Health = Wealth

How many hours in a day do you exercise? Is your work sedentary in nature? Do you eat your meals on time? Are you fond of junk food? Are you stressed at your work place? How many cigarettes do you smoke? Do you have more than one cup of a coffee a day? Do your parents suffer from any heart disease or diabetes or any other ailment? Did your grand parents expire at an early age? Have you ever experienced any palpitations, breathlessness, dizziness or headache?

…And you thought you were in pink of health. You may be in sound health and look absolutely robust but that doesn’t save you from getting illnesses.

Very often you must have heard someone in your family suffering from a heart disease or undergoing bypass surgery or having diabetes or kidney failure or joint problems or some other health issue. But has this ever made you assess your own health status? Yes, family history is very vital and it can save you from a lot of trouble that diseases bring along

Health is wealth, but have you taken any step to preserve this wealth? So, it is high time to save yourself from diseases for a healthy and wealthy life!

Swine Flu Advisory

With the swine flu deaths being recorded in India now, it is crucial for every citizen to get aware of this disease, its correct symptoms and the right place for treatment. Information on swine flu will be helpful in saving yourself and also in guiding someone you know having the symptoms to the right hospital. This article is aimed at providing you with the details about swine flu, its symptoms and the actions that need to be initiated so that we can stop the spread of this pandemic and treat the affected ones with timely and accurate treatment.

Overview:

• Swine Flu/Swine Influenza refers to influenza caused by any strain of the influenza virus endemic in pigs (swine)

• Swine flu is common in swine and rare in humans

• People who work with swine are at risk of getting swine influenza if the swine carries a virus strain capable to infect humans (zoonotic transmission)

• The outbreak of swine flu is due to mutation of Swine Influenza Virus (SIV) into a form which can pass easily from human to human

• Swine Flu is also known as H1N1 flu, hog flu, and pig flu

Cause:

• Agent: For the 2009 swine flu outbreak, the known SIV strains include influenza C and the subtypes of influenza A known as H1N1, H1N2, H3N1, H3N2 and H2N3 – these are a genetic mixture of viruses that have been seen in pigs, birds and people but it is called Swine Flu as the structure of this virus is similar to SIV

• Source of Infection: This virus spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes around you or by touching something (like desk, doorknob, phone handset, etc.) with the flu virus on it and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes with your now infected hands

• Infected people may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to seven or more days after becoming sick which means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick as well as while you are sick

Signs & Symptoms:

• In humans the symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of influenza which includes: Fever, Chills, Cough, Sore Throat, Body Aches, Headache and Fatigue

• Some people have reported diarrhoea and vomiting associated with swine flu

• Swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions

• Severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people

In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing

• Bluish skin colour

• Not drinking enough fluids

• Not waking up or not interacting

• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held

• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

• Fever with a rash

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen

• Sudden dizziness

• Confusion

• Severe or persistent vomiting

Investigation:

• The rRT-PCR Swine Flu Panel diagnostic test is used to scan samples from flu patients to determine if they have the new strain but the current tests cannot detect all the virus subtypes that are suspected of creating the new strain of swine flu

• In the rRT-PCR Swine Flu Panel diagnostic test, a nasal or nasopharyngeal swab is used to amplify the genetic profile of the virus. A positive test result presumably concludes that the patient is carrying the swine flu but it cannot determine the stage of infection and a negative test result does not conclude that a person does not carry the swine flu virus

• This test is done in a specialized laboratory and is not done by many clinics or hospital laboratories

Prevention:

Some hygiene steps that can help in preventing the spread of germs are:

• Try to avoid close contact with sick people

• Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth as the virus can spread this way

• Avoid being in crowded settings. If you happen to be in crowded places then the time spent should be as short as possible

• Use of face masks and respirators to some extent help but should be combined with other preventive measures for effective prevention

• Facemasks should be considered for use by individuals who enter crowded settings in order to protect their nose and mouth from other people’s coughs and sneezes. This will also reduce the wearer’s possibility of coughing or sneezing on others

• Respirators should be considered for use by those individuals for whom close contact with an infectious person is unavoidable like people taking care of a sick person

• If you get sick with influenza, stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze or cough and throw the tissue in the trash after you use it

• Cover your mouth with hands while you sneeze or cough if you do not have a tissue. Then, clean your hands and do so every time you cough or sneeze

• Linens, eating utensils, and dishes used by the ill person should be thoroughly washed with soap and water before use by other persons

• If you live in areas where swine influenza cases have been identified and become ill with influenza-like symptoms like fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, cough, nausea or vomiting or diarrhoea then you should contact your doctor. Your doctor will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed

Treatment:

• Antivirals: Oseltamivir and Zanamivir – are recommended for the treatment and prevention of the infection with swine flu virus

• If a person gets sick, antiviral drugs, which work best if started within 2 days of getting symptoms, can make the illness milder as well as prevent serious flu complications, and hence, make the patient feel better faster

