International Medical Insurance News

In the modern world we, as a global society, enjoy our sports. We watch the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics with bated breath, waiting for the next example of athletic prowess to wow us. These days athletes are meant to conduct themselves with honor and act in a sporting fashion, but it wasn’t always so.

Many of the sports currently enjoying massive followings around the world have their roots in something far more sinister than simple competition, often tracing their lineage back to heated battlefields in the not so distant past. While we may think we’ve escaped our bloody history and moved on to a more civilized age, our sports are still just as dangerous and savage as they have always been; so that we may watch and enjoy.

With that being said, here are the world’s top 10 most dangerous team sports.

Rugby Union

In 1823 a young student named William Webb Ellis was playing a game of football at his school in Rugby, England, when he picked up the ball off the ground and ran with it. From this humble beginning Rugby was born.

In the 21st century there are two main types (or codes) or rugby; Rugby Union and Rugby League. Despite the differences between the two codes, and the almost endless iterations of the game found within the Union fold, the principles remain the same; Run Forward, Pass Backwards, and Tackle below the neck.

While this may not sound terribly dangerous, consider the fact that rugby is a free flowing game where the action moves from end to end of a 100 meter playing field, and where the clock does not stop. What you are left with is a high tempo game which requires vast amounts of stamina and lots of concentration. And when concentration lapses, the results are not pretty:

The sport even has a unique term for placing a team mate in a dangerous situation where injury is likely; “hospital passes” only illustrate the danger of which every rugby player is aware when they step onto the pitch.

Rugby players are likely to suffer a wide array of injuries during their careers. Ranging from severe concussions, to broken bones; the unique pace of the game and the fact that the players wear little, or no artificial protection means that rugby players are among some of the most routinely injured sportsmen on the planet.

American Football

American Football, or Gridiron, can be traced to having its roots in early forms of Rugby and Association Football (Soccer). In the late 19th century Walter Camp formalized the game with the introduction of unique rules, such as the defining the line of scrimmage and the system of downs-and-distance. Once these rules were introduced the game moved away from it’s European predecessors to become something uniquely American, and today can be found all over the world with leagues in Europe and Oceania.

American football’s most defining characteristic is the forward pass, which allows the players (or quarterback) to open up the game and which makes for eminently exciting viewing. These days American Football is more akin to Chess than Rugby, with tactical awareness being imperative for a team to achieve victory. But don’t think that American Football is totally cerebral, as there is plenty of danger involved:

While astute readers will point out that American Football players wear pads, and as such may be limiting their risk of injury, a number of recent studies have revealed that participants in this sport will actually hit harder and faster because of the pads than they would without them. Although there are few bone-on-bone jarring tackles in the course of the average game (due to the helmets and padding) there are plenty of horrific injuries going on in Football leagues throughout the USA.

An American Football player is likely to suffer at least one severe head injury during the course of their playing career. Players will also routinely suffer high levels of ligament damage in their joints, a predisposition for broken bones, and have some of the highest rates of ACL damage among athletes anywhere in the world. However, the dedication that these athletes have means that they often play injured, heightening the danger but further illustrating their toughness.

Ice Hockey

Ice Hockey, like Field Hockey, has its roots in stick-and-ball games played across Europe throughout history. Although stick-and-ball games date back to pre-Christian times in Europe, it was Canada which codified the game of Ice Hockey in the early 1800’s.

Played on Ice, hence the name, the aim of Ice Hockey is to get a puck (the flat, circular object being moved around the rink by the players) into the back of the opposing team’s goal. This may sound simple, but the reality of it is that Ice Hockey is an extremely fast moving game where the puck can reach speeds of up to 104.5 miles per hour, which is played on a slick surface, and where the teams are prone to bloody outbursts of violence.

Big hits, known as “checks” occur frequently throughout most games, and involve players willfully colliding with each other at high speeds in order to gain possession of the puck. Sounds innocent? Don’t believe that for a second:

As can be seen from the video, almost all of the components of Ice Hockey, down to the skates and sticks used by the players, combine to make one dangerous sport. The most frequent type of injury in Ice Hockey is lacerations (cuts) on a player’s hands, face, and head. However, Ice Hockey players also risk injuring their spine, knees, neck, shoulders and hands every time they step out onto the ice.

For the sheer pace of the game, the sharp metal skates players wear, and the large sticks used to control the puck, Ice Hockey is one of the most dangerous games played in the world.

Hurling

Considered by many to be the fastest field team sport, Hurling is a Gaelic game of prehistoric origin. Hurling was codified in 1884 with the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association, and has changed very little in the modern world. It is one of the few sports in on the international stage which can directly trace its origins to the warrior tribes of pre-Christian Europe.

Played on a field up to 145 meters long, with teams comprised of 15 players, the object of the game is to use a wooden stick (hurley) to propel a small ball (sliotar) between the opposition’s goal posts. Making the game interesting is the fact that the ball cannot be carried in the hand for more than four steps before it must be struck by the hurley, either on the ground or in the air. Essentially you have 15 men, armed with clubs, trying to hit a small solid object in the general vicinity of the opposition. If you’re having trouble picturing this take a look at the following video:

Hurling could best be described as “field hockey on steroids”, but even that doesn’t quite convey the brutality of the game. And while the rules have been changed to ensure that all players wear a helmet, having the sliotar hit you, at up to 93 miles per hour, means that you will definitely know about any contact when it happens.

With all those sticks flying about, it should come as no surprise that the most common form of injury in Hurling is bone fractures in a player’s hand. Severe eye injuries from the sport have dramatically decreased since the introduction of a mandatory helmet rule in 2006, but with the prevalence of players modifying their helmets to increase peripheral vision, eye injuries are returning. Generally Hurling players are likely to suffer the same stress injuries as other contact sports; ligament damage, broken bones, spinal damage, and head injuries are all common. But it’s those big sticks which you should be worried about….

Gaelic Football

Gaelic Football, commonly known as GAA, is a type of football (ED: There are quite a few) predominately played in Ireland. One of the four sports administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, Gaelic Football was formally codified in 1886. However, the game has been in existence since the middle ages and modern GAA is the direct descendant of a form of football called Caid, which was played in Ireland during medieval times.

Played by two teams of 15 members, the aim of GAA is to kick, punch, and carry the ball towards the opposition’s end of the field and get the ball through the goal posts. While the level of tackling, and type of tackle allowed, is more robust than in Association Football (soccer), there are more limitations on what players can do than Rugby. However, don’t let that make you think GAA isn’t tough; Shoulder-to-Shoulder contact is still perfectly legal, and results in some huge hits:

The main type of injury a GAA player will suffer over the course of their career is an ankle sprain. However, due the long playing season, and requirements of the player to train, what starts out as a simple ankle sprain can quickly deteriorate into a much more serious issue.

GAA players are twice as likely to be injured during a game than Soccer players, and three times more likely than a Rugby player to be injured during training. And while simple sprains may be the most common injury, 87% of all senior level players will have received a severe head injury at some point during their career in addition to the myriad of knee, ankle, groin, and hamstring injuries which they are liable to pick up during their playing time (between 70 – 78% of all GAA injuries involve soft tissue damage).

GAA is a game of high endurance and places large amounts of strain on the lower body. While the Gaelic Athletic Association has taken pains to ensure that serious injuries are limited in the sport, the likelihood of a player being injured remains high.

Australian Rules Football

Australia was used as a penal colony by the United Kingdom from 1788 to 1848, and a large portion of the population of the country at that time were criminals under British law. Tough men in a dangerous land, the newly transported convicts required a different kind of sport. Known as Australian Rules, or Footy, the game is the football variant that is most popular in Australia. The core rules for the sport were introduced during 1859 in Melbourne, and the modern laws for the game were formalized in 1990 by the sport’s governing body, the Australian Football League.

Although Australia has a reputation in the modern world as being an extremely friendly country with a laid back attitude, Australian Rules Football still harkens back to the days when the country was a penal colony. The game is played by two teams of 18 men, on an oval pitch that is up to 185 meters long and 155 meters wide. The objective is to kick the oval ball through two sets of uprights at the opposition’s end of the field, with more points being given for kicking the ball through the middle set of posts. Players must bounce the oval ball off the ground every 15 meters while they are in possession, and can only pass to a team mate through a hand pass (punching the ball away) or a kick. While players are not allowed to tackle with their hands, don’t let that make you think there is no contact – shoulder to shoulder impacts are perfectly fine. With no set positions, a massive playing area, and lots of aerial battle going on, the chances of a player being injured is high.

Like Rugby, Australian Football players wear no pads or protection. However, Rugby has banned shoulder only tackles, deeming them to be too dangerous. Footy, on the other hand, has made this type of contact the only legal tackle in the game. What this means is that the average Australian Rules footballer will suffer a number of serious injuries throughout their career, with the most common types of injury being soft tissue damage in the lower body. Injuries to a player’s ankles, knees, and shoulders are all common; Australian Rules footballers have one of the highest rates of knee reconstruction in the athletic world. Serious head injuries are also an issue (most professional players will have at least one serious concussion in their career), although the rate of spinal injuries is lower than in Rugby.

