The State Of Health Care Insurance In Singapore

Notably, the government of Singapore has taken the role of regulating both private and public health care health insurance. Its primary role is to plan, develop and build the overall welfare of the nation’s health care in the country.

Through the ministry of health – which represents the activities of the government – it plans on how to handle all the nursing homes, hospitals, and clinics. In fact, the health care department in Singapore works under two main ideologies: affordable health care for every person and personal responsibility. Understanding how the health insurance coverage works while in Singapore will help you go through the processes when there is a need.

Categories of health insurance covers

While deciding on company registration options in Singapore, it is crucial for employers to understand the type of health care insurance covers their staff can take. Since the government is the overall controller of the health care sector, all employers are supposed to comply. There are two types of health care covers in Singapore.

Privately financed

Employers have the option to cover their staff under this category which takes care of their inpatient and some outpatient services. This comes as one of the employee benefits. Additionally, people can have a plan with Medisave, like insurance companies which operate privately for profit. If one has such a cover, they will be able to enjoy private hospital services or class-A wards in any public hospital in Singapore.

Publicly financed

In Singapore, there is a mandatory contribution by all staff to their health insurance saving scheme and the employers contribute an equal amount to the same. Employers deduct this percentage of the remuneration and contribute to the Medisave scheme under each employee’s account.

Additionally, all citizens and permanent residents of Singapore are covered by the low-cost health insurance called MediShield. It caters for long term illnesses which surpass the Medisave limits. This is a government initiative and very effective.

Common services that are covered

Any insurance policy has a guideline on what it covers and what it does not. Similarly, these health insurance covers in Singapore will mostly cover the following.

Primary care

There are over 1400 private and 20 public clinics in Singapore. All of them offer services to people under the program at subsidized rates which include immunization and vaccination, dental services and pharmacy. With the recently introduced community health assists scheme, most low income earning people in Singapore can access health care services. So, the government pays an agreed subsidies to the institutions that provide primary care services to citizens.

General hospital services

The hospitals offer various services to patients which include, but are not limited to, specialized treatments and serious in-patient services to citizens. The general hospitals are funded by the government through budget allocation.

Elderly care and social support
 
These services provide health and general care to elderly people. Mainly, they are run by private welfare organizations. Their financial support is through government subsidies and the family also pays an agreed amount. They may also run under sponsorship, particularly those that take care of the poor elderly people.

This is a guest blog entry.

4 Ways to Improve your Sleep

One of the things you will want to do every night is to sleep well. This one thing can drastically improve your quality of life and allow you to enjoy better health. However, life is busier than ever these days for most people, and there are numerous stresses that can take its toll on your mental and physical well-being.

This makes it essential to find ways that will help to reduce your anxiety and improve your sleep on a routine basis. Being aware of effective methods you can do on a nightly basis may well be the way to get more slumber nightly.

Sleep chair

You may want to seriously consider investing in a chair that encourages sleep. These are designed to fit the body and can be adjusted to accommodate some positions that may help you relax with ease.

Some of the reasons you may want to consider this device are because you can use it during the day to take a nap or even at night before going to bed to help you unwind. You may want to visit www.perfectsleepchair.com to look at the wide variety of selections that are readily available for you to purchase today.

Yoga before bed

If you enjoy doing yoga, you aren’t alone. This exercise is enjoyed by millions of people and the stretching involved may offer some health benefits for your body. Getting your body more relaxed can be done quickly by doing the right movements.

Some of these include lower blood pressure, more flexibility and even increasing your ability to sleep better each night. Taking the time to do a few of the more relaxed yoga poses before turning in for the night may help you enjoy a deeper state of sleep.

Studies show that 36.7 million people have been known to practice yoga in 2012. This stat shows you just how many individuals enjoy partaking in yoga and this could partially be because of seeing a vast improvement in overall sleep.

Listening to soft music

One of the key ways to help you get your mind and body in a more relaxed state is by listening to soft music before turning in for the night. You may want to start winding down a couple of hours prior to going to bed, and this can be done by closing your eyes and simply enjoying some tunes.

Of course, you will want to find music that you enjoy the most. For some people, this may include instrumental tunes that offer you an increased ability to relax and forget the stresses of the day.

Comfortable bedding

You will want to choose the mattress that suits your body the best and allows you to feel as relaxed as possible. This may include getting either a firmer or a softer mattress which will totally depend on the one you like the most.

