The Importance of Mental Health Coverage

Mental health is a basic part of our overall well-being. Just like conditions that affect physical health need medical attention, mental health conditions also need treatment with the same level of care and attention. Many people still face difficulties when it comes to accessing mental health care. A key challenge is the cost of treatment.

Health insurance should play a major role in removing these barriers. Mental health coverage is essential because:

• Financial Support: Mental health treatment can be expensive, and without insurance, many people would be unable to afford therapy, medication, or other necessary mental health services. Like other health conditions, health insurance can help alleviate the financial burden of treating mental conditions.
• Early Intervention: Timely access to mental health care can stop mental conditions from worsening. Insurance coverage enables individuals to look for help earlier, which helps to reduce the severity and long-term impact of mental health issues.
• Holistic Care: Comprehensive health insurance plans should offer coverage for both physical and mental health. This holistic approach supports overall well-being by addressing all aspects of a person’s health.

Types of Mental Health Coverage

Most health insurance plans internationally offer some level of mental health coverage, but the extent and specifics can vary. Here are the main types of mental health coverage:

Outpatient Services: These include therapy sessions with psychologists or licensed therapists. Health insurance usually covers a percentage of the cost, and beneficiaries are responsible for the remaining amount.

Inpatient Services: If someone needs intensive care, hospitalization, or treatment in a residential facility, insurance plans usually cover a portion of these expenses.

Medication: Mental health medication is a part of treatment for most patients. Health insurance should cover the cost of prescription drugs, with co-pays or deductibles.

Telehealth Services: In recent years, the availability of telehealth services has expanded. Many insurance plans now cover virtual therapy sessions, making mental health care more accessible.

Preventive Care: Some insurance plans offer preventive services and screenings to help identify mental health concerns early.

Navigating Mental Health Coverage

Understanding your mental health coverage can be complex, but it is a basic step toward ensuring that you receive the care you need. Here are some steps to help know your insurance plan:

Review Your Policy: Carefully read your insurance policy to understand what mental health services are covered, including deductibles, co-pays, and annual limits.

Network Providers: Insurance plans often have a network of preferred providers. Using in-network professionals can reduce your out-of-pocket expenses.

Preauthorization: Some treatments may require preauthorization from your insurance provider. Make sure to follow the necessary steps to avoid unexpected costs.

Keep Records: Maintain records of your mental health care expenses and any communication with your insurance provider. This can be valuable in case of disputes.

Conclusion

Health insurance plays a key role in making mental health care accessible and affordable. It’s essential to understand your coverage and take advantage of the resources available to you. Remember that seeking help for mental health is a sign of strength, and there is support and care available to help you on your journey to well-being.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to your insurance provider, mental health professionals, or support organizations to get the assistance you need. Your mental health matters and there are resources and coverage options to support you in your quest for a happier, healthier life.

Sadia Zaheer

Sadia Zaheer holds a Masters in Business Administration from IBA, Karachi. After working in several financial institutions in Client Management, Corporate Lending, Islamic Banking and Product Management she jumped careers to pursue a career in writing.
She is a Finance, Business and HR Development writer with four years of experience. She reads a lot and takes care of her multiple cats to remain calm.

The post Health Insurance and Mental Health: Coverage and Resources appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

What is cancer?

Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells grow and divide in the body without control and invade the tissues. The abnormal cells can destroy normal body tissues and cause cancer. It is a large group of diseases that can start in any organ or part of the body and spread to other organs. Cancer is the major cause of death, but the survival rate increases daily as improvement in screening, prevention, and treatment has become more advanced.

Our body is made of trillions of cells that multiply and grow to form new cells, and when these cells grow old, they die, and new cells take their place, but sometimes these cells grow and multiply and form a tumor (lumps of tissue). A tumor can be cancerous or noncancerous. A noncancerous tumor is a growth that doesn’t spread to other body parts; it is not life-threatening and can easily be removed with surgery. A cancerous tumor usually grows and spreads to other body parts and can be dangerous. 

There are more than a hundred types of cancer. The type of cancer is named from the organ, e.g., brain cancer starts in the brain, lung cancer from the lungs. The risk of having cancer depends on your age, gender, and ethnicity, e.g., breast cancer most likely occurs in older-aged women, and prostate cancer affects men.

Cancer in Pakistan

The most common cancer that is found in Pakistan is 

• Breast cancer
• Lung cancer
• Liver cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Head and neck carcinoma

Cancer Mortality in Pakistan

The mortality rate of cancer differs in males and females. Different types of cancer are found in males and females, some of which are discussed below according to their mortality rate.

Cancer in Male

According to the survey, around 48,600 males died due to cancer, in which the percentage of the following type of cancer is high.

• Mouth, oropharynx: 12.3% 
• Trachea, bronchus, lung: 10.5%
• Lymphomas, multiple myeloma: 8.4%
• Leukemia: 5.5%
• Liver: 5.5%
• Other: 57.8%

Cancer in Female

According to the survey, around 52,500 females died due to cancer, in which the percentage of the following type of cancer is high.

• Breast 30.8% 
• Mouth and oropharynx 7.9%
• Cervix uteri: 5.5% 
• Ovary 5.1% 
• Oesophagus 4.8%
• Others: 46.0%

Signs and Symptoms of Cancer

• Tiredness

If you feel extreme tiredness without any reason and that doesn’t get better with the rest of many days, you must go for a medical checkup, as it may be one of the signs of cancer.

• Weight Loss

If you feel your weight is lost without any diet food and suddenly lose 10 pounds weight in a month for no reason, this must be an alarming sign.

• Eating Problems

If you don’t feel hungry after a long hour break, or you may feel belly pain, vomiting, difficulty in swelling, and nausea, this may be a significant symptom of cancer disease.

• Swelling

If you find swelling in one or more parts of your body, cancer cells may grow.

• Hair loss

If you feel excessive hair loss despite taking care and using hair loss oil and shampoo, you must go for a medical checkup and find out the exact cause.

• Pain

If you found pain in any of your body parts that last longer and don’t go with any of the pain killers, then there must be something fishy, and you must diagnose the cause.

• Blood in Urine or Stool

If bleeding occurs on passing urine or stool, you may have bladder cancer; a particular test can diagnose this.

When to See a Doctor

Make an appointment with a doctor if you feel any signs and symptoms, and if you are afraid about the risk of cancer, then discuss with your doctor, your doctor will guide you about cancer screening tests and procedures that are suitable for you.

Causes of Cancer

There are many possible causes of cancer among them. Some of the reasons are described in which genetics and environmental factors are discussed.

• Genetics and Cancer

Some types of cancer are found in families, which mean that an individual can inherit cancer risk from one of their parents, and it can be passed from one generation to another. Genetic testing can also identify your risk of cancer.

• Lifestyle and Environmental Factors

The environment contains many harmful and physical agents that increase cancer risk. Certain chemicals are found in your workplace, e.g., benzene and asbestos. Pollution and household exposures are also environmental factors that increase cancer risk. Certain lifestyle changes such as smoking, alcohol, drinking more than one glass a day, exposure to the sun, being fat, and unsafe sex can increase cancer risk. However, you can lower your risk of cancer by changing these habits. The highest alcohol consumption can lead to liver cancer, and alcohol use has also shown an increased risk of cancer in the mouth, larynx, liver, stomach, colon, and ovaries. Studies have shown that people who chew betel nuts are at risk of oral cancer. Around the world, almost 3.5% of deaths are due to alcohol consumption, and a total of 90%of cancer cases are caused by lifestyle and environmental factors.

• Diet and Obesity

Some foods are directly related to cancer formation. Research has demonstrated that people who eat red meat regularly has shown a risk of breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and prostate cancer. Studies have also shown that when foods are cooked at high temperatures also increases the chance of cancer.

Many types of cancer are caused by obesity, including colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, esophageal adenocarcinoma, kidney cancer, thyroid cancer, pancreatic cancer, and breast cancer. According to research, excess weight can produce many types of cancer, and around 4.8% death rate is increased in Pakistan because of obesity. Physical activity and eating a healthy, rich diet plays a significant role in cancer prevention. 

The dietary recommendation for cancer prevention includes green vegetables, fresh fruits, fish, whole grain, and avoidance of animal fats, red meat, and refined carbohydrates.

• Your Health Condition

Some chronic conditions such as ulcerative colitis may increase your risk of developing cancer. If you have any chronic illness that is not subsiding with medicines, you may consult your doctor.

• Infection and Virus

Around the world, 18% of cancer cases are because of infectious diseases like viruses, bacteria, and parasites. The viral infection causes cervical and liver cancer, and a virus that causes cancer is named oncovirus. Research has shown that several viruses can cause cancer. e.g., the human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause cervical cancer, and hepatitis C causes liver cancer

• Radiation

High energy radiation, e.g., UV light, gamma rays, and X-rays, is the most harmful radiation that causes cancer. Studies have suggested that prolonged exposure to UV light radiation from the sunlight can lead to skin cancer. According to the World Health organization, the radiation from cell phones and electric power is also harmful.

Prevention of Cancer

Early detection and prevention of cancer are more important nowadays. Research has shown that 50% of deaths can be preventable with knowledge today. You can make choices for your health. Following are some preventive measures that every individual must follow for cancer prevention.

1- Avoid Tobacco

 The use of tobacco consumption should be restricted to every individual. Tobacco has shown many types of cancer that include lungs, mouth, throat, cervical, and esophagus. 90% of lung cancer is because of smoking

2- Protect your Skin from Sun

Exposure to UV light from the sun can cause skin cancer. Skin cancer is widespread and most preventable, but more deaths are in skin cancer. Around 96,400 people are diagnosed with skin cancer. There are specific ways in which you will protect your skin from sunlight: 

• Wear Sunglasses
• Wear long sleeves and pants for protection from UV light.
• Apply sunscreen every 2 hours.
• Find shade and shelter for yourself to avoid skin damage, e.g., umbrella or tree. 
• Wear a hat, and woven fabric works best for the protection of UV rays
• Avoid outdoor activity in the middle of the day (10:00 am to 4:00 pm). The UV rays are strongest during this time.

3-EAT A HEALTHY DIET

Eat a healthy, rich diet with lots of fiber, fruits, beans, whole grains, and fresh green vegetables is the perfect diet for preventing many diseases. Avoid red meat and alcohol consumption as alcohol increases the risk of liver cancer.

4-Be Physically Active

Being overweight and inactivity can lead to cancer. Getting at least 30 minutes of the daily walk can help you maintain your health and weight. Daily exercises also boost your immune system, increase energy, maintain your weight, and reduce the risk of cancer.

6-GET IMMUNIZED 

Proper immunization reduces your risk of cancer. A virus that causes cancer can be preventable through hepatitis B and hepatitis C vaccines. Around one-third of liver cancer is caused by hepatitis B and C virus. Effective vaccination against these viruses is the most preventive measure for any age group. 

7-Know your Family Medical History and get Regular Cancer Screening

If any person in your family is diagnosed with cancer, you must go for the cancer screening test. A screening test is for early detection of cancer and can save lives. The cancer treatment is most likely successful when early detection is possible.

Cancer Diagnosis

Your doctor may suggest you follow test for cancer diagnosis

• Physical Exam

Your doctor examines abnormalities such as organ enlargement and skin color changes that detect the risk of cancer.

• Laboratory Tests

Specific laboratory tests such as blood and urine tests may reveal an unusual number of WBCS.

• Imaging Tests

The doctor will examine your internal organs and bones through CT, MRI, PET, X-ray, and ultrasound.

• Biopsy

A biopsy is a definitive way to diagnose cancer. A doctor collects a sample of cells in the laboratory and examines it under a microscope.

Treatment of Cancer

The cancer treatment will depend on the type of cancer you have. Some people with cancer need only one treatment, while most people require a combination of treatments, e.g., surgery with radiation and Chemotherapy. It is normal to feel stressed and overwhelmed during cancer treatment but learning and talking with your doctor about the type of treatment can help you feel more comfortable. Following are some standard treatments for cancer patients in Pakistan:

• Mammography
• Radiotherapy
• Chemotherapy
• Hormonal therapy
• Targeted therapy
• Immunotherapy
• Surgery

• Mammography

Mammography is used to diagnose breast cancer by using X-rays of low energy. Mammography detects cancer in the early stage. Some women feel pain in x-ray treatment, while others only feel pressure or discomfort against their breast, which is normal.

• Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy is performed through radiation therapy that kills cancer cells. Radiotherapy is the most effective treatment after surgery. Radiotherapy is used to:

• Cure cancer completely
• It can be combined with Chemotherapy to make treatment more effective
• Reduce cancer risk
• Relieve cancer symptoms if the cure is not possible.

• Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy treatment uses drugs for killing cancer cells. It works by slowing or stopping cancer growth and reducing the chance of cancer. Chemotherapy is a standard treatment used in many types of cancer treatment. Many people need only Chemotherapy for cancer prevention. The type of treatment will depend on the type of cancer, the spread of cancer, and other health problems. Chemotherapy is used with other cancer treatments and when it is used with other treatments because it can:

• Destroy cancer cells that spread to other body parts
• Before radiation therapy or surgery, the Chemotherapy makes a tumor smaller
• Chemotherapy works better with other treatment

• Hormonal Therapy

Hormones are natural substances made by glands in our bodies. They act as messengers between one part of our body to another. Hormones are also responsible for the growth of our cells. Hormone therapy stops or slows the growth of cancer and eases cancer symptoms. Hormone therapy uses medicines to lower hormones in your body and prevent cancer growth.