On a side note, Australian Football and Gaelic Football often come together to compete in what is called “International Rules Football”, a hybrid of the two sports. Combining these two sports has lead to plenty of excitement in the two countries involved:

All the dangers of GAA and Footy, with all of the action. It looks good to us.

Kabaddi

What do you call a cross between wrestling and tag, where players must hold their breath? The answer is, of course, Kabaddi, a game played for thousands of years in South-Asia, and which has its roots in ancient military training in the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The reason the game has it’s name is due to the fact that this is the word which the players mutter while on the field to prove they are holding their breath (Kabaddi, in Hindu, means “to hold breath”). Incorporating kicks, leg locks, take-downs, stamina, and the ability to hold your breath, Kabaddi may seem like one of the stranger sports on this list, but that doesn’t diminish the danger of injury.

Due to the mix of wrestling and breath holding, there is a high injury rate in Kabaddi. While the injuries may not be as extensive as those from Rugby, there is a high rate of leg, knee, and shoulder issues due to forceful tackles and rough contact. Head injuries are also common, and the low level of medical care available in most of the countries where Kabaddi is popular can contribute to heightening the danger of the sport. In many cases, players who are injured may have to travel extensive lengths of time in order to receive adequate medical treatment.

Lacrosse

A native American game, thought to originate around the 12th century CE, Lacrosse was something of a religious ritual among the Huron and Iroquois tribes. Played on extreme fields which were often miles long and just as wide, Lacrosse was used to heal the sick, train young men for war, and resolve conflicts. Using a netted stick and some form of ball (often made of stone, wood, or leather), the aim of the game is to shoot a ball into the opposition’s goal.

Akin to Ice Hockey on an open field, modern day lacrosse is played in an area 60 yards wide by 110 yards long and is much more formalized than it’s ancestor (players wear pads for one thing, rather than playing bare-chested). Slightly departed from it’s cultural roots Lacrosse, or LAX, still retains much of the brutality and high paced action of it’s earliest incarnation. While the offensive objective is to get the ball into the other team’s net, the defensive objective is to stop this and dispossess the attacking team through stick-checks, body contact, and body positioning.

After watching that clip, it should come as no surprise that Lacrosse is a game with a lot of injuries. The most commonly injured body parts in Lacrosse are ankles, legs, knees and the player’s head. While players wear helmets and pads, head injuries are still common with 11% of all injuries reported falling under this category. In addition to this, the use of the stick to dispossess the opposing team often means lots of high force, direct contact, on player’s wrists – resulting in sprains and fractures.

While Lacrosse has been codified and is now played around the world, there can be no denying that this game still represents it’s original intent, epitomizing all-out-war.

Water Polo

Originating as a test of strength and swimming skill in 19th century Scotland, Water Polo is essentially a mix of Rugby, Net-ball, and long distance Swimming. Making it’s debut in the 1900 Olympics, Water Polo involves two teams of 7 players trying to throw a rubber ball into the opposition’s goal. It also shouldn’t come as a surprise that all of the action takes place in a swimming pool, meaning that the ability to swim is a fundamental requirement of playing the game.

Throwing 14 individuals into a pool where full contact is permissible may remind you of childhood games of “chicken”, but there is an inherent danger that all players must face when entering the pool; namely drowning. While incidents of drowning in the sport are not common, they do happen – there was a 2009 report of two Dutch girls attempting to drown one of the players on the opposite team. The incident in question may have been an isolated occurrence, but it cannot be denied that contact sports in an aquatic environment are a risky proposition.

Common injuries in Water Polo include face and head injuries from close contact between players, and from the ball which can often move at up to 45 miles per hour. As is true of all head injuries, what can seem benign on first glance can quickly deteriorate and lead to a life threatening situation. Outside of the usual swimming-related complaints such as swimmers ear (otitis externa), and traumatic perforation of the ear drum, a Water Polo player has a high risk of spine injury as well as severe trauma to the upper body (including dislocated shoulders and broken clavicles).

Like most contact sports, soft tissue damage among the game’s elite is a foregone conclusion. However, adding water and having all the play take place in a pool only serves to heighten the danger of any injury, leading to the sport’s inclusion on this list.

Football (Soccer)

While many readers may quibble with the inclusion of Football in this list, the game has plenty of history (and visual evidence) to lend support to the fact that it can be an extremely dangerous game. Association Football was born out of the same sporting tradition which spawned Rugby. However, during the creation of the Cambridge Rules in 1848, and the subsequent codification of the laws up to modern times, Football diverged with it’s sibling sports to become one of the most popular games in the world, and arguably remains the sport which is most synonymous with the United Kingdom.

With two teams of 11 players, the aim of the game is to get the ball into the opponents goal (ED: surprising how this is the aim of most of the sports here!). Players are not allowed to use their hands or arms to control the ball, but can use their head and feet (hence the name “football”). While not identifiably dangerous at first glance, the fact that football is a high tempo game played over the course of 90 minutes means that vast amounts of concentration are required. As with Rugby, it can be more than a little disturbing when a players concentration lapses:

Double breaks in the leg are a fairly common occurrence in Football, with a litany of high name players suffering some truly horrific injuries. As can be seen from the above video, for a non contact sport, football certainly has a large amount of dangerous contact, whether intentional or not. The common list of injuries in Football include: Medial Ligament rupture, Anterior Cruciate Ligament rupture, Meniscus injuries, Metatarsal fractures, muscle strains and tearing, hernias, and broken bones. This is quite a lengthy list for a sport which ostensibly refrains from player-on-player contact.

While many of the injuries routinely suffered while playing football can be limited through correct warm-up procedures and heightened levels of concentration, even the most dedicated of players can have a lapse in judgment leading to a less than welcome outcome. And if you thought all the action stayed on the field, well think again, some of those fans can present more of a threat than anything the player will experience during a normal game…

There you have it, our list of the World’s 10 Most Dangerous Sports. If you disagree with the sports we’ve included on this list, or just have something to add, let us know. we know you will anyway.

A new study has shown that people who consume more than 12 ounces of soda every day are more likely to suffer from heart disease. The risk, which increases by nearly 50% with the regular consumption of more than one can of soda every day, is raised regardless of whether the drink is of diet or regular variety. The risk is associated with metabolic syndrome, a condition that comprises a number of health problems that arise in association with poor health choices. Metabolic syndrome is the cause of health threats like hypertension and obesity, both of which can lead to heart problems.

The study, done by the American Heart Association (AMH), monitored 6,000 people and concluded that those who drank soda on a regular basis were 44% more likely to develop metabolic syndrome, an affliction that is almost always a precursor to heart problems. The high levels of sugar and the sodium in the carbonation may be the central causes.

The American Beverage Association (ABA), a major producer of caffeinated drinks, has protested the AMH’s conclusion because the claim that drinking soda leads to heart disease infers causality, when in actually it causes metabolic syndrome, which is only correlated with heart disease. The ABA also asserted that the consumption of soda only increased caloric count and therefore was not a real link between the sugary drinks and the disease.

The researchers clarify that the study only suggests a link, not a cause. A broader study is being undertaken to discover whether or not there is a direct link between soda and the development of metabolic syndrome. The AMH was clear about the distinction between causality and cause, although the implications of the study will inevitably lead to further research.

The findings of further investigation may have important significance to the developing populations around the world. With evolving cultures and changing lifestyles, soda is becoming a staple in the heavily starched, high fat diets consumed in many of the world’s richest countries, and, in increasing numbers, even middle-income counties. A deteriorating sense of the importance of health is spreading worldwide, which is leading to a plague of heart conditions and diabetes. In 2015, chronic conditions like these will surpass infectious diseases as the largest cause of death worldwide. Substances like soda that contribute to this should be enjoyed in moderation to quell this growing threat.

American children who are either underinsured, or who have no insurance, are more at risk for a number of diseases and illnesses. Why? Simply because they do not have access to the necessary vaccinations and preventative healthcare that children who have health insurance receive. A study by the Harvard Medical School cites an increase in the costs of vital medicines and recommended vaccines as the primary factor in limiting a child’s access to these treatments. 2.3 million Children in the USA do not have protection from illnesses such as meningitis, hepatitis, and other vital vaccines, and scientists are concerned that this could lead to a future health catastrophe.

Preventative medical treatment at a young age, along with comprehensive sanitation and quality healthcare facilities, is one of the corner stones of a society’s ability to prevent and treat disease. With young children not being able to obtain treatment to prevent serious childhood and infant related diseases the potential risk of an entire generation becoming susceptible to some fairly serious illnesses increases. Hepatitis A and B, Diphtheria, Human Papillomavirus, and Polio all become major risks for a whole age group.

The repercussions of what could potentially happen in the USA are already evident in other parts of the world. In India and Pakistan extreme religious groups are asking parents to help their children boycott polio vaccinations; this has lead to polio surviving in these countries despite a global effort to eradicate the disease. As a direct result of this there was a case of polio diagnosed in an individual in Australia who had been to visit his relatives in one of these high risk areas. If children in the rest of the world are not able to receive these treatments then the threat of a disease that was once thought to be “extinct” becomes all too real.

