Money Stress: Paying with Our Health

Money doesn’t buy happiness. Just try living without it, though.

We use money every day. It runs our daily lives--pays for food, clothing, and shelter; educates our children; supports us in retirement; and everything in between.

Americans are extremely concerned over their finances. Surveys show money and personal finances to be the number one cause of stress in America.

In this book about the brain, we look at stress and trauma and how they affect the brain and subsequently our health. Insomnia, migraines, ulcers, high blood pressure, and more are triggered by money stress, according to Corporate Wellness Magazine--and any doctor who sees patients every day.

The treatment and cure for money worries doesn’t come in a pill or physical therapy. Only basic knowledge about money and how it works can ease our fears and help build a sound financial house.

Think about it: We go to school. We get courses in English, Science, Math, History...what course don’t we get? Has anybody taken a course called My Money, Money 101, or Building Personal Wealth?

So do we learn about money at work? At home?

The answers are almost always no.

This information deficit has become more critical because over the past decade, culminating in the Great Recession, the economic world of middle-class Americans shifted under our feet.

In these pages you will find information on topics that have proven important in talking to people about their finances. Folks working two and three jobs to make ends meet. People working in what they call “their retirement job.” Those trying adjust to the “new economy.”

Healing the Brain: Stress & Money gives readers a view of the remarkable human brain, its capabilities, and its vulnerabilities. A brain compromised by stress and trauma diminishes our health and yet the brain is slowly yielding its secrets to science and medicine.

Order the book by making a secure contribution to our organization, A Thousand Moms. Book cost $7.95 plus $3.50 shipping and handling, total $11.45. Order the e-pub for only $2.00. Please provide your email address on the order form.

Praise for Healing the Brain Series:

"Provides comfort and learning to the reader. Flows easily from one topic to the next and knits tidbits of information together in a unifying mosaic. Easy to read. Difficult to put down." --Michael J. Colucciello, Jr., New York State Dept. of Mental Health researcher, retired.

"Wonderfully written by Mr. Balog. A book that can help medical professionals as well as the general public, Mr Balog has tackled a subject that is complex and he makes it quite approachable. It has added and enriched my own practice of medicine by making me more aware of issues not often discussed in medical circles."--Peter Paganussi, MD, Virginia

Paying with Our Health: Money Stress

Our new book, Healing the Brain: Stress & Money, looks at the price Americans pay with their health due to money worries. The creator of Hamilton, the musical, Lin-Manuel Miranda, talks about why money and financial literacy are important, reflecting on his life and that of his hero, the man who set up our financial system, Alexander Hamilton.

Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Power of Financial Knowledge

(Excerpted from MorganStanley.com, March 15, 2017)

When it comes to career-defining Broadway moments, it’s difficult to top the last few years for Lin-Manuel Miranda. Not only did the Hamilton creator and star give birth to the biggest hit in recent memory, he did it by redefining what Broadway could be for the next generation. Both in themes and in music, Hamilton speaks in particular to the Millennial generation—and reminds us the importance of "not throwing away my shot."

        Morgan Stanley, Inc.   

“To educate yourself about personal finance is to empower yourself with the resources and tools needed to help you achieve your goals.”

With the incredible success of Hamilton, what has your journey as a writer, actor and artist taught you about the importance of financial literacy?

This experience taught me first-hand how important it is to educate yourself about the basic principles of financial planning. When you are focused on doing what you love, it can be easy to brush aside the need to understand the monetary implications of upcoming milestones. However, regardless of who you are and what you are most passionate about, everyone should master the fundamentals in order to find and fulfill your own greater purpose. For me, that means dedicating the resources I have available to me—whether it is time, effort, money, or relationships—to important organizations, causes, and passion projects.

In addition to familiarizing yourself with the basics, it is equally important to know when to ask for help.

To educate yourself about personal finance is to empower yourself with the resources and tools needed to help you achieve your goals.

What is something about money you wish you had known when first starting out your career?

There is so much I wish I knew about money when I was first starting out my adult life, but in particular, the importance of building good credit. Growing up, I was always cautious about spending.  In fact, I was so nervous about incurring debt that I didn’t open my first credit card until age 28, after my first show had opened on Broadway. As a result, even though I had enough money in the bank, I didn’t have sufficient credit history to purchase my first apartment. My father had to help me buy it by co-signing the mortgage.

Who do you look to for financial advice?

As I faced various opportunities and challenges throughout my career, I was very fortunate to have the guidance of my father. Because in addition to familiarizing yourself with the basics, it is equally as important to know when to ask for help. Trusted, professional support can be invaluable when you’re navigating the complex decisions and tradeoffs associated with big life milestones.

Why is building a financial foundation critical for pursuing your passions?

To educate yourself about personal finance is to empower yourself with the resources and tools needed to help you achieve your goals: whether it be owning your own home, starting a business, making a living off of your passions, providing for a family, having a healthy relationship with money, or paying it forward.

What is one of the greatest lessons you have learned about money?

In writing about Alexander Hamilton, I had to learn a great deal about the birth of our financial system. He intuitively understood that if the states are tied together financially, we begin to transcend our colonial mindset and thinking of ourselves as one nation. I'd never thought of money as a unifying or stabilizing force prior to telling his story.

What are you saving for today?

My family, my children, and supporting causes dear to my heart.

Get your copy by clicking here!

Stress & Money: Paying With our Health

Free Illustration

Money fears and worries rank high as America’s stressors.

Money doesn’t buy happiness. Just try living without it, though.

We use money every day. It runs our daily lives--pays for food, clothing, and shelter; educates our children; supports us in retirement; and everything in between.

Americans are extremely concerned over their finances. Surveys show money and personal finances to be the number one cause of stress in America.

In this book about the brain, we look at stress and trauma and how they affect the brain and subsequently our health. Insomnia, migraines, ulcers, and more are triggered by money stress, according to Corporate Wellness Magazine--and any doctor who sees patients every day.

The treatment and cure for money worries doesn’t come in a pill or physical therapy. Only basic knowledge about money and how it works can ease our fears and help build a sound financial house.

Think about it: We go to school. We get courses in English, Science, Math, History...what course don’t we get? Has anybody taken a course called My Money, Money 101, or Building Personal Wealth?

So do we learn about money at work? At home?

The answers are almost always no.

This information deficit has become more critical because over the past decade, culminating in the Great Recession, the economic world of middle-class Americans shifted under our feet.

In these pages you will find information on topics that have proven important in talking to people about their finances. Folks working two and three jobs to make ends meet. People working in what they call “their retirement job.” Those trying adjust to the “new economy.”

Healing the Brain: Stress & Money gives readers a view of the remarkable human brain, its capabilities, and its vulnerabilities. A brain compromised by stress and trauma diminishes our health and yet the brain is slowly yielding its secrets to science and medicine.

Get the book: Healing the Brain: Stress & Money!