senule blog

Low carb diets often seen in Atkins and Zone diets have been a popular choice among most weight watchers. There are explanations behind the low carb diets and why they have a role to play in weight loss.

The Insulin Factor

It all boils down to the simple theory that high carbohydrate foods when taken in excess cause you to gain weight. The reason is simple. High-carb foods when taken will cause your blood sugar to rise quickly. The body secrets a hormone called insulin which carries the extra sugar to the liver and muscles to be stored and any excess sugar are converted to fat. If the amount of carbohydrates intake is immediately converted to sugar, there is no problem with our blood sugar level as it is in a balance mode. On the other hand, if there is an over consumption of carbohydrates food, insulin is required to work harder and more will be produced and in time to come, the insulin becomes less responsive. This leads to diabetes and other health issues.

The Fat and Protein Factor

If we consume a low carbohydrate diet, the available carbs are easily used up so the body will turn to fat and even protein for the energy it needs when the carbs sources run out. This is the basis behind the Atkins diet that promotes a low carb diet but high protein and fat component. We are aware that a diet that is rich in protein has been commonly linked to bad cholesterols and heart related complications. However, there were interesting studies to show that low carbohydrate diets are more effective than low- fat diets though the calories count are the same.

Choose Complex Carbs

Let us review the types of carbohydrates that are available. We have the simple carbs such as sweets, fizzy drinks and white bread that get digested quickly and converted to energy for use in the body. Unlike simple carbs, the digestion and conversion of complex carbs such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables are slower and you don’t get that sugar spike followed by a sugar crash. Therefore it makes sense that unrefined carbs are naturally the best choices due to its high fiber content, its low calorie along with the many antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. In fact, the very low calorie content of these fruits and vegetables is enough to result in negative calorie expenditure for the body. Thus you will lose weight no doubt about it.

Low Calorie or Low Carbs

For weight watchers, if you think that all low carb fad diet is good, you better rethink. Low carb diet is good enough if you take a conscious effort to include whole natural foods such as fruits and organic vegetables in your diet instead of following a particular low carb fad diet blindly. For example, some low carb diet recommends an extreme low percentage of carbs to calories, for example 20 per cent of the total calories consumed. Even then the carbohydrates recommended should come strictly from non-starchy vegetables. In addition, there are some low carb diets that tell you to continue eating pasta, ice-cream and cookies due to their low calorie content but these are processed foods. There are concerns that these fad diets, if followed long-term, may lead to kidney, and other health complications.

Consuming a balanced and healthy mix of food combined with regular exercise is still the most effective and safe method to lose weight permanently. The results may be slow but you can still lose weight with discipline and determination.

Cancer insurance policies, which are offered by Private medical insurance (PMI) providers have been criticised for their lack of clarity and inclusion of ambiguous terminology, that may result in people being excluded from treatment and unclear of their entitlements, according to a study by Mercer and Cancerbackup, the cancer charity.

The study, called ‘Covering Cancer: Survey of Corporate healthcare / Private Medical Insurance providers’, surveyed 11 major UK PMI providers to assess each of their main corporate medical insurance policies for cancer, including issues such as scope and standard of cover, treatments included within the cover and limits on cover.

Steve Clements, principal in Mercer’s health & benefits team, said: “One in three people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer at some stage in their life.  Some of the new and sometimes expensive treatments which are now emerging are, as yet, unavailable through the NHS.  So understandably, cancer cover is an area of focus for companies purchasing private healthcare.”

He added: “PMI providers are using it to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Whilst there have been substantial improvements, there is continued ambiguity over what is and isn’t covered in some cases.  Eligibility rules for chronic conditions, for example, can sometimes mean cancer treatments will effectively be excluded or cut short. Transparency and clarity must be improved.”

Mr Clements continued: “New therapies are coming into the market. Some of these will lead to long term treatments where the goal is to slow the spread of the disease, prolong life or improve the quality of life by easing the symptoms, rather than to cure.  PMI providers must be clearer about whether or not these will be covered in their policies.”