• Targeted Therapy

Targeted therapies are drugs that target particular parts of cancer cells, such as genes or proteins that help cancers grow. Targeted therapies work better with many other types of cancer treatments. Targeted therapy only works if cancer growth is on the right target.

• Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy treatment helps your immune system to fight body infections and other diseases. It is a biological therapy that destroys abnormal cells and prevents cancer growth. Immunotherapy uses substances made in a laboratory to improve your immune system and destroy cancer cells. Immunotherapy therapy is not used with Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. 

• Surgery

Surgery is a procedure where the surgeon directly removes cancer from your body. Surgery is used to:

• Remove the entire cancerous area
• Surgery removes some cancer tumors. (this can be done when removing the whole area damage other organs of the body)
• Surgery eases cancer symptoms that cause pain and pressure

Goals of Cancer Treatment

The treatment of cancer has many objectives. Some of which are described:

• Cure

Cancer treatment aims to provide a cure for cancer patients, allowing them to live a normal life.

• Primary Treatment

The primary treatment is to kill the cancer cells from our bodies completely. The most common immediate treatment is surgery.

• Adjuvant Treatment

The adjuvant therapy kills cancer cells that remain after the primary treatment. Adjuvant treatment includes Chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and radiation.

• Palliative Treatment

Palliative treatment relieves signs and symptoms caused by cancer itself. Medications may also relieve symptoms such as shortness of breath and pain.

Conclusion

Cancer prevention and treatment plan are crucial factors for cancer control. Our main goal is to cure cancer patients or provide them with a good quality of life. To diagnose and cure cancer early, an awareness program should educate people and other communities.

Hammad Jamil

The post Cancer: An Essential Guide to Prevention and its Treatment in Pakistan appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

Well now is the time to take control of your life and live it on your conditions. Recently since the pandemic has finally started to slow and life is returning to some form of normal, some people also call it the “the NEW NORMAL” we all want to get out there and live our lives to the fullest! This year it might even be your New Year’s Resolution to live life to the fullest.

Whether you need more money, less stress, or just want to live without regrets, this article will give you everything you need from start to finish to live a happy, healthy and fulfilling life in 2022!
Winter holidays are just around the corner and many people are making plans to travel and enjoy the year-end and beginning of a new year somewhere nice and with their loved ones….

We need to remember after the pandemic is just slowing down that now is the time to improve your health! In 2022, many people are looking to set a new year’s resolution that will improve their health and wellness. But there are a lot of contemplations to make before you start. What should you do? How can you stay encouraged? And what is the best way to improve your diet while maintaining an active, hale and hearty lifestyle?

In this blog post we’ll discuss all these queries so that when 2022 comes around, you’re ready with a plan in place!

what is your New Year’s Resolution for your improved health?

Improving your health is a noble goal, but it’s also incredibly vague. Your health is comprised of many different functions in your body, including your metabolism, your digestion and elimination, your skin health, your muscles, your endocrine system, and much more.
What exactly about your health do you want to improve? Is the struggle about losing the baby weight after having a baby? It can be possible that you want to improve the quality of life for a chronic illness like diabetes or high blood pressure. Or maybe you’re aiming at improving emotional wellbeing by reducing stress levels through slight changes. You’ll find many benefits from improving your health!

In general, there are several things you can do to improve your health. Start with
1) Clean eating
2) Following a regular exercise routine
3) Practicing stress management
4) Removing toxins such as smoking or any other drug or alcohol intake.

Incorporating these habits will include a range of new routines including new workout plans, healthy eating habits, and being cognizant about everything. It won’t be easy. But the more capacities you include in your plan, the more complete your health transformation will be. For instance, if you want to improve your health and only make an exercise routine, then your plan is half-finished. You may gain muscle, but you may find that you still have other health issues.
By giving attention to all four areas, your health will improve drastically in many different ways that you will be able to see!

Let’s answer a very important Question…

How do you stay motivated towards improving/betterment of your health?

So there are multiple ways you can keep yourself motivated to bring yourself towards the healthy you!
You can think and aim to improve your health as a new year’s resolution by cooking healthy

What one needs to remember is, improving your health is not an objective you can complete in a weekend or even a season (as we do binge-watching on Netflixthon). This is a long term objective that will take all year or even longer depending on how you start, when you start, the objective you set for yourself and the present state you started in? So how do you stay encouraged through a year or longer of pursuing this objective? First, you can start by committing to improving your health on a specific day.

For example, let’s start with baby steps, you could commit to a week at a time then work backwards. Once done with a week from there to set goals for the next days or weeks of improvement to stay motivated. You can also use interim rewards as motivators: give yourself something like a new workout outfit that will be a gift for and waiting in your closet if you meet your milestones.

For the long term health goal, decide what is most important to you when it comes to improvement- weight loss or muscle gain? Write down specific short and long term goals so that every day feels like progress on this journey of health.
If your objective includes making your body toxin-free and removing toxins such as quitting smoking or becoming sober, don’t try to do it in isolation or by yourself. It will be a lot easier if you reach out to others for support. Look around for people in the same state of affairs as you and build associations that encourage you to be in a good health and quit those things that are draining your health from you.

You can also:
1) Use affirmations.
2) Set up answerability strategies with a friend.
3) Invest in a gym membership. (You will not want to waste money, so you’re more likely to go as opposed to if it is free.)
4) Just do it. Don’t wait for motivation to strike.

Some things just need to be done rather than it being planned and strategies, these approaches will help you stay motivated toward your objective. Improving your health as a new year’s resolution can seem overwhelming, but when you break it down into small components, stay committed to it, and stay motivated, it will be easier to stay focused on getting to the result.

How will you know that your health is improving?
Speaking of the result, how will you know that your health is improving? Here are some signs that your health is on the track of restoration:

• You can breathe better
• Your energy levels improve
• You have a stronger immune system that combats diseases more effectively and heals quicker. It also thwarts illnesses from developing in the first place.
• You sleep better than ever before
• You’re more confident because you feel better about yourself.
• Food tastes and smells stronger than ever before
Women exercising to improve their health in the long term
• The clothes may fit looser
• The digestive issues resolve themselves when you start getting healthier
• The skin looks clearer and has more vibrancy
• Women can carry heavier things (your children, for example!)
• going up and stairs are no more excruciating, you can do it without getting winded
• your joints don’t ache

But don’t be surprised if it takes a month or more before you start to see these changes. Like I said above, this is going to be a long term goal. Healthy weight loss happens at 1 to 2 pounds a week, which means you might start to feel looser clothes after 3-6 weeks. And it may take 6 months of actively improving your health before you notice that your sleep and immune system are improving.
So if you find this taking much longer than you had anticipated, don’t get discouraged. If you can be consistent for a few months, then it will be easier to see the improvements that you’re looking for. Keep going!

12 Ways to Rock Your New Year’s Resolution to Improve Your Health

1. Eat more vegetables
When it comes to improving your health, the starting line to start with a healthy lifestyle is your plate. Studies have shown that people who eat more vegetables improve their health manifolds. It means that it’s more than just the occasional salad or vegetable side dish or a one in blue salad meal, but ensuring their addition to your meals at least once a day. Add tomatoes and mushrooms to your eggs in the morning. Eat carrots with hummus for lunch, and serve a sweet potato and peas with meat in the evening.

2. Drink more water to improve your health
One of the first steps towards improving your health is by drinking more water, which is at least 3 litres of water a day. It sounds unpretentious, but it can be challenging for people who have a tough time recalling to drink enough throughout the day. To mend this pattern of behaviour, start with a big glass of water first thing in the morning. You can also attempt carrying a bottle with you and sipping on it throughout the day.

And make sure it’s water. Nothing replaces water as soda, coffee, tea, and energy drinks give you tons of sugar and other chemicals that could derail those health goals you have. So stick with H2O!

3. Exercise frequently
Lifting and carrying your children or your nieces and nephews is a great motivator for getting in shape
Moving your body is an amazing way to improve your health. Studies have shown that even the lightest exercise can increase or maintain cognitive function, improve sleep and promote weight loss. Make time for an activity you enjoy (going on a walk, doing yoga) at least thrice a week. Try interim training where you substitute or interchange between high-intensity bursts of energy followed by short periods of rest.
Another way to continue your workout is to find a buddy for some accountability and regularity in your actions. If you can’t run or don’t like yoga much, there are tons of options for you. Walk. Rock climb. Hike in nature. Play with your kids!
Remember: No, Exercise without Diet Won’t Help You Lose Weight

4. Give up smoking for good health
Quitting the smoking habit can be difficult, and you may have already tried not once but maybe many times. But it’s worth it to improve your health in the long run and live a healthy long life.
When you decide to quit smoking, the first week is the hardest, but after that, you will feel better. Be less lethargic and be more energetic. One should also see the health benefits of quitting smoking include:
• Fewer coughs and chest infections
• Less risk of heart ailment, lung cancer, or even stroke
• Reduced breathing difficulties (which improve asthma)
• Minor chance of developing mouth or throat cancers
Well, if compared with the previous scenario, that is a huge improvement on your health.

5. Emphasize fibre
Fibre is the material in your food that doesn’t break down, and it helps with digestion. One of the calmest ways to advance your health in a better manner is by adding more fibre-rich foods into your everyday meals and overall diet. Fibre also helps keep our cholesterol levels down, and it can prevent constipation or haemorrhoids as well. So how much should you aim for? It is suggested to aim for around 30 grams a day from food sources like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes.

6. Try Intermittent Fasting
A few years back no one paid much attention to Intermittent fasting, it has become more popular in recent years. Fundamentally, it involves cutting your food intake to a definite time frame and then abstaining for the remaining part of the day. Many people, working on this concept use the 16/8 method, which means that you eat only during eight hours of the day and fast for sixteen hours, part of which is overnight.
So for instance, your normal regular day starts at 6:00 am and don’t eat anything just yet. Eat your lunch at 11:00 am. Then you can have a snack in the late afternoon, and eat dinner around 6:00 pm. Then completely abstain and stop eating at 7:00 pm for the night. Turn in at 10:00 pm for a full 8 hours of sleep.
It has been proven that intermittent fasting has many health benefits, including weight loss and increased energy.

7. Get enough sleep
One of the most important things and mantras to a healthy life is “GET ENOUGH SLEEP”
We wonder why to sleep never gets enough credit for all the good it does for our health. Sleep can improve learning, improve mood and improve memory. Sleep deficiency can cause problems with attention span, problem-solving skills and the ability to memorize information. It’s no revelation that sleep-deprived doctors make twofold as many mistakes in surgery as their well-rested colleagues.
Sleep is also important for our bodily health. It can improve recovery after a workout, keep blood pressure lower and improve glucose control. Research and multiple studies have shown that sleeping less than seven hours per night increases the threat of death by all causes from 13% to 18%. For individuals over 65 years old, this increase is even more dramatic (from 16% to 26%).
These days many people find it difficult to sleep, If you’re finding it difficult to improve your sleep, try setting a time to hit the sack and ensure sticking with it. Make sure the room is dark before going to bed, turn off screens at least 60 minutes before bedtime and avoid caffeine after noon. And if all else fails? There’s always melatonin!

8. Meditate
One of the oldest and most soul searching and peaceful act is the act of meditation. It can also do wonders for your health. It can boost your immune system, lower blood pressure and improve heart rate. It also has the potential to reduce stress, anxiety and depression.
When you first try meditation, ensure you find a comfortable place where you won’t be distressed or disturbed by anything or anyone. Sit straight in a chair, on the floor or even cross-legged. Keep your back and neck straight but not stiff, close your eyes and relax every muscle as you breathe deeply for three to five minutes.
Start with short sessions of meditation each day, and consider using mala beads, this is a sure shot and very relaxed formula to better health and improve the immune system.

9. Practice your favourite self-care regularly
Self-care like deep breathing is important to our complete healthy self
Self-care can improve health in plentiful ways. It can make your mood better, improve your immune system, improve sleep quality and duration, improve mental health symptoms, and particularly reduce stress levels. It is a fact that if and when our stress levels are high, our health will be negatively affected.
The following are some practices you might want to include in your self-care routine: journaling/art therapy, spending time with friends and family, reading for fun (not related to your work), taking a bath to relax, playing music, or even laughing.
Choose one or all of these practices, depending on what suits you best!

10. Avoid drugs and consume alcohol in moderation (or not at all)
It has become a socially acceptable thing for youngsters to consume use drugs with friends and even resort to using alcohol, but drinking in moderation is important. It’s also worth observing that not drinking alcohol at all has been linked to a longer life expectancy than restrained drinking, according to a study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. Alcohol intake can also lead to weight gain which in turn increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease.
If you’re someone or you know someone who is struggling with addiction to something, whether it be a substance or a behaviour, we sincerely recommend you seek professional help from an addiction counsellor.

11. Cut the sugar
By cutting out sugar from your body, you’ll improve your health in a lot of ways. Sugar is directly linked to obesity, heaviness and tooth decay, not to mention energy crashes and blood-sugar problems. Many people around us don’t even realize how much sugar they’re consuming because sugar is packed in everything, from pasta sauces, to granola bars, to yoghurt, each and everything has some amount of sugar in it.
If you’re craving and want to have something sweet then try having some fresh fruit or make yourself a smoothie with plain (unsweetened) Greek yoghurt instead! A piece of healthy advice, you can thank us LATER!