But why are children unable to receive these vital treatments? In the case of India and Pakistan it is for religious reasons, in the case of the USA it is a matter of money. The USA has long been known for the extremely high costs of medication that the country experiences. The reason for this is that there is virtually no regulation in regards to the maximum cost of drugs and preventative treatments. This has allowed many major pharmaceutical corporations to subsidize their operations in the rest of the world that run at losses, by using the American market to recoup their shortfalls.

Obviously the rise in cost of necessary medication will have a fairly radical impact on individuals who can’t afford it, which is where we come back to the original point. Children in the USA who are underinsured or who have no health insurance are having trouble receiving the vaccines and preventative treatments that are so necessary to their future well being. Currently vaccines for children who have limited or no insurance are provided by federal funding, but due to the ever increasing number of youngsters in this situation the traditionally established programs are being stretched to their limits resulting in the unfortunate situation of children being unable to receive their treatments.

Overall it is those youngsters who are underinsured rather than those with no insurance who are coming away worse in this situation. The reason for this being that the federal program has reassessed its priorities and determined that even though these children may not have full cover, they do have protection that is not afforded to juveniles with no insurance. This has resulted in the underinsured population being turned away from federal health clinics and being asked to obtain these treatments elsewhere.

The sad fact in this situation is that a vast proportion of the American population (approximately 40%) is underinsured or has no insurance, no just US children. When we take the current situation with vaccinations and stretch that across the entire US population and it becomes evident that the only people who have the protection they need against current and future diseases are those individuals and families that have quality health insurance. It is a sad situation when a society can no longer afford its children the protection that they need, almost as if modern day America is stepping back in time and reliving the social situations inherent in 19th century Britain.

The root of a society is with its youngsters. New generations have to be able to pick up and move forward where the older generations left off, and the situation is such that this may not be possible. With an inflated risk of disease and a risk of rampant future epidemics of some serious illnesses, the younger generations of today are more at risk to sickness than ever before. In a time when we, as a world, profess to having made giant gains and seen radical innovations in the fields of Healthcare and Medical treatment, it is truly mind blowing that we cannot provide our children with something as simple as a flu vaccine.

With the release of Michael Moore’s new political documentary, SiCKO, America’s health care system has been under quite a bit of scrutiny. The deficiencies of national health policy and public health programs have been exposed, as well as those of private health insurance providers. On the eve of the 2008 election and likely regime change, Democratic and Republican candidates alike understand that an organized plan for health care reform can take their campaign a long way. In the following paragraphs I will
summarize the ideas proposed by three leading candidates.

Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani has released a 12-point pledge that overviews his ideas for office. One of his primary ideas is to start to offer tax credits worth up to $15,000 that go toward individual insurance policies for families. Another part of this plan will grant subsidies to low income families who cannot afford insurance. Furthermore, Giuliani believes that this plan will have surplus funds at the end of each fiscal year that can be rolled over into coffers that will support medical treatment for those who can’t afford it.

Under this proposed plan, Mr. Giuliani believes that he can grant medical insurance to an additional 13 million Americans, increasing the 17 million who currently have insurance to more than 30 million after he takes office. By nearly doubling the number of insured citizens, insurance companies’ costs will be reduced and therefore they will be able to provide more plans and grant more care. Mr. Giuliani sees this health care plan as a form of socialize healthcare supported by American principles. And while there is a great deal of potential for success, the plan is rough and lacks specifics about funding and implementation.

A candidate who has a clearer idea of the right health care plan for America is Democrat John Edwards. If Mr. Edwards is elected, he will institute universal health care. He envisions a nationwide, US$90-120 billion plan that he claims could be covered by eliminating the tax cuts granted by George W. Bush to Americans who make more than US$200,000 yearly.

Within this universal plan, Mr. Edwards will cut national health care costs as well as regulate the passage of prescription drugs. Pharmaceutical companies will be fiscally rewarded when a new drug is approved, rather than being granted long-running patents. The companies would still reap financial rewards for development of breakthrough medications, and generic versions would be produced and sold for much lower prices. This measure will hopefully make prescription drugs more widely available at reasonable rates. On the other hand, the pharmaceutical industry is very against this proposal. Industry leaders repeatedly explain that so much money is spent on development of a drug that the only way they can afford to produce new ones is with the patent profits of past successes.

Mr. Edwards also has plans to reform insurance companies. He hopes to pass a standard that requires every private medical insurance provider to spend 85% of their premium revenue on patient care. As of now, sometimes more than 30% of premium revenue is allocated to administration and profit. Mr. Edwards’s stance is that every American having health care means lower costs for private providers. His plan also incorporates home care for chronically ill individuals and an increased nurse training program to get more nurses working in urban and rural areas.

Hillary Clinton, who is possibly the most popular Democratic candidate in the pit these days, gained notoriety while she was first lady for being a champion of health care reform. Now that Mrs. Clinton is on the podium for herself, her approach to healthcare is much more tentative. Knowing from experience how divisive the issue can be, Mrs. Clinton has opted to tow a more centrist line during her run for the White House. Most political pundits know that her health care vision was far from perfect, but what Mrs. Clinton has going for her is that the public associates her with a concern for national medical issues—something that will go quite far during a time when open criticism of the American health care system is very common. Mrs. Clinton, instead of focusing on her own ideas of what the health care system needs, will wait for a consensus to develop about what America needs.

What Michael Moore and a number of other politicians are telling the world is that something needs to change in America’s health system. This is a particularly important issue because medical treatment is very expensive and so many people can’t afford insurance. A reformed health care system, no matter what plan is chosen, is something that could make a serious difference for the scores of underprivileged citizens who are denied access to even the most basic treatment.

A recent medical discovery that some have been heralding as a “breakthrough” is changing the scope of medical prosthetic capability. The field of facial prosthetics, for patients who had lost an eye, ear or other part of their face, has long been far behind most of the rest of medical appliances. But a new utilization of computer imagery makes prosthetics that are so real looking that it changes the face (literally) of the industry.

The most striking aspect of this new technology is that a computer designs the body parts that are tailored to each individual. The
eye or ear or anything else is based on the very image that the computer is trying to reconstruct. Doctors and engineers work together to make a prosthetic that appears just the same as the real thing.

Because the face is the focal point of any person’s appearance, it is very important for an individual to have realistic prosthetics in order to feel normal. The prosthetics are so realistic that they blend right in with a person’s face, and it is nearly impossible to tell the difference.

The doctors behind this new technology designed the procedure with the patient in mind. The engineer Randy Emert said that “manufacturing parts are one thing to make, but here we’re working with people and making a difference in their lives.”

The process begins with a CT scan of the area where the part will be placed. Then, a computer re-creates the missing body part in order to get the exact shape of the prosthetic. From the re-created image, a wax or plastic mold is made. From the mold, the silicone prosthetic is made and then painted by hand to look as real as possible.

In addition to such lifelike parts, this new procedure can produce prosthetics in half the time it used to take. So patients are given quality body parts in a very short time, meaning that they can return to their life and not have to worry about their appearance. Also, since the efficient process shaves so much time on the procedure, the new and improved prosthetics cost less than the old body parts. This reduces costs to the insurance companies, who cover the cost of the prosthetics.

One patient, who was born without his right ear, waited until he was 43 years old to get prosthetic surgery. The computer-generated ear was created to match perfectly with his left ear. After the design and mold created the ear, it was attached to metal bars that were screwed into the right side of his head. “It’s great,” the patient glowed after his surgery.

Procedures like prosthetic surgery are covered by any comprehensive insurance plan. In this patient’s case, he had to pay very little for his new look. The insurance covered nearly all the costs, even the occasional “maintenance” visits he must take to the prosthetic clinic.

High Blood pressure, or hypertension, is a chronic medical condition that affects millions of people around the world. A healthy individual will normally have blood pressure of below 120/80 and the optimal blood pressure for a normal health adult is 115/75; individuals who are suffering from hypertension will typically have display blood pressure above 130/85. There are many reasons for a person to suffer from hypertension, genetics, environment, insulin resistance, lifestyle, and salt sensitivity all play significant roles in the development of this condition. With so many potential causes, high blood pressure is treated in a number of different ways, and this can cause the condition to be extremely expensive.

There is, however, a measure of hope. Scientists in England have discovered, a potentially, cost effective treatment for this condition in the form of chocolate. In a recent study, 44 individuals who were suffering from hypertension where split into two groups. One group was given white chocolate and the other group ate dark. Those that ate the dark chocolate saw their blood pressure fall by a small, but significant amount, while those that ate the white chocolate noticed no change.

