SIMEDICMX

Archive for September, 2010

It is very important that every person be able to make good health care decisions. There are several areas in health care that will require knowledgeable decisions including insurance, living wills, and basic treatment options. Every person should take the time to learn about these different areas so they can be confident in making health care decisions.

Whenever decisions need to be made and especially during any crisis that should arise some basic knowledge in these areas will help a person to decide well.

Making Medical Care Choices Regarding Insurance

There are many insurance companies which offer health plans. Understanding what these plans are offering and what the benefits are opposed to other insurance plans can seem very confusing to the average person. It is very important that people spend the time looking at some insurance basics in the making a medical care decision. A person choosing insurance needs to look at the cost of the insurance, the maximum benefits provided and the maximum out of pocket expense the patient will pay.

Some insurance companies may seem to pay a lot by paying 90% of the total bill but do not have a cap on the patients amount to pay. In this case, if there is an unexpected hospitalization a patient can be expected to pay thousands of dollars. Even if the insurance does not offer paying as much for simple doctors visits or lab work the hospitalization and maximum out of pocket benefits are the most important considerations in making a health care choice regarding insurance.

Living Wills And Making Health Care Decisions

Making health decisions should include preparing advance directives at any stage in life. Advance directives and living wills work to advise health professionals and the courts of patient’s wishes if they become incapable of making or voicing their own decisions. It is very simple to make a living will and forms are readily available from many medical facilities, online or from legal resources. A person can consult an attorney or may use a simple form and have it notarized to provide validation. These documents can then be kept on file with a patient’s doctor and at local hospitals.

A Basic To Making Health Care Decisions

The most basic step to making medical care choices is to be knowledgeable about basics of the body, diagnosis and options. People like to think that they can trust their doctor to make the best decisions regarding their care. Most doctors will offer all the options available to a patient and will give good advice regarding these decisions but patients have no one to blame but themselves if they are not informed about the medical choices. The patient is their own best advocate when it comes to making health decisions. A person should start before any medical problem arises to learn all they can about health and the human body. Watching health programs, reading articles on health and asking questions of various health professionals will all give knowledge that can aid in making good medical decisions in the future.

What is “healthy?”  Losing weight is healthy.  Eating so called “healthy” foods such as organic foods, natural foods and unprocessed food may or may not not improve your “health,” but for sure they will not always help you lose weight. In fact, you might gain weight eating these foods and drinks without even knowing the reason. Here are the 6 reasons organically grown foods may not be the best choice:

* More limited choices, less low calorie foods are organic
* Have poor portion control
* May have higher calories due to avoidance of artificial
sweeteners
* Have shorter shelve life -often eaten quickly
* Are definitely more expensive
* Have a “healthy” aura round them which often leads to more
eating

Look at the nutrition label on different potato chips labelled “natural,” “organic” or “healthy” and judge for yourself. Most people ignore the calories thinking that the “organic” or natural” on the label makes them better for weight loss than the originals. The label gives them license to eat even more. Not so bad with these bags, but what happens when the dieter eats from a larger, multi-portion bag of “healthy” or “natural” chips? It’s easy to do.

“Natural” foods have a semi-legal definition:

Legally, food labeled “natural” does not contain any artificial ingredients, coloring ingredients, or chemical preservatives. It means that the food stuff is simple, requiring minimal processing and conforms with how it is found in nature. Organically grown wheat that is taken to a factory to turn into wheat flakes has added sugar and salt to make it palatable. It might be organic, but not natural.

What does “healthy” mean on a label?

The term “healthy” refers to a lifestyle of exercising, not smoking, minimal alcohol, minimal prescription drugs, no illegal drugs, sleeping 9 hours a day, taking vitamins and supplements and drinking and eating foodstuffs that will prevent cancer, heart disease, strokes, and diabetes and reduce cholesterol. It does not mean that the substance is low in calories nor does it mean that consuming it will produce weight loss. It means the consumer might lessen the chance of heart disease, and cancer in 20 years.

Organic foods have to do with how they are grown:

A tomato is a tomato, there is no difference between the inside of an organic than a non-organic one. Organic food is produced by farmers who avoid the use of biochemical pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers. The grower pays for an inspector come to their farm to certify that the food is grown according to Department of Agriculture standards.

