Common Health Problems To Address As You Get Older

Today, we take a look at some common health problems to address as you get older. When your body ages, it becomes susceptible to a range of different health issues. Some are virtually unavoidable, but most can be delayed for as long as possible. The earlier you start acting against these health issues, the less of a problem they become in your senior years. 

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Memory Loss

Memory loss is often associated with health problems like dementia and Alzheimer’s. Indeed, it’s also thought that most of us will experience memory loss as we get older. It’s all down to the brain losing its functionality, much like an ageing computer will become much slower and more prone to errors. 

Contrary to popular belief, old people can live with fantastic memories. It’s all about looking after your cognitive ability when you’re younger. Use brain training exercises to prevent memory loss, and follow a healthy lifestyle. Avoid drinking lots of alcohol as this has a terrible effect on your memory. I’m sure most of you have heard of people getting drunk and not remembering what happened the night before. If you drink consistently, then you will gradually erode away at your ability to retain memories. 

All in all, you can boil it down to remaining sharp and in control of your brain. If you keep stimulating your brain, you will be able to remember things for a long time. It sounds simple, and it is! The problem is that most people don’t realize this until it’s too late and they’ve already started showing signs of memory loss. 

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Hearing Loss

There’s no question that hearing loss can impact your life in many different ways. Again, this is something that seems like a natural progression as your body gets older. While most people over 60 will suffer from at least mild hearing loss, you can do your bit to delay it for as long as possible. Certainly, you may even live a life without the need for hearing aids. 

It all boils down to protecting your hearing while you’re younger. Ironically, young people are probably more at risk of hearing loss than other generations. This is largely thanks to people listening to music at loud volumes in headphones from a very young age. If this is something you’re guilty of, don’t worry, there’s a smart way to fix it. As this guide to hearing protection states, noise-cancelling headphones are the best option. Why? Because you cancel out any outside noises, meaning you can listen at a lower volume with more clarity. It might sound louder, but the decibel level is far lower thanks to cancelling out the noise. 

Other tactics exist alongside this - such as covering your ears when you’re around loud noises for an extended period. For example, if you work on a construction site or go to a concert, you should have earplugs to dampen the noise entering your ears. Adopt these preventative measures from a young age to delay the effects of hearing loss when you’re older. 

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Joint Pain

As you get older, something happens around the joints in your body. All joints have a protective tissue (cartilage) that stops the bones from rubbing against one another. In healthy humans, this allows for smooth movements without any pain. However, when you get older, this cartilage can break down and become more worn. Unfortunately, you can’t repair cartilage, meaning your bones rub against one another, causing inflammation and joint pain. 

The most common health problem associated with joint pain is osteoarthritis. Speaking of common things, the most frequently affected joints are our hips, knees, and the many joints in your spine. When you suffer from joint pain, you are afflicted with chronic pain that can make your life a lot harder. It may even reach a point where you have to stay in a wheelchair because you can’t move. 

Once more, you can prevent this by taking action right now. The best way to prevent joint pain is to exercise! Exercising prevents cartilage damage by strengthening your muscles and the other tissues around your joints. In fact, it can lead to more joint stability, which reduces the risks of joint pain. Weight training is particularly effective at doing this, though you should also avoid many joint loading activities - like running.

It’s easy to look at these health issues and assume you will deal with all of them in your golden years. Truthfully, there’s no reason you can’t avoid them all! At the very least, you can prevent the issues from becoming too serious to manage. Start thinking about your future today, and begin taking preventative measures to conserve your health. 

Best Responses To Questions Kids May Ask About The Corona Virus Crisis

How do you explain to a child about the coronavirus crisis? It is difficult enough for adults to get a full grasp of the pandemic, what more for a child who is wondering why he or she cannot go out and play. Here are some of the questions your little one may ask, and the best responses you can give.

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Question: "What is a Corona Virus?"

Response: "A Corona Virus is a germ. You know what germs are, right? But this one is different because it can make people sick very quickly. The germ comes from people who have it in their bodies already."

Question: "Why can't I go out and play? 

Response: "We are doing our best to keep you healthy and free from the virus. We cannot see it, so the best we can do is to stay home. We do not know where it is. It is an invisible enemy. So to avoid getting sick, we should stay home. Only Mommy or Daddy can go out to get food and other things we need."

Question: "Mommy, why do you have to wear a mask when you go to the grocery?"

Response: "Mommy needs to do that to protect me from the virus. Remember I told you, we cannot see it? A mask protects Mommy's nose and mouth from inhaling the virus so I don't get sick. I also wash my hands thoroughly after I get home before I touch anything else. Mommy and Daddy are being very careful so that we don't get sick."

Question: "When can I go back to school? I miss my teacher and my friends."