The dark chocolate group experienced as much as a 2.9mm drop in their systolic pressure, and 1.9mm in the diastolic. When asked if such a small drop had any major significance the research team responded by stating that a 3mm reduction in blood pressure has the potential to reduce the risk of a stroke, or mortality related to hypertension by up to 8%. By eating 6 grams of chocolate daily, the research subjects in the dark chocolate group lowered their chances of dying from their condition. The scientists where quick however, to point out that this was not a reason for individuals who are suffering from hypertension to eat as much chocolate as possible, as it can has serious health effects if eaten in large quantities, but rather to consume relatively small amounts daily.

Hypertension is currently treated with lifestyle modification in conjunction a number of different prescribed medicines. Doctors who are treating patients with high blood pressure recommend that individuals eat larger amounts of fruit and vegetables, exercise more, and increase their vitamin intake. However, for many people, actively changing the way that they live their life can be hard, and if further studies of the way that chocolate affects hypertension prove positive, then there may be a much cheaper and easier option available.

Currently, hypertension medications are extremely expensive and without adequate protection, the condition is one that can be tough to live with. The results for whether chocolate will adequately treat this condition may not be conclusively known for quite some time. In the modern world the only guaranteed way to protect yourself and your loved ones from a serious chronic condition, such as hypertension, is with an international health insurance plan.

By providing protection for chronic conditions, being guaranteed renewable for life and globally portable, an international health insurance plan will give you and your loved ones the peace of mind that you deserve. We can offer a number of international medical insurance plans that will provide benefits for maternity, out-patient, dental and emergency evacuation cover no matter where you may be located. For more information about the plans that we can offer, or to receive a free quote, please contact one of our expert advisers today.

In the modern world many people are choosing to retire to far off and exotic destinations. Some of these places offer extreme luxury, while others are chosen for the lack of impact that they have on a wallet. Whatever the reason, people are still moving to these places, and this is why.

1. France

From Brittany to Bordeaux, Calais to Normandy, and Paris itself, people all over the world are choosing to spend their retirement at a more leisurely Gaulic pace. With so many options and locations to choose from France is the ideal retirement location for many. France boasts many attractions for people considering retirement there. With fantastic museums and a rich cultural heritage, France is the place to be if you are interested in arts, wine, or music.

2. Mexico

Mexico has long been a choice destination for American retirees. With destinations like Cancun, Acapulco, and Lake Chapala, Mexico has a lot to offer the people who choose to relocate there. The cost of living in Mexico is significantly lower than in the USA, while the standard of living can actually be higher. With quality healthcare services available, and the Mexican government making a push to updates and renew the entire country’s image and infrastructure, you can be assured that with a little investigation you can find a location that is perfect for you.

3. Czech Republic

The Czech Republic has seen the number of visitors traveling to the country increase sharply over the last number of years. One of the reasons for this is because of the relatively low cost of living. Many Western Europeans and American’s choose to visit the Czech Republic precisely because it is so inexpensive; and that is one of the reasons that so many people are choosing to retire there. Add the to the fact that there is limited crime and an all encompassing social service, and the Czech Republic becomes a very attractive place indeed.

4. Philippines

Retirement in the Philippines has been increasing in popularity for many decades now. The Philippines are known for their friendly populace, wide spread use of English, and beautiful scenery. Tourists flock to the country every year to take in the sights and sounds and increasingly, to receive medical treatment. With a thriving urban populace and the more relaxed lifestyle of the islands and the country side, people who retire to this country have a wide array of options. Compounded to the fact that the Filipino economy is rapidly expanding and that the cost of living is still much lower than a number of other Asian countries, it is no wonder that so many people have decided to call the Philippines home.

5. Panama

With a commitment to adventure and eco tourism, Panama is a world wide retirement destination for many individuals. Maintaining an American Culture in Central America, Panama can give you the comforts of home while allowing you the freedom of being in a different country. Famous for its canal and mountains, Panama has a low cost of living, and allows foreigners to purchase land at the same price as locals. Additionally, Panama is renowned for it US standard healthcare, so that you can be assured should anything happen, you will receive the same standard of treatment as if you where home.

6. Spain

Spain gives people what France sometimes lacks, sun, sand, and excitement. With its rich history and vibrant cities, Spain is a place that will engulf anyone who chooses to live their. From Ibiza, to Seville, the Spanish people will welcome you into their country. With rich food and a fantastic culture, retirement in Spain is an experience like none other.

7. Portugal

Portugal, situated in between Spain and the Atlantic on the Iberian peninsula, is very similar to both of it’s neighbors. If you are looking for sun, sand, mountain’s, or plains, then Portugal can offer you those choices. With a cost of living slightly lower than both Spain and France, and some beautiful architecture, buying a house is a relatively easy task. One question you must ask yourself though, is where you want to live. Choosing a sleepy village in the country can offer ultimate relaxation, however living in Lisbon can provide you the excitement and entertainment you crave.

8. Thailand

Thailand is a country with a long and rich history. With beautiful weather, affordable accommodation, low crime rates for expatriates, excellent and affordable medical services, it is easy to see why Thailand is one of the worlds top retirement destinations. Thailand is one of the largest medical tourism destinations in the world as well a general vacation heaven. With such stark contrasts between Phuket, Koh Samui, and Bangkok, a fascinating culture, and hospitable people, Thailand is one of the best retirement destinations in the world, especially if you don’t like cold winters!

9. New Zealand

If it’s scenic beauty that you are after then New Zealand is your best option. New Zealand is an English speaking nation that is world renowned for its love of sport, the outdoors, and friendly locals. With a high standard of healthcare and limitless options in terms of activities and opportunities, New Zealand is the preferred retirement location for people all over the world. As much of New Zealand is countryside, there is ample space for living at your own pace, and if you are ever in need of the city pace Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch can provide more excitement. If you plan on spending your retirement in serenely beautiful location the New Zealand is the place for you.

10. Malaysia

Malaysia is one of the worlds best kept retirement secrets. The government has a strict no tolerance policy, which means that street crime is virtually non-existent, and the culture is such that a great deal of tolerance for religion and political views mean that you can feel right at home. With bustling night markets and a vibrant night life, Malaysia is only 3 hours away from the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia, giving you the opportunity to really explore all that Asia has to offer. Kuala Lumpur boasts some of the most modern infrastructure in the South East Asian region, but it is not an expensive place to live, and if you ever get tired of the city, there are a vast array of islands, beaches, and mountains that you can look to for an escape. Malaysia truly is one of the worlds favorite retirement locations, and its easy to see why.

There you have it. The top 10 retirement paradises, do some research and pick the location that is right for you. There are so many options that you can be assured of finding your perfect place.

In terms of medical technology, science fiction is becoming science reality very quickly. The developments that have happened in this field over the last 10 years are things that only authors such as Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, and Orson Scott Card could have envisioned. Looking at the past, and seeing what corporations and research teams are currently trying to do, the next 10 years of medical development could be just as exciting.

10. Bionic Enhancements

This break through is already here. Comparable to the TV show The Million Dollar Man , a bionic enhancement is really just a bridge between current technology and the realization and development of fully functional stem cell treatment. Bionic enhancements are artificially created prosthetics that are currently being used to treat individuals that have suffered traumatic injuries resulting in loss of limbs and organs.

Scientists and Research teams all over the world are currently testing a new generation of prosthetics that provide the power and control of natural limbs. The latest development in this field is an artificially created ankle joint that provides the user the same amount of mobility as an individual who has not suffered a major injury. In the next 10 years society could see these prosthetics being offered to individuals who have not had an injury as a way to enhance their strength, mobility, and stamina. The biggest potential user of this technology would be the military.

9. Restoration of sight

This is already here and being tested . Scientists are doing research on implants that will have the ability to help people who have become blind over the course of their lifetime regain sight. By implanting a microchip into an individual’s eye and linking the chip to a pair of video enabled glasses, scientists are able to bypass the dead nerve endings that are attributed to the loss of sight.

Additionally, scientists are currently working on deep brain implants with electrodes that may have the potential to bring sight to individuals who are blind from birth (again, coupling the implants with special glasses). What does this mean? It means that in 10 years, being blind could be a thing of the past, and that society will have to get used to people walking around with Star Trek like sight visors.

8. Neural Enhancements

Continuing the trend of implants and microchips, we come to neural enhancements. Scientists are currently learning more and more about the brain and the way it works every day. By using microchips, or a matrix of fiber optic wires to bridge damaged areas of the brain, we may have a way to successfully treat and cure a multitude of neurological conditions such as strokes and Alzheimer’s disease, very similar to Neal Stephenson’s book Interface . Bridging neural gaps with microchip implants leads to a number of uses for the technology including education and expansion of brain use. However, the fact that there is a microchip imbedded in an individual’s neural cortex may lead to some ethical issues including tampering and brainwashing.

This sort of development may not come in the next 10 years, but development on the use of microchips in the brain is already progressing , and may offer great hope to people whose brain has been damaged in a severe way.

7. Eradication of genetic conditions

The human genome project is over, and scientists know more about how our genetic structure affects us than ever before. Currently researchers and corporations are using DNA therapy to vaccinate against dangerous diseases . However, because of what we know now and are learning about our genetic make up, society could be looking at a future where genetic deficiencies no longer exist. Although it may sound very much like the movie Gattaca coming to life, its already here. Embryos in the United Kingdom are being screened for Squints .