Natural.” “healthy,” and “organic,” based foods have nothing to do with calories, fat, carbs or protein, nor are they related to weight loss. Most overweight people lose focus on what is important when over concerning themselves with these foods and end up eating more calories and gaining weight and are mystified why it is happening.

What is healthy is LOSING WEIGHT- AS LITTLE AS 12 LB. WILL:

Increase lifespan by 1-2 years,
Decrease cholesterol by 25%,
Decrease and blood sugar (if diabetic) by 25%,
Decrease heart attacks and strokes by 25%

That’t Healthy, Let’s not lose focus on weight loss as the most important predictor of good health!

The pH level (the acid-alkaline measurement) of the internal environment affects every cell in the body. Extended acid imbalances as well as an imbalanced body pH are not well tolerated by it.

 

The Entire Metabolic Process Depends On An Alkaline Environment

 

As a matter of fact, the entire metabolic process depends on a balanced internal alkaline environment. A chronically over-acidic pH corrodes body tissue, slowly eating into the 60,000 miles of veins and arteries like acid eating into marble. If left unchecked, it will interrupt all cellular activities and functions, from the beating of the heart to the neural firing of the brain. 

 

Above all, the acid-alkaline balance is a well known theory of the cause of overweight. It has shown that fat is actually an over-acidification problem. Why? Because the body creates fat cells to carry acids away from vital organs, so these acids literally don’t choke the organs to death. Fat is saving life! Fat is actually a response from the body to an alarming over-acidic condition. 

 

The 4 Rules Of New Levels Of Health, Wellness And Energy

 

The solution is to alkalize and energize the body and its cell system. Changing to an alkaline lifestyle can result in a lean, trim body, while experiencing a new level of wellness, energy and fitness. These rules guide on how to become healthy, well balanced and fit again.  

 

1. More Green and Yellow Vegetables and Grasses: Fresh vegetables and grasses are an excellent source of the alkaline salts that are anti-yeast, anti-fungal, and anti-mycotoxic. The chlorophyll (or “blood of the plant”) contained in plants and grasses is identical to the blood of humans, except for one atom. Green foods such as wheat grass and barley grass are some of the lowest-calorie, lowest-sugar, and most nutrient-rich foods on the planet. Also juiced, green vegetables are very cleansing. Vegetables and grasses are also loaded with fiber.   

 

2. More Healthy (and NOT animal) Proteins:  Broccoli, spinach, sprouts, garbanzo beans, tofu or fresh fish with scales and fins carry the sub-cellular units and the amino acids to make proteins in amounts that are congruent with the body’s needs. Also, all green vegetables are high in calcium. Animal protein foods are unhealthy and provide more protein than is required by the human body. Our bodies are only 7 % protein. Animal protein foods often contribute factors to the body that are unneeded and then represent a challenge to dispose of (e.g., saturated fats).   

 

3. More Alkaline Green Food Supplements: In case one shouldn’t be able to completely change the diet to green and alkaline food, taking powdered alkaline supplements sprouted for maximum cell absorption is an option, like, for instance, Supergreens. With powdered greens the need to constantly eat healthy vegetables and greens disappears. Taking alkalizing, pH balancing and highly energizing SuperGreens is an easy way of adding 49 different grasses, vegetables, sprouted grains and leaves, as well as 125 vitamins, minerals and amino acids to your diet. If taken daily, they even allow to not changing eating habits, although it is recommended, of course. 

 

4. More Alkali-forming Foods: Good alkali forming foods include fresh sprouts, spinach, kale, Swiss chard, avocados, lemons, limes, cucumbers, celery, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, asparagus, green beans, eggplant, broccoli, fresh tomatoes, zucchini, green/red/yellow peppers, onions, okra, garlic, parsley, watercress, cabbage, squashes, soy beans (tofu), garbanzo beans, raw almonds, Brazil nuts, hazel nuts, sesame seeds, flax seed, sprouted grains and legumes. Green juices from all green vegetables and their tops are highly alkaline. Also, vegetable broths are extremely alkalizing to the body. These need to be yeast-free and preservative-free.

