Why Your "Vibes" Matter as Much as Your 401(k) | Health & Wellness

As the final months of 2025 race toward us, your financial advisor is likely talking to you about required minimum distributions, Roth conversions, tax-loss harvesting opportunities, and maximizing your year-end contributions. And while those wealth strategies are critical for a strong finish, we’re challenging you to consider an even more fundamental question: How is your health preparing you for your wealth? Probably one of the most neglected pieces to the puzzle because it's NOT a problem, until it is.

This is the core of our new Health & Wealth Segment, and it’s why we were so energized by our conversation with Dr. Sam Camarata on the latest podcast episode. Such a great guest. He's passionate, animated, and a positive force to have on set.

Catch the show on YouTube by clicking below 👇

Dr. Sam's approach—which is all about moving from reactive treatment to proactive enhancement—provides the perfect blueprint for year-end planning, both for your body and your bank account. And at the end of the day, it's not rocket science; it's the little things, and boy, do they make complete sense. The reality is, your wealth only creates true abundance if you have the health to enjoy it. I can't tell you how many times we meet with clients and watch as their health declines, and regardless of their net worth, there is nothing they can do. Some or a good portion of these cases are more of cause and effect due to the lack of doing little things day in and day out to care for your own well-being.

The True Cost of Poor Health: A Financial Wake-Up Call

Think of your body as your single most valuable asset. What happens when that asset is performing poorly? Well, unless you have pain or some other type of alert, nothing. It continues to go untreated and gets worse and worse without anyone knowing about it.

1.     Increased Medical Spend: Chronic pain, low energy, and recurring issues inevitably lead to appointments, medications, specialized treatments, and potentially lost time at work—all of which erode your savings. No doubt, healthcare will in most cases become a bigger part of your spending in and during your retirement years. Think glasses, hearing aids, and teeth. Take care of those, as many insurance providers only discount a small fraction of the actual cost, and some of it comes with no coverage at all.

Could you imagine for a minute not being able to see well, hear day-to-day conversations, or be able to smile, chew, or eat the foods you took for granted throughout your life?

2.     Diminished Performance: When your nervous system is stressed (what Dr. Sam calls operating on a low "wavelength"), your focus, decision-making, and professional drive suffer. Who wants that? This can translate to missed opportunities, lower income potential, and less efficient financial planning. Talk about a snowballing effect.

3.     A Limited Retirement: What is the point of a seven-figure portfolio if you’re too unwell to hike the mountains, travel the world, or simply play with your grandkids? Wealth is a funny thing, but at the end of the day, it's only a means to afford life experiences and a token of value only if you can use it. Proactive health is the ultimate long-term care insurance. Let that sink in for a minute.

Dr. Sam’s mission is to help you operate on a high-performing wavelength. He encourages us to eliminate the small frictions in our health that compound into big problems—a philosophy that perfectly mirrors smart financial planning. You eliminate small, high-interest debts (the health equivalent of chronic inflammation) to allow your growth assets (your energy and vitality) to flourish.

Micro-Adjustments, Macro-Results: Health Hacks for High Performance

In the podcast, Dr. Sam breaks down seemingly small changes that create massive shifts in your internal alignment. I'm sure we all know someone with back pain. I even had a neighbor growing up who had such chronic back pain that it would cause him to have heart attacks. These aren't complicated protocols—they're the low-hanging fruit of wellness, much like maximizing your 401(k) match is the low-hanging fruit of retirement savings:

·        The Power of Proactive Wavelengths: Dr. Sam emphasizes the importance of your emotional and energetic state. Have you ever been around a person who always seems to emanate a positive and uplifting aura? I have a few childhood friends who were like that as kids and haven't changed a bit into adulthood. Those are the people you want to surround yourself with and be more like. Stress and anxiety are silent financial and biological killers. Just as you stress-test your portfolio, you must actively stress-mitigate your body through practices that support a high-functioning nervous system. The main difference is that if you're not checking for progress like you do when you get your annual investment reports, you have no way of measuring the direction of your health.

·        Simple Hydration, Big Impact: We discussed how adding a pinch of a high-quality salt additive to your water can revolutionize your hydration. My mind was completely blown on this topic. I remember when salt was considered a bad thing, and it was highly recommended to limit or practically eliminate all salt intake. This micro-adjustment supports better digestion, mineral absorption, and energy—a simple tweak that fuels your day without costing a fortune. When it was brought up on the show, it piqued my interest, and it's something I want to explore and learn more about.

·        Low-Tech Grounding: He reminds us that true wellness doesn't require expensive gadgets. Utilizing household items like certain pillows or blankets, or simply taking the time to ground yourself (connecting with the earth), optimizes your sleep and recovery—the foundation upon which all health and high-level performance is built. Again, it's something I've heard of from a different perspective. I recall reading and hearing about the benefits associated with grounding by having shoes and socks off in a field with the body connected to the grass and direct with direct contact. Without looking into it more, I didn't know there was medical proof or evidence of this being true. Dr. Sam has enlightened me and motivated me to look further into the benefits of this easy thing.