Current technology already allows couples to have “the perfect child” devoid of any serious genetic conditions, and the prevalence of such diseases in society will continue to lessen as more and more embryos are screened before birth. Although this brings up numerous ethical considerations, the fact of the matter is that many people will want children who will be free of any debilitating genetic conditions, and the use of this technology is already here.

6. Enhanced intellect

With our knowledge of DNA and our ability to screen children before birth for a number of diseases and conditions, we may be looking at a new generation of extremely intelligent and healthy individuals. This comes about because, as our knowledge of our genes continues to expand, so will our ability to choose the best traits. In an extremely Orson Scott Card scenario, we could be outclassed by our children at some point in the near future.

5. Extended life span

Continuing with the topic of DNA and genetic recombination, one of the breakthroughs that we may potentially see is the development of a genetic cure for old age. With medical nanotechnology being extensively researched at the moment, using this knowledge scientists may be able to stop the affects of the genetic breakdowns that are attributed to aging . Using technology very similar to that found in Kim Stanley Robinson’s Mars Trilogy science may be able to stop the aging process by introducing nanobots/nanocells that may have the ability to repair extensive genetic damage. This breakthrough may be more than 10 years away (depending on the funding that scientists get) but nanotechnology is already being used and is in development . Combined with what we know about DNA and genetics there are a whole host of issues that may be solved with this technology.

4. Death of debilitating neurological diseases

The complete development of stem cell technology is being eagerly awaited by scientists and doctors everywhere. Because of the nature of stem cells (their ability to grow into anything), they offer scientists the ability to cure such conditions as Parkinson’s disease. Because stem cells can repair damage it may lead to a case where conditions such as Alzheimer’s are no longer treated with medication but with stem cells designed to repair and regrow the damaged neurons in an individual’s brain. The biggest issue for stem cell research however, is the activism against obtaining these cells from unborn fetus’s and embryos, as many people see this as the death of a living being.

However, with the knowledge that scientists can now obtain these cells from different sources, such as an umbilical cord or nose proteins , stem cell research could rapidly develop.

3. Replacement limbs

Stem cells have the ability to grow into anything. Let’s look at it like this, for those of you who have read Dune , think about the Tleilaxu organ vats. For those of you who haven’t read the Frank Herbert books, Stem cells basically offer us infinite possibilities for re-growing limbs and organs that have been damaged in some way. Vat grown, tailor made replacements for people who have suffered serious trauma.

By creating cell banks where parents deposit their child’s cells at birth, we could see prostheses and transplants completely disappear from the world of medicine.

2. Cryonics

Suspended animation, or cryonics, is one of the topics that appear most frequently in Science Fiction. From authors like Fredrick Pohl and Isaac Asimov, to pop culture, cryogenics has long fascinated humanity. Although there is no current way to reverse the affects of cryonic freezing, science hopes with the advent of readily available nanotechnology, this technology may soon become widespread. Science can already freeze and reanimate small cells and embryos, the issue evolves when they are tasked with reanimating whole organs. The brain for example, develops serious tears and rips when it is frozen, the task that science has in front of them is the ability to fix those tears or stop them from happening.

The technology for cryonics is already here . It’s the reanimation part that’s tricky.

1. Cure for Cancer.

Combining all of our scientific knowledge of the above breakthroughs may lead to a total and final cure for cancer. Medical technology is already offering treatments for certain types of cancer that are more conclusive than anything previously available . Cancer is one of the oldest and deadliest of all human conditions and diseases. The ability to cure cancer would open up the field of medical science to explore cures for a number of other deadly conditions, including HIV/AIDS.

There are currently more reliable treatments for cancer than ever before , and scientists are exploring more all the time. By learning about cancer and its causes we are understanding more and more about how our body’s work and the factors contributing to many diseases. Science is on the doorstep of solving this problem, and researchers are hopeful of finding a concrete solution soon.

There you have it. The 10 medical breakthroughs that are expected in the next decade; this list may be complete speculation, but all the technology for these breakthroughs is currently under development. The next 10 years in medicine should be a time of great excitement for science and great hope for al of humanity in general. It would be fantastic to see all of these dreams realized.

The debate on universal healthcare in the USA has seen a lot of action in the recent weeks. With the republican and democratic primaries now well under way many candidates are using this issue as a hot topic with the voters, and in turn, are splitting their parties into two camps; those for and those against universal health care. However, there has been a new development with this issue as a number of multinational corporations are stepping in and actively voicing their stance in favour of a universal healthcare service in the USA.

The Coalition to Advance Healthcare Reforms, led by Safeway CEO Steve Burd, is not advocating a free national healthcare service, but rather that every American should be required, by law, to purchase health insurance. To many people in the business world this comes in stark contrast to Burd’s 2004 attempt to cut back on the health care coverage of Safeway workers, which resulted in a general union strike at Safeways all across the USA. Currently Safeway workers are required to wait 18 months before they are allowed to join the company’s healthcare policy, during this period the must pay for their health insurance by themselves. Some of the major international corporations that have joined the Coalition are; General Mills, Bumble Bee Seafoods, Pacific Gas and Electric, Pepsi Co, The Kroger Co, and Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.

Safeway said that it decided to form the Coalition after looking at previous medical bills and comparing them to the rate of medical inflation. Burd stated that the average company’s medical costs would exceed their net income by 2010, giving them incentive to lobby for a system that requires health insurance, and curbs the overall impact of inflation in the healthcare services industry. However, the coalition is not just being joined by big industry and retailers; a number of international insurance companies are also voicing their support. Groups like Aetna, Cigna, California Blue Shield, PacifiCare, and Eli Lilly and Co. have all become part of the movement to require health insurance for every single American.

The framework that the Coalition to Advance Healthcare Reform have proposed are remarkably similar to those that were conceptualized by California Government. Both groups would like to see;

1. Mandatory health insurance for every one.
2. Subsidized insurance for individuals with low incomes.
3. Incentives (such as lower premiums) for individuals who have healthy lifestyles.

The Coalition would also like a framework to cover all pre-existing conditions, and for medical institutions to fully reveal their costs of care to customers. Basically the overall goals of the Coalition are to lower health care costs, and by doing so, lower the premiums that are associated with health insurance. The Commonwealth Association, which deals with corporate governance, has said that outside of the specific reforms, instituting a universal health insurance system will initially benefit large corporations. However, over the long run it provides a solid framework for helping the average citizen find health care coverage, while making those same corporations accountable for sharing the responsibilities of providing contributions towards that coverage.

Does this mean anything for health insurance in the short term and near future? Unfortunately not, people are still going to have to individually purchase their own health insurance plans and find adequate protection by themselves. One of the issues that all proponents are using to actualize these reforms is the already high costs of medical care, currently the only way to protect yourself is with an insurance plan. Think about the security of yourself and your loved ones and think about getting an insurance plan today.

Selenium, a naturally occurring element that is similar in its atomic make up to sulfur, may have the ability to help provide additional support to individuals who are suffering from the HIV/AIDS virus. New studies conducted at the University of Miami showed that selenium may actually boost the function of many AIDS patient’s immune system, providing, in conjunction with antiretroviral therapies (ART), much needed support for dealing with the deadly disease.

Selenium was discovered in 1817 by a Swedish chemist. It can be found in a number of inorganic forms, most commonly in soil. However, when it is seen in nature, selenium is usually a part of a complex molecule; very rarely does the element ever exist solely by itself. Selenium plays an important role in rubber compounding and steel alloying, and global demand for this element has steadily been increasing as more uses for it have been discovered. Most importantly, selenium can be found naturally in the human body.

Scientists decided to give HIV/AIDS patient’s the element in supplemental form after it was discovered that individual’s who were infected with the virus had significantly lower levels of selenium in their blood than otherwise healthy persons. Giving AIDS patients selenium supplements helped to increase the levels of immune cells in infected individuals, showing that there was a direct correlation between selenium and the human immune system.

This discovery comes as welcome news to the millions of people who need ART because of AIDS. Currently individuals must rigorously adhere to the stringent therapy and there is a high risk of side affects associated with ART medications. It is thought that the element provides immune relief because of its ability to repair damage caused by the high levels of oxygen that are present in ADIS victims’ blood.

This is not the first time that studies have been performed to determine the effects that selenium has on human health. Previous studies on the mineral have shown that it has the ability to lower the overall prevalence that an individual has towards acquiring cancer, preventing chemical carcinogens, and as a chemotherapy enhancement. Research has also found that having a selenium deficiency can cause some serious health problems, including extreme fatigue, recurrent miscarriages, and is a primary factor for individuals developing goiters.

While scientists are warning that selenium alone cannot provide treatment, and that ART medications are still needed to keep virus levels low, the element has proven that there is hope in the long term goal of finding a cure.

