Bartlett writes posts about health and wellbeing.