12. Alter your mindset to improve your health
One of the most basic and important things to start your health regime and move towards a healthy life is “SETTING YOUR MIND TO IT”.None of this is possible without a healthy mindset. When you think healthy, you can be healthier. One way of doing this is by taking a few minutes every day or week to meditate on positive thoughts or words of affirmation like “I am healthy. I am strong”. “I am happy”. I am content”
If you need convincing that your mindset needs a change before setting your new year’s resolution to improve your health, then do see this video. Dr Joe Dispenza explains exactly how mindset works… and it can change your life.

Conclusion
This blog post is only scratching the surface of what you can do to improve your health, but we hope that these 12 tips will help get you started on this New Year’s resolution journey.
Improving your health in 2022 is a big goal and should be taken seriously. But when you break it into smaller pieces, it becomes more manageable. Don’t forget that seeing the kind of improvements you are hoping for may take a while – so stick with it!

Khurram Zahid

The post Resolution for 2022: Improve Your Health! appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

Where the taglines like “Train like a Beast and Enjoy like a Beauty” doesn’t entice you to make a run for your best jogging pants and gym shoes?

F
The good news is that you really don’t have to! There are amply of ways to work out without ever setting your foot in the gym or doing even one squat thrust. In fact, when people start or join a gym at all many don’t want to exercise in front of others it may be “shyness” it is the “hesitancy” to do so and that is perfectly okay.

But first, let’s consider a few mindset shifts that will help you succeed.

Reassess and Rethink what it means to exercise and get yourself moving
Think of exercise as simply movement of the body, no form no shape just simple movement. Sometimes we have a depiction in our mind of what exercise looks like. Instead, think outside the box. Every movement counts.
Make them work out more than just weight loss. Contemplate how you will feel when you are more active, energetic and fit. Imagine yourself with more vitality, being less rigid and sore, feeling a little less stressed and frazzled, sleeping better, and feeling more alert and active. There are so many physical and mental benefits of exercise!

Avoid all-or-nothing thinking. Just sit down and think once, Does one hour of exercise feel overwhelming or even crushing to the point of avoiding it? Instead of a full hour, start small. Tiny stretches of exercise are still beneficial. Even a few minutes is better than doing nothing means not moving your body at all.
One thing to remember is don’t rely on inspiration. Drive your enthusiasm yourself Many people assume that they have to be motivated to work out, and they think that they hopelessly fall short. But the thing is, motivation wanes over time. Even athletes may not feel like working out every day, but they stick to a training schedule.
Make movement a habit by setting aside a specific time to do it each day. Find the time that works best for you, and set a reminder on your phone or smartwatch to help you stay on track.

If you wait until you “feel like it,” or “in a bit, I’ll start” in all likelihood you will never get the right moment to get up and move. Many people still believe in the fact that even after years of doing exercise still to this day rely on habit and a scheduled time to exercise, rather than the feel of that very moment. I know how much better exercise will make me feel physically and mentally, so it’s worth it to get it done and you would always be glad that you did exercise.
Make it fun. If working out isn’t your thing, focus on finding a physical activity that you do enjoy. There really is something for everyone. Find your calling by trying different types of exercises or activities until you find what is on the same wavelength for you (or at least something you don’t hate and would be consistent at). It doesn’t have to be a customary workout like going to the gym or aerobics.

Read this article further for some ideas to get you started.

Ways to work out when you don’t like exercising and the traditional workouts

Walking is one of the simplest and best exercises there is. In fact, that’s how most people get started. Many individuals enjoy it so much that they do the power-walk every day as their main exercise, and it generally leads to weight loss and one feels much better. The best thing about walking is, that it is free, it doesn’t require any equipment or special skill, and you can do it almost anywhere and even anytime. Just get up and go, is that you have to do.
Many people have dogs as their pets and walking your dog once or twice a day is a brilliant exercise that benefits you both, making it a “win-win” situation. Let yourself “GO” Just dance. Just put up the music at home and dance like no one’s watching, move yourself to the music and let the movement be. Or take if you want to take a class such as ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, salsa, ballroom, or belly dancing, we do have some great dance classes going on at PACC Karachi, if your movement is DANCE, get yourself registered their today.

Wash the car by hand instead of going through the automated carwash, we all love our automobiles. Rather than taking it for wash, do the deed yourself at home, it will not only make you active on a lazy Sunday morning but in return will also help you save a lot of money each month. Also, who can love and clean your car better than you!

Ride your bicycle
Cycling is one of the best ways to bring your whole body in motion. Cycling is gentle on the joints; it builds strength in the legs, muscles and core; is a great cardio exercise, and helps relieve stress and enhance the well-being of the individual helping the person to feel young and strong.

Do the chores yourself
Sure, housework may not be fun or something that you may look forward to, but it counts as exercise so at least there’s that motivation to get your housework done yourself. Gardening, backyard work, push mowing and clearing out untidiness works, too. Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction and gratification of getting the job being done.

Go out and play
Grab the children or your fur babies, go outside and have some fun. Don’t forget the joy of playing when you were a child? Try hula hooping, playing tag, dodgeball, hide and seek, swinging on the playground, hopscotch, skating, bike riding, playing catch, chasing fireflies or jumping rope.

Move-in virtual reality
Exercise video games are accessible for all the leading platforms including Wii, Nintendo, Xbox, Play station and PCs. Dance games; boxing, tennis and many other sports; and traditional exercise programs are among the many offerings that are presently available in the market for anyone who wants to grooves with the music.

Try a group fitness class
With a class, you don’t have to guess and speculate what exercises to do, for how long, which should come first and which one should follow, you simply show up and follow along. Plus, you’ll make new friends whose support and camaraderie can help you stay motivated. There really is something for everybody. The countless options include aerobics, Zumba, cardio kickboxing, barre, strength training and many more. Check out what’s available from your local recreation and parks department or fitness studio and try something new.

Take online exercise classes
There’s no need to leave the comfort of home and your environment when the class can come to you. In adding it to being private and oh-so-convenient in your own personal space, online classes are also the easier, safer option in a pandemic no mask or social distancing required, at the same time it connects you with the other exercise mates virtually giving you the feel and touch of a real live class at the comfort at your very own home.

Hiking
Hiking definitely is a way to connect you with nature and builds cardiorespiratory endurance and muscular strength, which helps build body core. What is a better time than an evening or an early morning to get outdoors and explore one of our state’s beautiful trails? Living in a city like Karachi we might not be able to find these trails but you can always find parks and other places for the walk, so you might find some great hiking trails in Islamabad at Margalla hills but need to look for other ways to carry on the routine.

Geocaching
Geocaching might seem farfetched keeping in view that Pakistan still needs to be technologically advance but this can be easily implemented as it is a kind of real-world treasure hunt that requires participants to use GPS synchronizes and an app to find what others have hidden. It’s a fun and engaging way to get in some walking. It can help in achieving the targeted steps for the day with some fun and great adventure.

Partner with a workout buddy
It is a famous idiom in Urdu “ik sey bhalley dou” Two can be better than one and will keep you both moving, a partner will keep you motivated, make you feel accountable and at all times will encourage you to do more and be consistent. Having a workout partner helps and raises your spirits and makes you feel the spirit of “DO MORE” and keep yourself exercising in some manner.

Think short and sweet while working out
Micro workouts also called “exercise snacking” is an approach to try if long workouts just aren’t for you. We believe that every person is different and their likes and dislikes also surely differ from each other. When “one-size-doesn’t-fit-all” how can one routine or one way of doing things can be the same and equal for all. For example, when we talk about micro-workouts, instead of one 30-minute workout, you could do three 10-minute bouts of exercise spread throughout the day. The thing to remember is, you need to set a routine even if you need an alarm or a reminder to do the deed. It is important that you are consistent and make sure that you don’t miss the desired time slots kept designated for the workout.

Martial arts or a self-defence
The martial art class and defence class means learning self-defence will help you build stamina, strength and flexibility. You’ll also develop coordination and balance, and increase self-confidence. It will prepare you to tackle any issue or obstacle that comes your way and makes you strong to face anything in life.

Sports with a group of friends or co-workers
Engaging in activities with friends and co-workers fosters good relationships as well as fitness, so it meets the greater goal set. We have suggestions for games to Try; a game of tennis, pickleball, bowling, badminton, or golf; or go canoeing, indoor rock climbing, roller skating or ice skating. A group activity is not only a good way to get moving but it is also a nice way to mingle, interact and spend some quality time with your friends and co-workers.

Use your fitness tracker
One way to keep track of your fitness goal is to complete a challenge to cover a certain number of miles in a month, or certain steps in a day or reaching a goal in a week. For example, if you walk or run five miles a day for one month, that equals 150 miles, can you imagine that is almost going or walking Hyderabad and it can help you achieve great fitness goals, so keeping track of things isn’t just a great way to maintain health but also an amazing way to keep track of things and keep yourself motivated!

Try mind/body formats
Trying these mind-body formats are just amazing, it helps you stretch your body and improve your overall body. Yoga improves an individual’s strength, balance and flexibility, and creates tranquillity. Tai chi is another way to relax and also helps reduce stress and anxiety, these activities also help you to increase flexibility and balance making your body toned and more leaned.

Water exercise
Well! This is something fun and great and it is beneficial for almost everybody but is especially good if you have arthritis, obesity, or mobility issues as it doesn’t add stress to your body joints and muscles due to weight. If you have access to a facility with a pool such as your community pool or if you have access to any club via membership, consider joining a water exercise class. Exercise in the water feels good and is a lot of fun.
It is not very common, but it is becoming a popular phenomenon in recent times, look for the clubs and pools that are offering this recreational exercising routine. Get enrolled right now and thank us later!

Just get moving and grooving!

Remember, there’s no one right way to work out, and as we have also mentioned earlier that “one size doesn’t fit all”. Be creative, have fun and find what works for you! You need to just get moving to the groove or anything that you might interesting in and something that you would like to carry forward with consistency. There is no right or wrong, nothing is more rewarding or less rewarding. The only thing important is how and when you do it. The setting of whatever you plan to do we suggest that only one mantra be followed which is “Let’s do the moves.”

Last Word!

Well, when you get moving it will help you overcome many health issues and will help you build strength and stamina and will make your body flexible. But one thing that you should carry with you is your health card. It may not seem an important bit that needs to be added in your life as it is your security against unforeseen circumstances and instances, the health insurance policy will provide you financial cushion against any uncertainty and accidents that cause a sudden dent in your financial budget.

Khurram Zahid

The post Exercises for People Who Hate to Work Out: Great Fun Ideas to Get Moving appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

In this article, we have shortlisted some of the habits that need to be immediately reviewed and modified on “PRIORITY.”

You must have heard or read it before: It takes 21 days to transform a habit. And while we’re all on a mission to live healthier lives and improve our well-being, the first step would be to become aware of bad habits is the one step forward in initiating change. From chewing on fingernails to eating a sad desk lunch while using your computer, we’ve compiled quite a few unhealthy habits you’re probably guilty of.

Mark these bad habits below and make it your goal to mix them in the bud and your lifestyle.

Lack of Vegetables in Your Diet

Not combining vegetables in your diet can cause digestive issues and other health problems. Asparagus and bell peppers are rich in Vitamin B6 and folate that lowers homocysteine, an amino acid linked to heart disease. Carrots and tomatoes are filled with carotenoids, an antioxidant, which helps ward off issues associated with heart disease. Antioxidants are also a cancer-fighting property too. Onions contain phytochemicals that can lower cholesterol levels. Keeping the cholesterol under check will aid in the prevention of heart disease. Potatoes are high in potassium. Since potassium helps regulate blood pressure, it reduces the risk of congestive heart failure.

Eating On-The-Go

In today’s world, with a busy schedule is not unusual for many it’s so easy to fall into the fast-food trap. While stopping at the drive-through and ordering a burger now and then is still acceptable, making it a routine stop can be unfavourable to health. Fast food is loaded with a host of unhealthy ingredients like sugar, trans-fats, and sodium. Eating fast food frequently can have the following damaging effects on your health:

1. Increased risk of cancer
2. Increase the risk of heart disease
3. High blood pressure
4. Increase inflammation
5. Increased threat of infections
6. Increased threat of allergies
7. Compromises the immune system

It is suggested that Instead of relying on fast food for chaotic days, getting in the habit of meal planning for yourself and your family can be a good way to keep the whole family healthy. Cooking and freezing healthy meals beforehand not only saves time but ensure the provision of healthy meals for the entire family with the right nutrients they need to get them through the day. Packing lunches with snacks that contain raw vegetables, whole grains, yoghurt, and other low-fat, nutritious foods is one way to stick to a healthy habit and healthy life.

Living a Sedentary Lifestyle

Lack of exercise is a guaranteed way to put good health on hold or a complete halt especially if you have a sedentary job, which requires sitting at a desk most of the day. Not only will an inactive lifestyle weaken muscles it can also increase your risk of the following:

1. High blood pressure
2. Type 2 diabetes
3. Cancer
4. Obesity
5. Heart disease
6. Osteoporosis
7. Cardiovascular disease
8. Stroke

It’s not easy to start an entirely different routine and to follow it. Use the tips and get started

1. Get a friend to exercise with
2. Start small with a daily 15 to 30-minute walk
3. Try short interval workouts for 10 to 15 minutes
4. Participate in low impact exercises such as yoga or swimming
Exercising help focus on better bone health. Since bones protect the brain and other organs from devastating injuries, taking care of them through exercise can make a positive difference to the body overall.

