Healthcare, Health Insurance, Vitamins, Nutrition

June 30, 2009

History of Health Insurance

Filed under: Health Insurance — Tags: , , , — blogadmin @ 2:11 am

The concept of health insurance was proposed in 1694 by Hugh, the elder Chamberlen from the Peter Chamberlen family. In the late 19th century, “accident insurance” began to be available, which operated much like modern disability insurance. The first insurance plans began during the Civil War (1861-1865).  The earliest ones only offered coverage against accidents related from travel by rail or steamboat. The plans did, however, pave the way for more comprehensive plans covering all illnesses and injuries. The first group policy giving comprehensive benefits was offered by Massachusetts Health Insurance of Boston in 1847. Insurance companies issued the first individual disability and illness policies in about 1890.

In 1929, the first modern group health insurance plan was formed.   A group of teachers in Dallas, Texas, contracted with Baylor Hospital for room, board, and medical services in exchange for a monthly fee.  Several large life insurance companies entered the health insurance field in the 1930’s and 1940’s as the popularity of health insurance increased. In 1932 nonprofit organizations called Blue Cross or Blue Shield first offered group health plans and they involved discounted contracts negotiated with doctors and hospitals.  In return for promises of increased volume and prompt payment, providers gave discounts to the Blue Cross and Shield plans.

Government programs to cover health care costs began to expand during the 1950s and 1960s. Disability benefits were included in social security coverage for the first time in 1954. When the government created Medicare and Medicaid programs in 1965, private sources still paid 75 percent of all of the health care costs. By 1995, individuals and companies only paid for about half of the health care with the government responsible for the other half. During the 1980’s and 1990’s, the cost of health care rose rapidly and the majority of employer-sponsored group insurance plans switched from “fee-for-service” plans to the cheaper “managed care plans.”

It would be wise for all people to check their insurance benefits, make sure that their policies serve their needs, and simultaneously shop for the best plans as they also try to select the best doctors.

June 29, 2009

Vitiligo, skin disorder

Filed under: Healthcare — Tags: , , , , — blogadmin @ 9:40 am

The weekend that passed saw the end of Michael Jackson, the King of Pop. For someone who had the world at his feet, to die so early with serious medical problems, seems like a tragedy. “It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest in his home. However, the cause of his death is unknown until results of the autopsy are known,” his brother Jermaine said.

Cardiac arrest is an abnormal heart rhythm that stops the heart from pumping blood to the body. It can occur after a heart attack or be caused by other heart problems. Michael Jackson also suffered from a skin disorder called VITILIGO. This disease explained his rather unusually changing looks. Medically, Vitiligo is a relatively common disorder that causes depigmentation in patches of skin. It occurs when the melanocytes, the cells responsible for skin pigmentation which are derived from the neural crest, die or are unable to function.

People who develop vitiligo usually first notice white patches (depigmentation) on their skin. These patches are more commonly found on sun-exposed areas of the body, including the hands, feet, arms, face, and lips. Other common areas for white patches to appear are the armpits and groin, and around the mouth, eyes, nostrils, navel, genitals, and rectal areas. In addition to white patches on the skin, people with vitiligo may have premature graying of the scalp hair, eyelashes, eyebrows, and beard. People with dark skin may notice a loss of color inside their mouths.

While vitiligo is usually not harmful medically, its emotional and psychological effects can be devastating. Some people who have vitiligo feel embarrassed, ashamed, depressed, or worried about how others will react. Fortunately, there are several strategies to help people cope with vitiligo. Also, various treatments can minimize, camouflage, or, in some cases, even eliminate the white patches.

June 26, 2009

Alternate medicine: Naturopathy

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Naturopathy deals with the healing power of nature since it believes that all healing powers are within your body. This means that within every human organism there is a healing energy, which includes our immune system in the fuller sense of both the physical and the psyche, which is responsible for our wellness and our ability to heal and maintain health. Since we fall ill only when we go against Nature, the cause of diseases (toxins) is expelled from the body to cure it. Fasting has been described as Nature’s way to recover. A thorough rest, which includes fasting, is the most favorable condition in which an ailing body can purify and recoup itself.

Naturopathy has its origins in the Nature Cure movement of Europe. The term was coined in 1895 by John Scheel and popularized by Benedict Lust, the “father of U.S. naturopathy”. Naturopathy is practiced in many countries, especially the United States and Canada, and is subject to different standards of regulation and levels of acceptance. In the United States and Canada, the designation of Naturopathic Doctor (ND) may be awarded after completion of a four year program of study at an accredited Naturopathic medical school that includes the study of basic medical sciences as well as natural remedies and medical care.

A treatment in Naturopathy for cold, cough and fever might sound like this. Squeeze a lemon in a glass full of water and drink repeatedly. This will cure all of the three ailments. But if the fever is high and makes one thirsty, boil the water. This will bring down the fever and reduce the thirst. If the cold is severe, it can be added to the required amount of honey in the above mixture. Acupuncture, reflexology, ozone therapy, applied kinesiology, psychological counseling are some of the techniques used by a naturopathy practitioner.

