The Price of Health

Perhaps a better title for this blog might have been ‘Monetizing Health for Fun and Profit.’ Who knew there’s money to be made in clogged arteries, fat bellies, weak knees and failing eyesight. Never one to miss an opportunity to make a buck in our capitalistic society, businesses of all sizes, shapes and forms have now realized that for many of us ‘health is wealth’ and they mean to capitalize on it big time.

To be honest, I came to the same conclusion about health a long time ago. Material possessions lost their luster, what little there was of it, and were replaced by something far more valuable and priceless. Health became paramount and without it everything else paled in comparison.

At any age, all the money in the world doesn’t mean a damn thing if you don’t have your health. And as wealthy as some folks are, few of them can buy their way back to health once it’s gone.

In retrospect, I’ve been very lucky. I think I’m in fairly good shape simply because I started running early on and never stopped until I was well past 70. After one foolish weekend in the service, I stopped drinking and haven’t had a drop of hard liquor in over 60 years now. I’ve never smoked (Okay, that weed doesn’t count during my wannabe hippie years), and I’ve maintained my weight pretty well.

‘Later in life’ issues often prompt a reflective glimpse back in time. The famous Irish poet Oscar Wilde once said, “The final mystery is oneself.” So how does one unravel the mystery of self? It probably can’t happen without self-awareness and self-awareness won’t happen without reflection. If reflection tells you to change your lifestyle, all you have to do is open your wallet.

Reflecting back on events in one’s life can bring about new insights into your present circumstances.  Health more than most other events can bring that to the forefront. To that end, a whole new category of businesses is catering to those seeking physical and mental rejuvenation and restoration.

Drug companies seem to be at the forefront of prescribing chemical compounds for all sorts of ailments and shortcomings.  A little pill or chemical injection in your body and the weight just seems to fall off. No dieting, no exercising, just get juiced up and let the guilt of being over-weight fade away with each television sitcom watched. Personally, I think it sounds like investing in bitcoin and letting the money roll in. But, that’s just me, a doubter.

The variety of commercial enterprises seeking to help with one’s health is quite astounding. When Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop line can be found in Target stores and on Amazon, you can bet the wellness trend has gone mainstream. The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) has estimated that:’ the wellness economy is worth $6.3 trillion globally and is set to hit $8.5 trillion by 2027.’

The wellness real estate market is also growing by leaps and bounds, even beating out wellness tourism. Some see it as a kind of wellness Disneyland where thermal bathing blends in naturally with family-friendly water-based activities. Most of these new health resorts and lodgings will feature both ancient and contemporary treatments – from acupuncture to IV vitamin cocktails along with a ready mix of well-being practitioners, fitness trainers, and health coaches, all promising personalized care for mind, body and spirit. What’s not to like; if you have the money to pay for it.

For the rest of us, there’s still hope. As the cliché goes, it’s never too late to begin over again. Wellness resorts aside, I think one can have their own personal maintenance program with diet, simple exercising and relaxation. When my mother and stepfather couldn’t dance anymore at ages ninety and eight-two respectively, they took up cards to strengthen their minds. I didn’t recognize it back then but their actions were a powerful motivator for me to keep pressing on.

Assessing what is important at this stage of one’s life really comes down to the basics. Health, family, friendships and life experiences. All the rest is soon to be outdated, worn out or soon to be replaced by next season’s newest trend.