Skimping on Sleep

Falling short on sleep is a big “No-No”, but why what’s the big deal? Research indicates that not getting enough sleep can impact a lot of things: it can compromise your immune system, your ability to judge and make decisions (more prone to make mistakes) and bad heart health. Being sleep-deprived may fuel depression and make it hard to lose weight if you’re dieting-and more likely that an individual will give in to that sweet temptation tomorrow.
Target to get around 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night, although there is no magic or fixed number, says the National Sleep Foundation, so listen to your body and try to get the amount of sleep that your body needs to function at its best.

Lack of sleep can lead to the following serious heart-related conditions

1. Heart disease
2. Heart attack
3. Heart failure
4. Irregular heartbeat
5. High blood pressure
6. Stroke
7. Lack of sleep can also weaken immunity, cause weight gain, and increase the risk of diabetes.

To get enough sleep try these techniques

1. Don’t drink caffeinated beverages later in the day
2. Avoid slumbering during the day
3. Go to bed at the same time each evening
4. Keep bedroom set at a comfortable temperature

Not Drinking Enough Water

Water makes 60 per cent of our body so it’s not too astonishing that drinking water benefits your overall body health. Staying hydrated helps to keep memory sharp, stabilizes mood and motivation intact. Keeping up with fluids helps skin to stay supple, enabling the body to cool down when it’s hot, allows muscles and joints to work better and helps clean toxins from the body via kidneys.

So, how much water should you be drinking? According to the Institute of Medicine, adult men need about 13 cups per day of fluid; adult women need about 9. (You get about an additional 2 1/2 cups of fluid from foods.) But because one size doesn’t fit all, the best way to know if one is sufficiently hydrated is to monitor urine colour: if it’s light yellow (the colour of lemonade), which means water intake is stable.

Eating Late at Night

There are multiple reasons why one should have dinner an hour earlier. Researchers believe that the long gap between meals allows the body to process food more efficiently. There is some research around intermittent fasting (where you space out your meals and eat in a shorter window), that suggests it may help with weight loss. It will an individual to sleep better: according to the National Institutes of Health, late-night meals can cause indigestion that interferes with sleep.

Sad Fact: Plus, many don’t eat carrots and apples late at night-we go for snacky foods that aren’t necessarily the healthiest choices.
A research study from the American Journal of Epidemiology reports that people who skip the morning meal were 4.5 times more likely to be obese, adding that eating multiple, small meals may suppress hunger and overall blood sugar levels.

Forgetting to Change the Bed Sheets

Bacteria and germs can easily become anyone’s sleeping buddy if sheets are not washed enough. “they have spores of fungi, bacteria, animal dander, pollen, soil, lint, finishing agents of whatever the sheets are made from, colouring material, all sorts of excrements from the body,” said Philip Tierno, a microbiologist and pathologist at the New York University School of Medicine. As if that’s not uncivilized enough, one study has found that both synthetic and feather pillows give refuge to between four and 17 different species of fungus. Yikes!

Shopping for Low-Fat Foods

Low-fat foods may lead to the belief that it would lead to faster weight loss, but that’s hardly happening. “Older generations hear words like ‘bran’ or ‘low-fat’ and instantly assume it’s the healthy choice,” Lisa Hayim, RD, and founder of The WellNecessities say that, “These foods, which can be high in fibre, are usually loaded with processed flour, high in sugar, and can be high in sodium too. Don’t be misled by the name at the bakery counter or on the menu. Read the labels and always the ingredients.”

Squirting on Hand Sanitizer

No matter how delicious or amazing that bottle of sweet-pea-scented hand sanitiser smells, it’s better to leave it out of the purse. Triclosan, a chemical commonly used in hand sanitisers, has been linked to increasing the risk of obesity and affecting the thyroid. The best bet is washing hands the old-fashioned way: soap and water are more effective than hand sanitisers at eliminating or inactivating certain kinds of germs and bacteria.

Ignoring the Weight Rack

Using the treadmill and elliptical is a great way to boost heart health, but visiting the weight rack every so often may provide even better benefits. According to the American Heart Association, strength training surges tendon and ligament strength builds fat-burning muscle mass and improves the quality of life.
Not too keen on going alone? Here’s a solid reason to find a gym buddy: according to a study in the American College of Sports Medicine, people exercise for an average of 34 minutes longer with a friend than they do when they go to the gym alone.

Using Plastic Water Bottles

The gulping of eight recommended cups a day won’t do the body well if using plastic bottles. Research in the Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine proved that the industrial chemical Bisphenol A, or BPA induced early puberty in females, sperm reduction, obesity, and increased rates of reproductive cancers, while a Harvard study found that adults with the highest concentration of BPA in their urine had considerably larger waists and a higher risk of becoming obese. Rather than refilling your plastic water bottle, go for a reusable plastic-free, stainless steel jug.

Rushing to Finish a Meal

Even if time is less, powering through meals isn’t going to help stay satisfied. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association indicated that participants who took their time eating consumed 66 fewer calories per meal than their fast-eating counterparts and felt filled after putting their forks down. As it takes about 20 minutes for the brain to recognize that body is full, make sure to take time and eat mindfully to avoid overeating and gaining the feared pounds.

Serving Dinner Buffet-Style

Research in the journal Obesity has found that when food is served from the dinner table, people gorge on 35 per cent more food during the meal. If getting second helpings necessitates leaving the table, people are more likely to rethink the decision and refrain as contrasting to when an assortment of food is served at an arm’s length.

Starting Your Day With Coffee

Research in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that participants who drank about 17 ounces of water experienced a 30-per cent increase in their metabolic rate! Make it a habit to pour a cup of coffee after you’ve gobbled down H2O to keep your fat-burning incinerator and waistline in check.
Deliberate waiting to get your caffeine buzz until after 9 a.m. Because your cortisol levels naturally rise in the morning after waking and peak between the hours of 8 and 9 a.m., having a coffee before or during this time may result in increased stress and anxiety and its stimulating effects won’t be as effective.

Consuming Diet Drinks

Just because diet drinks contain zero sugar, it shouldn’t give you the green signal to start sipping. Researchers have found that elderly people who drank two or more diet drinks daily saw their waists increase five times faster than those who didn’t drink. Mark it up to the artificial sweeteners manufacturers spike diet drinks with.
A review in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that non-nutritive sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, and stevioside which is associated with weight gain and cardiometabolic risk if used regularly.

Skipping Dessert

One might think they are doing a good thing by expelling sweet treats. But studies suggest that feeling deprived even if the individual is consuming plenty of calories can prompt overeating. Making any foodstuff off-limits just increases its appeal. So when craving, go a small treat won’t break the diet! Two squares of dark chocolate or ½ cup of ice cream clocks in at under 150 calories.

Not Changing or Sanitizing Your Kitchen Sponge Frequently Enough

This might not be something one might think regularly, but the kitchen sponge can harbour 150 times more bacteria, mould and yeast than your toothbrush holder. Ick! According to research from NSF International (an independent public health organization), most of the germs they found won’t make you sick, but some could.
After diligently cleaning the kitchen counter, sink and refrigerator shelves, but fail to disinfect the sponge afterwards, try this to keep germs at bay: microwave a wet sponge for two minutes daily and replace it regularly every two weeks.

Cooking Everything in Olive Oil

Even though olive oil is packed with heart-healthy antioxidants (called polyphenols) and monounsaturated fats, every time it’s not the best choice for cooking. Why? Because olive oil has a lower smoke point than some other oils (that’s the point at which an oil literally begins to smoke and olive oil is between 365° and 420°F).
When it comes to smoke point, the beneficial compounds in oil start to degrade, and possibly health-harming compounds form. When cooking over high heat, skip it and choose a different oil. However, olive oil is a good choice for making salad dressing or sautéing vegetables over medium heat.

Wanting to get healthy is the first step in decreasing your risk of disease. Second, following the above tips eating a well-balanced diet, getting regular exercise, and sticking to your cancer screening schedule can all give you a lifetime of health benefits.

Eating ‘Whole-Grain’ Cereal

Whole grains’ is a promotional term and can loosely be applied to foods if they contain some amount of whole grains, most often, though, the food may encompass whole grains, but in totalling to regular wheat, or white flour. These foods also have to sustain a long shelf life, so are pumped with preservatives, sodium, and artificial flavours and lack many of the needed vitamins and minerals.

Eating Too Much Sodium

People harbouring on preserved and canned meals eat about 1,000 mg more sodium each day than we should. One of the easiest ways to cut your sodium intake is to cook at home using fresh ingredients. Restaurant foods and processed foods both tend to be very high in sodium. To further cut the sodium intake even further, try enhancing the flavour of food cooked at home with herbs and spices rather than salt.

Forgoing Doctor Recommended Cancer Screenings

Early recognition of cancer is crucial to increase the chances of survival. Depending on family history and personal risk factors, the doctor may endorse certain cancer screenings. Cancer screenings can aid doctors to find and treat cancer as soon as possible. Screening exams are typically commended for the following types of Cancer:
Breast Cancer – mammograms are the best way to detect breast cancer early.
Cervical Cancer – once a year Pap screenings can detect abnormal cells within the cervix. The HPV test is used to regulate if the human papillomavirus is present, which can increase the chance of developing cervical cancer.
Colorectal Cancer – a colonoscopy is a standard screening process used to look for precancerous polyps in the colon or rectum. If precancerous polyps are detected, they can be removed before turning into cancer.
Lung Cancer – screening for lung cancer is done by a low-dose computed tomography also known as a CT scan. Typically doctors commend this test for adults who have no symptoms but are at high risks, such as someone who is a smoker.
Prostate Cancer – the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test is a blood test that detects PSA levels in the blood. PSA is a prostate produced substance, and typically high levels of PSA can indicate that prostate cancer may be present.

Getting Insured

One thing that we often overlook and forget it, getting ourselves health insurance, by following the aforementioned tips you can reduce health threats and live a happier life. But at the same time, there are certain unknown risks, some health threats which can occur out of nowhere for instance an accident or sudden health issue. Keeping the risk in perspective one should definitely procure health coverage as soon as possible. Few things to keep in mind while searching for health insurance is to see the premium vs coverage benefit, numbers of members to be insured in a single policy and exclusions of every policy.

Conclusion
Some of the things you do or don’t do every day might be harming your efforts to be healthier. As you read the list of daily habits, don’t be too hard on yourself and expect that one can change all of these at once.

The main reason to succeed to maintain a healthy life is to slowly integrate change into your life. And if you fall off the wagon occasionally, don’t fret or beat yourself up-it’s more important that you get back on. Take a look at these 10 habits to see if there are any places you can make a healthy change

Khurram Zahid

The post Common Bad Habits that effect Health! appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

Let’s get to it.

Chest Pain.

Well, this is something we have heard a lot…
Chest pain or ache could be caused by a number of different causes ranging from muscle tenderness to a heart attack. It’s best to monitor the severity or the intensity of the pain as well as how quickly the pain becomes aggravated. If the pain is severe, sharp and sudden, get medical help instantaneously. Long-term pain, no matter how severe or mild, could be an indicator of heart disease. Chest pain is not something that should be ignored until it goes away, it needs attention immediately. If it persists for more than a couple of days, go see a doctor.

Abdominal Pain

Alike to chest pain, abdominal pain can have many different causes, this makes it tricky and complex. It could mean something as harmless as an upset stomach brought on by a portion of certain food or dairy. On the other hand, unfailing abdominal pain, It could be a sign of something much more severe, like gastrointestinal disease or even cancer. Be alert of the length and severity of your abdominal pain and respond and get treated accordingly. Sometimes, abdominal pain can go together with bowel issues, so keep an eye out and check for that as well. Such as sudden weight loss or gain.

A rapid, unexplained change in weight carries significant health risks in most cases. It could indicate a number of serious illnesses and diseases, including diabetes, thyroid concerns, and heart failure. Severe weight loss is also a symptom of many cancers. However, this symptom is usually combined with several other issues in cancer patients. Make sure you consult with a doctor if you experience a sudden change in weight.

Changes in Appetite

A plate of spaghetti (noodles) with sauce and cheese on top, closely related to variations in weight, immediate ups and downs in appetite are also a red flag for your health. The appetite is classically affected by how quickly the body is digesting and breaking down food, and a significant change in this is usually a sign that something isn’t quite right in the body. Keep in mind and remember that there is nothing to worry about if you happen to become unexpectedly and strangely hungry or full for just a day or two. The issues have to do with long-lasting changes to the appetite, which directly impact weight changes.

Fatigue or Weakness

Fatigue, or feeling “dilapidated”, results from an extensive variety of conditions. Something as harmless as a lack of sleep or rest can raise mild forms of fatigue. Generally, exhaustion is brought on by a lack of sleep will only last a short time, provided that the sleep schedule eventually goes back to ordinary. If you are really fatigued that no extent of rest can help, it could be a sign of a serious illness like heart disease, diabetes, or sleep apnea.

Shortness of Breath.

This does not have to do with shortness of breath brought on by exercise that a person does. Rather, this refers to low, rapid breathing that can be an indicator of heart or lung disease. The imminence of the shortness of breath can point to what is triggering it. For example, if the shortness of breath comes on all of a sudden, it can be a sign of asthma, low blood pressure, or pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung). Continuing, or chronic, shortness of breath might be symbolic of COPD, pulmonary oedema (fluid in the lungs), or other lung diseases/illnesses.

Nausea or Vomiting

Please remember that No, you should not overreact every time you get the stomach flu or feel a little queasy. As with most of these warning signs of serious diseases, only worry if nausea or vomiting persists for a long period of time. This can be caused by certain gastrointestinal diseases. Once again, don’t worry if these symptoms happen for a day or two. There are all kinds of factors that cause nausea and vomiting, like food poisoning or the flu.