Response: "Right now, there are still people who are getting sick, so your school will be doing online classes for now. You can still see your teacher and your friends. You will still be doing your lessons, sing songs, and learn art. The only thing different is that you will be using the laptop to do these things. It will not be forever, only until things get better."

Question: "Can I visit Grandma and Grandpa?"

Response: "Sure you can, but not as often as we did before. Once a week will be fine. But you will have to wear a mask and a face shield when we take you to visit your grandparents."

Question: "Can people die if they get the virus?"

Response: "Yes. People may die if they get the virus. These people are those who are already sick of something and then they get the virus. But if you are healthy and strong, you may only feel sick for a while and then get better. Now, do you understand why I keep telling you to eat healthy food and finish your veggies? It is because I want you to have a strong body to protect yourself from the virus."

Question: "When will the virus go away?"

Response: "Many people like scientists and doctors are working to find a cure. Do not worry, they are doing their best. Let us pray for them so that they may find the solution to get rid of the virus." 

These are just some of the questions a young child may ask. As parents, you must learn to choose the right words that your child will easily understand. Be honest, but also be careful not to overwhelm them with information and cause anxiety. Reassure them that all these things that are happening are only temporary.

Keep their little minds busy with other things. Encourage them to be creative through art. Get new books, especially on topics they are interested in. Keep them interested in learning new things. You can get your child a small plant that they can take care of. You can sit outside in your patio at night and gaze at the stars and the moon. Teach them about the planets, the solar system, asteroids, and galaxies. There are so many ways to keep a young child curious and hungry for new knowledge! 

My 4-year old grandson busy drawing the earth, sun, moon and other planets

Being on lock down has its perks too. Some of you may have been given a work from home set up by your employer. That's good because you get to spend more time with your child and you get that chance to personally see to it that your family is safe. 

We have been on lock down since March 16th. That's a total of 126 days to this day. Some restrictions have been lifted, but the rising number of cases is still getting everyone worried. My family and I follow strict sanitation procedures - wearing a mask (and face shield if possible), no shoes or slippers in the house, washing hands, avoid touching our faces when we are outside, and practicing social distancing. Prayers do help a lot too!

Before I end this post, let me share with you a photo of my grandson's drawing. He drew the earth, and then grabbed a red crayon and started coloring a part of the earth red. When I asked him what the red color is all about, he said, "This is the people on earth with coronavirus." And this kid is just 4 years old! 

That red area, according to my grandson is, "People on earth with corona virus"

Stay safe, and stay home as much as possible. Let us listen to the experts' advice and be vigilant always.

Five Tips For First Time Hearing Aid Users

When you’re using a hearing aid for the time, you might find the experience a bit disorienting, especially if your hearing loss has come on gradually. There will be sounds that haven’t heard clearly for a long time, so your brain will need time to readjust to interpreting those sounds. Here are some tips to help first time hearing aid wearers.

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1. Give yourself time. Hearing aids can take some time to get used to. You can’t expect your brain to remember how to hear, identify, and interpret every sound again instantly. Hearing aids can feel a bit strange at first on your ears, but this is perfectly normal. After your hearing aid fitting, it might take a couple of days or even weeks before they feel comfortable.  When you first put on a hearing aid, sit somewhere quiet at home. This will help you to get used to the new sound quality in your home and adjust to the noises you can hear again.

2. Start small. Getting your hearing skills back can take practice. When you first get a hearing aid, start by only wearing it for a few hours a day. If you start to feel tired or overwhelmed, remove them, but try to wear them for a little bit longer each day. The longer you can keep them on, the better you will become at identifying sounds, interpreting voices, and focusing on what you’re hearing.

3. Read aloud. Before you got your hearing aids, you might have been told to stop shouting a lot. When you experience hearing loss, it’s common to talk loudly as you can’t hear your own volume. When you can regulate your own volume again, you might need to practice. A good way to learn to do this is by reading aloud to yourself while wearing the hearing aid. This helps you to get used to an appropriate volume for your speech and will help you learn to recognize the sounds of words and speech again.

4. Pair reading and listening as often as you can. When you’re reading a book, try and read along with the matching audiobook. When watching television, turn the closed captioning on. Reading along with what you’re listening to can help your brain get better reacquainted with associating sounds with the right words and speech.

5. Enlist the help of family and friends. Your loved ones can be very helpful while you are adjusting to your hearing aid. Visit them or ask them to visit you so you can practice speaking comfortably in a group. The practice will help your brain to relearn the associations between sounds, words, and body language. It’s easier to practice with people that you know well, as their familiar voices will be easier for you to identify and understand. Your friends and family can also help by adjusting the volume on your TV. They can set the volume at a comfortable volume to their ears, so you can adjust to these volumes. Don’t turn your TV higher than someone without hearing loss would, or you could cause more damage to your hearing.

