By Angela Wilson Pennisi, PT, MS, OCS

I was recently watching an episode of Shark Tank, the show about entrepreneurs who  decide whether or not to invest their money in a new idea, and I noticed that several of the new products or ideas have related to renting the various trappings of a luxury lifestyle for limited use. You can rent a designer wedding gown. You can subscribe to a service that will deliver a new designer neck tie to your home every week. You wear the tie and return it, Netflix-style, when the next tie arrives.  These types of services allow us to present an image to the world without the need to save our own money or invest in the purchase of an item that may have limited usefulness.

This concept carries on through to music subscription services and even environmentally-friendly programs, such as Neighbor Goods, that allows you borrow infrequently used items from your neighbors without having to purchase them for yourself. Instead of each household owning a punch bowl or ladder, we can borrow them from each other only at the times we need them.

I wonder how far this concept will go? However, I do know one thing that we will never be able to rent:  You will never be able to rent or borrow good health. I have not found any shortcuts to developing the human body’s potential to achieve optimal function.  Achieving good health and developing your body to the desired level of performance requires an ongoing commitment in multiple areas of your lifestyle.

The trend towards having all our wants and needs met in an instant can make an investment in your health seem disproportionate to the return.  However, I will put forth the argument that no fashion accessory, designer bag, or beautiful gown is capable of complimenting a broken-down body. I encourage you to take the time to appreciate how your body functions, nourish it, and use it in a manner that promotes the long-term sustainability of your health and abilities!