Difficulty Swallowing

Difficulty swallowing is generally caused by some sort of damage to the throat. This damage can take many different forms, with cancer being the most severe. This particular warning sign characteristically occurs in concurrence with other symptoms, so you don’t essentially need to be extremely watchful regarding it.

Ankle or Leg Swelling

Two feet on a wooden floor. One of the feet is swollen in many cases; ankle or leg swelling is usually caused by some sort of injury. However, if the swelling can’t be directly linked to an injury, it may be a sign of something more severe. For example, puffiness or swelling in the legs could indicate a leg infection or poor circulation. Also, it can be a symptom of heart failure, kidney failure, or liver failure. All three of these conditions produce an additional amount of fluid in the body, which causes swelling. Call your doctor if you already have one of these conditions and the swelling worsens. It could be a sign of complications.

Skin Staining/yellowing

According to a research study conducted by the doctors, the skin may actually indicate what is going on inside the body beneath the skin in certain instances. For example, changes in the skin’s colour can be a signal of internal disease. In the most well-known example, yellowing of the skin can signify liver disease.

Unexplained Rash or Growth on Skin

An infrequent rash that appears on the skin could signify some sort of internal issue or infection as well in the body. For instance, a person can develop a rash that is due to an allergy to a new medicine. Make sure to consult with your doctor/physician if you do develop an unexplained rash soon after starting on a new prescription. If the rash is supplemented with other indicators, like dull pain or a fever, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Also, new unanticipated growths on the skin could be an indicative sign of skin cancer as well. If any of these growths do come up out of blue, be sure to get them checked out by the (skin specialist) dermatologist. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Mental Illness

Just like physical diseases, mental disorders also have some early warning signs. They aren’t the types of illnesses/diseases that just pop-up out of nowhere. In most of the cases, the cautioning signs are present and they need to be observed early on before things get worse. Remember to ensure that mental illness is a full-fledge disease and shouldn’t be taken lightly under any circumstances.

Mood Changes

Radical and sudden mood swings are one obvious indication of a mental issue. Any type of extended mental instability should be noted and taken very seriously. Notice when the person’s mood to shift’s from one mood to the exact opposite mood at a moment’s notice, you can even say in a blink of an eye. Also, pay close attention to your own feelings and moods (be vigilant). If you notice anything out of the ordinary/routine, seek help immediately, before the condition and situation further deteriorate.

Unusual Behavior

Keep an eye out for any type of eccentric behaviour. Look for the person to seem “out of his usual behaviour” and unlike their usual self.

Problems Thinking

People with mental illness often have a difficult time concentrating. In addition, they can experience issues with logical thought and memory. This can sometimes be coupled with illogical and over-exaggerated thinking. The words ‘mental health’ spelt out in scrabble tiles. Just one or two mental health symptoms cannot predict a mental illness. If someone suffers from many symptoms to the point where it interferes with day-to-day life, then there is most likely a problem.

Also, understand that stress can be a factor and a triggering element in many mental health-related symptoms. As luck would have it, stress can be managed more easily than many mental illnesses.

A Note about Cancer

If you have been following the article closely and attentively, you probably must have noticed that a lot of the warning signs listed above can be ascribed to cancer. It’s imperative to understand that in general, one single indication is not symbolic of cancer. Cancer usually brings forward a lot of different warning signs and symptoms instead of just one or two. NEVER we mean NEVER diagnose yourself regarding the illness that you are facing or Google your warning sign in an attempt to self-diagnose. This will only lead to unnecessary anxiety. Go see a healthcare professional if your indicators are bad enough and you need medical attention, They are healthcare professionals for a reason.

Mind Your Medications

A group of multicoloured pills

One thing that we would like to mention here is that certain medications can cause similar symptoms to those of a serious illness. Make sure to go over these side-effects with your doctor before starting the desired medication. That way you will know the exact cause of these indications if they do really manifest themselves.

It’s best to stay worry-free!

Now that you know what to look for, be sure to make your health a priority and pay attention to what is going on in your body. If a serious illness is diagnosed early on, it can be dealt with much more effectively.
There’s no need to panic every time something minor goes wrong. Simply listen to your body and go see a doctor if there is a persistent problem.

Get Medical/Health Insurance

While talking about all the signs and symptoms it is important to realize that if God forbid, you face any of these issues or may feel like that you are facing any. The cost of medical and health expenses have sky-rocketed. A day procedure of a simple illness like conjunctivitis has increased many folds, a simple procedure which used to cost around PKR 35000 has gone up to PKR 70,000 to 75,000 which is double or more than double of the previous expenses.

Procuring health insurance not only makes a little relax on the side that you have the cushion to deal with uncertainties but also gives you the confidence to deal with things head-on. Having insurance is like having an invisible hand of protection and comfort. The health insurance plans at smartchoice start from as low as PKR4000 a month. There are multiple plans varying in their coverage and premiums are available at smartchoice so you can pick and choose the right plan as per your needs and requirements. If you have any confusion or problem during the process of buying health insurance our dedicated health adviser can help you navigate through the entire process. Just contact us on our UAN—021-111-212-212.

Symptoms of twelve serious diseases and health issues problems facts that you need to keep in mind

When is a cough “just” a cough, and nothing else or a headache a sign you should be concerned about? Listed are signs and symptoms that could indicate a serious health condition, and you should see a doctor if you experience any symptoms of concern. Sometimes, a sign in one part of the body may be an indicator of a problem in another part of the body. Moreover, unrelated indications that might be minor on their own could be a cautionary indication of a more serious medical sickness or condition. Listen to your body, note and observe all symptoms, and share them in detail with your doctor.

Signs of a heart attack include pain, pressure, squeezing, or feeling of fullness in the centre of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes once started; pain or uneasiness in other areas of the upper body; shortness of breath; cold sweat; nausea; or lightheadedness.

Sign of a stroke includes instant facial drooping, arm weakness, difficulty with speech, rapidly developing dizziness or balance issue, sudden numbness or weakness of senses and body parts, loss of vision, confusion, or severe headache.

Indicators of reproductive health problems include bleeding or spotting between your each period cycle; itching, burning, or irritation genital area; pain or distress during sex; heavy or aching menstrual bleeding; severe pelvic/abdominal pain; unusual and constant vaginal discharge; feeling of fullness in the lower abdomen; and frequent urination or urinary urgency.

Signs of breast problems include nipple discharge, unusual breast soreness or pain, breast or nipple skin changes, or bump/lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area.
Symptoms of lung problems include coughing up of blood, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chronic cough, repeated attacks of bronchitis or pneumonia, and wheezing.

Warning signs of stomach or digestive problems include rectal bleeding, blood in the stool or black stools, changes in bowel routines or not being able to control bowels, constipation, diarrhoea, spells of heartburn or acid reflux, or vomiting blood.

Indications of bladder problems include difficult or painful urination, frequent urination, loss of bladder control, blood in urine, waking frequently at night to use the washroom for urination or wetting the bed at night, or leaking urine.

Symptoms of skin problems include changes in skin moles, recurrent flushing and redness of face and neck, jaundice, skin lesions that don’t go away or heal, new growths or moles on the skin, and thick, red skin with silvery patches.

Symptoms of muscle or joint problems include persistent muscle pains and body aches that are persistent, for example, numbness or tingling; pain, tenderness, stiffness, swelling, inflammation, or redness in or around joints; and decreased range of motion or loss of function of any joints or muscles.

Symptoms of emotional problems include anxiety, depression fatigue, feeling tense, flashbacks and nightmares, disinterest in regular activities, suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, or delusions.
Symptoms of headache problems (not including everyday tension headaches) include headaches that come on suddenly, “the worst headache of your life,” and headache associated with severe dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and inability to walk.

Symptoms of eating or weight problems include extreme thirst, dehydration, excessive hunger, losing weight without trying, binging, vomiting, starvation, preoccupation with food and weight, distorted body image, compulsive exercise, abuse of laxatives or diet pills, and depression.

In the end, it is important to know that “health is wealth” and not only know but also understand its importance in having a good life! once we lose our good health and well being it is difficult to get back to our old-self depending on the age and other factors. So during this situation where the whole world has been exposed to an unknown and unseen virus. which has compelled the world to change their life and act in a different manner. During all this chaos don’t forget to notice any other signs and indicators that you may come across, as it can be a red flag for some critical sickness as well.

Khurram Zahid

The post What Health Symptoms Indicates Which Health Problem? appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

Starting from the smallest to the biggest we want to provide the best for them. We believe when we grow up the tables turn and in our childhood like our parents cared for us we want to reward them with the same.

We at smartchoice believe that buying health insurance for parents at an initial age will offer you benefits such as lower payments of premiums. In this article, we aim for you to find out that how having a health insurance policy for your parents will ensure that they get all the medical attention they need and the level of care that they require.

As children, we always want the best things for our parents, be it food, living conditions or healthcare. This is all true as they begin to age and face health-related issues. Health insurance policy for parents will acts as a financial security against unpredicted medical emergencies and it is something that every individual should have.

Reasons why do you need health insurance policies for parents?

Insufficient life cover: we know that a normal family health insurance existing health insurance policy does not cover your parents, it is vital to buy comprehensive health insurance especially for your parents to cover them against expected and unexpected medical/ health emergencies.

To overcome inflation: Medical expenses will continue to rise due to inflation. Getting health insurance for parents will ensure that your parents are covered from expenses arising out of medical emergencies.

Lifestyle transmitted diseases: As modern and current life is becoming more nerve-wracking, lifestyle diseases have become more common in the parents. The lifestyle sickness such as the heart attack, stroke, diabetes, etc. strikes, a health insurance policy becomes your ultimate knight in shining armour.

Saving Money: Purchasing health insurance policy for parents at an early age will give you the advantage to enjoy lower premiums, and hence leading to spend less and avail more benefits from the health insurance policy.

Income tax benefit: If your parents are senior citizens, you are eligible to avail income tax benefit in a financial year under Section of tax ordinance 2001 by the government of Pakistan.

Here are some of the value-added benefits of health insurance for parents

Health insurance provides coverage against hospitalization expenses, be it planned (means any procedure prescribed by the doctor for instance: Cataract surgery) hospitalizations or an emergency arising out of natural calamities or an accident.
The health insurance provides coverage against illness/injury in case of an accident (under your prescribed insurance coverage).
Most of the health insurance plans available at smartchoice offer a cashless settlement in-network hospitals.

The parents’ health care policy can be renewed annually for most companies ill the age of 65 years and some companies offer coverage even up to 70 years of age.
The policy covers pre and posts hospitalization expenses up to a specific duration.

You can purchase a new health insurance policy if you want to switch from an old one or renew an existing one through online mode, without any hassle and stress.

Sometimes people ask why medical insurance is so expensive?
While the overall insurance sector in Pakistan remains a key sector for development, but especially the health insurance or medical insurance remains underpenetrated and expensive in the eyes of Pakistani consumers.

Medical insurance is an essential pillar, not just for your physical health, but also for your financial well-being. It allows access to quality health care while reducing the impact of an ill-fated health event on your family’s earning and payment capacity and capability. Smartchoice.pk in Pakistan has been working tirelessly to expand health insurance coverage and distribution and most importantly awareness. Smartchoice is leveraging new distribution models and technology to reduce the cost of covers for the consumer base.

This is in addition to the initiatives taken by the government nowadays to enhance the awareness regarding the importance of medical insurance as well as the quality of services to the consumers.
One of the reasons of a little higher value medical insurance in the country is that Pakistan stands apart from most other countries on account of its diversity, whether its age, socio-economic distribution, financial literacy, education levels in the people, wellness, and growth rates across different parts of the country.

This primarily makes it more difficult for the insurance sector to cater to the needs of each customer in a cost-effective manner. However, the acceptance and penetration of medical insurance remain low in the country.
On its measure, the health insurance sector has been leveraging the new channels to expand the outreach of the insurance and lower the cost of selling.

How to save on health insurance premium?

When unforeseen medical/health emergency takes place, it becomes quite tiresome to cope with such a situation. But if you are covered and protected with a proper health insurance policy for your parents, you are at a relief. Health insurance policies cover a wide range of health care costs such as hospitalization costs, medical bills for pre and post hospitalization expenses and the best thing is the relaxation and stress-free feeling that comes with it. Many people in Pakistan, however, avoid having a health plan because of it being expensive.

Are you one of those who look for ideas to save on health insurance premium? Here are some proven tips for you.

Buy online health insurance policy at an early age for your parents

Choosing to buy medical insurance at a young age would cost you less. Health insurance companies usually consider young people as less likely to fall sick and get hospitalized ( a general perception). Hence, they charge lower premiums to younger consumers. If you compare health plans for your parents when they are younger and healthy, you can grab a better deal in terms of premium and coverage for them.

Go for lower coverage, to begin with

In case you are on a tight budget and cannot spend much on the health insurance in one go. You can start with a health plan with relatively lower coverage or you can avail the feature via smartchoice which is “Buy now and pay later” you can avail. This refers to the idea that you can get insurance on 6 months zero mark-up plan and divide the whole amount in a few instalments and pay them as per your convenience.

You can use the health insurance premium calculator to reach the premium amount that you have to pay for specific coverage for your parents. Moreover, you can always enhance the total sum insured ( by upgrading your plan) of your parent’s health insurance upon renewal by paying an additional premium when your finances are better sorted.