The report also notes that PMI providers often use the phrase ‘active treatment’ for cancer to govern their decisions on cover for a particular course of treatment.  This allows certain treatments to be covered for very specific reasons (e.g. radiotherapy to shrink a tumour) but others to be excluded (e.g. hormone therapy of on-going control of spread and symptoms).  The term active treatment is often only loosely explained in the policy document. Mercer also notes that the term is not currently recognised by the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

Derryn Borley, head of Cancer Support Services at Cancerbackup, said: “It’s not imperative to buy the most expensive cover but there should be total clarity on what is and isn’t covered.  There should be clear and seamless mechanisms in place to transfer the treatment from private care into public care and back into private when necessary. Ultimately the patients’ treatment should not be compromised.  PMI providers’ decisions on whether certain treatments are covered or not are taken on a case by case basis.  There is a need to improve the openness and transparency around the extent of the coverage for cancer.  People need to fully understand the term ‘Active Treatment’ when it’s used.”

According to the report, companies looking to provide their employees with an uncompromised level of cancer cover should consider the AXA PPP Healthcare ‘Corporate Healthcare, VIP & Executive Plan’ with the optional enhanced cancer cover, the BUPA Premier Insurance Policy and the PruHealth Comprehensive policy.  These policies meet the ‘Gold Standard’.  The gold standard of cancer cover is defined by Cancerbackup as the funding of all treatment intended to affect the growth of the cancer by shrinking the cancer, stabilising it or slowing the spread of the disease, as well as relieving symptoms.

Steve Clements also added: “There is a price attached to the ‘Gold Standard’ and so other PMI policies are all viable options for corporate healthcare plans in the right scenario.  But the purchaser should be aware of the lesser levels of cover for cancer care through these policies.

Clements concluded: “It’s vital that companies seek clarity from the PMI provider on how cases will be managed when employees reach the limit of their cover but still need treatment, particularly if this treatment is unavailable through the NHS.  Most of the PMI providers we surveyed do have some flexibility around the cover they provide in this area, and so may be able to offer tailored solutions so that clients can strike the right balance between comprehensive cover and affordability.”

If you suspect that you may be pregnant and you are taking a contraceptive pill like Mircette, it is wise to stop taking your pills until you have at least carried out a home pregnancy test – this will ensure that there are no risks to the fetus. You may be wondering though, if a home pregnancy kit works by measuring hormone levels- and you have been taking synthetic hormones in your Mircette contraceptive pill – “Will I get an accurate result from my DIY test?

Pregnancy tests do not measure estrogen and progestin, the two hormones in combined oral contraceptive pills so even if you get pregnant while taking an oral contraceptive, you can rely on the result of the test being accurate. Taking Mircette will NOT interfere with your pregnancy test result.This is true whether you are still taking Mircette or have recently stopped taking it because of your suspicion that you may be pregnant.

Mircette is an extremely effective oral contraceptive pill so it is highly unlikely that you will become pregnant while taking it, unless you have missed several days of taking your pill. If you have stopped taking Mircette or any other brand of oral contraceptive pill, now is the time to decide if you wish to become pregnant now or sometime in the near future. If you do not wish to get pregnant at this point in your life, you should resume taking the pills and use back up contraception for a week.

But don’t estrogen levels rise when you are pregnant and oral contraceptives, like Mircette, contain estrogen?

Yes, when you are pregnant estrogen levels are higher but this is NOT the hormone that is measured by a pregnancy test kit. All pregnancy test kits measure beta HCG (a placental hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin).  A urine or a blood sample can be used to measure beta HCG.   

Most home urine pregnancy tests will turn positive  10 – 16 days after conception occurs. If you were not taking oral contraceptives, this would be around the time of your first missed period. When you are on oral contraceptives, ovulation could have occurred at a more irregular time so that if the pregnancy test is negative, you are either not pregnant OR you are less than 14 days pregnant from the date you ovulated.

If you were to become pregnant while taking oral contraceptives, a normal ‘withdrawal bleed’ would not occur.

Source:  Dr. Rick Jelovsek MD.

If your place of work does not offer health insurance then you must forge into the massive world of available coverage. With so many choices how is one to know which plan is the fit best? A little research and knowledge will help you decide on the perfect health insurance plan.

Available Health Insurance Plan Options

Looking for a health insurance coverage is not as intimidating as it sounds if you keep a few factors in mind. For starters, what type of plan are you looking for? Do you want an individual, family or business plan? Once the type of health insurance plan is decided upon you will need to examine what you want in a plan.