7 Ways To Protect Yourself Right Now

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It’s safe to say that we’re all living through strange times right now. We’re all having to adapt our lives and change our habits and it can be really hard to deal with. But, at the same time, it’s happening. And there’s not a lot that we can do about it other than work with it and try and make the most of it. Sure, there are also going to be negatives that we have to deal with too. It can be incredibly stressful and you may be experiencing a wealth of worries. But that’s not all. You may be dealing with money troubles or struggling to manage day care for your kids. And while there will always be a range of worries that go with the current situation, here can be positives too.

As with anything in life, you always have the option to focus more on the good things than the bad. It can be hard, but it’s something that can make you feel so much better when you do. After all, you’re spending more time at home and around the people that you love, and it’s a good idea to try and make the most of that. But at the same time, you will want to ensure that you are protected too. Let’s take a look at how you can do that.

1. Block It Out

To begin with, as much as you might want to stay up to date with the latest information, you should also try to block out as much noise as you can. Sure, take in all of the official information, but try to distance yourself from the news or social media conversations around the pandemic, especially if they are making you anxious.

2. Cut Back

Next, you’re going to want to take a look at your financial situation. One of the most important ways to protect yourself right now is for you to make sure that your money is manageable. It can help for you to cut back your monthly expenses here so that you aren’t paying out too much. Any way that you can reduce your costs and spend as little as possible will allow you to have a cushion in case anything happens to your income.

3. Save More

Now, you may find that you do actually have some spare money to put into savings. And, because we’re living and working through such strange times, it’s nice to be able to have some money in savings. Even if you use it soon, it’s very reassuring.

4. Be Careful

Next, you’re going to want to make sure that your home is protected. And that means that you’ll want to be a lot more careful about your house and property. Sure, you may be in all of the time now, but you may be targeted when you do go out of the house. So maybe look to hire a certified residential locksmith to keep the house safe. It’s also a great idea to make sure that you don’t lose your keys because you need to be in your house more than ever now.

5. Be Vigilant

And it’s important to be careful online as well as in real life. Sadly, you may notice that there’s a lot more online scams at the moment. So you’ll want to be vigilant. And not only that, but make sure that your online security is still good.

6. Go Slow

But that’s not all. You’re also going to want to make sure that you’re protecting your health here. And yes, that does involve wearing a mask or gloves and washing your hands when you’re in public, but it also means slowing down. Don’t feel pressure to be on the go. Don’t push yourself to do too much because it’s an exhausting time right now. So it’s okay to slow down in life and just enjoy the time right now for what it is.

7. Be Kind To Yourself

Finally, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re able to just be a lot kinder to yourself. It’s easy for you to beat yourself up and feel like you’re not doing so well, or to feel like a guilty parent, or worry about what’s happening with life. But this isn’t going to be the best thing for yourself. Instead, you will need to make sure that you are a lot kinder to yourself. Take it easy and just enjoy this time, because soon enough, life will be back in full swing.

What to Do About Your Embarrassing Health Problems

We all experience embarrassing health problems from time to time, and these problems can often go untreated and ignored. If you feel like you can’t seek help because of embarrassment, your health will continue to suffer, and that’s not the way it should be. We’re going to talk about some of the things you should do to deal with health problems that you find embarrassing or tricky to talk about, so read on now.

Look to Your Lifestyle for Explanations

Your health is heavily influenced by your general lifestyle so if you’re not sure what’s going on with your health and you want to put things right, the first thing you should do is try to live a healthier lifestyle. Simply getting a bit more sleep, drinking more water, getting active and losing some weight could be all you need to put those embarrassing health problems behind you. There are no guarantees but it’s worth a try.

There’s No Need for Shame

We all have bodies and they all do weird things from time to time. There’s no shame in dealing with your health problems even if they feel a little embarrassing at times. Everyone experiences issues and everyone gets help sometimes. Put your feelings of shame behind you and get the help you need if you think that’s the right thing to do.

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Don’t Worry Alone

Going it alone when you’re dealing with health problems is never a good idea. You will only end up putting your mental health under strain if you allow yourself to go it alone and don’t get the help you need. The stress associated with health problems, especially when you have no idea what’s wrong, can be pretty huge, so why put yourself through that?

Head to Your Pharmacy

It might sound embarrassing, but getting help from a pharmacist is a good idea. You can describe your symptoms and have an over the counter medication recommended to you. You can even pretend it’s for someone else if you’re too embarrassed to admit it’s you who’s having a problem with warts or whatever it is. It’s a quick and easy process though, so it could be what you’re looking for.