There are a number of medical conditions that post menopausal women have to worry about, from hot flashes to osteoporosis. The list of health risks that affect women who have gone through menopause keeps getting longer, and the newest addition is none other than a barbecue. New studies have shown that women who eat more barbecued, smoked, and roasted meat have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

Breast cancer affects millions of women world wide, and is an increasingly highlighted health concern due to inadequate screening and treatment methods. The study conducted by the University of South Carolina has found that consuming meat thought a life time can lead to a 47 percent increase in the incidence of breast cancer, while post menopausal women who have not eaten healthy diets or lacked adequate fruit and vegetable intake have a 74 percent increase in the risk of developing the condition.

The new studies support the theories calling for healthier lifestyles and diets that are already being formed by doctors and scientists all around the world. Breast cancer currently accounts for approximately 7 percent of cancer deaths worldwide every year, and is the third most common type of cancer in the USA. While an unhealthy diet is not the only risk factor attributed to breast cancer, with environmental and genetic factors also being taken into account when dealing with the factors that cause this disease. However, barbecued meats have a higher concentration of Polycyclic hydrocarbon molecules. The study has pointed to this fact as the reason why women who ate large amounts of smoke, roasted, or flame cooked meats in their life time are at a higher risk for contracting breast cancer.

Fruits and vegetables contain essential molecules and minerals that have the ability to counteract the affect of these hydrocarbons, prompting scientists to suggest that all women, all around the world, seriously reconsider their lifestyle and dietary choices. Smoking, not exercising regularly and eating food that is unhealthy are the biggest factors contributing to the developments of most types of cancer.

By simply taking a few steps, individuals can avoid the pain, emotional, and physical trauma that is associated with many cancer cases. Currently treatment for breast cancer includes a large amount of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal treatments, or a mastectomy (the removal of the infected breast). These treatments are extremely expensive, and with the rapid inflation that is seen with medical treatment, many women who are diagnosed with the disease cannot afford to get treatment.

There are two choices that a person has in regards to cancer and cancer treatment. The first choice involves a rigorous and active lifestyle change, however, as scientists do not know why many cancers are caused, this is, in many cases, just a precautionary measure. The second choice is an active lifestyle change coupled with an international health insurance plan. Having these two options conjoined means that you are affording yourself and your loved ones the largest range of options, both in terms of cancer prevention and treatment options. Just as a precaution though, you may want to lay of the meats and start eating some veggies.

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes an individual to have lower bone mass levels than a healthy person. This lower bone mass leads to an increased likelihood of fractures and breaks, and can lead to a significantly reduced quality of life in persons who have the disease. Osteoporosis is a condition that affects more women than men, especially women who have already gone through menopause.

The current treatment for Osteoporosis involves intensive vitamin therapy and oral pills that are taken once a week. This treatment poses some problems for people who are allergic to the medicine or who cannot take oral medication. However, new studies with a drug that is primarily used to treat abnormal bone growth associated with Paget’s disease have provided startling results.

Reclast (or Aclasta) when given to a patient once a year can prevent the fractures and breaks that are associated with Osteoporosis for up to three years. Studies have shown that this drug, when administered to patients with osteoporosis, can reduce the incidence of spinal fractures and bone breakages in the legs by up to 70%. Looking at that number it is no wonder that the American government is looking at streamlining the approval process to use this drug for treatment in the majority of osteoporosis cases.

However, there is a significant issue that is impeding the wide spread use of this medication. Reclast can cause abnormal heart palpitations in a number of individuals who take the drug. How many individuals will be affected and the total extent of these abnormal heart rhythms are not entirely known at this point in time, and scientists warn that more in depth research is needed in the future.

Combined with the abnormal heart rhythms was an increased prevalence for fever, nausea, joint and muscle pains and general flu like symptoms. These side affects only lasted for a few days, and the chances of a person displaying these symptoms decreased substantially after the second treatment. Reclast has the potential to offer a higher rate of success, with out the daily and weekly stress that is associated with a number of the current osteoporosis treatments and medications.

It is important to note, however, that Reclast is still not approved for the treatment of Osteoporosis, and that approval may not come for quite some time. Patients are still limited in the treatments that they can obtain, which means, the same medications at the same high prices. The only way to truly protect yourself and be afforded all the options that you deserve is with a medical insurance plan. New treatments and cures are being discovered every day. In most cases these new discoveries are only available at an extremely high cost. A medical insurance plan will allow you and your loved ones the security to receive the highest standards of treatment and access to the latest medical developments.

It is important to protect yourself. Think about an international medical insurance plan today.

Coffee has played a significant role in human society since the 9th century AD when it was exported out of the Middle East. Today millions of people around the world drink coffee every day because of its social connotations, taste, and caffeine content. With strains from the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia, coffee has had a major impact on almost everyone in the world. However, the drink has much more to offer than many people think.

Recent studies by a number of scientific institutions and universities have shown that the innocent looking coffee bean has a number of positive and negative health affects. While research into the full impact that coffee may have on human health is still ongoing, there are findings which are leaving scientists awed. These are listed below.

The positive health affects of coffee:

1. Coffee reduces the risk of an individual acquiring Alzheimer’s disease.

   Drinking up to two cups of coffee a day makes a person less susceptible to contracting Alzheimer’s disease. While it is not know why coffee has the power to prevent this neurodegenerative disease, studies have proven that people who drink more coffee are less likely to contract the condition than those who drank none.

2. Drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes can reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease.

   The caffeine in coffee and nicotine in cigarettes substantially alter an individual’s natural biochemistry. Recent studies have shown that these alterations can significantly reduce the risk of an individual acquiring Parkinson’s disease.

3. Coffee increases an individual’s short term memory and cognitive functions.

   Coffee has large amounts of caffeine. This caffeine helps people focus and become energized when they feel lethargic. Studies have shown that when people drink coffee the caffeine reacts with the coffee’s chemical make up and helps them to retain information better over a short period of time.

4. Ongoing studies have found that coffee may be a potential anti-diabetic compound.

   By drinking coffee an individual can potentially cut their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by fifty percent. Actually achieving this reduced risk requires an individual to drink up to 7 cups of coffee a day which can lead to dangerous caffeine related side effects.

5. Coffee can help with headaches.
   
   Caffeine can help enhance the effects of analgesic medications such as Aspirin, Midol, and Excedrin. Many headache and migraine medications will commonly contain a small dose of caffeine.


6. Coffee is an extremely effective antioxidant.

   Coffee beans contain a large number of compounds that are extremely effective antioxidants. For people who do not eat enough fruit or vegetables, drinking coffee can help them obtain the essential minerals and vitamins that they need. Coffee also contains an anti cancer molecule.

7. Coffee is a diuretic and laxative.

   Drinking coffee makes people urinate. This helps flush an individual’s system and remove potentially dangerous or unhealthy compounds from the body.

8. Coffee reduces the risk of gallstone disease.
   
   As coffee is a diuretic and flushes out an individual’s system it also prevents the calcification of liquid from the gall bladder (known as gall stones). So drinking coffee can help a person avoid gallstone disease.

The negative aspects of coffee.

1. Coffee contains caffeine.

   Caffeine causes a number of health problems including, but not limited to, sleep and anxiety disorders, elevated risks of Parkinson’s disease, elevated heart beat and stress, breathing problems in infants, and caffeine dependency syndrome. It is important to drink caffeinated beverages in moderation.

2. Coffee can cause constipation
   
   Because coffee is a diuretic it can cause people to become dehydrated; a lack of fluid in an individual’s body causes constipation.
3. Drinking coffee over a period of time can stain a person’s teeth.

   Coffee has a similar affect on teeth as nicotine. Drinking coffee over an extended period of time can lead to an individual developing yellow teeth and cavities, especially if large amounts of sugar are added to the drink.

Coffee has a number of good and bad health affects. Drinking this bean in moderation should not lead to any problems, but it is always good to know how things will affect you.

For those of you who have read the Orson Scott Card book Speaker for the Dead you will remember that one of the characters was blinded as a child and had bionic eyes, very much similar to those used by Geordie La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation. A technological device that allows blind people to see or enhance a visual person’s vision has always been a mainstay in many different genres of science fiction; however the wistful imaginings of authors and script writers may soon become a reality.

Research has been conducted by a team of American scientists to create a bionic eye, that could offer hope to people who have lost their sight or who were born blind. The scientists have recently used electrodes that bypassed the damage optic nerve in a monkey to induce sight. Although the findings are very preliminary, they do show that the theory of using electrodes to stimulate the patient’s brain is sound. Long term applications of the technology would include a pair of specially designed glasses that have a digital recorder attached. The signals from the camera will travel down the electrodes and directly transfer into an individual’s brain.

Additionally a team of German scientists at the University of Tubingen have developed a microchip that can be implanted in a patient’s eye and restore vision. This microchip method of treatment can only be used however, if a individual had sight previously as it does not work if there has been no development of the centre in the brain that processes the information received from the optic nerve and if the optic nerve still works.

These two developments have the potential to offer hope to millions of people who suffer from sight loss. Glaucoma, and other conditions of an ocular nature will, at some point in the future, be curable. No longer will people have to suffer the lack in quality of life or the financial burdens associated with these conditions. Imagine suffering from a loss in vision if you have been able to see all your life, when these treatments have been perfected no longer will you have to worry about loosing your sight permanently. However, one aspect of any emerging treatments or technology in the medical field, is that they are never cheap. So even when science can restore sight, accessing that technology will be out of reach for many people.

