Is hard work bad for your health?

I recently watched the first episode of 30 Days, a program by Morgan Spurlock (the guy who made Super Size Me). In that episode Morgan and his fiancée Alex lived the life of folks who earn minimum wage for a month. Between the two of them, they had three full time jobs as unskilled laborers, yet they barely earned enough to both buy groceries and pay rent for an unfurnished, ant infested apartment in a former crack den. Not only were they needy for material goods, their physical health and relationship suffered.

Morgan Spurlock clocks in (via 30 Days: Minimum Wage)

This got me wondering: Is hard work bad for you? In this case, it was certainly not benefiting Morgan and Alex's lives. They were indisputably working hard but had a standard of life that begs one to question if a stay in prison might be better. At least there they'd be assured three meals and health care.

I'm not advocating against work. Wasting time, energy, and talents is great way to be hungry, sick, and sad too. However, I can't help but wonder why those who work the hardest suffer the most.  Is it strictly due to the failure of our government? Are corporations and employers to blame? How does this relate to Law of Attraction? Are minimum wage workers attracting struggle and suffering themselves or is it a manifestation of causes we've made as a society?

I feel overwhelmed by the size and complexity of the problem, but I also believe we need to solve it together. Every human deserves to live in a safe home and have access to health care and food, regardless of whether they work as a hedge fund manager or as a dishwasher.

What do you think?

Olivia Lovejoy is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.

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