Compare policies online, before purchasing

One most important thing suggested is that buy policy after thorough comparison. You can also compare policies online to find out the best health insurance plans with such options. However, it is important to choose the right policy as per your need because you have to pay the premium when you have made the decision to procure your health insurance policy.

Select long-term medical insurance

The concept of long-term health insurance in Pakistan means that you keep on renewing your health insurance policy so as you continue to ensure it the policy starts providing coverage for the pre-existing illnesses as well which leads to it becoming less than the cost of basic medical insurance policies with the annual term. Hence, you can save on premium of your health plan by picking an insurance policy with 2-3 years term renewal option.

All these measures will help you to cut down your health insurance premium. You can also compare different health insurance plans to choose the best-suited health insurance policy with an affordable premium. If you pay attention and use these tips while purchasing or renewing your health insurance policy, you can keep the premium within your budget and continue to stay covered and protected.

Remembering that vigilantly buying a health insurance policy for parents at an early age will offer you benefits such as lower premiums and longer pre-existing coverage with increasing it every time. Visit our platform today www.smartchoice.pk and see the plans and coverage available. By logging in at smartchoice find out how having a health insurance policy for your parents will ensure that they get all the medical attention they need right on time with the right facilities.

Khurram Zahid

The post Get Medical Insurance for Parents…Know its Benefits and Live stress-free! appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

Health Insurance plans for Women

From home to politics to science, women are making progress in all walks of life. They are breaking the glass ceiling across different working environments while amazingly managing their homes and families with ease and expertise. Women are believed to be natural caregivers. However, in this life long journey of taking care of others, women often forget to look after themselves and their own physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.

Looking at the present world and everything around us we do realize that everyone needs a health insurance policy, every woman in the society, whether she is a homemaker or working in an office, school, anywhere needs it. Below mentioned are some of the reasons why is it important for women to have health insurance.

Increasing heart-related ailments

The diseases are on the rise, we also know that pandemic has made the situation vulnerable at the same time the current almost immobile lifestyle has led to increasing in Heart diseases among women in Pakistan. According to a research study, approximately 40 to 50% of the women in Pakistan are at risk of heart problems. Heart-related diseases are costly to treat, with expenses running into hundreds of thousands at times. Hence, we need to realize that dealing with a heart ailment without health coverage can have a significant impact on your finances.

A rise in critical illnesses

As per the World Cancer Report, in Pakistan, a higher number of women were diagnosed with cancer (especially breast and ovarian and cervical cancer) taking the lead as compared to men. Breast cancer had the most occurrences, followed by cervical cancer. We’re cognizant of the point that cancer is an expensive disease to treat and can disrupt your savings completely and entirely. There have been incidents in the real world where people had to sell off their properties and valuables and even take loans to treat such life-threatening illnesses. Having a comprehensive health insurance policy which provides covers for all the medical issues, along with a critical illness cover (for extreme life-threatening diseases) will reduce your financial burden considerably.

Changing lifestyle

We have gone towards more sedimentary lifestyle over the past few decades; women have become more susceptible to diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis and other diseases due to changing lifestyles and scenarios. Women are not only managing their households but also look after their work and families, which increases the stress and strain factor. This has contributed to the rise in these diseases. Since women have to seek regular healthcare facility, looking at the changes in the lifestyle and other factors it is sensible to have a health insurance policy to manage their finances better.

As women and men grow older, they become prone to illnesses. But looking at the women live and the ups and downs she has had starting from maternity to treatment of any disease. It is important as any delay to secure the right treatment path on the part of the patient can worsen the medical condition. Moreover, since most health insurance plans have a waiting period after which policy comes into force, women should not delay purchasing health insurance for them. A health insurance policy will not only help women and family to better manage their finances in case of health emergencies but also enable them to pay more attention to their health. It is wisely put by some intelligent people that “A healthy woman is truly an empowered woman”.

Things to keep in mind while buying a health insurance policy being a woman: Prepare yourself for the unexpected: Having a protective shield of health insurance prepares you against unexpected health issues that you may face in the future that can create an imbalance in your life. Without a health cover, a sudden medical emergency can put an added burden on your shoulder and cause financial strain.

Economic options are not sufficient: When you buy a health insurance policy, you come across a variety of basic health plans that offer varying coverage for diseases while being hospitalized and even after pre-and-post hospitalization. While looking at the policies one should not look for a cheap policy, but the coverage offered should be sufficient and appropriate. It is important to avoid a financial crisis during health care emergencies by buying adequate coverage.

Buy personal health insurance for the woman in your family: The validity of your company-sponsored or employer health insurance policy coverage is directly related to your working contract with the organization. As soon as the association with the institute is over, and you leave the job, the individual/family health insurance policy lapses. In case of personal health insurance policy that you buy it yourself, as long as you are paying policy premium, your insurance coverage is valid and the coverage is intact.

Inflation, that is everywhere: When you don’t have suitable health insurance coverage, hospital and medical bills can completely wipe away your savings and push you towards an unexpected financial crisis. The medical expenses and inflation is increasing at an alarming rate and a health insurance policy can be your financial safety net.

Be an early bird: Women should start buying health insurance policy when they are in their young age and continue with it. When the women health is good, and you are free from any medical complications. The perk of buying health insurance early on is that the premium is lower with comprehensive coverage. Continue buying of health insurance policy also leads to coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. As you grow old, the cost of health insurance increases and coverage decreases correspondingly.

Income tax benefit: we might not pay much attention to this fact but apart from providing insurance cover against the medical emergency, a health insurance policy offers you the benefit of tax deduction under section 62 of Income-tax ordinance 2001.

However, when it comes to making investment decisions be it health or life insurance such as investing in a mutual fund, women’s health insurance or life insurance, they still lag far behind men. A 2018 McKinsey research report revealed that 77% of working women depend on their significant other or parents for their investment decisions. Additionally, only 20 to 30% of life and health insurance policyholders in Pakistan are working women.

Evidence-based data and investigation, however, tells another story. Researches and studies have shown that women do live longer than men and hence they require more healthcare services. Women are also more at risk of prolonged illnesses compared to men. Yet, only some percentages of women in Pakistan have health insurance.

All the figures and data being researched make a strong case for women to buy health insurance and safeguard themselves from rising medical expenditures. If you are a working woman well in your thirties and have been postponing for long, let us give you five good reasons why you need to buy health insurance now.
Why are we focusing on the women in 30s is because women of this age are independent, smart, working starting families transitioning in health and other avenues of life. At the same time, women in their 30s are more at risk of diseases.

According to data published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2018, life expectancy in Pakistan is 66.9 for males and 70.3 for females. Women outlive men in most parts of the world but are more at risk of being afflicted by chronic illnesses and ill health.
Here are a few cases that prove how women carry more health risks as they hit 30. Percentage of women who suffer from polycystic ovary disease during their reproductive years: 5% – 20%.Women in their 30s with Type 2 Diabetes: 18%. Women in Pakistan in their mid-30s are at high risk of heart disease. Risks of osteoporosis and bone disorders intensify in women once they reach 30 because they have lesser bone tissue than men have. You can also derive maximum health insurance benefits in your 30s.

Considering that thirties is when you are more at risk of illnesses, it’s the right time to adopt a regime and buy health insurance before you have pre-existing diseases. If you are late and don’t procure the health insurance policy at the right time, you may have to wait another 2-4 years for your coverage of pre-existing illnesses to start.

Many health providers provide special health insurance plans for hardworking women in and provides coverage for multiple critical illnesses and surgical procedures including heart and cancer-related ailments. These health insurance plans also provide coverage for hospitalization expenses ensures cashless hospitalization and provides a large hospital network where you can choose the hospital for treatment based on your level of comfort.

Final Thoughts

Last but not the least, don’t buy health insurance just to save up on the taxes but keep in mind the real purpose of buying health insurance. Understand the real essence and importance of health insurance. Read the fine print carefully before you purchase a health insurance policy and check the illnesses and conditions that the procured health policy covers, what are the exclusions, waiting for the period for pre-existing diseases (if any), premium amount, and the amount of coverage among others.
A woman can be the breadwinner of the family or a homemaker of the house, but we can say it without a doubt that a no household can function without a hustling bustling mother. Therefore, her health and safety are of extreme importance to everyone in the family. It is important that when in need, of medical attention and care she gets the best health care facility that is out there to protect her and her family (loved ones).

Well, we all know that the urban Pakistani woman has arrived; and she has arrived with a bang tasting success in every sphere, she has even made inroads into traditional male fortresses be it business, career, sports, politics, defence forces, or art and entertainment. Now it is also being said that women even make better share traders than men.

Khurram Zahid

The post Health Insurance for Women! appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

No matter what your age is, it’s always necessary to make sure you are in good health. But it does take some effort to keep your own self healthy so you can live life fully, and part of that effort is getting appropriate screening tests that are used to detect potential health problems while they’re still treatable. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, nearly 26% of people in the US don’t have a regular source of healthcare.

Smartchoice.pk cares about its readers and that’s exactly why we compiled this list of screenings and tests that an individual should get done sooner and at least once a year if not every six months. Rather than far along if you want to reduce the risk of being affected by certain diseases.

7 Medical Tests Every Adult Should Get to Prevent Serious Diseases and complications

Skin Check
According to the outcomes of a study conceded out by the American Cancer Society, approximately 3.3 million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer every year. Just to be safe, get yourself checked at least once a year starting at age 18. Screenings by a medical professional are based on a patient’s risk factors.
These risk factors may include:
• Significant sun exposure
• A family history of skin cancer
• Fair skin
• The presence of multiple unusual moles
• A history of several blistering sunburns, especially early in life.
A Pakistan medical and dental board approved dermatologist usually examines the skin over of your complete body (including your scalp, genitals, and between your toes), and searches for suspicious growths, moles and lesions.

Pelvic exam and Pap smear

There is a great importance of getting the pelvic exam and pap smear at regular intervals. The Symptoms Of Cervical Cancer Foundation For Women’s Cancer Education & Awareness states that every woman 21 years old or above should have a pelvic examination or Pap smear every 3 years. This test is conducted to examine for signs of cervical cancer. The good news is that you in all probability you don’t need the physical pelvic exam anymore. According to the American Cancer Society, over the past 50 years, the death rate from this illness has dropped by more than 74% thanks to the Pap smear. Both the tests indicated in the above text look for changes in cells that could indicate a need for further testing, like a biopsy, according to an oncologist, who specializes in cancer. It is recommended and believed that “If it is cervical cancer, you want to detect it early.”

Hepatitis

Hepatitis refers to an inflammatory condition of the liver. It’s commonly caused by a viral infection, but there are other possible causes of hepatitis. There are various kinds of hepatitis A,B,C,D and E, each hepatitis varies in the condition and its extremity and impact. In many people, liver sickness can be a silent one. If you don’t have any warning signs, hepatitis C could be affecting your immune system and it can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer if left untreated and not managed properly. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 4.4 million in the US alone are currently living with chronic hepatitis B or C. Many more people don’t even know that they have hepatitis. The symptoms’ are unknown to them and the understanding of Hepatitis on their body and life are not understandable to them. There are major 5 types of hepatitis, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis D and Hepatitis E.it is important to remember them. You can/should get tested at least once a year.

Blood cancer

It is necessary to get a general analysis of your blood. It is important for early detection of leukaemia, or commonly known as blood cancer. There are 137 different types of blood cancer but the 3 main types are leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. Blood cancer can often be diagnosed through a simple blood test which helps detect the following:

• To help diagnose some blood cancers, such as leukaemia and lymphoma;
• Find out if cancer has spread to the bone marrow;
• Determine how a person’s body is handling cancer treatment;
• To diagnose other noncancerous conditions

Bone density test

It is never too late to get your bone density checked and tested. This crippling and weakening of the bones afflict nearly millions in the older population, 80% of which are females as per the report of the National Osteoporosis Foundation. What you have to do is that you just have to give your urine sample, which measures the rate at which you’re losing bone mass followed by an x-ray (DXA test) annually. If your x-ray demonstrates you have osteopenia, a pre-osteoporotic state of low bone density, your doctor will vouch for that you consume at least 1,000 mg of calcium and 400 to 800 IUs of vitamin D daily. This test is highly recommended for all adults, male and females both.

Bonus: Urinalysis test
A urinalysis is a regular urine test recommended by doctors to catch the early signs and warnings of diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, urinary tract infection, and more. Abnormal urinalysis requires additional screening methods that include:
• Blood tests
• imaging examinations such as CT scans or MRIs
• comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP)
• urine culture
• complete blood count (CBC)
• liver or renal panel

A complete urinalysis consists of 3 distinct testing phases through which the test goes through are:
Visual examination, which assesses the urine’s colour and transparency; Chemical examination, which tests chemically for 9 elements that provide valuable information about health and disease and concludes the concentration of the urine; Microscopic examination, which detects and counts the type of cells, casts, crystals, and other constituents such as bacteria and mucus that can be present in the urine
As experts say and we believe that, “The greatest wealth is health,” so stay healthy and get yourself checked and examined at regular intervals.

Diabetes

We hope and pray that you may never need screening for diabetes if you maintain a healthy and weight as per body mass index and have no other risk factors for the ailment (such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure). But for most men and women over forty-five especially overweight men and women a fasting plasma glucose test, or an A1C test, this is a good idea, and it is recommended by the dialectologist and physicians that one should avoid and work on such areas of their health. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also recommends diabetes tests for overweight and heavy adults younger than the age of 45 who have a family history of the disease, or who are of African American race, Asian American, Latino, Native American, or Pacific Islander descent have more chances of contracting Diabetes.