When finding the perfect health insurance plan there are many options available. Something to keep in mind though is that almost all insurance plans are not going to cover everything. With an individual plan some specialty doctors are not covered as are not all doctor visits. Limits are enforced for hospital stays and certain procedures. There is almost always some sort of co-pay involved in health insurance plans and some events that cause injury are not even covered at all. This may not seem right, but all insurance providers operate in this manner. After all, they are a business. Remember to read the fine print before signing on for a health insurance plan and you will circumvent any potential misunderstandings.

Are you looking for care regulated strictly to physicians or are you going to need dental or eye insurance? Most insurance plans do not include eye or dental coverage and a few visits to the dentist can add up quickly! If you do need wither eye or dental insurance and your health insurance plan doesn’t cover it, purchasing these other overages separately is always an option.

Another huge factor when choosing a health insurance plan is the amount of premium required. Premiums vary from one provider to another and are generally paid on a monthly basis. Depending on the plan you choose a monthly premium can vary from $7 to $23. Shopping around will inform you as to which plans require what premiums.

When Temporary Coverage Is A Good Idea

Applying for a health insurance plan can be exasperating when a problem occurs that keeps you from readily receiving coverage. A few reasons that finding coverage difficult are:

*Past medical problems *Chronic or pre-existing health problems *Diagnosed as clinically obese

It’s more profitable for an insurance company to accept relatively healthy people. Less risk means less money paid out. It’s just a fact that if you have medical problems an insurance company will drag their feet accepting you into one of their health insurance plans. Even if you are accepted be prepared to pay a higher premium. Your search for a health insurance plan will be more arduous if you have health problems, but there are companies that will accept you.

If you are planning on needing health insurance for a short time or if you’re taking a trip you may want to consider temporary insurance. Actually, temporary insurance can be for up to one year. If visiting a foreign country, a temporary health insurance plan could save you thousands if you are involved in an accident. No one wants to be stuck far away from home because they are refused to leave until all their bills are paid.

When it comes down to it, a health insurance plan is a must. Whether you sign up for a family, business, individual or temporary insurance you will find a plan that will fit your needs. Even if you run into difficulties finding a company that will accept you, keep at it, it’s worth it!

Summary:

A proper heath insurance plan will give you peace of mind knowing that you and your family are protected. There are many plans to choose from, but by keeping your needs in mind you will find the perfect plan that covers all that you want and within the price range that you can afford.

Correcting a nose imperfection due to birth defect or injury, or enhancing the appearance of the nose with more fullness can be done with rhinoplasty. Rhinoplasty or nose reshaping is a plastic surgery procedure, highly requested by both men and women.

Improve Your Appearance with Rhinoplasty

The surgery can be performed for enhancing facial harmony or to correct nasal breathing problems. The procedure can enhance your appearance and boost your self confidence. Rhinoplasty is not a preferred option for everyone. Skin types and age are important considerations. To be a potential candidate for rhinoplasty, you need to be at least 15 years old and must be healthy and psychologically stable. Many surgeons usually recommend patients to wait until full development of the face is achieved, that is, around 14 or 15 years of age for girls, a bit later for boys.

What to Expect

Rhinoplasty can correct a variety of conditions, including

•    Broken nose

•    Birth defects of the nose

•    Nasal obstruction

•    Bumps, indentations

•    Nasal asymmetry and deviation

Best Results, Hidden Incisions

The surgery may require general anesthesia or local anesthesia, and will take approximately one to two hours, but on rare occasions, surgery might take a longer time. The surgery is usually performed using a closed procedure with incisions hidden inside the nose to help you achieve the desired look. Other than this, some surgeons prefer an open procedure, in which a small incision is made across the columella – the vertical strip of tissue separating the nostrils.

After the surgery, the patients can return to normal activities within 1 to 2 weeks. Though rhinoplasty can bring about the desired change within a very short period of treatment, there can be complications, such as nosebleed, infection, or a reaction to the anesthesia.

Whether you are a man, woman or child if you are constantly suffering from headaches or migraines, it is important for you to learn the difference between the two. Understanding what makes a headache different from a migraine and visa versa is essential for knowing how to treat them individually. Headaches and migraines are different bodily conditions and therefore need to be treated differently and understood in order to do so.

