I have never appreciated the value of health insurances until the day I was hospitalized and utilized my insurance benefits. That is why it is very important that people should be able to find the appropriate health and life insurance for them.
Now there are insurance leads that match the client and the health insurance provider so that clients would satisfy their needs and insurance agents are given leads, which would be fruitful. People become more selective of their health and life insurance agencies. Who could blame them when they should get the best service for their money? If you are an insurance agent looking for reliable insurance leads, then you could try this service and see for yourself the validity of the service.
Matching appropriately clients and the insurance agents according to their individual preferences may not be easy. Certain key factors to consider like the features and services for the client.
High quality leads, Search Engine marketing, validated information, and real time delivery would genuinely lead insurance agents to interested clients who would truly want to apply for a health and life insurance.
It minimizes competition among agents because there are also affordable exclusive leads and the insurance agent could have a replacement credit for invalid leads.
Considered a valid source, insurance leads are reliable resources of client data and health and life insurance clients. This is because pre –evaluation are done before actual endorsement. As an insurance agent, closing the deal is now all up to you.
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Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
2010-01-16
2009-06-21
Cardiac Diseases -Prevention and Laboratory Tests

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Who are prone to cardiovascular diseases? What tests are performed to determine this? How could one prevent this? Vital questions about the heart that we should answer.
People who are overweight or obese , who are hypertensive, have sedentary lifestyles, smoke and drink alcohol and who have a family history of heart attacks and strokes, are usually prone to cardiac ailments. If you have ticked two or more of these, then you must have an ECG stress test, thallium stress test, ECG, CT scan, and echocardiogram, and of course, the LIPID panel test. In the laboratory, the cardiac panel test commonly consists of :
1. CHOLESTEROL
2. TRIGLYCERIDE
3. HDL
4. LDL
The accepted values for each are:
* Cholesterol <200> 40 mg/dL (1.04 mmol/L)
* LDL-cholesterol <100 style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">Eat lots of vegetables and fruits; e.g. apple, banana, oranges, grapefruit, garlic, watergourd, cucumber, and oatmeal. Fruits and vegetables are antioxidants (have carotenoids and flavonoids) and have lots of fibers to increase metabolism and reduce lipid build up. Oatmeal fibers help carry the bad cholesterol out from the body instead of allowing it to be absorbed by the blood.
2. Exercise 30 minutes everyday : 10 minutes of stretching and 20 minutes of brisk walking. The exercise will increase your blood flow, thereby avoiding the formation of lipid plaques or emboli in your blood vessels.

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3. Lessen fat and dairy intake. This includes meat fat , ice cream, butter , etc. These are sources of LDL (bad cholesterol) which increases the blood levels of the lipids. When lipids are in excess in the blood, they tend to amass in the inner linings of the vessel and form “plaques”. The plaques prevent the normal flow of blood and may plug blood vessels when they rupture. Plaques may also block the vein in the heart and cause a heart attack.
4. Lower salt and sodium intake – this is to prevent the risk of hypertension. High sodium in blood increases the risk of stroke because of hypertension and renal dysfunction. Avoid canned vegetables, luncheon meat, pickles, bacon, cheese, canned soups because they are rich in sodium. Cereals can also be a rich source, so read food labels carefully.
5. Stop smoking – carbon monoxide facilitates the elevation of cholesterol and impedes the transport of oxygen; thereby increasing the risk of cardiac disease. Smoking lowers HDL (good cholesterol) too.
6. Maintain a healthy weight - Obesity is one factor that leads to hypertension and to cardiac disease. e.g. for a 50 yr old female of 5 feet the ideal weight is 128 lbs. There is no consensus however as to what exactly is an ideal weight. This will depend on the body fat , musculature, metabolism and health of the patient. Almost all clinics have a BMI chart to which you can refer to.
7. Be sure you do not have diabetes – having diabetes is one predisposing factor to cardiac ailment. Diabetic patients have greater chances of acquiring heart disease because of insulin resistance that may lead to hyperlipidemia (increased blood concentration of lipids). The formation of plaque or emboli in the veins (atherosclerosis) is also enhanced in a person with diabetes.
8. Daily intake of aspirin has been proven in studies to have reduced by 25 % the risk of vascular attacks according to the British Journal of Medicine dated January 2002. The risk of internal bleeding however, should be considered in patients who may adversely respond to it. Aspirin has an anti-platelet activity which prevents emboli formation inside the blood vessels. A dosage of 80- 160 mg is usually the standard dose. Your attending physician should decide whether it is beneficial to you or not.
9. Stop alcohol consumption –Alcohol elevates triglycerides which can lead to stroke and heart attack. It also increases blood pressure and leads to obesity; all factors that contribute to the increase of heart attack. Researches claiming that red wine reduces HDL are still not approved by the AHA (American Heart Association) because there is no scientific proof to the claims. Locally, the old folk in the barrio drinking “tuba” (sugar cane wine) or “tapey” ( rice wine) are observed to have long lives. This can be explained by the sources of the “wine” – natural food, which have been fermented naturally. Wheat and sugar cane have lots of fiber and antioxidants which can increase HDL (good cholesterol), which is not true with commercially prepared alcoholic beverages.

