Invest in your health

If you are a regular reader of our blog, I think it is safe to assume that you are a person who is interested in your financial future.  It is widely accepted that, if we want to have enough money for retirement, we need to start saving and investing as early as possible. The sooner we start, the more we will accumulate.  This same adage holds true for our health.   Investments we make in our health today will also pay off in the future.

According to Statistics Canada, cancer was the leading cause of death in 2011 and accounted for 72,476 deaths or 30% of all deaths in Canada.  This proportion has remained almost unchanged since 2000 (29%). The second leading cause of death was heart disease, accounting for 20% of all deaths, followed by stroke (cerebrovascular diseases) with 6%.  Worldwide, chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart and lung disease account for approximately two thirds of all deaths (36 million worldwide).  In the United States, these diseases kill nearly nine out of every ten people.  

While those statistics are bleak, there is a positive takeaway.  None of these chronic diseases are contagious or appear overnight.   They all have common risk factors; namely, tobacco use, excessive alcohol use, unhealthy diets, and lack of physical activity; which for the most part, are all under our own control.  

We all want to have a healthy lifestyle and enjoy a long life.  As you contemplate your financial future, make sure you also contemplate the future of your health.  Just like saving for retirement, small, regular investments in our health we help us ensure our health is on track just the same as our financial future.