Health is Wealth

"People who are poor have the highest rates of nearly every disease we know about," said Len Syme, professor emeritus of epidemiology at the University of California, Berkeley.

Research reveals that social status and income level play a crucial role in a person's health. Syme has spent his academic life researching the underlying causes of disease and his conclusion is that health is directly related to your income and social status.

Of two people in the same state of health, but different socio-economic spheres, the wealthier one is less susceptible to disease, according to Syme. Residents of lower income neighbourhoods have higher mortality rates and higher prevalence of mental and physical illness, according to a 2009 Manitoba RHA Indicators Atlas report.

"The people at the bottom have less resources available to them and less training on how to use resources," said Syme."We really need to empower people to navigate the world."