| What is the Balance in your “Health Savings Account”? |
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Do you regularly save? If you do, why do you save? Personal savings is an investment in the future and a hedge against unforeseen events and even disaster.
Importantly, saving is never an end in itself, but is used to accomplish a purpose or goal. It also requires vision, discipline and consistency as you plan for an uncertain future. Just as you should be saving your money for the future, so also you should be investing in your health. Each of us has a “health bank account” where we daily make deposits and withdrawals based upon our lifestyle choices. Nutritional excellence, exercise, and proper hydration are a few important daily deposits. Withdrawals from your account may include a stress filled day started with coffee and a bagel, a hamburger and fries for lunch and an evening meal of chicken parmesan noodles followed by beer/wine and sitcoms. Early in our lives money appears to be more important than health but, beginning about the age of about 40, health quickly becomes a greater priority with each passing year. The first and most important decision you will ever make is your decision about your eternal future and saving grace of God through Jesus Christ. Second, I believe one of the most important investments you own when you reach retirement age is the value of your health account? If you don’t have your health, no amount of money will buy you quality of life. Sadly, many reach retirement age to find their health “health savings” accounts are insufficiently funded for the future and their plans and dreams are stifled by disease. If you have not made regular and consistent investments during your 30’s, 40’s and 50’s and the account is empty how can you expect to make withdrawals in your golden years? In fact, many accounts are not only under funded but are filled with IOU’s as people have borrowed against their health for several decades. Borrowing is always an overly optimistic assumption on the future. This concept is highlighted in the famous Bolgalusa Heart Study that demonstrated that a high intake of saturated fat early in life was strongly predictive of later heart disease. We are in effect borrowing from our future with poor diets and inactivity today, essentially living on credit unaware of the growing debt. Degenerative disease is often the result of poor health savings habits and diet is one of the primary assets or liabilities. In contrast, those who choose to prepare for the future and make consistent deposits will find that their original investment is not only available but has grown and will yield abundant health for the last quarter of their lives. Is it too late to save? No, it is never to late to start saving, however starting later may require a larger commitment and investment. Just as money is influenced by time so too is your health. The earlier you begin a healthy lifestyle the greater the rewards. In fact the best time to start is childhood as many adult diseases start with childhood exposures and habits. Starting later may require first cleaning up acquired debts before you can see your health account grow. The most important advice is to start today, don’t wait for tomorrow. Begin by repaying your debt and adding to your health account every day. Taking action today and consistently applying that action daily results in habits that will continue for a lifetime. Expert financial advice for saving money can easily be applied to our health. First and foremost is to distinguish between wants and needs, especially in the area of diet. It is important to begin to understand what your body needs and what your mind/emotions and taste buds crave. Second, avoid compulsive “purchases” such as the candy bar at the checkout or the soda at the gas station. Third, less can be better. We don’t need to super-size the order get the “most” for our money. Fourth, create a spending and investing journal to assess areas that require improvement. Often journaling our food habits or entering every bite that goes into your mouth is an eye-opening experience. Finally, create a plan and stick to the plan. Decide to make lifetime, lifestyle changes leaving past habits behind and pursuing healthy deposits each and every day. |
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