Crazy Sexy Life

In the early part of the previous century, being overweight was a sign of wealth and, as such, a status symbol. Those who were able to afford excessive amounts of food wanted the world to see they made enough money to overeat. Fortunately, times have changed, and today people showcase their wealth in less health-damaging ways. Now, however, the other end of the income spectrum is most commonly overweight or obese. According to studies conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association, low-income individuals and families are more likely to be overweight than those earning middle and high incomes. Of course this is a generalization, but that’s how these kinds of studies work.

As you might expect, low-quality diet is one of the main reasons for the increase in obesity among the poor. Many processed and highly refined foods (or what, in some cases, are more properly referred to as edible food-like substances) are cheaper than whole, fresh, and natural options. People with less money are more likely to buy the cheaper foods.

This is problematic for two reasons. First: highly-processed and refined foods generally have little to no nutritional value. As a result, you will have to consume considerably more food to satisfy the body’s need for nutrients. Only when the body has the nutrients it requires does it switch off its hunger signal. The negative short-term effect is that more food will be consumed, which leads quickly to weight gain. In addition, the digestion of this, low-nutrient food robs the body of energy without providing much energy in return. The result is that the person feels less full and has to spend more money to buy additional food to stay satiated. If that person were to gradually switch over to a diet comprised of more expensive whole foods, he or she would no longer be in a constant state of hunger and therefore would naturally choose to consume less. The financial saving gained from buying cheap processed foods quickly evaporates.

Second, the consumption of these processed foods contributes to long-term health risks. If a person has relied on processed foods to reconstruct the body day in and day out for decades, that body will falter later in life. Disease of some form will almost certainly be the result. Type II diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, and the many offshoots of cardiovascular disease are the most common to develop. The drugs needed to treat these ailments commonly cost several thousand dollars per month. And that’s just to alleviate the symptoms; the underlying disease continues to progress. Admittedly, there are rare cases when drugs can eradicate the disease; however, what caused the disease in the first place has not been addressed, therefore it may return.

To put it simply, replacing refined, processed foods with natural, whole foods is a form of health insurance. You will stack the odds in your favor and save money in the long run. In the short term, you will have more energy and greater mental clarity, both of which can significantly improve productivity. Some people may choose to put a dollar value on that.

We are beginning to experience a realization among corporate America that true, sustainable health can be directly translated into improved profits. The realization that healthier employees not only get sick less often, but are simply more productive, has clearly began to dawn.

A recent study published in the Washington Post revealed that, on average, American-built automobiles cost $1,500 more than comparably equipped Japanese or European cars. The reason? Americans are in worse physical health than their Japanese and European counterparts and therefore must pay higher health insurance premiums. This additional cost is passed on to the end consumer to allow the company to maintain profitability. The United States is less able to compete in the global market simply because its citizens are in a poorer state of health.

As the health of the American people declines, so, too, does their nation’s economy. This is not a coincidence. More people are developing disease earlier in life than in any previous generation. Those who aren’t privately insured place a tremendous burden on the taxpayer-funded healthcare system, contributing to higher taxes, a decrease in spending, a sluggish economy, and even a near-recession (or recession, depending on who you talk to), as America is now experiencing. While there are other contributing factors here, including the sub-prime mortgage debacle and war spending, a nation made up of unhealthy people is inevitably going to become an unhealthy nation economically. A company comprised of unhealthy people will never reach its full earning potential.

Large corporations are beginning to catch on. At the Googleplex in Santa Clara County, California, Google employees enjoy recreation facilities once the exclusive domain of high-priced resorts: a gym, two swimming pools, and a sand-volleyball court. But the Googleplex’s culinary options are where it shines the brightest . With 11 cafeterias, the selection of food is vast. And employees can request whatever they want—whether it’s on the menu or not. The cafeterias offer several balanced, plant-based options and a plethora of smoothies and raw foods.

Is Google going to this considerable up-front expense simply because they’re nice people? No. They are nice, but they also understand that the improved health and happiness of their employees will improve their bottom line. And it has, consistently, since its inception in 2003. The monetary return on their investment comes in the form of employees performing at a higher level. And consider the advantages that beyond-basic health can bring to a company. Employees who are in top form have a stronger immune system and are less likely to get sick and be absent from work. Companies who don’t embrace this holistic approach to well-being and productivity will not turn as great a profit and eventually will not be able to compete with the ones who do embrace it. Then they’ll have to answer to their shareholders.

The fact that “health and wellness” is beginning to be viewed as something that is of economic value is exciting. And, in my estimation, will eventually prove to be what turns our societies’ health around and thereby will be responsible in large part for resurgence in personal revitalized wellbeing. Rightly or wrongly, we are a society that bows down to the economy, revolves around it and is altogether controlled by it, so for the economy to prosper in unison with our personal heath enhancement is of great significants.

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