• These drugs should not be used indiscriminately as viral resistance to them can occur

• Severe infections in some patients may require additional supportive measures such as ventilation support and treatment of other infections/complications like pneumonia that can occur in patients with a severe flu infection

Some Facts:

• Pork and other pig-derived products (like ham, sausages, etc) if properly handled and cooked do not transmit swine flu as the flu virus is killed by cooking temperature of 160 degree F (70 degree C)

• As per research studies, any new virus which is able to spread from an animal to a person and then spread from person to person – is always a source of concern as such virus when in human to human transmission can continue to mutate making it difficult to treat

• Studies also say that a new strain of the flu virus can spread faster because people do not have natural immunity and the development of vaccine to such virus may take months

• If you have any symptoms then it is advisable to refer to your doctor at the earliest as an early treatment is found to be effective in the cases of swine flu

Health Mantra

Body comprises of skin, eyes, ears, face, lips, teeth, hands, feet – many parts to take care of, right?  And this care is essential so as to take care of your body in total. Various factors affect your health and your body. Your every day diet, your every day physical activity, your overall health status, your surroundings and the environment you stay in, your age, your genetics and many more.

Out of these there are some things which are in your hands to make them perfect and some aren’t. You can not control or change your genetics, you can not stop your age from advancing but you can plan your diet and increase your physical activity. Similarly, you can regularly assess your health status, and also, you can make your surroundings healthy to stay in.

You can also take care of your health by taking up health insurance plans. Illnesses are not unknown and mishaps are not uncommon. One does not know what fate awaits, but one can take precautions which will combat in the trying times. And one such measure is health insurance plan. Health is the most important wealth but one tends to ignore this precious wealth. So, this time preserve your health by getting it insured! These plans not just keep your health insured but also lessen the financial burden which the use of some latest medical technologies cost while preserving your health.

You should always take care of your body in every possible way you can. So now is the time to get rid of all those bothersome issues to see the Beautiful You the next time you look in the mirror. Make your life more healthy and beautiful!

Stay Stress Free

It is known that physical disorders can affect a person’s mental health. But it also stands true for the vice versa. Psychological states like depression and stress can lead to poor health state. This will reduce your confidence in managing problems, and hence, affect your productivity.

 

Today our lives run at super speed. Twenty four hours of a day are not sufficient to complete our errands. Today’s work left is an added work for tomorrow. All these give you nothing but mental anxiety. This mental stress can also put you into addictive habits like smoking, alcohol consumption, increased caffeine intake or overeating. These addictions will further add to your health worries. All this will ultimately drain you, and will affect both your health and work.

 

It is rightly said that stress is nothing more than a socially acceptable form of mental illness. So, why accept it and make yourself ill? Why become a slave of your own demands? Why suffer when you can do the same work with relaxed mind with the help of a little planning?  Work can not be delayed and all demands have to be met. Life has to keep going on, and to keep it running this way you will have to keep your body engine perfectly energetic.

 

Stress is an every day word today. You are stressed, your spouse is stressed, your kids are stressed, your parents are stressed… all and everyone can get stressed out. There is no age limit to get stressed. But yes, there are solutions to keep yourself and your beloved away from stress. Click on to learn more.

 

 

SMOKING – A Suicide & A Homicide

We all are aware of the fact that smoking is injurious to health. This statement is printed on the cigarette packs but still the packs are sold. The increase in the sales of these cigarette packs is because smoking is an addiction. Some common reasons for getting involved in smoking are peer pressure or following examples of siblings and parents, employment outside the house, stress, homesickness or just as a fashion. May it be any reason for smoking, the bottom line that ‘Smoking is injurious to health’ remains the same.

 

According to World Health Organization, about 4 million deaths occur in a year from tobacco, which is expected to rise about 10 million by 2030. Tobacco is responsible for about 30% of all cancer deaths in developed countries. Other ill effects are diseases like stroke, myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysm and peptic ulcer.

 

There is evidence that the earlier a person begins to smoke, the greater is the risk of any life threatening disease to develop, and hence, the life expectancy reduces by almost 25 years as compared to a non-smoker. Smoking brings environmental pollution and the environmental tobacco smoke causes diseases even amongst the non-smokers. Smoking is extremely harmful during pregnancy. The babies of mothers who smoke weigh on an average 200 grams less at birth than those of non-smokers.

 

WHO has organized “Tobacco Free Initiative Programme” to galvanize global support for tobacco control, and to heighten the awareness of social, human and economic harm caused by tobacco consumption. But no program can be successful without mass participation.

 

Tobacco is a killer and it should not be advertised, subsidized or glamorized. Smoking is suicidal and homicidal. Suicidal because smoking will leave you vulnerable to several life threatening diseases, and homicidal as by polluting the environment, you are threatening the health of others around you. And no one wants to be criminal, right? 

 

So, dear readers, if you are a non smoker then never fall prey to this addiction anytime in your life. And if you are a smoker then quit smoking. Withdrawal sounds scary and difficult but it is not impossible. By doing so you are not just helping yourself, but also, the nation and the world. Always remember ‘Where there is a will, there is a way!’

