Eat healthy. Don’t skip breakfast. Sleep well. Do adequate and regular exercise. Drink enough Water. Everybody knows this simple magic formula for a healthy and fit life. But how many actually follow it?

Similarly, everyone knows that saving and investing small amounts of money consistently over a long period of time results in wealth accumulation. Again, how many actually do it?

A closer look at the theme of this year's World Health Day and you will realize that both are equally important.

World Health Day this year wants the world to beat diabetes and live a healthier life. According to statistics from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), India has more diabetics than any other nation of the world. Of the two types, the one more prevalent is the Type 2, which is lifestyle related. People with type 2 diabetes are typically overweight and sedentary, 2 conditions that raise a person’s insulin needs.

Sedentary and stressful lifestyles, slowly and stealthily eat away our inherent immunity, transforming us into an empty shell with only a vestige of life. Unaware of this slow corrosion going on within us, we go on with our routines, doing nothing at all to undo or repair the self-inflicted damage.

The common mantra nowadays is ‘Work Hard and Party Harder’. But when do we take out time to stop and think. Think about the steady wear and tear of our body and the need to replenish that on a continuous basis for a healthier life.

With scientific development we have managed to increase life expectancy, but have we managed to make our longer life spans healthier and fuller?

With regular and long term care it is possible to lead a long and healthy life. But the process for that has to start today. Nothing happens overnight.

Acquired due to gross neglect over long term, Type 2 diabetes too can be controlled with regular medication, and diet control so when you age you are still healthy and live life to the fullest.

It is no different when it comes to our savings and building a nest egg. If physical fitness is needed to lead a healthy life, financial discipline is required now to enjoy the latter part of our lives without fretting too much about expenses. This is where an SIP in mutual funds plays a crucial role. Small but regular dollops of investments over a sustained period can help build sizeable corpus for the future. Hence, regardless of our age, gender and profession, we need to focus on both our health and wealth with immediate effect. It is said that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Similarly investing via SIP every month, over the long term, will potentially keep your money crunch at bay!

Information contained in this article is not a complete representation of every material fact and is for informational purposes only. The recipient is advised to consult its advisor/ tax consultant prior to arriving at any investment decision.