June 25, 2009

Air pollution and heart ailments

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Exposure to air pollution contributes to the development of cardiovascular diseases (heart disease and stroke). A person’s relative risk due to air pollution is small compared with the impact of established cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, obesity, or high blood pressure.  However, this is a serious public health problem because an enormous number of people are exposed over an entire lifetime.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced its 1997 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to educate the public about daily air quality levels, including information about ozone and particulate matter levels. The American Heart Association supports these EPA guidelines for activity restriction for people with heart disease or those who have certain cardiovascular risk factors and for people with pulmonary disease and diabetes and the elderly.

Air pollution is composed of carbon monoxide, nitrates, sulfur dioxide, ozone, lead, secondhand tobacco smoke and particulate matter.  Particulate matter, also known as particle pollution, is composed of solid and liquid particles within the air. It can be generated from vehicle emissions, tire fragmentation and road dust, power generation and industrial combustion, smelting and other metal processing, construction and demolition activities, residential wood burning, windblown soil, pollens, molds, forest fires, volcanic emissions and sea spray.

Nineteen percent of all U.S. counties with air-quality monitoring systems are presently not meeting these standards.  This inadequacy soars to much higher estimates in regions such as the industrial Midwest (41 percent) and California (60 percent).

Some research has estimated that people living in the most polluted U.S. cities could lose between 1.8 and 3.1 years because of exposure to chronic air pollution. This has led some scientists to conclude that short-term exposure to elevated levels of particle pollution is associated with a higher risk of death due to a cardiovascular event. And prolonged exposure to elevated levels of particle pollution is a factor in reducing overall life expectancy by a few years.

June 24, 2009

Healthy hair reflects a healthy YOU!

Filed under: Healthcare, Nutrition — Tags: , , , , — blogadmin @ 12:06 am

A single follicle on the human scalp produces approximately .35 millimeters of hair shaft per day. The cycles of growth of each follicle consist of the building up and tearing down of the structure. After a period of rest the follicle is built anew from raw materials and each hair follicle goes through this identical process as it grows longer and stronger. It is important to point out at this point that many of the metabolic requirements of the cells of the hair follicle must be met at this time or adequate and optimal hair growth will not occur.

Lustrous, healthy hair is a result of a healthy body and a result of eating healthy food. Beautiful, healthy hair is a result of a healthy diet. There are certain foods that make your hair healthy and strong.

- Water: One-fourth of the weight, of a strand of hair, is made up of water. Water makes your hair supple and soft therefore you should have enough water. Water keeps your hair silky and shiny as well.

- Protein: A diet for healthy hair should be rich in protein as hair consists of primarily protein. Proteins will give your hair more strength and will prevent it from breaking and splitting. Eat protein rich foods like fish, meat, milk, cheese and cereals.

- Minerals: A variety of minerals are important for healthy hair. Iron carries oxygen to the hair. Insufficient iron will starve the hair follicles of oxygen. Include red meat and dark green vegetable in your diet. Zinc prevents hair loss

- Vitamins: You must ensure that you diet has all the necessary vitamins that help in the growth of healthy hair. Vitamin A makes your scalp healthy and is good for your skin as well. It is found in vegetables especially carrots. Vitamin B and C for hair growth and hair color.

Your hair ultimately reflects the overall condition of your body. If your body is healthy and well-nourished, your hair will be your shining glory. If you are having any health problems or suffering from any nutritional deficiencies, your hair may stop growing or show damage or become brittle.

June 23, 2009

Say NO to fad diets because….

Filed under: Nutrition — Tags: , , , , , , , — blogadmin @ 10:18 pm

How many fad diet’s have you been on so far? Low-carb diet, low-fat diet, liquid diet (using low-calorie, high-fiber shakes), grapefruit diet, detox diet, cabbage soup diet, macrobiotic diet, the juice diet: any one of these or more than one. Has anyone been able to stay on these deprivation diets for a long period of time? And if they did lose weight, did the pounds stay off once they went back to a more normal eating style?

Fad diets as the name suggests, refers to idiosyncratic diets and eating patterns. The virtue of a particular food or food group is exaggerated and purported to cure specific diseases, and is therefore incorporated as a primary constituent of an individual’s diet.And emphasis is placed on eating certain foods to express a particular lifestyle.

The reality is however that fad diets don’t work to help you lose weight and keep it off. What does work is eating fewer calories than you can possibly burn off. The fact is Calories really do count — no matter what. If you really want to trim down, the most effective way is to eat a variety of healthful foods, exercise 60 minutes every day, and stop super-sizing your meals.

Our body needs a healthy diet with the right balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fat, as well as a host of other nutrients. Each vitamin or mineral regulates a bodily process. For instance, the mineral calcium keeps bones strong and helps to prevent low bone density and fractures. Vitamin A is important to keep your skin smooth and healthy. Vitamin C helps protect your body against infection. Vitamin E stimulates the function of T‑cells, which are important fighters in your immune system. When you go on a fad diet and exclude any of the necessary nutrients, you’re putting yourself at risk for illness. Getting too little of a specific nutrient may not cause a problem immediately. But if it’s depleted for a long period of time, you may suffer health consequences.

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