Category Archives: Health

Importance Of Health Reproductive Woman

A healthy life always leads to happiness and prosperity. Health is the weapon that keeps a human going on in his regular activities and functions. Reproductive health is an important part of general health that needs universal concern. It is very important for women during their reproductive years because health many reproductive health related problems arise during this period. Any failures in living a healthy reproductive life shall lead to different sexual diseases and other deficiencies that could also cause a risk to the life of a woman.

Why Health reproductive woman?
Women reproductive health is important because women have many reproductive health problems that have added up in the number of maternal mortality rate. Women have great complications during pregnancy and childbirth. They are more open to risks while preventing unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, reproductive tract infections and burden of contraception.

What are important health factors?
There are situations where a woman bears the risk of infertility, contraception and many other infections caused through sexual intercourse and practices. Fertility is the stage where a woman conceives after fertilization of a male sperm and female ova. Infertility is whereby a woman is unable to conceive as ovulation fails even after a sexual intercourse. Irregular menstrual periods or absence of menstrual cycles among women causes such ovulatory dysfunctions.

What are sexually transmitted diseases?
Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) are found both in men and women but women are the major victims of such diseases whereby they get infections in the reproductive tracts. Commonly found STDs are Bacterial Vaginosis, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis, HIV (Aids), Human papillomavirus Infection, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, Syphilis, Genital herpes and Trichomoniasis.

1. Bacterial Vaginosis is a vaginal infection caused in women leading to a bad smelling discharge. It also causes itching around the vagina or burning sensation while urination.

2. Chlamydia is a STD causing irreversible damage to reproductive organs even leading to infertility. It is a silent disease caused by the infection of cervix (opening to the womb) and the urethra and can spread to the rectum. Burning sensation or discharge while urination is the common symptoms found among women.

3. Gonorrhea is a disease caused by the growth of bacteria in the moist areas of reproductive tract normally cervix, uterus, urethra and fallopian tubes among women. Symptoms are burning sensation while urination, vaginal discharge or vaginal bleeding during menstrual cycles.

4. Hepatitis is a disease caused by a virus called hepatitis that attacks the liver and blood organs of the body.

5. HIV is mostly caused STD because of unsafe sex practices and is the worst of all the sexually transmitted diseases.

6. Genital Human papillomavirus Infection HPV infection is caused due to infection in the genital areas among women like the vagina, cervix in the form of soft, moist, pink, or flesh-colored swellings.

7. Pelvic inflammatory disease is another infection caused among women in the uterus, fallopian tubes and other reproductive organs.

8. Syphilis has many symptoms that could be least distinguished from other diseases. Symptoms are sores, skin rashes, fever, weight loss, muscle aches, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, patchy hair loss, headaches and fatigue.

9. Trichomoniasis is commonly found among women lead by green-yellow odor vaginal discharge. This causes discomfort during urination and intercourse and sometimes lower abdominal pain.

10. Genital Herpes is caused by a virus and symptoms are sores, swollen glands, fever and flu like infections.

Inclusion Of Ayurveda, Unani & Siddha In Health Insurance A Possibility

Domestic Healthcare systems such as Ayurveda, Unani & Siddha might very soon be treated on par with Allopathy when it comes to medical insurance. This might be recommended by a committee formed by the insurance council. The Department of Ayurveda has asked the General Insurance Council to look into the possibility of including the non-allopathic means treatment for accepting claims under health insurance. A presentation has been made to the council members, who in turn, have formed a 3 member committee to look into the matter.

The committee comprises of CEOs from Star Health, Max BUPA & Apollo. This committee would examine the merits & demerits of the proposal & would then recommend processes to implement if it is convinced about the inclusion of such medicines under health insurance. The IRDA will take a call on the matter. A majority of Indias population resort to alternative means of treatment which is recognized by the Indian Government but not by the insurance industry. Most of the insurers who operate under a joint venture with a global company say that there is no established way to verify such claims and no data to rely upon as well.