If a Problem is Persistent, Talk to a Doctor

If you have any problems that just won’t go away and you’re not sure what’s going on, don’t hesitate to see your doctor. It’s best to make sure that things are taken care of and your health is put first because that matters more than any level of embarrassment you might be experiencing. They’ll help you in a discreet and confidential way.

We all experience problems that seem a little embarrassing because our bodies are complex and throw some strange situations at us from time to time. Rather than ignoring the problem or hoping it just goes away, be sure to take the right action and do what you can to get those issues dealt with properly.

Common Causes Of Sneezing & Solutions

If you have found yourself starting to sneeze a lot more than usual recently, then there are many things that this could be. Before we get into the potential issues that might be causing your sneezing, it’s a good idea to think about how long it has been going on, whether it is relatively recent or something that has been around in some form or another for quite a while. You might also want to question yourself on whether or not you have any other symptoms co-existent with the sneezing. All of that is useful data you can use in working out the problem. But in any case, a persistent sneeze is troublesome and annoying, so let’s take a look at the potential causes and solutions.

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Hay Fever

If you find that you regularly start to sneeze in the summer, and especially on dry, hot windy days, then this could be a sign that you have hay fever or similar allergies. If you have never had hay fever before and you've just started sneezing during high pollen days, you might be wondering whether this is still possible. The answer is yes: anyone can develop hay fever at any point in their life, and you might just have started yourself this year. The best thing to do is to take antihistamine and see if that improves it. If it doesn’t, then that is a sign that it is probably something else that is the culprit.

Other Allergies

Hay fever is really just one form of allergy, but you might also have a range of other allergies if you are sneezing a lot. If you have a pet, it might be that you are allergic to their fur, for instance - cat’s fur is a particularly common allergy. Or you might be allergic to dust in the home, or any other number of things. If you feel you have allergies of this kind, then you might want to think about researching a variety of allergy remedies. There are plenty of them, and it might be that you need to try out a few until you find one that is suitable and works for you, but it is worth the effort if it means that you are going to ultimately end up with a vast improvement in your sneezing and other symptoms.

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Cold & Flu

Of course, a sneeze can always be a sign of a cold or flu. If you have started sneezing in the past few days and you also develop a temperature, then you might well have an illness of this kind. However, at the current time it is of course wise to bear in mind the possibility of it being coronavirus. There is no need to panic, but you should make sure that you keep an eye out for those other symptoms of the virus, such as a persistent cough and a high fever or difficulty breathing. If necessary, seek the medical attention you feel you need.

Eye Health: Tips on How to Protect Your Vision

It is crucial to protect your eyesight. This is because your vision dictates a significant quality of your life. The major causes of blindness, as well as low vision, are often age-related diseases, including cataracts, glaucoma, as well as diabetic retinopathy. With these conditions, your quality of life will be interfered with. That is why you need helpful tips to help you in maintaining a healthy life by protecting your vision.

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Eat Well- Investing In the Right Foods

Good eye health depends on the type of food you consume, for example, nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C, as well as E, can play a significant role in assisting you to fight age-related diseases such as cataracts. To get them, you should consider filling your plate with the following types of food: 

• Salmon, 
• Oily fish
• Pork
• Oysters
• Nuts
• Eggs
• Citrus fruits and non meat proteins

Additionally, you need to note that a properly balanced diet can also play a significant role in helping you to maintain a healthy weight, which should lower your chances of gaining abnormal weight and other diseases related to obesity such as type-2 diabetes.

Invest In Protective Eye Wear

Have you already considered investing in protective eyewear? Well, these gadgets will keep your eyes safe from different precarious objects in your surroundings. There are, of course, different eyewear types. Your choice depends on the needs you have. Either way, they all serve the same purpose: to protect your eyes from any harm or damage. Computer glasses should be used as anti glares by those who spend hours working on projects via their computer. On the other hand, sunglasses protect your eyes from UV rays that may compromise your vision, thereby causing cancer.

Consult Your Eye Doctor Often

Visiting an eye doctor is the best strategy to implement if you would like to maintain a clear and proper vision. Usually, eye doctors are not just for individuals who wear glasses. Several common eye issues do not have an early warning sign. For that reason, it is crucial to see a doctor regularly to monitor your eye health.

An eye doctor can regularly check you during an appointment. However, that is not enough to help you in keeping the eyes healthy. You should see the doctor if you notice the following in your eyes;

• Have a blurry vision
• You cannot see in focus
• Your eyes are sore
• The doctor says the eyes are dilated
• If you realize that you have crusty eyes

Invest In High-Quality Products for Your Eye

Fact is, rubbing dirty hands carrying infection over your eyes may harm them in several ways. So this about the quality of makeup you are investing in before anything else. Harmful bacteria thriving in the makeup can harm your eyes. That is why you should not keep the same products for over three months.