Turn the Page for Your Year-End Health & Wealth Action Plan...

Page 2: Your 2025 Year-End Health & Wealth Action Plan

Aligning Your Body & Your Balance Sheet for 2026

As you finalize your 2025 financial checks, use Dr. Sam's Proactive Performance Philosophy as a guide. His insights into cellular regeneration (like the cutting-edge SoftWave Technology he utilizes) show us that our bodies are designed to

heal and perform at a high level—we just need to remove the interference. That's right, high level.

Here is your combined Health & Wealth Check-Up to finish 2025 strong and set the stage for an optimized 2026:

Health Action (Remove the Interference)	Wealth Action (Remove the Interference)	Dr. Sam’s Principle
1. The Wavelength Review	The Spending Review	Proactive Alignment
Action: Identify one major source of daily stress (e.g., poor sleep, chronic shoulder tension). Schedule a time or an appointment to proactively address it.	Action: Review the last 90 days of credit card statements. Identify and eliminate 1-2 recurring "leakage" expenses (subscriptions, unused services) that drain your monthly cash flow. We're all guilty of these.	Principle: Eliminate the silent stressors (emotional or financial) that drag down your long-term performance.
2. Hydration & Nutrient Audit	HSA/FSA Max-Out	Foundational Fuel
Action: Implement Dr. Sam's salt-in-water hack for 7 days. Simultaneously, assess your diet for key nutrient gaps (e.g., greens, healthy fats) that impact energy and focus. Obviously, consult with your physician before any change in diet or salt intake.	Action: Ensure you have maximized contributions to your Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) before the end of the year. This is a tax-advantaged way to fund your proactive health.	Principle: Fully fund your body (and your tax-advantaged health accounts) to avoid costly emergency expenses later.
3. Nervous System Reset	Portfolio Rebalancing	Optimized Structure
Action: Commit to 15 minutes of grounding, deliberate rest, or proper spinal hygiene (like foam rolling or specific stretching) 4 days a week to reset your nervous system. I bet we could all use a jumpstart on our nervous system - especially this time of year.	Action: Meet with your advisor to review your asset allocation - think sectors of the market that may be approaching or at a bubble. Ensure your risk level is correctly aligned with your goals and that your portfolio is "balanced" for the year ahead.	Principle: Structure is key. Ensure the foundation (your spine/nervous system and your portfolio) is balanced to withstand stress and promote growth.
4. The Performance Focus	The Retirement Catch-Up	Looking to the Future
Action: Set a health-based goal for 2026 (e.g., complete a 5k, sustain an exercise routine, eliminate coffee dependence) that enhances your performance and longevity.	Action: If you are over 50, ensure you utilize your full Catch-Up Contribution allowance for your 401(k) or IRA. This is your last-minute gift to your future self.	Principle: Don't just plan for survival; plan for abundance. Invest in the future vitality of your health and your wealth.

The Final Word: Invest in You

Dr. Sam Camarata’s energetic philosophy is that you deserve to live a life full of vitality and freedom. Neglect over time does snowball into bigger issues you will face at some point in time. The idea is to nip it in the bud with small things regularly. That goal is impossible to achieve if you silo your health and your wealth planning.

As you close out 2025, remember that your greatest financial security comes not from a specific stock but from a body and mind that are resilient, strong, and operating on a high-energy wavelength. Invest in your health with the same discipline you invest in your portfolio, and watch your total quality of life—Health AND Wealth—soar in the year to come.

Where can you find more info about Dr. Sam & his practice? See below or click the image to visit his website.

Listen or watch the full episode with Dr. Sam Camarata now by clicking below: 

If you haven't checked out my PennyWise Financial Podcast, watch a clip from my latest episode. You'll see topics that cover all sorts of things that tie into financial decisions or goals we plan for every day with our clients.

Scroll down a little past the clip to watch the entire episode. It's available on all major podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube.

👇Or click below to watch the full Episode

Everyone wants to offer advice. We hope you have the right person. A trusted person to guide you on your path to achieving your goals. If you're not working with the right team or want a second opinion, we hope you consider our services. Follow our content to learn more about our process, investment philosophy, and hear real-life accounts of what our clients are dealing with and how we help them.

And that's only the beginning. Reach out and schedule a consultation to discuss your situation. We'll walk you through your options and help you make the right choice for your goals. Click below to listen to the latest PennyWise Financial Podcast and hear more commentary on the stuff you need to know, and much more. Check out another episode below or view our catalog of videos by clicking the button linked to our channel.

YouTube Channel

Request a Meeting Here

Want to learn more? Follow our latest market commentary, firm updates, or anything financial via our blog, Podcast, or Videos.