In allopathic treatments there are scientific studies and they know how long a treatment will take & how much would it cost. But under alternative means such as Ayurvedic they do not have enough data to cover them. Curing an ailment under alternative medicine means mostly takes a long time (in some cases years) and they do not have a structured way of looking at the data. But under allopathy, its more immediate and easily manageable.

Practitioners under alternative means have no registrations and theres no one body that recognizes hospitals/institutes that treats such patients.

The Health & Family Welfare ministry has been pushing such alternative means so hard because these are affordable & a majority of people make use of domestic expertise in these areas. Allopathic medicines are quite expensive even for people living in the urban areas.

The Department of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy was created in March 1995 and re-named as Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy, or Ayush, in November 2003 to develop education & research in those fields. In conclusion the inclusion of Ayurveda, Unani & Siddha in Health Insurance is a Possibility.

A Look At Some Of The Health Issues Caused By Black Mold

Black mold produces irritating odour and it is a common characteristic of most molds. If you are a sensitive individual, this odour might act as an allergen. This irritating odour might aggravate or develop allergies and illnesses that you might not have experienced before.

Therefore, if you feel that your experience might be related to mold infestation, you should discuss your concern with your doctor. Apart from just causing allergies, it also produces a toxic substance which affects the nervous system and that is why it must be treated as early as possible.

Black mold and mold spores both may trigger allergic reactions. These are the most common health issues cause by them. If you are sensitive or your immune system is weak, you will experience these allergies right away; or on the other hand, they might develop sometime after the first exposure.

The allergic reaction usually depends on how severe the growth of black mold is. It produces toxins known as mycotoxin, which can cause irritation of skin, eyes and air ways in most individuals, even if you do not suffer from any allergies.

People with chronic lung diseases can experience serious breathing infections due to toxic molds. Some individuals may also face severe reactions to this toxic odour, which may include fever and difficulty in breathing.

These risks also depend on the medical condition of the affected person at the time of exposure and is not only limited to the extent of its growth. Since the reaction to mold exposure varies from one individual to another, it is quite impossible to assess the severity of health risks associated with black mold infestation.

Other symptoms caused by black mold toxins include: uneasiness in respiration, headaches, nausea, cough, red eyes, development of rashes and hives on skin, and memory loss. In some cases, individuals experience bleeding in lungs, lethargy, lack in concentration, asthma, irregularity in blood pressure, damaged digestion and respiratory system, pain in liver and other internal organs, infections of urinary track, and problems in urination etc. Severe or prolonged exposure to them can even affect infertility in some patients.

Therefore, it is better to take preventive measures and stop black mold growth in the first place. If you suspect mold infestation, you should quickly seek help.

How To Locate The Best Health Insurance Plan

Also referred as mediclaim, health insurance is a must have for every person. However, the vast majority of people in India don’t have a medical cover. Without concern for your financial stature or professional profile, it is most important to have the Best health insurance plan. However, it is important that you know how to save money on your insurance premium while getting the best plans. The following tips should help you achieve this objective.

Your health insurance policy is going to meet the expenses that appear when you get hospitalized because of approved illnesses or injury. If you are employed, it will help you save money to use the health insurance cover provided by your employer. However, this is not a benefit that could be enjoyed by everyone. An increasing number of companies are dropping health benefits to help save costs. At the same time, the cover provided by your employer-provided health insurance is not large enough to cover major medical conditions. You will still have to look for additional insurance policy to get sufficient cover.

An important strategy to get affordable health insurance is to shop around. Care should be taken to choose a policy that is perfect for you and the cover you need. It is essential to create the perfect combination of sufficient coverage, reliable insurer and affordable premiums.

Today, it is possible to research the most affordable health insurance cover on the web. All the leading insurance companies allow customers to choose the ideal health insurance plan from their websites. With the middle agents removed, buying health insurance online saves you more money. In addition to saving money, it helps you save time and efforts required for dealing with an agent.
The next way to get the Cheapest insurance plan is to restrict your health insurance cover for ailments that actually need medical attention. In simple terms, you should be using the insurance policy only when you require medical
treatment. It mustnt be used for maintaining your health. For example, if you catch a simple fever or cold, it would be a good option not to bill it on your health insurance but bear the small costs yourself. This is going to help you save a lot on your premiums and get discounts when you renew your policy.

