Too broke to eat? It might be good for you.

It's no surprise that the economy is going down the toilet, and it's probably no surprise that it affects our health. But if you assume that the less money we have, the sicker we are, SURPRISE! You're wrong.

The New York Times reported that, while good economics lead to good health over the long haul, our health as a country actually improves in shorter spells of economic downturn. Like this one.

Why? Think about it. You just scored a sweet, high-paying job and don't have a money care in the world. You eat out a lot. You don't hold back at the bar. You might drive yourself home after a little too much fun. And because your job brings in all the bacon, you pour yourself into it, sending exercise, minor medical appointments and other health-related "extras" straight down the priority list.

Replicate that on a population level, and it's no wonder we're less healthy when we're rolling in the dough.

I'm all about a silver lining, but the current state of the economy has some definite downsides, too. If the price of groceries forces you to eat generic mac 'n' cheese for breakfast, lunch and dinner; if you can't afford your health insurance premium; if you have to cancel your gym membership and put off buying that new bike, on a personal level, you're certainly not healthier.

But then again, a couple fewer tequila shots never hurt anyone, no matter the reason. Trust me.