 

 

Healthizen: A 2 min guide

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Health Insurance: Waking to consumer-centered Health Records?

“Health insurance plans are in a unique position to make a contribution through consumer-focused Personal Health Records,” says America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) President, Karen Ignagni.
The insurance industry representatives reveal that core health data stored in the insurer-maintained Heath Records would include patient histories, medications, immunizations, allergies, risks, and plans of care.
We, at Healthizen, believe that initiatives like this will go a long way in creating a seamless and efficient health care system that truly benefits the consumer.

It would not be long when the insurance companies in India also wake up to the fact that a consumer-driven Health Records platform, offering interventions to the consumer to keep him healthier and more attuned towards his/her health, is a value-add which not only supplements the insurance product, but also makes for a lot of business sense, resulting in improved bottomlines and enhanced goodwill. It also establishes the insurance company as a partner in my health than a mere “reimburser” of my medical expenses.

We also believe that the consumer demand for electronic personal health records and online health services will take off when consumers trust that their personal information will be protected; which brings us to the importance of having a neutral platform for information storage, as compared to platforms being made available by insurance companies, or healthcare providers. A neutral third party platform also insures data migration and connectivity with a larger set of stakeholders, thereby benefitting the end-consumer.

Healthizen is our endeavor to offer such a platform to the Indian consumer.

Gaming for Health

An interesting development has seen the videogame industry come up with games that are helping people quit smoking and lose weight.

With Nintendo’s ‘Wii Fit’ becoming a phenomenal success, other game makers have followed suit introducing new titles with a healthy focus, such as Ubisoft’s “Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking” expected in November.

Allen Carr’s Easyway books, clinics or DVD have helped over 10 million users but people can now quit by playing 14 mini-games.

The games, designed by Ubisoft’s Quebec studio and Allen Carr’s team, focus on why people smoke rather than why they shouldn’t. “Each game has been designed to be very accessible, using only the stylus on the Nintendo DS, so a non-gamer can have fun instantly,” said Denis Dore, producer of the game.

Robin Hayley, CEO of Allen Carr’s Easyway International, said research has shown that people absorb information better when they are actively and enjoyably engaged in a learning process.

In addition, the game could attract younger smokers who are less inclined to visit a clinic or read books to quit the habit and being played on Nintendo DS makes the games portable.

“Some games explain and illustrate the points better than is possible in a book as, using the senses of touch and vision,” said Hayley.

Ubisoft is also putting weight loss in your palm this summer with ‘My Weight Loss Coach’.

This game comes with a pedometer that gamers can wear all day then plug into their DS to feed that data into a game.

If a player walks enough, the game will let them know when they’ve navigated the equivalent of the Great Wall of China.

In addition to mini-games and quizzes on fitness, the virtual weight loss coach makes suggestions like taking the stairs rather than the elevator and parking farther away from the store.

“‘My Weight Loss Coach’ is designed to help players develop healthy lifestyle habits like eating well and staying active,” said Ubisoft spokesman Tony Key.

Personal Health and Wellness

Is personal health and wellness part of your strategy? Does corporate wellness stop when your employees leave the office?

Give Your Employees Personal Health and Wellness Continuity
If employees don’t have the tools to pursue wellness on a personal level, then it becomes easy for them to “fall off the wagon” and slide back into a less healthy lifestyle.

Your corporate wellness program coordinators should have “vacation wellness” as part of their job scope. In other words, you don’t want corporate wellness to stop at the boundaries of the corporate campus. Instead, integrate personal health and wellness with your employee wellness programs.

For example, what if Human Resources were to give out a personal health and wellness wallet card whenever someone goes on vacation or sabbatical? With some card stock and a small laminator, these cards could be easily customized to remind the employee of the employee wellness programs that he or she is currently participating in, making it easier for them to continue with their health and wellness on a personal level when away from the familiar environs of the office.

This simple act shows that their employer is just as invested in their personal health and wellness as they are. What do you think?

5 ways to help your doctor help you!

CNN Medical News has a regular feature called “Empowered Patient”. This one lists down five things you can do to make your doctor’s life easier, and hence yours.

So here are the five things -

1. Bring in a list of medications
2. Come armed with your personal health history
3. Bring in your recent test results and doctors’ notes
4. Make a list of your concerns
5. Don’t ask your doctor insurance questions

Now, wait a minute. Shouldn’t a doctor have everything — reports from other physicians, lab test results — right there? Why is it the patient’s responsibility to bring them in?

It’s true: In an ideal world, a doctor would have your health history, the medications you’re taking and lab results right in front of him. But we live in reality, and the reality is that these things are often lost in a mound of paperwork. So make sure you have your past records and lab results accessible to your doctor – this way, you help your doctor help you.

We, at Healthizen can help you get all this organized! So, be fast and change your lifestyle by maintaining a personal health diary.