It’s also a great ideal to find the bedding that looks the most attractive and can be the key to helping you relax as much as you can. For some individuals, this may mean choosing colors that promote relaxation, such as lavender or blue.

Another thing to consider is the mattress topper you’d like to use. You can choose a higher quality one that offers more cushion and comfort for you to enjoy and this may increase your ability to sleep.
Don’t forget the more pillows you have and the softer these are, the better sleep you may be able to obtain. Your pillow could play a significant role in sleeping well or not each night.

The benefits of getting your rest on a nightly basis are many. You can have more energy, stress less and even look better in the process. There’s no doubt that your mind will even function better when you have the sleep you need each night. Simply take the time to plan your nights and work to get all the sleep your body will need. This is the key to helping you feel your best each and every day!

This is a blog post by Nancy Evans.

Keep Your Brain Young!

As we age, it is important to keep our brains healthy and functioning so that we do not lose the ability to do all of the things we love to do. There are a number of ways to keep the brain youthful and fit, such as taking up a new language or memorizing poetry. Just like the other muscles in your body, our brains need exercise to maintain their fullest potential.

For those of us who may not have the time to be actively learning something new each day, there are numerous brain tips that are quite simple to keep the mind feeling young and healthy.

Improve Your Diet

Like the rest of our body, our brains will be grateful for healthy foods that supplement its main functions. Good nutrition is always a good idea for all parts of the body, especially as we age. Useful online calorie calculators can help to determine the amount of calories we should be eating each day, based on weight and everyday physical activity. Reducing the calories we consume each day during meals has been proven in both humans and animals to lower the risk of cognitive decline in old age.

It is also important for our brains that we are getting plenty of the good stuff (B vitamins, such as folic acid, B6, and B12) and less of the bad stuff (saturated fat, cholesterol from animal protein, unhealthy oils). Leafy green vegetables are a particularly useful source of the B vitamins that our bodies need to decrease the likelihood of dementia and other mental issues in old age.

In addition to eating more healthy, it is a wise decision to take a vitamin that can strengthen cognitive and mental performance. Vitamins are an easy and quick way to enhance general health and can guarantee rewarding benefits for the entire body.

Curb Those Cravings

In addition to choosing more health-conscious foods, which will help to lower cholesterol levels, blood sugar, and blood pressure, it is also important to curb other cravings unrelated to food. Drinking alcohol and smoking or chewing tobacco are extremely detrimental to our overall brain health, especially as we age.

Excessive drinking is known to be a factor in early onset dementia. However, if we drink responsibly and have less than two drinks on a regular basis, studies have shown that we can actually reduce our risk of dementia.

It is essential that we know the variety of actions we can take to improve our brain’s functions on a daily basis, such as making healthy choices and curbing our cravings. With the correct combination of living a healthy lifestyle in mind, body, and spirit, we can have fully-functioning brains and lead the best life possible as we age.

This is a guest blog posting.

5 Hand Exercises To Aid Arthritis Pain

The human hand is a magnificent work of biological design - with 27 bones strong and loads of connective tendons, ligaments, and joints, hands are the first point of contact for you and the world around you. Hands allow you your sense of touch, help you communicate, and afford you the capabilities few other animals have.

As you age, natural wear and tear can degrade your body’s joints and connective tissues, you can lose bone density, and even experience growing weakness in pinch and grip strength. While some age-related degeneration is normal, diseases like arthritis, the inflammation of one or more joints, can amplify hand weakness and even result in acute pain. Stiff, painful joints might prevent you from doing the things you love or even completing simple tasks in your day to day life.

The bad news? According to the Arthritis Foundation, 1 in 5 Americans over 18 experience doctor-diagnosed arthritis, that’s about 50 million people. Arthritis doesn’t discriminate based on age, sex, or race either - even kids and babies can be afflicted with some type of arthritis.

Time for some good news. There are noninvasive and nonsurgical routes towards pain relief that can aid arthritis sufferers and boost their quality of life. In addition to topical aids, hand splints, gloves for arthritis, ease-of-use tools, and diet modifications, exercise and physical therapy can alleviate some arthritis pain and target joint inflammation naturally. These 5 hand exercises are a good place to start:

Finger Bends

Holding your right hand out in front of you with fingers spread, bend one finger at a time towards your palm and hold for a few seconds. Release and repeat with every other finger including your thumb. Switch and do the same thing with your left hand. Repeat daily.