Looking at the screen all day can damage your eyesight. Over and above, it would help if you make sure that you protect your eyes from any dangerous elements in your surroundings. But you cannot achieve this objective unless you are at the forefront of gaining access to the right tips. Above are some of the essential elements to consider in seeking proper eye health.

5 Signs That Your Child Could Benefit From Speech Therapy

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Learning to communicate is an important part of a child’s development but it doesn’t always come as naturally as we hope, with 5% of US children aged between 3 and 17 having been diagnosed with a speech disorder and 3.3% diagnosed as suffering from a language disorder. Although speech and language disorders are different they do also often intersect, so here are 5 things to watch out for to help you decide whether your child could benefit from some additional help in the form of speech therapy for a possible speech or language disorder. 

1. They do not gesture 

Gesturing is often one of the first forms of communication that a new baby will use. They may point to the bottle when they are thirsty or make a grasping gesture towards a toy they want. If you don’t notice your child gesturing between the ages of 7-12 months by pointing, waving or using their hands to indicate they want something then this could be a sign of a language disorder. 

2. They do not make baby babbling noises

As babies begin to find their voice, they usually begin to experiment with sounds and start to babble somewhere from age 4-7 months. Babbling often sounds like baby language and is incoherent but necessary as they begin to learn how to make sounds.  If you feel that your baby is unusually quiet and isn’t experimenting with noises from their mouths then this too could be a sign of a speech or language disorder.  

3. They have trouble ennunciating certain sounds

It’s perfectly normal for children to mispronounce certain sounds when they first begin to speak, but this usually sorts itself out by the age of 2. However, children with speech impediments often struggle with pronouncing sounds such as p, b, m, h or w for much longer and their speech may be unclear and difficult to understand. If your child is approaching 3 years old and is still struggling with pronouncing the letters of the alphabet then this too could be an indication of a speech impediment and they could benefit from speech therapy. 

4. They do not understand verbal requests

Children between the ages of 1 - 2 years should be able to understand simple spoken requests such as, “please don’t touch that” or “come here please”. If your child appears to not understand your requests and isn’t simply ignoring you, then this could also suggest a language disorder as they are struggling to understand what you are asking of them. 

5. Your child is not speaking in sentences 

Although in the early stages of your child’s speech development they will often stick to single words or short phrases such as ‘milk’ ‘hungry’ and ‘no’, by the age of 1.5 to 2 years they should be beginning to create longer more complex sentences. Such as “I want to go to the park” rather than simply saying the word “park”. An inability to put together a longer coherent sentence can also indicate a language or speech disorder which can be diagnosed and helped by a speech or language therapist.

The Three Stages Of A Child’s Oral Health

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It’s easy to forget all of the growing you did when you were a child, especially once you’ve long since halted this process. Your body changes an awful lot when you are growing up, from your body getting hairier to your bones getting larger, and all of this development has to be taken seriously. Oral health is a massive part of this, though a lot of parents struggle to make sure that their little ones enjoy the best dental health. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring the three stages that they will go through in this process, giving you the chance to tackle each one as they come.

As A Baby

Babies tend to be born without any teeth, and have to stick to a liquid diet until they have some coming in. This process isn’t without pain, though, with a lot of babies going through agony to get their new teeth in place. This is known as teething, and is something which a lot of parents struggle with, especially when it’s their first child. Giving them things to chew on can help with this, though the best comfort they can get will always come from their parents. You should work hard to give them the time they need during this process, and should be taking them to see a dentist on a regular basis.

Losing Their Teeth

It won’t take long until a child is ready to start losing the first set of teeth they grow, ready for their permanent nashers to find their place. This can start quite early for some kids, though others may still be losing some teeth as they enter their teenage years. While this doesn’t usually hurt, it’s worth making sure that your child is aware of this process, as it can be quite scary to find a loose tooth when you’re not expecting it. As their new teeth start to come in, you should be taking them to the dentist even more often than before, as this time is crucial to their development.

The Teenage Years

As they enter their teenage years, most kids will have all of their adult teeth. This means that they will have to live with any of the issues they encounter with them, and you should be working hard to keep their mouths healthy. A lot of teenagers need braces, and you should be figuring out what to expect at an Invisalign consultation long before this time comes. Products like this are far better than traditional options, as they won’t make your child look any different, and this is helpful when they are at a point in their lives when appearance will be crucial to them.