These are the most important steps that can help you purchase affordable health insurance plans with sufficient coverage. The internet makes it easier than ever to check health insurance plans from different companies and choose the best and most affordable ones. Health insurance is important and it is something that you cannot ignore under any circumstances. Make sure to use the above-mentioned tips and find the right plan for you and your family.

Mental Health Counselling

Mental health counselling can be an effective therapy as part of a wider treatment plan for an individual who is suffering from depression or an anxiety related disorder, or for people who have experienced a traumatic event in their lives and are finding it difficult to cope with, or for those who are struggling to deal with specific problems and issues. It is often a doctor who will recommend mental health counselling, however, many individuals will seek the services of a counsellor themselves, either by asking their doctor for advice or by approaching a counsellor directly.

What is counselling?

Basically, counselling can be described as a type of talking therapy. It is usually delivered in a safe and private setting so that the individual concerned can relax and talk openly and freely about their particular problems or issues and the emotions or feelings that can accompany them.

It is described as a talking therapy because the counsellor will listen empathetically to an individual in order to understand the situation from the individual’s point of view. In doing this a trained counsellor will be able to encourage an individual to see their situation more clearly, perhaps from a different perspective, and will be able to help them identify new ways of coping with their problems or circumstances. Counselling usually does not involve giving advice or telling someone what to do with their lives, it is more about exploring problems, identifying possible solutions and choices and obtaining clarity.

For counselling to be effective, it is essential that an element of trust develops between the counsellor and the person or persons receiving the counselling as only in this way can there be an open and free dialogue. It may take time for a person receiving counselling to lose any initial feelings of distrust, fear and embarrassment so quite often counselling will be offered over several sessions in order for a relationship to develop between the counsellor and the patient or client.

There are several types of mental health counselling services available, each drawing on its own particular theory of human psychology and development. There are also many different types of counsellors, some of who are trained to deal with a particular problem or circumstance. For example bereavement counsellors, counsellors who specialise in eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, and counsellors who understand the issues surrounding drug and alcohol addiction, as well as many others.

Counselling can take place on a one to one basis, or in group sessions, face to face or over the phone. It can last for just one session, a specific block of sessions or be open ended with no time limit at all. Regardless of the particular type of mental health problem involved, the first step to recovery is recognising that there is a problem in the first place.

When mental health counselling can help

Mental health counselling can be particularly beneficial for individuals who have a tendency to repress feelings like guilt, frustration, anger, resentment, sadness and so on and who find it difficult to cope alone and who for whatever reason, perhaps do not want to discuss how they feel with their friends and family. It can help an individual to gain new insights into their own particular circumstances and problems and to achieve clarity and direction in life. Most of all it can help an individual cope and improve their quality of life.

There are numerous circumstances where someone might seek the services of a mental health counsellor or be referred for counselling by their doctor and these include but are certainly not limited to:

Relationship problems, including separation and divorce
Problems at work or financial worries, dismissal, redundancy
Physical, sexual and/or mental abuse
Bereavement
Depression and anxiety
Post natal depression
Eating disorders
OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
Alcohol and drug abuse
Phobias
Panic Attacks
Dealing with stress
Post traumatic stress

Finding a counsellor

In order to get the right kind of help it is important that you access the most appropriate type of counselling for you and as there are so many available options, it can be problematic if you decide to go it alone.

In the first instance, it would be advisable to speak to your doctor as he or she will be able to take into consideration your full medical history before recommending any particular type of therapy or counsellor. If you decide to seek the services of a trained counsellor independently, it is up to you to check out the cost and the credentials of any potential counsellor before you start.

Many voluntary organisations have counsellors and there are numerous private counsellors advertising in the press, phone books and on the Internet. However, you can find an accredited counsellor from the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy website at www.bacp.co.uk or from the National Board for Certified Counsellors at www.nbcc.org if you live in the USA