Fasting plasma glucose and A1C are both blood tests that should be done in a proper laboratory. The A1C test does not require fasting beforehand, but if your doctor recommends you to test you using fasting plasma glucose, you will be required not to eat or drink anything but only intake water for eight hours beforehand. But one should definitely get tested if you experience any of the early symptoms that do sometimes occur, including:
• extreme thirst
• feeling tired all the time
• feeling very hungry, even after eating
• blurry vision
• feel to urinate more often than usual
• have sores or cuts that won’t heal
Blood pressure may get unusually higher than 135/80 mm Hg it may be a symptom of diabetes. Testing for diabetes might include a haemoglobin A1C blood test, a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test, or an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).

Sexually Transmitted Infections

Even if you’ve been in a monogamous and exclusive relationship for years, it’s not a bad or a useless idea to get tested if you haven’t already done so. Many common sexually transmitted and the infections can go undiagnosed for years. For example, do you know that people can go as long as 10 years without showing symptoms of HIV?

The doctor’s in Pakistan recommend that everyone between the age 15 to 65 and they should be tested for HIV at least once in a year if not once every two years. This is particularly important, Doctors say that, if someone has had unprotected sex, used injected drugs, or had a blood transfusion between some years when many cases were detected in Pakistan.
Besides, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention endorse a one-time hepatitis C test for all adults born between 1945 and 1975, regardless of the risk factors that are there. “Accept as true that, there’s are a lot of hepatitis C cases out there in which people either don’t have symptoms yet or don’t know what’s causing their symptoms,” says Doctors says that this test should be in routine at just about every physical, regardless of a patient’s age or health history.”

Body Mass Index

You don’t need to make an appointment with any doctor or physician to figure out your body mass index, a measure of right amount body fat based on your height and weight. Regardless of whether you calculate this stat yourself or your physician does the math for you, it’s important to be aware of this number to ensure the right extent of calorie, sugar and fat intake.
A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered the normal weight of an individual. Although this calculation isn’t always perfect and can sometimes it can label healthy people as overweight or vice versa most doctors agree that it’s still an important component of measuring and evaluating overall health and body mass. When you visit your doctor it can be a very good opportunity to discuss diet and exercise and to show our patients how important these things are.

Cholesterol testing

It is recommended by the doctors generally for men to have their cholesterol levels tested every four to six years once they reach the age of 20. According to surveys and research “Men have an overall higher risk for cardiovascular disease as compared to women, and high cholesterol is often a gigantic part of that,”. Visit your doctor and see that if your doctor may want to screen you earlier (and more often) that just recommended as it may vary if you have heart disease risk factors such as diabetes, tobacco use, or high blood pressure.

Cholesterol is usually measured by a blood test, and your doctor may require that you don’t eat for 9 to 12 hours in advance. Generally, a cholesterol test will measure and check your levels of total cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and triglycerides. Conditional to your results, your doctor may make dietary recommendations or suggest and prescribe a cholesterol-lowering medication like a statin. A healthy total cholesterol goal should be below 200 mg/dL. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), all adults who are over the age of 35 should have their cholesterol checked every 5 years. Screening should begin at the age of 20 if you have certain risk factors such as:
• smoking
• BMI over 30
• a family history of stroke
• first degree relatives who’ve had heart attacks
These tests should be taken up by men and women both regardless of their gender and habits, sometimes what may shock someone is the one’s those who look least prone to fall for cholesterol problem are the ones actually facing it.

Blood pressure

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for strokes, heart attack, heart failure and kidney disease. Often there are no warning symptoms so checking your blood pressure regularly is vital. Blood pressure monitors are straightforward to use; just make sure you’re in a calm environment when you do the test. Normal blood pressure in adults is between 90/60 and 120/80 mmHg. If your blood pressure is high, you can help by cutting salt and alcohol intake, eating healthily, exercising and keeping your weight down, but you should also seek medical advice. Get more information here.

Like high cholesterol, high blood pressure is often a symptomless condition but luckily, the test for hypertension is quick and painless, involving a rubber cuff that squeezes the arm and measures the flow of blood through a large artery in the bicep. According to doctors, You should have your blood pressure checked pretty much every time you see your doctor, starting at the age of 18. Don’t go to the doc often? Have it checked at least every two years, or yearly if your numbers were previously considered borderline (a top “systolic” number above 120 or bottom “diastolic” number higher than 80). You can check your blood pressure at clinics, in pharmacies, or at home with a blood pressure device. If your systolic pressure blows over 130 or you’re diastolic goes over 85, your doctor may recommend lifestyle modifications and adjustments like exercising more and eating less salt or they might prescribe medication.

Colonoscopy

Most men should be tested for colon cancer just at the age of 50, but those with a family history of the colon cancer may benefit from early testing. Men and women alike tend to dread this test as a small camera is inserted into the anus and it explores the large intestine for polyps, cysts or other signs of cancer but doctors assures that it’s not as bad as it sounds and would not as traumatic as it seems.
What is the bad part is the preparation for the test is actually, you will need to empty your bowels before the screening, which may not allow eating solid foods for one to three days, drinking of lots of clear liquids, or might to take laxatives. What needs to believe coming from my experts is that the actual colonoscopy shouldn’t be too uncomfortable and painful, because you’re sedated through the whole thing. Get an appointment from your doctor and we have news that on the bright side: If your doctor doesn’t find anything suspicious and worrisome, you won’t need another colonoscopy for up to 10 years.

Prostate exam

Test for prostate cancer is more controversial than for other cancers, and some studies have shown that these tests can be expensive and unnecessary, and may do more harm than good to the body. But it is suggested that all men over 50 at least visit their doctors and discuss the pros and cons of these tests usually either a digital rectal exam. Let’s see how the exam works during which the doctor inserts a gloved finger, or digit, into the rectum to feel and check for lumps and abnormalities and a PSA test, which measures a protein called prostate-specific antigen in the blood.

Prostate cancer testing can and does save lives, but sometimes they may also result in false-positive or false-negative results, that can lead to confusion. And because many cases of prostate cancer progress very slowly, some men (especially older men) don’t benefit from aggressive treatment. Whether you decide to get tested for prostate cancer should be a decision you make in consultation with your doctor. In the meantime, it’s important to know the symptoms of an enlarged prostate that can have symptoms like having to urinate frequently or having trouble urinating which could also signal prostate cancer.

10 health checks you can do at home

In an ideal world, where everything should be equally available for everyone and everyone would have access to an affordable most important care system with a general medical practitioner, or a family doctor, as their first point of contact. If something happens to their health with a range of impartial specialists and hospitals providing suitable and apt treatment for all the diseases. But in countries like Pakistan, the health care system falls short. There is a definite lack of primary care medical facilities, the treatment is expensive, and aftercare could be unreliable and sometimes or usually most of the time unavailable.

Smartchoice.pk is working hard to make is making primary care accessible to millions of Pakistanis by giving people access to good doctors and health care facility with hospitalization charges via top insurance providers which includes cashless hospitalization, pre and post hospitalization coverage, large hospital network with preferred doctor choice and multiple other benefits. Smartchoice does not only believe in making insurance available but also making it available on instalments when you pay online while using a credit/debit card. Customers can avail the instalments without a single penny being paid plan for up to six months. These days during COVID-19, Smartchoice enabled its customer’s with doctors advised corona protection plans and provided corona protection in their pre-existing policies.
Whether or not you have access to Smartchoice health care plans, and wherever you live, there’s a lot you can do from home to monitor yours and your family’s health. These 10 basic instructions can help keep track of your health, monitor ongoing conditions and check symptoms. And if you do need to seek medical advice, you’ll have some useful information to pass on.

1. Check your temperature

Your body temperature, when measuring via thermometer can show if you might have a fever. The normal temperature of an adult is around 37° C (98.6° F) but this does vary according to age, time of day and also which part of the body you are taking the temperature from. Check it when you’re in good health and feeling all well so you know what’s normal for you. Invest in a good thermometer for the most precise reading. So that when you measure the temperature there is unclarity.
Some other wearable devices do measure body temperature but they may not be 100% reliable. A high temperature can be worrisome, especially in a child. If you’re concerned and alarmed, seek medical advice either in person or via a digital consultation.

2. Testicular checks

This is a crucial check and a test to determine lumps or swellings that could be an indication of cancer. You must check regularly so you can make out if there is an abnormality. Check your testicles after a warm bath or shower, you can check by holding your scrotum in the palm of your hand and by using the fingers and thumbs of both hands to examine your testes. You should immediately seek medical attention if you find any unusual lump or swelling, sharp pain or feel that your scrotum is heavy. For additional information and way forward visit your doctor for timely treatment.

3. Be breast aware

It’s important to be familiar and aware of how your breasts look and feel at different points and stages in your menstrual cycle. Breast changes in a woman can happen for many reasons, and most of them are not serious. Be on the lookout for changes in the outline or shape of the breast, check for lumps, thickening or bumps, and for changes to the nipple or skin, also ensure that there is no irregular discharge from the nipples as these could be a sign of cancer. It’s best to see a specialist as soon as possible if you notice any of these changes or occurrences on your breast area.

4. Checking your heart rate

Your resting heart rate first thing in the morning indicates your general wellness. What’s normal depends on your age and fitness — check every morning for a week to learn your usual pulse rate. You can check manually or with a heart rate monitor, fitness tracker or smartphone app. A change of 10 beats per minute (bpm) or more may mean you’re run down. Above 100 bpm could mean you’re stressed, dehydrated, excited or sick. If an elevated heart rate persists, consult a doctor. Click here for more detail.

5. Blood and swab tests

You can save yourself many trips to the doctor with a range of tests that can be done at home; many tests being done like this promise more than 90% accuracy. Commonly and generally used home blood tests can indicate cholesterol levels, thyroid issues, allergies and even HIV, one basic home test that we are all aware of is a pregnancy test and most of the time they are accurate. Swab kits can disclose urinary tract infections and strep, the bacterial throat infection in an individual. Once you get your test results, don’t just rely on Google to interpret and analyze them. Without proper professional guidance, online advice and any information that you read or find can be misleading. If you get a positive result for any of the aforementioned test, consult a doctor as soon as possible to avoid further inconvenience in the future.

6. Checking blood sugar levels

levels We just mentioned above that Diabetes can lead to complications and deteriorations such as of heart, kidney and dental disease, stroke and blindness. You can buy and invest in home blood glucose tests (which involve fasting beforehand) but diabetes is a complicated condition and a home test is not enough by itself to gauge the exact extent of the damage. Yes, what you can do is that after being diagnosed and checked with the doctor regarding the dos and don’ts and the lifestyle changes. You can test with the glucometer to check that your sugar is under tolerable levels and there is nothing to be worried about.

Some of the common signs of diabetes (for example, increased thirst, increased hunger, dry mouth, blurred vision or headaches), consult a doctor. For those with access to a virtual care service, this can even be done remotely. If the doctor thinks you need further tests, they can arrange them for you.

8. Meningitis test

Meningitis is a frightening disease, especially in children, as it develops really quickly and can be fatal for an individual. Spotting the symptoms on the right time can save lives. Signs might include flu-like symptoms as well as neck stiffness, drowsiness, abhorrence to bright lights and sometimes a rash that doesn’t go away when you press the side of a clear glass firmly against the skin to check the rash. But don’t wait until a rash develops; seek medical help immediately if you suspect that ailment can be meningitis. Many phone apps can help you spot meningitis so you don’t have to remember all the symptoms.

9. Waist fat measurement

It’s important and pertinent to stay at a healthy weight but you should also ensure you don’t carry too much fat around your waist area. This can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Measure your waist at the level of your belly button with a measuring tape. Regardless of your height or BMI, you should try and lose weight if your waist is 94cm (37ins) or more for men and 80cm (31.5ins) or more for women. Check with your health care provider he/she may offer a weight reduction programme. That would help to bring the waist size back into the desired measurement.

10. Skin check

Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer these days. Due to increased sun exposure, but you can screen yourself quite easily. Check yourself once a month, look for new growths or moles that have changed the look or started to bleed, itch, burn or crust over. Speak to a doctor if you find these on your body. If you’re fair-skinned, have lots of moles or have spent and do spend a lot of time in the sun, you’re more at risk to acquire skin cancer and should consider getting a dermatologist to check you once a year religiously.

Getting the best health care wherever you are

We at smartchoice, firmly believes that being healthy and ensuring that you can sustain your good health is supreme. We aim that all individuals should receive the right treatment at the right time, and in the right location (if needed at home or hospital). We know that Pakistan being a developing country and assurance health care quality or availability is more limited and we need to develop means and ways to facilitate our own selves. Knowing that the Smartchoice team is on hand to offer trusted guidance, facilitate a second opinion (embedded in the health policy provided) or, if necessary, make sure that under emergencies the right treatment is provided to the individuals.

Smacrthcoice.pk is proud to be pioneering an innovative, facilitator in providing all top providers at one platform that helps people access primary care wherever they are (whichever part of Pakistan), through a large hospital network hosted by the insurance provider. Our customer care model looks after the whole person, helping you make all the right decisions at all stages of the procurement of your health and wellness policy. In this way, Smartchoice is working towards a future of the best health care anytime, anywhere for all the individuals.

Speak to our health advisers to find out about all the kinds of policies available through the Smartchoice team and to learn more about medical insurance plans. If you have any suggestions regarding which other tests and medical examinations can be useful for adults, let us know and share your stories and experiences in the comments below!

