In the 15th century, kings and queens indulged in lavish foods like spiced hams, fresh breads, fruits and cheeses, which is why most of them bulged around the middle. They were admired for their larger size because a large belly meant they ate well and had an abundance of wealth. The only problem was many of them, including Henry the VIII, met the hand of death before they reached their 60th birthday.
Times have changed, and with the development of fast food and buffets, now most of us can enjoy eating mass amounts of food for relatively cheap. What separates the wealthy today from those of yesteryear is that rich folks are more likely to eat healthfully not gluttonously. Health and wealth now have a chicken and egg relationship; the healthier you are the wealthier you're likely to be, and vise versa.
The relationship between health and wealth should be worth noting for college students. If you ever want to live in a home worthy of MTV's "Cribs" or cruise around in a drop-top Ferrari, you must first take care of your body.
Paging Dr. Bills
"If you're healthy, you're not depleting your wealth to pay doctor bills or prescriptive drugs," says Barbara O'Neill, certified financial planner and professor at Rutgers University. "You're also going to be more productive because you aren't going to have as many sick days, and if you're a productive person you are going to get raises and a higher income."
For many affluent individuals, it's not just what they are getting paid at work that contributes to their wealth; it's also the money saved by avoiding unhealthy and expensive habits such as cigarettes....
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