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If, however; after following these preventive measures and you still experience the following:
1. Chest discomfort
2. Discomfort or numbness in the arms, neck, jaw , back or stomach
3. Shortness of breath
4. Nausea
5. Lightheadedness
6. Cold sweat
You are having a heart attack. Rush to the nearest hospital. It will save your life.
If , on the other hand, you feel one or more of the following:
1. Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
2. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
3. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
4. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
5. Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
Then it is a stroke. Do not wait for other symptoms to become apparent . Consult your doctor immediately. One heart is all you’ve got!
References:
cnetwork.org
nhlbi.nih.gov
quitsmokingsupport.com
americanheart.org
americanheart.org
Calbreath, Donald F: Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry
2009-04-19
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AS A HOSPITAL PATIENT
All images from: Free Patient ClipartIf animals have rights, then more so with people going to the hospital for treatment. However, some people do not know about these rights because of misinformation.
Below are these basic patient rights in condensed form as endorsed by The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
The Patient's Bill of Rights are now being adopted by many hospitals internationally.
PATIENT'S BILL OF RIGHTS:The patient has the right to:
1. Impartial access to treatment or accommodations that are available or medically indicated, regardless of race, creed, sex, national origin, or sources of payment for care.
2. Considerate, respectful care.
3. Confidentiality of all communications and other records pertaining to the patient's care.
4. Expect that any discussion or consultation involving the patient's case will be conducted discreetly and that individuals not directly involved in the case will not be present without patient permission.
5. Expect reasonable safety congruent with the hospital practices and environment.
6. Know the identity and professional status of individuals providing service and to know which physician or other practitioner is primarily responsible for his or her care.
7. Obtain from the practitioner complete and current information about diagnosis, treatment, and any known prognosis, in terms the patient can reasonably be expected to understand.
8. Reasonable informed participation in decisions involving the patient's health care. The patient shall be informed if the hospital proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation or other research/educational profits affecting his or her care or treatment. The patient has the right to refuse participation in such activity.
9. Consult a specialist at the patient's own request and expense.
10. Refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law.

11. Regardless of the source of payment, request and receive an itemized and detailed explanation of the total bill for services rendered in the hospital.
12. Be informed of the hospital rules and regulations regarding patient conduct
These rights are not to be abused however, there will always be an extraordinary case wherein one has to forgo them for some valid reasons.
Source : Tricare.osd.mil
medlib.med.utah.edu
2008-05-31
EXERCISE THOSE MUSCLES
Exercise is one significant part of staying healthy. Muscles need to be flexed in order for them to retain their tone, mass and flexibility. Even machines grow rusty when not used for long periods of time. That is precisely the reason why men who want to have great muscles go to the gym often. The more a muscle is used, the greater it would develop. Exercising also increases the secretion of testosterone (the true male sexual hormone) in men, allowing maximum growth and development of their secondary male sexual characteristics.
Exercising also lowers blood pressure because it "eats" up the lipid deposits in the blood vessels thereby avoiding plaque formation. Blood circulation is also increased allowing the blood to flow freely and "unresisted".

Brisk walking is a good form of exercise for people of all ages. There are very few restrictions - unlike with other forms. Walking is generally good for the heart, for the elderly, for children and young adults and is even advised for pregnant women in their late stages, in most cases.
Before you go to work, do a 30 minute "jog-in place" workout. In the office, do your own errands. Walk around during breaks instead of sitting down. Run for that cup of tea. Do 10 minute-walks within the day, as often as you can.
Image from :Free Clip Art
Just like any other exercise; however, consult your doctor first before commencing on your exercise regimen.
Exercising also lowers blood pressure because it "eats" up the lipid deposits in the blood vessels thereby avoiding plaque formation. Blood circulation is also increased allowing the blood to flow freely and "unresisted".

Brisk walking is a good form of exercise for people of all ages. There are very few restrictions - unlike with other forms. Walking is generally good for the heart, for the elderly, for children and young adults and is even advised for pregnant women in their late stages, in most cases.
Before you go to work, do a 30 minute "jog-in place" workout. In the office, do your own errands. Walk around during breaks instead of sitting down. Run for that cup of tea. Do 10 minute-walks within the day, as often as you can.
Image from :Free Clip Art
Just like any other exercise; however, consult your doctor first before commencing on your exercise regimen.
2008-05-16
SHARING IN SO MANY WAYS
Giving and sharing would be more meaningful if it does not involve only the financial and material aspect but more of yourself as well. In this particular instance, people shared by donating their BLOOD!
Every year in our University, we sponsor and facilitate a voluntary “Blood Letting Program” to encourage people to share what they have and help the less fortunate. The blood bags collected would be donated to hospitals and made available to those who do not have the financial means to buy blood for ailing relatives.
Everyone is encouraged to participate as long as he/she meets the criteria for blood donors. The donor often realizes that his donation is something special because he has really given a piece of himself to other people; that another person lived because of his blood!
BE SOMEONE SPECIAL, DONATE BLOOD VOLUNTARILY ( contact your local blood bank center)!
By the way, donating blood could be good for you. Read more from this link:
Doctor NDTV
This is what true sharing is all about!
2008-05-13
SWIMMING AND RELATED DISEASES

It is great to be out in the beach in the mornings and evenings, with the cold, ocean air playing on your face and the brackish water pouring in into your pores. But watch out for those diseases that you can catch while enoying your swim. You can contract the following intestinal conditions through accidentally swallowing the infected water. These are the following microorganisms you could come in contact with:
1. E. coli infection - causative agent - Entamoeba histolytica - causing diarrhea from contaminated water
2. Shigella infection - causative agent- Shigella bacilli - causing bacillary dysentery and fever, from contaminated
water.
3. G. lamblia - causative agent - Giardia lamblia - causing giardiasis and diarrhea
4. Hepatitis A vrius - causing jaundice and liver damage.
5. Fungi or bacteria - causing Otitis externa or Swimmer's ear(an ear infection). Swimmer's ear because of long exposure to water. This occurs especially in children.
Certain skin diseases could also be acquired through the contaminated water; so, before you eagerly splash into the water, make sure the establishment have proper cleaning and sanitation protocols in place.
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