Both health -- and finance -- are tales of deficiencies, excesses, and the quest for balance. Getting it all just right is elusive in both bad times and good.
Per The New York Times article, a booming economy fosters a preoccupation with dollars that sometimes is at odds with sense. Time is money, and when the good times are rolling, the dollar value per unit time rises. So it becomes a good investment to spend less time with one's family, recreating, or exercising, and invest it all in work. A good investment for one's finances, but not necessarily for one's family, or personal fate. The workaholic lifestyle can turn into an express train to the coronary care unit, and/or divorce court.
There is also the fact that we are, by and large, a nation of excess. Excesses -- of food, for instance -- may grow more excessive when the good times roll. Cutting back is good when the baseline is too high.
The historical record is notworthy. Throughout the 20th century, coronary disease rates tended to dip during periods of privation, such as the Great Depression and WWII.
But less is only good if you have too much to begin with. We are a nation of glaring disparities, and what may be good for the over-stuffed goose is bad for the gander on food stamps. Some of the most nutritious foods -- fresh fruits and vegetables in particular -- are relatively expensive, and already underconsumed by the financially challenged. The links between poverty and poor diets, poor health, and obesity are all strong. A recession will only reforge them. (See a list of quick tips to afford healthy, organic food -- even during a recession.)
And then, of course, there is the issue of stress. The evidence is increasingly clear that stress and anxiety take a health toll, independent of other factors. These turbulent times are likely a source of stress for most of us. The acuity of that stress varies, of course, with our circumstances. For those at risk of losing a home or a job, there is little doubt of stress turning into a health hazard. (Find dozens of home cures for stress here.)
Perhaps for some there is a silver lining in the dark clouds hanging over us, a chance to reconsider priorities and strike a better balance. But getting the balance in one's life just right requires having something to put on both scales. For the far too many of us who have far too little to begin with, this downturn tips entirely the wrong way.
The people most likely to object to the NY Times article are least likely to have read it. Whether or not dark clouds serve up silver linings may have much to do with the particular patch of sky under which we live.
More ways to live well in the recession:
10 ways to look younger on a budget
Eat the right portion size -- take the quiz to see what your meal
should look like
