In recent years, one phrase which has become a household name is the credit crunch, and many cannot help but wonder how crunchy this crunch is, that it seems to find itself on every economic menu served on this planet! My trip to the popular frozen meat joint at the Madina Market in Accra surely gave me my most detailed explanation of this new crunchy crunch. My desire for some obviously over-aged sausages turned out to be an economic class. A pack of tiny looking sausages which hitherto went for one Ghana cedi (or Ten Thousand as some of our mothers in the market prefer), had been doubled and was being sold for two Ghana cedis. When I protested, a fellow shopper quickly exclaimed in Twi “ei na wo nnim se Credit Crunch aba?” Meaning, are you oblivious of the credit crunch? The attendants sat calmly nodding their heads in silent agreement. I almost simultaneously yelled “Then tell Kofi Papa to let the crunchy crunch---I meant the credit crunch, reflect on his chop money”! My hunger for knowledge brewed in the Ghanaian market increased. So I firmly asked what a lack of credit options globally, had to do with my modest desire of munching some tiny sausages. “There is no money everywhere, the system is hard so everything is going up, even if you have the money you can’t get things to buy” was the reply. Before I could say Jack, the attendants exclaimed “we cannot do anything about it so we are in it like that, Madame are you buying it or not?” Immediately, I realized my class was over! One fact I took home that day was the statement of the attendant, “we cannot do anything about it so we are in it like that”. It likely would take a whole financial committee to access the financial implications of this statement, however, I do know for a fact that there is a need for each and everyone to survive this economic downturn because “we are in it like that”. One dimension of the credit crunch which has been overlooked is the health implications of the development on the wellness of the corporate world which is a huge component of national development. Think of the long winding hours spent at work strategizing and re-strategizing and its attendant stresses, poor diet patterns and high blood pressures, uncertainties, frustrations, and deepened stress about job security in the wake of large job cuts and shrinking economies, the lack of available resources to keep up with activities like visiting the gym and exercising, playing golf, and the like, a reduction in healthy wellness alternatives, and check up rates in hospitals. First and foremost, considering four health related by products of the credit crunch is essential. Stress/High blood pressure Economists, researchers and financial analysts are spending longer seemingly unending hours figuring out how this economic downturn can be braced at the expense of family and social time. The fact remains that as much as you would want to save the economy, you have to be alive to see your ideas and suggestions carried through! The key is striking a balance to ensure a total life conditioning experience. Many at the corporate level would need to understand the benefits of taking a break from stressful situations and spending more quality time with family and friends. If you have to stay longer at work, can you call your wife or loved one for only five minutes to talk about your relationship and how happy you are to be with them? How about calling an old friend you have not been in contact with to reminisce on the good old times? Clearly there is a lot you can do without moving an inch from all the stress and frustrations office life usually brings. Poor dieting It is unfortunate to see many employees resorting to soda and snacks instead of balanced diets during lunch. Lunch time seems to be woven seamlessly into mainstream work time. This situation seems to be worsening by the day, with many institutions feeling a pinch from the credit crunch. Employees are working longer, strategizing more, and unfortunately sacrificing their lunch which is an essential component of body development. Employees must invest in a balanced diet at lunch and take the time to have lunch in peace and not in pieces at their workstations. Move out from your office, invite friends and family for lunch and you would be amazed at the satisfaction and refreshment you would derive and how it impacts on your work after lunch. Frustrations What’s more, many employees are worried about job security, layoffs and their impact on workload, fewer credit options at high interest rates and so on. However, what can you really do about the current economic situation? How would fretting and constant pessimistic thoughts make the situation any better? Undue frustrations and worry leads to a body not at ease (dis-ease). Are you willing to spend your scare income on treatment of a dis-ease body? The key is taking a pragmatic approach. Research on the credit crunch for more understanding and confidence to mitigate its effects, take to meditation and relaxing when frustrations build up, adopt a wellness lifestyle approach to your health (health is wealth), and be assured that if job cuts affect you, you will survive! Your life would not end there! How successful you would be after a lay off depends entirely on your health and your creative business ideas. Limited resources In view of credit scarcity, many organizations are saddled with cash flow issues in various degrees. On a personal level, many individuals have been forced to create an invincible scale of preference which determines their purchasing patterns. Unfortunately some seemingly lavish activities which impact greatly on the health of many employees have been forgone. Activities like, golfing, tennis, swimming, visiting the gym, and visiting fun sites are gradually been relinquished. This trend takes a great toll on the health of such employees who are often sedentary workers. The truth remains that you cannot allow an ailing economy to affect your health! There are a host of other non cost intensive exercises you can take up in place of your regular lifestyle; after all, if you cannot beat them, play with them! Walking, taking the staircase at work instead of the elevator, skipping, jogging, stretches, and press ups are free exercising options any one can afford irrespective of the credit crunch. Take advantage of these and develop a total commitment to your health. This would keep you in shape, and well psyched for work to deal with any adverse effects of the economic downturn plaguing the globe. Survival Strategies Brutal Fact: A focus on total wellness instead of a symptom treatment lifestyle is the key to surviving the economic downturn! You can safeguard your health before it deteriorates and exhibits symptoms commensurate to the level of deterioration. First of all, you need to be alive to survive the economic downturn! Optimum productivity at work comes from within; a balanced body equals a critical thinker and team player. You cannot be totally well until your immune system is functioning at a hundred percent (100%) efficiency! Many have placed undue stress on their spine and the function and flow of their immune system which is housed in the spine due to seating posture (often for long hours at work), stress and frustrations, accidents, and injuries. The impact of an undermined health in the corporate setting especially during this economic downturn which requires all hands on deck is huge. Often sick employees would mean more money spent on hospital bills, loss of productive time, and the like. It is thus very important that employers and employees alike take their health during these stressful times seriously. Did you know that through the nervous system, your brain coordinates, regulates and controls all your glands and organs to produce a body chemistry that is right for you in terms of quantity and quality? The Nervous system is housed in the spine which consists of many bones. When any of these bones “loses their proper alignment’ and as a result shift from their original positions, they become obstructions to nerve flow in the body. This situation interferes with proper communication between the brain and other organs of the body; thereby resulting in disease. Chiropractic care has proven to be effective in getting to the root cause of ailments through an assessment of the spine for obstructions in the flow of the nervous system. It removes any interference from your body and ignites your body’s ability to heal and be healthy. Many testimonies abound about the successes of chiropractic care and its benefits. As the economic downturn stares directly at us in the face, there is need to equip our bodies with the ability to withstand pressure and boost its disease fighting ability. After all, “we are in it like that”! Credit: Henrietta Aba Lartey The Chiropractic and Wellness Centres [Email: henritalartey@yahoo.com]