A migraine is a headache which initiates your blood vessels to dilate and constrict. This then releases the pain throughout your head which can last anywhere from 4hours to 72 hours. You may experience anything from mild to severe pain but the length of the pain is what can easily identify it as a migraine versus a headache. Take a look at the list of symptoms below that can aid in identifying a migraine from a headache.

Sensitivity to light Blurred vision Abdominal pain Vomiting Pale complexion Loss of appetite Dizziness Fever Feeling warm and then cold

A simple headache is not capable of creating these symptoms throughout your body. If you can relate to any combination of these symptoms, you are not merely suffering from an everyday headache.

An everyday headache is often referred to as a tension headache. This type of headache produces tightness in the neck as well as the muscles in the scalp and fascia. These headaches are often caused by lack of sleep or stress. A mere lifestyle change is all that is required to eliminate these tension headaches from your life permanently.

On the other hand migraine headaches deal more with the chemicals within your body, cells and energy production. Changing your lifestyle is often not enough to eliminate migraines from your life, especially if they are as frequent as a few times a month. With many more symptoms associated with migraine headaches than tension headaches it is important to understand that aspirin is not enough to correct this health problem.

By comparing the effects of headaches and migraines you will see that a simple headache, although it does cause a great deal of discomfort does not disrupt your daily activities. On the other side of the spectrum, migraines can be quite debilitating the longer they last and more the severe they become.

If you find that you are experiencing either a headaches or migraines on a regular basis it is time to consult with your physician regarding treatments. Over the counter products may be enough to temporarily heal your headache but if they come and go more than 3-4 times per month than you need to find out why. Migraines on the other hand are more common to be experienced several times a month and more intense forms of treatment need to be considered. Many people today are leaning towards natural vitamins and minerals they more and more studies prove their abilities to heal migraines without side effects.

Expectant and non-expectant moms get very anxious – usually either caused by too much excitement or paranoia – once they start to experience some of the early pregnancy signs. And so they would rush in taking home pregnancy tests to get a confirmation. But is an early pregnancy test really accurate?

First, let’s talk about the accuracy level of home pregnancy tests (HPTs). HPTs measure the presence of pregnancy hormones also known as hCG in a woman’s urine. HCG is a hormone which is secreted by the placenta after fertilization has occurred. Most  home pregnancy kit manufacturers and doctors recommend that you wait until the first day of your missed period before taking an HPT. However, there are a few pregnancy tests which were especially designed to be more sensitive and can help you detect pregnancy even during its early stage.

The EPT pregnancy test, for instance, is said to be an error-proof kit. They come in two types – the Certainty Digital Home Pregnancy Test and the EPT +/- Home Pregnancy Test Kit. The Certainty EPT pregnancy test is said to offer unmistakable results. It uses a digital readout. It is very simple and easy to use. Unlike other HPTs, the Certainty kit can be taken on any time of the day and is guaranteed to offer 99% accuracy when taken on the first day of your missed period.

To use the EPT pregnancy test, you need to do a four-step easy process. First, remove the cap. Insert your test strip into the holder. Second, place the absorbent tip under your urine stream or in a cup filled with  fresh urine for about five to seven seconds. Wait for three minutes until your digital results are displayed.

The other type of EPT pregnancy kit is the EPT +/- HPT. To conduct a test, all you need to do is remove the cap. Second, place the absorbent tip in a cup of urine for about five to seven seconds then wait for two minutes until the results are displayed. This form of EPT test  is also said to be 99% accurate and should be taken on the first day of your missed period.

If your EPT pregnancy test indicates that you are pregnant, be sure to see your physician as soon as you can. As mentioned, EPTs offer accurate pregnancy test so a “positive” is more likely to remain positive while a negative is more likely to remain negative as well. Most doctors still run another pregnancy test using your blood as specimen, to get a second confirmation. This is because, despite the effectiveness of the pregnancy kits that you use, other factors such as medication and fertility treatments can lead to false HPT results. Seeing your doctor is also important in order to get the proper prenatal care that your body and baby needs. Your doctor can give you advice as to what to do, which vitamins to take, what food to eat, etc.

So if you’re planning on taking a home pregnancy test at home – whether through the use of typical home pregnancy kits or through EPT kits – a visit to your doctor will always be the most accurate pregnancy test. Always check with your doctor to receive the most accurate results.