The only way to protect yourself from a myriad of health and medical issues is to invest in an international medical insurance plan, and while no insurance plan will offer a guarantee that nothing will ever happen to you, they will ensure that should anything happen, you and your loved ones will be protected. With modern science rapidly developing new technology, medical treatment options, and understanding more about how the human body works, the future is veritable science fiction writer’s wet dream. With more and more options as to how to receive treatment, and the options that patients have, life can only improve.

Being able to see after you loose your sight is something that has never been possible and is only starting to become realized now. Even though the technology needs much more research and development, the mere fact that it could be available within the decade is amazing. However, that is not a reason to leave yourself unprotected.

Genetic defects and abnormalities can cause a number of serious conditions and diseases that have affected individuals for hundreds if not thousands of years. With mistranslated and nonsense genes at fault for a number of conditions including muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, and Parkinson’s disease, curing a genetic disorder has always been virtually impossible. However, new studies of a drug called PTC124 have shown that is possible to override the genetic errors that lead to an individual displaying a genetic disorder.

PTC124 is not currently available for mass use; however, targeted clinical trials of the drug are currently ongoing. Specifically designed to target the “nonsense” mutations found in certain types of muscular dystrophy, the new drug cancels a mistranslation that stops the gene producing proteins necessary for the construction of muscles. Nonsense mutations are just one type of defect that cause genetic disorders, mistranslation, duplication, and deletion of genes are all factors that contribute towards a myriad of genetic disorders, which, until recently, have had no possibility of treatment or correction.

Muscular dystrophy is a wide ranging term that covers approximately 20 genetic disorders that all display the same approximate symptoms. PTC124 is designed to help treat a the most prevalent type of Muscular dystrophy known as Duchenne muscular dystrophy or DMD. DMD is linked to a defect in the X chromosome (one of two sex chromosomes, the other being Y) where a certain gene is improperly coded to stop working before it can carry out its biological function. DMD causes rapid muscle loss and atrophy, this in turn cases the individual with the condition to lack proper muscle support and suffer from poor motor control, bone deformities, and, in many cases, mild mental affects.

While PTC124 was specifically designed to target the DMD genetic nonsense mutation, the implication that it has the ability to reorder the gene and correct the disorder may have a far reaching impact for all people with a genetic disorder. With science having identified approximately 1,800 genetic disorders, and understanding that up to 15% of these are caused by a nonsense mutation, any treatment that has the ability to solve errors in the basic genetic makeup of an individual will give hope to all the people suffering from such conditions.

Currently, having to live with, and bear the costs associated with the treatment of any genetic disorder can pose a significant amount of additional stress on many individuals who have a genetic condition. Finding something that has the potential to cure a plethora of previously incurable conditions is a virtual miracle of modern science. However, even though the USA has fast tracked the development and trails of this treatment method, the availability of this cure may still be years away. The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from any disease or condition is to invest in an international medical insurance plan. Even though treatment is on the way, and medical science is able to treat diseases and conditions that where impossible to treat previously, it is important that you take measures to protect yourself. Hope is on the way, but its not here yet.

Coffee and cigarettes are in, bacon and deli meats out… could the world get any stranger?

A recent study conducted in the United States has linked chronic pulmonary lung disease (which includes a number of conditions including bronchitis and emphysema) to the consumption of cured meats. Many meat products that people eat on a daily basis have been cured (or preserved), to add flavor or give the food a longer shelf life. However, many curing processes use a large amount of nitrates, and these nitrates have the potential to cause severe problems for an individual’s respiratory system.

Chronic Pulmonary Lung Disease or CPLD kills roughly 30,000 people a year in Britain and is a leading cause of death world wide. With many factors, including smoking known to be contributing causes to CPLD, cured meats are just another source identified by scientists in an ongoing struggle to cure many of the diseases and conditions associated with the lungs and respiratory system.

By surveying approximately 7,000 people, the researchers compiled detailed data on a number of factors including socio-economic background, diet and lifestyle. The results were quite amazing. While people who came from a lower social background were less likely to have a balanced diet and lifestyle as the same individual in a higher social grade, they both had the same prevalence to contracting a chronic lung condition. The researchers then looked at the items in the diet and found that the prevalence of CPLD was higher in people who ate larger amounts of cured meats.

With one of the primary factors contributing to CPLD being smoking, international efforts have been raised to curtail the habit. Could the consumption of bacon and other cured meat products be next? However, the study warns that diet may not be totally to blame. In fact one of the scientists cautioned against avoiding cured meats as the full link between CPLD had not been fully established. What is known is that nitrates do have the ability to cause harm to a persons health when consumed in a overindulgent manner, however, its not a reason to stop eating them.

The only real protection that anyone can rely on in the modern world in terms of health is a medical insurance plan. The chances of developing a serious condition are high, and even if you never have to suffer through a debilitating disease; average healthcare costs are rising all the time. The smartest thing to do is to think about an international medical insurance plan and protect yourself and your loved ones. Who knows, in the future you may eat too much bacon.

World wide medical costs are rapidly increasing. Trying to bear the burden of costly medical treatments while finding the highest quality health care available can be difficult. Many countries around the world have different levels of cost associated with their healthcare services. In an attempt to make understanding global medical costs easier we have highlighted some of the differences here.

Countries are given a rating from one to eight in terms of the cost for medical and healthcare services. Countries that are ranked 8 will provide medical services and treatment for the least cost, while countries ranked 1 will be the most expensive. The rankings for medical costs worldwide are as follows:

Read the rest of this entry »

When it comes to medical technology, historical science fiction is becoming present reality. Just looking at the state of modern medical procedures, you can see the progress that healthcare has made in the last century. In the last hundred years we have developed complex medications, joint replacement surgeries, the ability to actively see an individuals internal states without invasive surgery, and a multitude of other abilities that would have been unthinkable 50 years ago, let alone 100.

One of the most recent developments that is having an impact on the world of healthcare is the ability of scientists to block type 1 diabetes using adult stem cells found in human blood. By using a stem cell infusion that followed a course of powerful immune suppressing drugs the research team was able to restart and regenerate the patient’s immune system and reverse the condition. Although the Brazilian and American scientists who preformed the research say that the findings are not conclusive this news has given hope to people all over the world who suffer from Type 1 Diabetes.

Diabetes or Diabetes Mellitus has a number of different manifestations. Type 1 diabetes (also known as insulin dependant diabetes) is a form of the disease where insufficient insulin is produced by cells in the patient’s pancreas. Insulin is hormone that controls carbohydrate metabolism. It regulates glucose levels in an person’s body and makes sure that glucose levels do not exceed or under achieve the normal levels required for the Krebs cycle.

Type 1 diabetes is a fatal condition if it is not treated with insulin therapy (usually insulin injections). However, the constant monitoring of the disease (insulin levels) and management of an injection schedule can put severe strain on an individual suffering from the condition. Patients who participated in the study seemed to not need this active therapy for an extended period of time. Subjects who reacted quickly to the treatment seemed to be able to last between 21 ad 35 months without an insulin injection, while those who responded slower went between 1 and 5 months without an injection.

The time span associated with the subjects of the tests seems to indicate that even though this study was preformed on a relatively low scale and has not provided any conclusive results, that immunosuppressant drugs followed by intensive stem cell therapy does have a large amount of potential. As diabetes (of any type) is a chronic condition, the treatment and the management of the disease lasts for the entire life time of any one who is suffering from it. The medications to help treat the condition are not cheap and it can be very difficult for an individual to cope with the costs associated with the disease.

If this new study is expanded and stem cell treatment proves successful it could mean that people do not have to suffer from insulin injections or expensive equipment to deal with Type 1 Diabetes ever again. However, as a viable treatment option this method is still a number of years away and currently the only option is to deal with currently high costs associated with the disease.

A medical insurance plan is the best way to protect yourself from the increasing costs seen in the world of healthcare services. By guaranteeing yourself access to high quality treatment and service options you are also ensuring that you will not be left to deal with expensive and stressful conditions on your own. Type 1 Diabetes may be cured in the future, but there are still a plethora of other conditions that are incurable or unmanageable. Think about protecting yourself with a medical insurance plan.

We all know that cigarettes are harmful to your health and have the ability to cause cancer, emphysema, and seriously damage cell tissue throughout a person’s body. Caffeine in high quantities also poses severe health risks if it is consumed in high quantities and can seriously affect an individual’s cardiovascular system. However, new studies have shown that both of these potentially unhealthy activities, when combined, can have the affect of offsetting and even delaying the symptoms that are associated with Parkinson’s disease (or PD).