Khurram Zahid

The post 7 Tests that you should Get done Every year! appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

Like everything around us, our circumstances can also not be guaranteed and assured. Something favourable today can turn into something ugly and unacceptable tomorrow. Coming from a personal life experience, we would like to comment that being vigilant and prepared for unpleasantries that can arise in life is the ultimate way to deal with them.

We all understand that there has been a constant increase in everything in life, be it as basic as eggs or as complex as getting surgery the whole lot has increased many folds. You cannot comprehend that the thing that was easily manageable in a far lesser amount has become entirely difficult to manage.
Yet regardless of all things, we still want to get the best for our loved ones, buying Eid dress, a graduation gift for our loved ones, shopping for yourself when travelling abroad and for other circumstances in life. So when it comes to safeguarding something as precious as “HEALTH” it is very important to be prepared.

Let’s have a look at a normal household where we see that their life has been all hustle and bustle, preparing for many things at the same time, Rushan graduating from the engineering university with a distinction. And Mr and Mrs Rehman are pretty excited for their son achievement. Their daughter Tooba is getting married in a month around in forty-five days and their eldest daughter was to come from Bahrain with her two little munchkins Ali and Ayeza for the wedding.

Mrs Rehman has been very busy she has had a lot on her plate, getting everything ready for Tooba and everything for her wedding, selecting the right colour sherwani for Rushan, pushing Mr Rehman to get all the renovations done in time for the wedding, to ensure that clothes are done for Ayeza and her little munchkins in time before they reach Pakistan and nothing is forgotten starting from the garara and sharara all is done on time and no stone is left unturned.

While during this chaos, an occasional spell of dizziness, feeling lethargic and a sudden pain carried no weightage right? It is considered the pain just due to the hectic routine and being overtired all the time. So, things are ignored and the work and preparations are carried off as normal as they should be done in a scenario of a “shadi wala ghar”.

While meanwhile once trying on clothes for the wedding, Mrs Rehman noticed something changed rather a little redness and swelling on her breast area. Being it just a few days before the marriage and considering she had this clothes trial early in the morning (normally a time when our body does have some natural swelling) she shrugs her shoulders. She makes a mental note to check this out later if the swelling continues to exist, she does plans to use some ice to bring down the swelling and redness or maybe use of some rash cream. But that’s all in her books as her remedial idea for the current breast issue.

While rummaging through her things, and though looking for her matching earrings that Ayeza had asked to wear with her dress for mehndi. Mrs Rehan found a policy card, looking at this policy she felt confused and then she remembered that this policy was gifted by Rushan on “Mother’s Day” with a special message.
The message stated that

“Dear Maa,

There has not been a day that I have not thanked my lucky stars and Almighty for having you in my life. I wish and pray with all my heart that as you held my head in your arms from my cradle days, it would remain the same way till my grave. To ensure that my maa stays the strongest, I want to gift you an “HER CARE” a plan that is designed especially take care of beautiful and strong women, who does everything for everyone, I realize need the best care possible!
Dear Maa, I hope we don’t see the day when you need to use the policy, but if and when if that day comes, God forbid. Maa, I want you to be prepared for everything and the best possible care available at your disposal.”

Yours ever loving Son
Rushan Rehman…
I love you Maa, the most…

Seeing this Mrs Rehman felt emotional and had tears in her eyes, but all this was soon forgotten when she heard that Ayeza and her grandchildren had reached home. Leaving all as it is she just ran to greet her beloved daughter. Days passed and finally, the wedding and everything happened the way Mrs Rehman expected and wanted it to be. All the functions starting from small, family dholkis at home to beautiful Mehendi, the dances at the mayoon and the joota chupai and dhoodh pilai rasams at the baraat and a start of the most amazing honeymoon next day of the walima.

Mrs Rehman felt content that all had gone extremely well and nothing happened which could have hampered their happiness. Tooba had gone off on her honeymoon, Rushan had made a plan with friends for Pakistan tour and Ayeza had gifted him the tour as his graduation gift. Ayeza was with her parents had a few days before she left. They were all looking at the shadi pictures and discussing when Mrs Rehman while getting some snacks from the kitchen had a dizziness spell and fainted.

She was rushed to the hospital as her fainting was just out of blue and shocked the entire household and they could not immediately comprehend what had happened. After reaching the hospital she was rushed in emergency care and multiple IVs and test were done by the doctors on duty. After a while, Mrs Rehman gained consciousness and insisted on going home. Mr Rehman strictly made a point that everything needs to be checked and all things eliminated before they go back home.

The doctors decided to keep Mrs Rehman under observation at the hospital for the night, and in the morning they got all their test results back. The doctors were pretty sombre when they reached out to the family, letting them know that the dizziness was not just random or due to the hectic schedule of the past few days. They told Mr Rehman that his wife had “BREAST CANCER” stage 2.

Hearing this Mr Rehman couldn’t believe his ears and Ayeza lost all her composure. Looking at the scene from far away, although she could not make out what was being said she could comprehend that it was not something of good news. The family came to Mrs Rehman and very calmly informed her that nothing will happen and all will be well.
She was told that she had breast cancer but there are multiple treatments available for the cure. The family had not lost all hope but they were subdued due to multiple reasons. First two of the children were out of country and city, second, they had recently spent a hefty amount on Tooba’s wedding and it was understood that cancer treatments are don’t come cheap and also require consistency for the desired results. Which would require a lot of money that shall not be easy to get from anywhere and only option at that time seemed available was to acquire a loan.
While being back home, the family members started looking for multiple options to generate some cash themselves. While in the room Mrs Rehman was constantly thinking the implication that her health would bring on the household. While lying there and praying to Allah, she realized, the policy which she has found during Tooba’s wedding while she was looking for something else.

She found the card Rushan had gifted her and took the card to her family, she asked Mr Rehman and Ayeza that if the card could be of any use during these stressful moments. They called the insurance provider gave the policy number and waited, the health adviser reconnected and informed them that it was a gold plan and that this policy pays a lump sum amount equivalent to the amount of Sum Assured chosen if the insured woman is diagnosed with any of the 8 specified critical illnesses during the tenure of the policy.
The medical adviser further informed that the policy procured for Mrs Rehman was a gold plan and provided lump-sum coverage of 10,000,00 Rupees. The policy covers all these critical illnesses in women, which are as follows
1. Breast Cancer
2. Cervical Cancer
3. Burns
4. Paralysis or Multi-trauma
5. Fallopian Tube Cancer
6. Uterine or Endometrial Cancer
7. Vaginal Cancer
8. Ovarian Cancer

It was also highlighted by the medical adviser that majority of the women in Pakistan who suffer from cancer are breast cancer patients and proper check-ups and monitoring are very much essential especially after a certain age. Considering breast cancer is cancer which annually amongst all cancers claims maximum lives.

Listening to this Mr and Mrs Rehman thanked Allah and then realized how important any cushion is in times of need. The insurance policy acted as a financial cushion and helped in all the expenses which were incurred during the treatments, surgery and procedures.

The Rehman’s knew that it was a long bumpy road towards recovery and a lengthy and extensive battle to fight cancer was left to be fought by them. But even then during these times, they didn’t alhamdulillah have to worry about the money and there was no delay in the treatment. This one factor played a decisive role in saving the life of Mrs Rehman.

Things to keep in mind, when you are the age and at the risk of cancer, as cancer might be the silent killer but there are signs here and there which indicate its presence.

1. Changes to the skin’s texture

Always comprehend that skin changes may be an early sign of breast cancer.
Breast cancer can cause changes and tenderness in skin cells that can lead to texture changes. Examples of these texture changes include:
• scaly skin around the nipple and areola, as though the skin is sunburned or exceptionally dry
• skin condensing and thickening in any part of the breast
• These changes may also cause itching, which people often associate and connect with breast cancer, although it is not common.
• These skin changes may be indicative of a rare breast cancer type called Paget’s disease.
• Texture ups and downs can also occur as a result of benign skin conditions, including dermatitis and eczema.

2. Nipple discharge

A person may observe discharge/ejection from the nipple, which can be thin or thick and can be in the range of colour from clear to milky to yellow, green, or red. It is standard for people who are breastfeeding to have a milky discharge from the nipples, but it is suitable and suggested to see a doctor about any other nipple discharge. Although most nipple expulsion is non-cancerous, it can imply breast cancer in some people.
Other possible reasons for nipple discharge include:
• breast infections
• a side effect of birth control pills
• a side effect of taking certain medications
• variations in body physiology
• certain medical conditions, such as thyroid disease

3. Dimpling

Skin dimpling can sometimes be a sign of provocative breast cancer, a belligerent and aggressive type of breast cancer. Cancer cells can cause a buildup of lymph fluid in the breast that leads to swelling as well as dimpling or pitted skin. It is essential that anyone who notices skin dimpling speaks with a doctor.
Doctors call this change in the skin’s appearance and form “peau d’orange” because the dimpled skin resembles the surface of an orange.

4. Lymph node changes

Cancer cells may travel to the underarm lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are small, rounded groups of immune system tissue that filter and clean fluid and capture potentially harmful cells. These include bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. If a cancer cell travels from the breast, the first place it reaches to is the underarm lymph node region on the similar side as the affected breast. This can lead to swelling and tenderness in this area. In addition to inflamed lymph nodes in the armpit, an individual may notice them around the collarbone. They usually feel like small, firm, enlarged and inflated lumps and may be tender to the touch. However, lymph tissue may also transform due to breast infections or other completely unconnected illnesses.

A person should talk to a doctor about these changes so that they can identify a potential cause.

5. Breast or nipple pain

Breast cancer can be the cause of change in skin cells that lead to a feeling of pain, tenderness, and uneasiness in the breast. Although breast cancer is often painless and you don’t realize it, it is important not to ignore or overlook any signs or symptoms that could be due to breast cancer. Some people may describe the pain as a burning sensation.

6. Nipple retraction or inversion

Breast cancer can cause cell variations and alterations behind the nipple. These changes can result in the nipple inverting and retreating inward into the breast or it may look changed in terms of its size. The appearance of the nipples can often modify during ovulation or other parts of the menstrual cycle, but individuals should see a doctor about any new nipple alterations.

7. Redness

Breast cancer can cause changes to the skin that may make it appear tarnished or even bruised and battered. The skin may be red or purple or have a bluish tint. If a person has not experienced any recent trauma to the breast to explicate these modifications, they should see their doctor. It is also vital to seek medical guidance if breast discolouration does not dissolve, even if strain and trauma was the cause.

8. Swelling

Breast cancer can cause the entire breast or an area of the breast to swell. There may not be a distinct lump after this swelling, but the breast may be different in size than the other breast. Although it is possible for people to have breasts that are slightly different in size at all times, this swelling would cause a change from their usual breast size. The skin may also feel tight due to the swelling.

When to see a doctor

Discuss any changes in the breast with a medical practitioner. People should not panic or have anxiety or be fearful when they find breast changes. Ageing, changes in hormone intensities, and other causes can lead to breast changes throughout somebody’s lifetime. However, people should be preemptive about their health and officially visit a doctor to determine the reason or source of any breast symptoms. Each of the eight variations or may call it symptoms listed above can be the need or an authorization for a trip to the doctor, especially if these changes do not seem to relate to one of the following:
• the menstrual cycle
• injury
• previous illness, such as a breast infection
A doctor can evaluate and gauge the symptoms, examine the affected breast or breasts, and endorse or recommend further studies if essential. They may suggest a mammogram, ultrasound, other imaging tests, or blood work to rule out infection or other possible and probable causes.

Takeaway and Conclusion

Breast cancer can cause marks and indications that include changes to the skin on and around the breast. While many conditions can potentially cause breast modifications, including cysts, infections, eczema, and dermatitis, a person should not mechanically or automatically rule out breast cancer. Seeing a doctor for assessment and diagnosis can help determine whether or not any breast variations are cause for concern.

Mrs Rehman could have been saved from a lot of troubles and issues if she had just paid just close attention to what was happening to her. But as of the women in Pakistan, she considered it something trivial and believed that it would go away on its own. She didn’t even think twice that it can be something so gigantic and a life-altering experience for her.

We may have many women like Mrs Rehman who gave and did everything for her loved ones expecting nothing in return at all, and even putting everyone else before herself. But they are also very few extremely lucky individuals who have the awareness and consider that “life is unpredictable” a small step taken today can have a huge impact on their future. That’s what helped Mr Rehman and family in combating cancer.
Yet at the same time, we realize that a lot of awareness needs to be created in Pakistan regarding cancer and proactive approach against it. Its high time we consider cancer deadly and fasten our seat belts to fight against it with all of our means and tools. Smartchoice.pk believes that women empowerment starts from taking care of their needs and health. As we know “A healthy mother can create a healthy environment and society”.

At the same understanding, the financial implications of cancer can be overwhelming and it can be difficult for any normal middle-class family the expenses incurred and treatments can be pretty expensive for anyone to bear. Considering that the premiums for health insurance plans against those critical illnesses, one can say that the requesting rate (the premium) is exceptionally low against the coverage being provided to the insured. There is nothing wrong in putting family before self. But it is high time that you did something for your health, strength and well-being.

Given the fact that critical illnesses like breast cancer and some other illnesses are affecting more women than before and keeping in view the life, we are leading how things are there. It is best to be at least financially covered and protected. You, a woman in your multiple roles, are equally important to your family as your family is important to you. And if you are a caring husband or father, insure your wife or daughter to give her that financial cushion and peace of mind in the face of a medical crisis.

Khurram Zahid

The post Cancer a Silent Killer…..A Story of a household told! appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.