 

Changing to an alkaline, healthy diet low on calories and the increased intake of alkaline food and alkaline supplements supports vital cellular activities and functions and will create new levels of healthiness, energy, wellness and fitness.

Health care coverage does not necessarily have to cost you a lot of money, and there is plenty of cheap health coverage available that can be useful provided you understand how to go about choosing it. Care should be exercised and all of the available options must be checked, and the final decision should not just be made on the price alone.

Don’t Risk By Searching Only Cheap Insurance Policies

If you search only for cheap medical care coverage you may be risking quite a bit since you may find that you are stuck with a company that takes your money and does not offer any substantial medical care coverage in return. You may also find that it fails to pay your claims and you would then end up with bills to be paid by you instead of by the company.

It is also very important to consider the health insurance needs and buying cheap health care coverage for the sole reason that you are paying less can leave you out in the cold. So, you must ensure that you only get health coverage from a company that is solid and enjoys a good reputation. A well-known insurance company will provide good health care coverage and will back you up in your time of need.

It is also necessary to ensure that the health insurance company provides complete medical care protection and that you are well conversant with all the terms, fees as well as co-payments. No doubt, you may be attracted to getting cheap health care coverage as it may seem too good to pass up the opportunity to pay less for more, but you must be careful as there are many pitfalls to this course of action, and you should try and avoid making a sacrifice on quality for the sake of affordable health protection.

There are a number of different medical care coverage types to consider including individual, self-employed, catastrophic, maternity, short-term as well as student and travel coverage. You can choose the health care coverage that suits you which is basically an arrangement, which for a certain sum of money that is known as a premium, will give the insured the benefit of getting his or her medical expenses reimbursed should he or she fall ill, or get injured.

Because medical costs are usually on the very high side, medical care protection should be taken and in fact, in the United States, nearly eighty-five percent of its citizens have an insurance policy. Also, it is normal for people to take health insurance in a group, or through an employer, or union, or organization, because it is cheaper.

Blood pressure control is important in that it can potentially save a hypertensive patient’s life. High blood pressure or hypertension is the force exerted on the artery walls by the blood flowing through the body. When the force is challenged, the pressure of the blood elevates. This elevated pressure can cause more serious complications; therefore it must be treated effectively.

High blood pressure has no significant signs or symptoms and is often referred to as the “silent killer.” Consequently, many Americans have developed the condition, yet they are not aware of it.

The American Heart Association documents that an estimate of 50million Americans suffer with high blood pressure and requires ongoing medical attention to maintain proper blood pressure control.

Healthcare professionals implement a well- rounded individualized treatment plan to decrease the pressure as well as control progression. Each treatment plan is designed to accommodate existing and pre- existing factors that may induce the development of the condition.

Initially, the healthcare professional will prescribe certain anti- hypertensive medications. These drugs are used to immediately lower the blood pressure levels. One of the most common drugs for blood pressure control is the calcium channel blocking agents (channel blockers or calcium antagonists). These channel blockers reduce the force of contraction of muscles of the heart and muscle.

Another drug used to reduce blood pressure is the peripheral vasodilators. Hydralazine (Apresoline), isxuprine (Vasodilan), and minoxidil (Loniten) act as blood vessel relaxers. Yet another antihypertensive drug is the thiazide diurectics. The diurectics promote sodium loss thereby lowering blood volume. More so, the thiazide diurectics helps lower the pressure of the walls of the blood vessels; which is also referred to as the peripheral vascular resistance.

Blood pressure control can also be accomplished by implementing daily healthy life- style changes. These changes may include a healthy eating plan, weight loss, and exercise. Healthcare professionals suggest that a healthy diet, which should consist of fruits and vegetables, low- sodium intake and foods that are low in fats and cholesterol. Obesity plays a major role in elevated blood pressure.

Changing your diet and incorporating physical activity into your daily routine will help you loose and maintain a healthy body weight. Lastly, exercise will not only help you loose weight, it will assist with improving the overall health.

Believe it or not, exercise does not require much effort. Light to moderate physical activity, such as walking, bicycling, or even yoga can significantly lower blood pressure. Exercise is also known to minimize the need for medications and reduce the effects of annoying side effects.