We develop bad finance habits and poor food habits along the way. We may not be born with the same bad habits. However, for some reasons our parents, friends, etc. shape our health and finance habits. Should we take it for granted that we have the habits and we CAN DO NOTHING for ourselves?

I have met young (30 year old) couples ALREADY paying the price of poor health habits. If you are trying to grapple with diabetes and blood pressure, think of the COST of having poor health. Addiction to sugar, tobacco, alcohol, – can cost a bomb.

My doctor friends grapple with the situation when patients do not correctly follow up on the given medical advice. I deal with situation where people do not seem to understand the cost of poor health – the increased chances of heart stroke, paralysis, dramatically increasing the cost of medical insurance. The economic cost of a stroke at age 48 can be devastatingly high. Many financial planners will not be able to see this – and some of them may think if a client is wearing health blinkers it is NOT the job of the FINANCIAL PLANNER to point out the same to the client.

IN your role as a financial adviser how much should you talk about health to the client? What if you get a 50 year old coming to you for RETIREMENT PLANNING? Should you assume he will live up to 100 years even though he weighs 109kg and he is about 5’4″? He is already on huge medication, has poor eating habits, has not made a will and has inadequate medical and critical insurance! What do you tell him?

“Stop fooling with yourselves. You are 40kg overweight. If you do not stop your supari, tobacco, sugar, alcohol and stress…you are likely to be hit by a stroke or heart attack. I do think your medical cover of Rs. 2 L is grossly inadequate and your family’s exposure to risk is suddenly very high”

Or do you say “Sir your medical insurance is inadequate and you need to do a sip of Rs. 250,000 per month for the next 12 years”. Sir your medical insurance costs should go up over the next few years, AND the chances of not getting a cover for many of the health issues is scary.

The problem is how much of the illness is a life-style choice illness?

what about the smoking addiction from school?

or the drinking at home with alcohol addicted parents? or the indulgences of sugar in a typical Indian home?

or the choice of sedentary life style till age 41 when realization dawned?

I have seen my Dad’s younger brother run out of money but NOT being able to give up tobacco and alcohol – and that taking a toll on his health at a relatively young age of 61. Who was responsible? or rather whose job was it to read him the riot act?

Assuming I am supporting a man (far more responsible job than just a financial planner) how much duty does he owe to me to spend less?

Obesity is another HUGE challenge. In our society of easy access to calorie laden food, eating two days of calories in one meal is a piece of cake. Growing up in a family with very fit parents,  I have struggled (am struggling) all my life to maintain a normal weight. The kilos creep on, then I spend a month of exercise and try some diet control. I then attend a big fat Indian wedding and eat a weeks quota of sugar in one indulgent meal. I gym regularly, run about 30/40 km a week, and to the OUTSIDE world maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, I have a bulging waistline, am a sugar addict, unable to GIVE UP SUGAR Completely, and am NOT fit. Sure I do not have any BP or sugar, and have no stress.

At my funeral it will be heard “he used to gym” “he never smoked or drank”….no stress….but hey 10% overweight is ENOUGH to kill. Obviously, something is wrong.

So where does my financial planner draw the line? Hopefully a combination of health and wealth programs around the country will improve our nations health and our attitude towards risk, investing, obesity, sugar obsession….etc. soon.

Yes a swachha Bharat abhyaan has to be followed by a Swastha Bharat abhyaan…..sooner the better. The financial planner will be able to use he campaign as a pointer instead of breaking his head with the client.