The recession is wreaking havoc on many lives and can snowball into poor health habits. 

At a time when no one can afford to be sick, it may be even more important for you now to keep your health a priority.

Consider this: When Which?, a non-profit consumer watchdog, asked UK residents about their dietary habits, almost 1/4 of them said that the economic crisis had made healthy eating a lower priority.³  

Over half said they would eat healthier if they could afford it. So our monetary woes have translated to poor food choices which in turn has a negative impact on our health.   

Who can afford to be sick?

Sickness is expensive.A UK cabinet office report estimated the monetary effect of illnesses caused by poor food choices was at least £6 billion every year, which more than twice the amount attributed automobile accidents and three times the amount attributed to smoking, and may be as high as £18 billion.

 So we lose money, which makes us eat poorly, and thus we cost ourselves more money in doctor and hospital bills: its a self-fulfilling cycle.

What can you do?  To drive the point home, the report says that simply:

• ·         consuming five portions of fruit and vegetables per day could prevent 42,000 premature deaths a year
• ·         reducing salt intake could save another 20,200 lives, and cutting saturated fat, other 3,500 

Skimping on nutrition isn’t a great way to cut spending - it’s a great way to cost yourself much more, in quality of life and in healthcare costs.

Consider the power of affordable nutrition.  Juice Plus (www.juiceplus.com) has reduced missed days of school due to illness by 65% and missed days of work due to illness by 50% for participants in the Children’s Health Study.A family of four can enjoy this good health at a rate of 70 cents per day per family member.

expert from: http://nutritionwonderland.com/2009/03/recession-bad-for-your-health

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