Wisdom teeth extraction is a surgical procedure done to remove one or more wisdom teeth. Most oral surgeons recommend removing wisdom teeth when the third molars have developed roots but haven’t broken through the gums. Kids go through a lot of development through their teen years.  Wisdom teeth usually start to grow between the ages of 17 and 21, and for some teens, the teeth fail to erupt through the gum and cause problems. For many teenagers, wisdom teeth removal will be the first oral surgery they will undergo and their first time dealing with post-operative curing and uneasiness.

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to take on the challenge of managing your child’s oral health. A lot of parents struggle with this, finding it hard to know what they need to do when their little ones are developing. Of course, though, there are plenty of professionals out there who can help you, and it’s always worth taking their support when you can get it.

Health Insurance And Annual Limits

When taking out an international medical insurance policy there is a lot to take into consideration. Not only do you need to be sure that the policy is right for you in terms of cover and benefits, but you must be fully aware of all of the terms and conditions that are in place. One of these conditions will be an annual limit. All global health insurance plans have an annual limit in place. Read on to discover everything you need to know about this…

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What is an annual limit?

This is the maximum amount of money an insurer will agree to cover you for per year. For example, if your annual limit is $60,000 then the insurance company you use will only cover medical expenses up to this amount. Anything in excess of $60,000 you will have to fund yourself. 

Why is it important to carefully consider your annual limit?

A lot of people make the mistake of underestimating medical expenses when it comes to taking out international health insurance. However, you could easily find yourself in a situation where you are faced with a massive bill. 

Let’s say you suffer a serious injury or illness whilst on vacation or even in your current place of residency. You go to the hospital only to discover that you cannot get the treatment you require there. As a result, you have to go to a hospital in a nearby state or even a different country. In the end, you will need to pay for the care and support you received in the country you were in whilst you were taken ill, as well as the cost of an air ambulance and treatment in the location you received the necessary help. 

This could easily amount to costs in excess of $60,000 – if that was indeed your annual limit. As a result, it is pivotal to consider your annual policy limit with a great amount of care to ensure you do not need up in such a scenario. 

You also need to have a high annual limit if you have an existing health condition. Let’s say you have hearing loss. You are going to be likely to need checkups throughout the year and hearing aid devices. You need to ensure that your policy is going to cover all of this. 

All in all, your policy’s annual limit is just another factor you need to consider when you are looking for the right worldwide medical insurance policy. You should analyse your policy with a scrutinizing eye before agreeing to it. Many people rush into buying international health insurance and unfortunately it is something they live to regret when they discover they are not covered to the level they had expected. 

7 More Amazing Body Facts That Made Me Go "Wow! I Didn't Know That!" (Again!)

The human body is a masterpiece. The structure and the physiology are truly marvelous! 

A few years ago, I wrote a post about some amazing body facts which surprisingly turned out to be my most read blog post. There is so much to learn so I am sharing some interesting information about the human body's internal structure.

► What are the largest and smallest organs in the body?

The skin is the largest organ. In an average sized human, the skin has a total area of 20 square feet. The skin acts as the body's first line of defense against illness and infection. It also helps regulate our body temperature and protects our internal organs from damage due to external elements.

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The smallest organ is the pineal gland. It is about the size of a grain of rice (5 to 8 millimeters) and is located in the center of our brain. Its main function is to produce melatonin which regulates our sleep cycle.

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► What are the largest and smallest bones in the body?

The largest and strongest bone is the femur or thigh bone. Its upper end connects to the pelvis to form the hip joint while its lower end connects to the tibia and to form the knee.

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The smallest bone is the stapes, which is one of the three tiny bones found in our middle ear. It measures around 3 x 2.5 millimeters. Now that is tiny!

Human stapes bone size in comparison with a penny

► The small intestine has an absorptive surface area of 250 square meters!

The small intestine is a long, narrow tube roughly about 6 meters (20 feet) in length. It is where nutrients in the food we eat are absorbed and carried through the bloodstream. What is more amazing is that inner lining of the small intestine has an absorptive surface area of 250 square meters (2,700 square feet), roughly about the size of a tennis court!

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The inside walls of the small intestine are not flat, rather, it has circular (mucosal) folds along its entire length. These folds have villi or small projections that protrude into the lumen (cavity) of the small intestine. However, that is not yet the end of it. Every villus has multitudes of epithelial cells, each of which has microvilli. Think of surface area multiplied!

► The longest nerve cell in the body is approximately 0.91 meters (3 feet)!

A nerve cell or neuron is composed of 4 parts - the dendrites, the some (or cell body), the axon and the axon terminal. The axon is the longest part of the nerve cell. It carries nerve impulses away from the cell body. The longest nerve cell axons in the body are those of the sciatic nerve. They start from the base of the spinal cord down to the big toe of each foot. That is approximately 3 feet long in an average height human!