Parkinson’s disease is a severe neurological condition that effectively destroys the affect individual’s central nervous system. Characterized by impaired movement and degeneration of the neural cortex, Parkinson’s disease leads ultimately to a decreased quality of life and lack of bodily control. The majority of PD cases have no known cause and currently the disease is incurable with treatment being targeted to relieve symptoms, this treatment can be extremely expensive and without end, as the disease is a chronic condition. Currently Parkinson’s affects approximately 1 out of every 100 people over the age of 60 world wide with a number of people under the age of 40 (approximately 10 to 15 percent) accounting for a significant number of the total cases.

The new study performed looked at the effects that tobacco products and smoking had on the disease. The results indicated that smoking and drinking caffeine effectively change an individual’s natural biology, and impact the biochemistry that gives rise to the condition. The study has suggested that people who smoke or drink caffeinated products are less likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease than those who don’t, although this is the first such study to take an in depth look at the link between smoking and the development of PD.

With so little known about the disease as to its cause and treatment scientists are striving to understand the condition in greater detail. Currently the most common treatments include long term multi drug therapy which can be extremely expensive. Levodopa and Serotonin production agents are the most common drugs used in the treatment of PD patients, however the time frame of the treatment and the costs associated with the medication leaves many PD patients unable to cope with the financial strain as well as the impacts of the condition on their lives.

Smoking and caffeine may be preventative measures, however options are limited when it comes to dealing with the disease as it manifests itself. With many people lacking a comprehensive medical insurance plan coping with the disease can be extremely tough as treatment cannot be afforded. This new study is not advocating that individuals take up smoking tobacco products or increase their caffeine intake in an effort to stave off Parkinson’s disease, but rather looks at the overall effect that these two activities have on the development of the condition. The best way to protect yourself from any disease or chronic condition is still an international medical insurance plan.

With genetic and neurological disorders becoming more and more prevalent it is important that you take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones. While no study can provide conclusive support, an international medical insurance plan will provide the immediate and long term help that you need if ever you are diagnosed with such a condition. Think about taking appropriate measures to get yourself coverage today.

Prostate Cancer; to all males, those two words can send shivers of fear running down their spine. In the United Kingdom about 32,000 men a year are diagnosed with prostate cancer, and about 10,000 actually die from the disease.

What is prostate cancer? Well, for starters, it is probably the most common form of cancer in men. It is basically a growth of mutated cells (tumor) in the prostate. Prostate cancer can go virtually undetected in a person’s body until the cancer spreads to other parts of the body. Basically, for men, it’s a scary and haunting diagnosis.

However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Scientists, as well as developing a cure/preventative treatment for lung cancer have started testing a drug that can help eliminate prostate cancer. The medication Glivec is already being used to treat leukemia. It has already passed FDA testing in the USA and is currently on the market.

Scientists at the University of Texas have started seeing what other uses this drug has and have tested it on rats that have medically induced prostate cancer. They have discovered that Glivec has the ability to stop blood from flowing to cancerous cells, halting the growth of a tumor.

Now, being a man, when I first heard this, my initial reaction was a sigh of relief. If there is a drug out there that has the ability to halt the spread, and even regress and infection of prostate cancer, then I am all for it. Then I began thinking, medication for cancer treatment is not cheap. In fact all cancer treatment is expensive. What would it cost me if I was diagnosed with cancer and I had to pay for it myself? After doing some research, the answer is “way too much”.

Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy are hugely expensive. If I had to take the hit on those two treatments out of my own pocket I think I’d rather see how my body did in fighting the disease naturally. Then came my second sigh of relief for the day, I realized that I’m covered for cancer treatment by my international medical insurance plan.

International medical insurance plans will cover for a multitude of conditions, ranging from advance orthopedic surgery to in depth oncology (cancer) care. So even if Glivec is not approved for use in the treatment of prostate cancer for a while, I know that I have the option for care. Now I am hoping that these trials prove successful, because prostate cancer, as well as being extremely wide spread, has the ability to become resistant to many of the current treatments on the market.

When the cancer becomes resistant to the treatment, it spreads to the bones in a person’s body. That is when the condition becomes deadly, it’s extremely hard to stop the disease from progressing further, and only in rare cases does the cancer go into remission. So, basically, you need a lot of intensive treatment before prostate cancer goes away. Glivec and a medical insurance plan can help provide that treatment.

For men world wide this is probably the best news that has come in a while. Your medical insurance plan can help you prevent prostate cancer. Regular prostate exams are a necessity for males over the age of fifty. This coupled with new advances in medicine can help stop prostate cancer. An international medical insurance policy can help you prevent prostate cancer, think about getting one today. For more information on the new way to fight prostate cancer read this article.

In life the only thing a person can do is expect the unexpected. But trying to foresee eventual calamities can’t be done. That’s why there is international heath insurance, so you can take care of yourself in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

As Forest Gump said “life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your going to get”. That has never been truer than in the modern world. International travel has never been easier, and with the Asian and Eurasian markets currently in a state of growth more people are contributing to the world’s increasingly cosmopolitan feel.

For people living in the modern world a mobile, flexible and comprehensive insurance policy is a necessity. International medical insurance plans have the ability to provide cover anywhere. So if a policy holder decides that they want to return to their home country they can retain cover on the plan.

For convenience of use, an international medical insurance plan cannot be surpassed. Plan can provide a policyholder a plethora of options with which to choose. From maternity to dental, an international medical insurance plan can be completely customized to suit each individuals needs. Whatever coverage you want, your plan can provide.

The best thing about international insurance is the fact that plans can be designed for companies, groups, families and individuals. This means that no matter who wants a policy, they can be provided with one.

Insurance companies can provide their customers with dedicated help centers. From Claims to emergency assistance your plan can help make life easy. In many cases of hospitalization your plan can arrange a direct settlement, so you are not paying anything out of pocket.

Coverage on these plans is all encompassing. Once a policy is active, an individual is covered for life, even if they develop a costly condition. Plans are normally guaranteed renewable and will only change because of a policyholder’s age and medical inflation. You can usually join a plan until the age of 80.

For a life that is ever more uncertain, you need to be assured of your safety. Leaving something as important as your health to chance is never a good idea. With new diseases emerging all the time, and the prevalence for extreme sports ever growing, it is always to take that extra step and secure your safety.
This type of insurance can also provide travel cover. So even if you need medical insurance, but don’t want to buy a year long plan, you too can have insurance protection. Each travel plan is unique. They are designed for specific trips and tailored to include appropriate cover.

Each plan is specific for the person buying it. One person’s level of cover can be completely different from another person’s. For this reason international medical insurance is able to provide plans that can fit any budget. It’s just a question of what you need from your plan.
It is important to think about the security of your health. You never know what will be around the next corner. With the world becoming ever smaller and life becoming much more exciting, steps should be taken to ensure your safety. The options are limitless. Plans are not forced onto you. It is completely a person’s choice as to what plan they can have.

Think about medical insurance. There has never been a better time to get a policy. There are so many options available, and you don’t need to risk costly medical bills. Sit down and seriously contemplate the issue. I can assure you, it’s a good choice.

Cancer patients, your treatments could soon be available in the form of good old fashioned eggs. That’s right; scientists have developed genetically modified chickens that produce eggs containing anti-cancer proteins.

This new type of farming known as “pharming.” is apparently the newest thing in genetic research. The Roslin Institute (that same group that brought us dolly the sheep) has been creating genetically modified animals that have the ability to mass produce proteins needed in the creation of complex medications.

Pharming is when genes are inserted into an animal to give the organism the ability to produce certain proteins that are useful in the pharmaceutical industry. Usually the animal in question is a milk producing mammal, such as a cow, sheep, goat, hamster or rabbit. Pharming has also been studied in plants, however, cross pollination and contamination of modified strains is a big concern in plant pharming.

Although the initial phase of developing a genetically modified pharm animal can be quite a strenuous process, successive generations of the organism will have the traits of that modification. As long as the modified animals continue to breed with each other, there will always be a stock pile of proteins and animals that can produce the ingredients for costly medicines.

Pharming is essentially a way to mass produce the ingredients needed for medicines in a cost effective way. Chickens, because of their ability to breed quickly and produce eggs at a high rate have always been a target for Pharm-scientists. Although this could be seen as a godsend for patients struggling with the costs of cancer treatment, clinical trials may not happen for another five years, and drug production for on market medicines may take 10 years. This means that while there is hope that the cost of cancer medication will decline in the years ahead, the prices will remain high for quite some time. Medical insurance plans can help cover the costs of treatments related to Oncological conditions. So while you may have to wait some years for pharming to prove its worth, medical insurance plans are available right now.

If you aren’t currently covered by a medical insurance policy this is the time to think about it. Cases of cancer are at an all time high. Lung, prostate, and bowel cancers are among some of the most prevalent diseases on the planet. Yes, there is hope of cost efficient medication that can help treat these conditions; however that time is years away. Having to deal with the costs arising from cancer can be almost as bad as the disease. Medical inflation is always on the rise, and while the light at the end of the tunnel can be seen, its still going to take some driving to get there.

For more information on “chicken pharming” please click here. Think about protecting yourself with an insurance plan today. Treatment can be costly for many conditions, and paying out of pocket can be a risky move.