Healthcare Insurance: Is it really important to have one?

health-insurance
Healthcare Insurance: Do you have one?

Let me tell you how my family struggled in paying for medical bills of my brother and my mom when they got sick. We lost whatever money we had including resources and such when my brother was diagnosed with leukemia. It was a six-month battle that we didn’t won. We lost my brother and we also lost big time in paying for all the medical bills incurred during those six months and after. The same thing happened when my mom got diagnosed with a rare kidney disease. My mom and the family battled it out with amyloidosis of the kidneys for three long years. My mom was in and out of the hospital, had four to six specialists who checked on her regularly, and was in several medications for her other internal organs. You can just imagine the amount of money we needed that time for her to get better. Which in the end didn’t really took place because she lost the battle to her disease.

Two sickness and deaths in the family. Both times we lost so much money, which was not really an issue with us, but had there been health insurances in both cases, we wouldn’t have had to undergo so much stress in looking for money to pay for their medical bills.

That’s how important healthcare insurance is!

We learned our lesson. We had to go through the process of grieving and rebuilding our resources once again, latching onto the process like there’s a carabiner attached to it. Twice. But now that we know what to do, we are getting healthcare insurance so that when it happens again, which I pray so hard that it won’t, we have something to fall back on, to tap into.

How to Distinguish Genuine Virgin Coconut Oil

Millions of people around the world have discovered and are now enjoying the wonderful benefits of coconut oil. This latest trend in health and wellness products is actually already centuries old—many traditional cultures and societies in tropical countries have long been using coconut oil on their bodies and consuming it as a natural antidote for numerous health conditions and illnesses.

With such strong demand for coconut oil in the market, there are a lot of manufacturers and suppliers who are now offering coconut oil products especially on the Internet. The important thing to consider these days is making sure that the coconut oil you are using is of top quality. First of all, virgin coconut oil is generally synonymous to quality coconut oil, so always make sure to go for this type.

Compared to ordinary coconut oil which is processed from coconut copra, virgin coconut oil is raw and taken straight from the white, pulpy meat of the coconut fruit. Ordinary coconut oil is also called refined coconut oil because it goes through a number of processes in order to deodorize, bleach, and purify the oil. Virgin coconut oil, meanwhile, undergoes less or no processing at all, making it more similar to fresh coconuts in terms of flavor and aroma.

Quality sources

In order to make sure that you get excellent and genuine virgin coconut oil, check the label to determine its source. Virgin coconut oil suppliers in the Philippines are considered as one of the best sources because the coconut tree is endemic to the tropical archipelago. Coconut produce is in high abundance all-year round, so manufacturers enjoy a steady and reliable supply of the fruit to meet high global demand.

With the health trend toward everything organic, you might also want to consider patronizing virgin coconut oil that is certified organic. This means no pesticides or harmful chemicals were used in cultivating the trees and the fruit. Especially if you intend to consume virgin coconut oil as foodstuff, going organic may be a good idea. Again, just check the label to make sure you are getting the good stuff.

Product quality

Genuine and good quality virgin coconut oil can also be evaluated by its appearance and physical qualities. When buying virgin coconut oil, make sure there are no visible impurities floating in the oil. It should be clear, pure, and colorless. Virgin coconut oil should have a strong and discernable coconut aroma and flavor. It should not smell bad or moldy. Coconut oil that is not fresh will tend to smell off or rancid.

Don’t be alarmed if your virgin coconut oil suddenly turns white and opaque even if it was just sitting on your table or cupboard. Coconut oil has a high melting point and as such, it solidifies quite easily especially in cool environments. At around 75 degrees Fahrenheit, coconut oil starts to look like lard. If you need to consume it, a good way is to dip the container into a bowl of warm water so that the oil starts to melt slowly.

Price

Finally, if a product is too cheap, it may be too good to be true. Especially for specialty products such as virgin coconut oil, you usually get what you pay for. This means that products that are too much of a bargain may not be good in quality. Conversely, good-quality coconut oil usually does come at a premium. You would need to shell out a bit more in order to enjoy excellent virgin coconut oil that is truly beneficial.

Coconut oil for you

If you haven’t discovered the benefits of virgin coconut oil, why don’t you give it a try? Aside from being a great moisturizer and hair conditioner, when consumed, virgin coconut oil provides an antioxidant boost that works to strengthen your immune system against a host of diseases and illnesses. There’s good reason why virgin coconut oil is considered a valuable plant-based medicinal substance. Just make sure to learn how to choose the best virgin coconut oil so that you enjoy its optimum benefits.

Gallstones: Painful little stones

What are gallstones?

Gallstones (commonly misspelled gall stones or gall stone) are solid particles that form from bile cholesterol and bilirubin in the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ on the right side of your abdomen, just beneath your liver. The gallbladder holds a digestive fluid called bile that’s released into your small intestine.

gall stones

Gallstones normally form when there is too much cholesterol in the bile. The liver basically helps dissolve these stones through the bile but if there is more stones than the bile can dissolve, it creates gallstones. I believe this is the most common cause of gallstones just like what happened to my sister a couple of weeks ago. She kept experiencing sudden and intense pain in the upper right area of her breastbone even when on basculas de baño so she consulted a specialist who immediately conducted an abdominal ultrasound as well as other tests on her. She tested positive on gallstones and since she already has too many that taking oral medicine couldn’t help solve anymore, she was scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy or the removal of the gall bladder.

Those who are without gall bladders are advised by their doctors to be careful of what they eat. Avoid oily food or anything that will be hard to digest. Exercise and keep a really healthy diet.

Of course, prevention is always better than cure. Stay healthy, exercise and watch your weight. It will help prevent gallstones and will make your body healthy.