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► Let's talk about the red blood cells

An average person has about 20-30 trillion red blood cells circulating in their body. Did you know that a pinhead-sized drop of blood can contain as much as 5 million red blood cells! A healthy red blood cell is only 6.2 to 8.2 micrometer in size. It is difficult to imagine such a minute thing doing the task of oxygenation for the body!

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A red blood cell's lifespan is 100-120 days. New cells are formed in the bone marrow and the old cells are destroyed in the spleen. 

Here's another interesting fact about red blood cells - it only takes one minute for a red blood cell to circulate the entire human body. From exiting the heart through the aorta into the circulatory system, it only takes 60 seconds for a red blood cell to return back to the heart through the superior and anterior vena cava. Wow.

► Our brain and neurons

Acting as the command center, our brain does really amazing things. An average human brain weighs about 1400 grams (roughly 3 pounds). It receives 20% of the body's blood supply. According to credible sources, our brain contains about 100 billion neurons or nerve cells that work non-stop in receiving and sending nerve impulses.

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There are different sizes of neurons. Some are very small with short axons and dendrites, while others have very long axons (see information about the sciatic nerve above). You may be wondering about the speed at which impulses travel through these neurons, right? The speed depends on the thickness of the axon. It has been discovered that the thicker the axon, the faster the speed of travel of impulses. So we can deduce that the long nerve cells have thicker axons to enable them to convey information faster.

How fast is fast? "Slow" transmissions are about 0.5 meters per second, while "fast" transmissions reach the speed of 120 meters per second (268.43 miles per hour)! Can you imagine something going that fast inside our own bodies? Mind-boggling.

► How strong is stomach or gastric acid?

Our stomach produces three different kinds of acid that aid in the digestion of the food we eat. These acids are potassium chloride, sodium chloride, and hydrochloric acid. With a pH level of 1 to 3, these three acids can dissolve metal! Oh goodness. And to think we have that inside of us? How on earth does our stomach stay intact with that much acid in it?

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We must thank our stomach's epithelial cells which produce mucus and bicarbonate that forms a layer of protection for our stomach lining. The pancreas likewise produces bicarbonate that it secretes into the duodenum part of the stomach for further protection and avoid damage to the small intestine. Sometimes, our stomach produces too much acid that the epithelial cells are unable to cope with. This is the reason we suffer from gastric ulcers.

The human body is wonderfully made, don't you agree? From two tiny cells merging together into a single cell that divides a multitude of times comes forth a human being! There is so much to learn and appreciate about this living, loving, thinking and rational creation that we call "our body."

Feel free to read my first blog post about human body facts here.

For Fitness Buffs: Here's How You Can Earn More Outside The Gym

Understand that there are so many ways to bring in more income. Because of the advancements in technology and the internet, a lot more is accessible now. If you're thinking that you'll always have to trade your hours for dollars to be successful as a fitness trainer, think again and try these three ideas to get started. 

1. Create a fitness product. 

Customize your own fitness product, and sell it to your customers. Take a look at the equipment you use when you're working out your clients. If you use jump ropes, fitness bands, and kettlebells, you can always order your sticker and logos to print on these types of products. You can always profit from customizing a product and selling it to your clients. Make it a product that is essential to the workout so that your customers won't even hesitate to purchase it. 

2. Develop an online course. 

If you'd like to develop an online brand, you can do so with the use of an online. In this course, you can demonstrate different workout routines at various levels. You can have beginner, intermediate and advanced courses. Since it's an online product, you can always use affiliate links to send people to helpful resources. If they purchase those resources, you'll get a commission. You can recommend everything from specific workout geat to prostate health supplements . Just make sure that everything you recommend involves your own clearance and approval. 

3. Produce a fitness app. 

Fitness apps continue to dominate the app stores. Statistics suggest that fitness apps will continue to bring in billions through the year 2020. With the right app design, you'll be able to reach millions of people. If you already know how to build an app, you can take care of the technical components. If you don't know how to build an app, you can always hire a really great app developer to take care of the dirty work for you. Take a look at the fitness apps that are currently in the marketplace. Think about what you can offer in your app to make it stand out in the crowd.

The Over 50’s Guide To Health Safeguarding

Health is a vital issue no matter what our age, but as we get a little older it can help to make it even more of a priority. After all, our health is the one thing that can have the power to improve our quality of life, something that most people want to maintain as much as possible as they age. With this in mind, check out the simple guide below on the health matters that those over 50 should be looking out for as they age. 

Hearing health 

Many people believe that hearing loss is a natural part of ageing and that it is very little we can do to prevent it. However, this isn't always the case. In fact, there are plenty of things that we can do to safeguard our hearing health throughout life.  

