No one is going to turn down the offer of more energy, greater productivity, less stress, and improved optimism. After all, these add up to happiness. It is a truism in life that happiness takes work. Finding and sticking to healthy, proven ways to feel better takes effort because there are no magic pills in life.
Feeling good requires hard work but the good news is that work pays off and the rewards of living a healthy lifestyle can go beyond feeling better. When we feel good we free up time to explore who we are, improve our relationships, and achieve greater productivity and fulfillment. Clearly, the groundwork of all happiness is our health.
Daniel Kahneman is a psychologist notable for his work on the psychology of judgment and decision-making, as well as behavioral economics. In his book, Thinking Fast and Slow, Kahneman makes a good point, “Happiness is determined by factors like your health, your family relationships and friendships, and above all by feeling that you are in control of how you spend your time.”
We all want to feel good, we all want to feel happy, but the information on how to do that is overwhelming. Not to mention the fact that so much of what is out there contradicts or challenges one claim over another. Increasingly, we know that managing our physical and mental wellbeing is a balancing act. It is about making the right choice from so many options.
When it comes to energy we may be feeling rundown. This may stem from a lack of iron or an iron deficiency. This is overwhelmingly an issue for women. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) study, The Global Presence of Anemia 2011 reported that iron deficiency affects 1.62 billion people worldwide and that the majority are women.
The WHO found that only approximately 3% of Canadians have anemia (including all forms of anemia). But approximately 10% of women under 50 have iron-deficiency. Too often, women fool themselves into believing they are just “run-down” when in fact they can proactively get their energy back and improve productivity. If you think you could be suffering from low iron, talk to your doctor about getting your levels checked.
A balanced lifestyle augmented by the right iron supplement can help you gain more energy and optimism resulting in greater productivity. It is up to you to decide where you direct that extra productivity. It can go towards work, family, hobbies, exercise, or anything you choose. That is not a bad bargain.