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The first thing is to try and minimize any infections in the ear. Decrease infections by rinsing out the ear canal after bathing or water sports, as this can prevent bacteria getting logged in there. Remember as the ear canal is a warm and moist place it is the perfect environment for such bacteria to grow, and when they do so your chance of having an infection that your body can find hard to fight off increases, and can damage your ears. 

Also, it can be useful to use hearing protection in situations that are noisy such as music performances or work environments. The reason ear protection is so necessary is that is can stop damage occurring to the hair follicle in the cochlea which can result in a decline in hearing health and even hearing loss over time. 

Heart health 

The over 50s also need to be aware of the health of their heart, as any unnecessary strain on this organ can be problematic. The health of the heart is so crucial because it is a vital organ that pumps blood around our bodies, and that means we cannot do without it. After all, if it is not working at full capacity, it can cause all sorts of issues from fatigue to poor circulation, to heart attacks. 

Keeping the heart healthy for the over 50s is something that requires a three-pronged approach. The first is to have a regular checkup that looks out for problems such as atrial fibrillation that you may not be aware you have. 

In addition, eating well and keeping at a healthy weight is vital to this. Also exercising to keep the heart strong and blood pumping around the body is an essential part of maintaining heart health well into your 50’s and beyond. 

Bone health 

Another issue that many folks over the age of 50 can experience is a problem with bone density. This condition is particularly evident in women of this age because the hormonal changes brought about by menopause can speed up the loss of bone matter in the body. 

Minimize the risk of this, by maintaining a healthy diet that includes plenty of calcium as this is used to build and strengthen the skeleton. It is also vital that you cut out any other actions that mean you are a higher risk such as smoking, excessive drinking and taking some medications. Lastly getting a regular scan and taking supplements to help improve bone density can be useful in minimizing this issue in those over 50. Something you can read more about here.

Mental health 

Lastly, let us not forget that mental health issues are often prevalent amongst those that are over 50, at least as much as those under this age. After all, ageing can be tough as not only do you have to deal with physical changes in your body but also the psychological impact of major life changes such as menopause, empty nesting, retirement, and the like. 

Luckily, there are plenty of approaches that can help you keep mentally healthy no matter what life throws at you. The first step to accessing these is usually finding out what specific problem it is that you are suffering from. Many people use online diagnostic tools for this, or go and see their doctors who can then refer them to a specialist that will be able to provide coping strategies for anxiety and depression issues. 

Remember that if your mental health isn't too good, it's likely that your physical health and quality of life can suffer as well. With this in mind, it is vital that you deal with any mental health issues as promptly as you would physical ones, particularly if you want to safeguard your health well into your 50s and beyond. 

Your Car Accident Might Have Done More Damage Than You Think

Cuts and bruises

It’s pretty easy to feel you escaped your car accident with just a few scrapes, but how do you know for sure if everything inside is okay. It can be hard to identify any internal injuries straight away due to the shock of everything, but it’s always recommended to seek medical attention as soon as possible. You may not know about any concussions or brain damages caused by an impact, and the sooner you identify them; the more there is that can be done.

It’s quite common in severe crashes that the victims seek more than just medical attention to help them get past it. If you’ve been inflicted with serious injuries while going about your daily life on the road, you’re not going to be so eager to get back behind the wheel of your car. Even thinking about it is enough to make some people anxious. Seeing a psychologist might be a good idea for you if you feel you’re suffering from similar symptoms. Counselling doesn’t promise a cure, but it can help you to ease the intensity of your feelings. Not everyone will experience these mental effects, but when you do, it’s not always obvious. Without consideration, these kinds of fears can stop us in our everyday lives; many might neglect the option to go out if they feel unsafe; which is a slippery slope to becoming reclusive!

Taking action

While it won’t help with your injuries, taking legal action against those who caused your state can help to cover any costs and inconveniences that they caused. There are specialists out there for anyone, as long as the accident wasn’t your fault, you should be eligible for a claim. Investing in the services of a personal injury attorney is the best option for you if you’re unaware of how to deal with the legal actions yourself. Not only that, but you’re opening up a variety of choices for you that could make the ordeal a lot simpler. Your lawyer may help you come to better and more suitable deals for both parties, meaning that everyone is satisfied with the outcome; therefore offering a solution. 

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While health should be the primary concern, there’s the matter of costs, too. The amount you might have to pay for repair fees, or medical expenses might drag you under in your finances; and if you’re seriously injured, you’re not in a position to work. Car accidents can ruin lives, so it doesn’t hurt to try and make the best of an unfortunate situation, even if it does mean claiming against the other party. Some accidents can be lethal, and may even leave the victim disabled for the rest of their life, that’s something you just can’t give back; no matter how much money is paid. There’s nothing you can do to compensate taking such an important part of their life away, but a claim is at least something that can be used for recovering!