Table Wave
Make a fist and rest it on a flat surface, like a table, in front of you, pinky side down. Raise your thumb so its point of vertically, and then with all four fingers unroll your fist to straighten your fingers out completely, hold for a few seconds, and then bring them back in (like a flag waving). Repeat 10 times and then try with the other hand.

Finger Lifts

Place one hand palm down flat on the table. Lift one finger at a time up towards the ceiling, keeping the rest flat on the table - hold each lift for a few seconds and then repeat with the other hand.

Simple Fist

This one is easy - make a fist with your hand. Don’t squeeze too hard, but make sure it is tight with your thumb wrapped over your fingers. Hold the fist for 30 to 60 seconds and then release fully, spreading your fingers wide. Complete the exercise with the opposite hand and repeat 4 times.

Claw Stretch

Hold your hand out in front of you with the palm facing you. Bend all your fingertips and thumb down at once so they are touching the base of the finger joints and mimic a little bear claw. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and then repeat with the other hand. Do this exercise four times a day.

In addition to boosting blood flow to inflamed joints in the hand and wrist, hand exercises can help increase range of motion, strengthen the muscles that control the fingers and hand, as well as improve grip and pinch strength. All those improvements add up to pain relief and a higher quality of life when living with arthritis.

This is a guest blog posting.

Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee

When you’re pregnant, coffee is one of the things that doctors tell you to limit or avoid altogether. For just about everyone else, moderate amounts of coffee can actually be very good for your health.

Espresso Can Improve Long-Term Memory

Improving your memory could be as easy as drinking a few cups of espresso. Neuroscientists at the University of California (UC) discovered that caffeine, as found in espresso, can boost memory consolidation. The process strengthens memories from the time they are acquired to the time they are retrieved (remembered). This, in turn, can improve long-term memory.

Scientists have known for some time that caffeine can temporarily improve attention, and it was thought this could be the reason behind enhanced memory. However, the UC researchers accounted for this by having 160 participants study images before half of them randomly receiving 200mg of caffeine (the equivalent of two espressos). Twenty-four hours later the participants took a memory test involving the images from before, similar images and new images.

There were no accuracy differences between the two groups for identifying old versus new images. But the group that received caffeine was markedly better at distinguishing the old images from the similar images. The study also found caffeine must be consumed before the memories are formed for it to enhance memory consolidation.

Coffee Can Reduce the Risk of Developing Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

As scientists look for Alzheimer’s treatments, they’re also looking for evidence of things that can prevent the disease from forming in the first place. Among the most promising findings is coffee’s ability to protect cognitive function and reduce the risk of developing dementia.

The Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia (CAIDE) study showed that people who drank 3-5 cups of coffee a day in mid-life decreased their risk of dementia by 65%. Another long-term study published in the Journals of Gerontology found that women between the ages of 65-80 who drank approximately three cups of coffee a day had a 36% lower risk of dementia. Further studies are being conducted to identify the cause-effect relationship between caffeine intake and cognitive decline.

Coffee Can Decrease the Risk of Colorectal Cancer

Last year the University of Southern California published a study that found coffee could potentially decrease the risk of colorectal cancer. The best news could be it doesn’t matter what type of coffee you drink. Regular coffee, espresso, instant mixes and decaf all appear to provide the same benefit. Plus, the more you drink the lower your risk of colorectal cancer becomes.

The study involved 5,100 people who had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the previous six months as well as 4,000 people with no history of colorectal cancer. Participants were asked about many dietary factors, including coffee consumption. The researchers found that people who drank 1-2 cups of coffee had a 26% lower risk of colorectal cancer. Up the intake to over 2.5 cups a day and colorectal cancer risk is decreased by 50%.

Coffee Can Ease Post-Exercise Aches and Pains

After a workout your natural reaction may not be to reach for a cup of coffee, but it could actually help relieve soreness and pain. A decade ago the University of Georgia conducted a study that examined the effects of caffeine on sore muscles. Two cups of coffee after exercising proved to be better at easing muscle soreness than some medications.

Researchers believe coffee’s ability to block adenosine receptors is at play. Adenosine is a chemical that’s released in response to inflammation.

Caffeine Can Reduce Heart Disease Risks

A few years ago a systematic review of 36 studies involving 1,279,804 participants found that people who drank moderate amounts of coffee (3-5 cups a day) had the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease. Lower amounts of coffee had less of a benefit, and drinking more than five cups a day appeared to have no benefits or drawbacks in reducing heart disease.

However, it should be noted that plain, black coffee is the recommendation. Coffee with added sugar and fatty creams can outweigh the benefits of drinking coffee.

This is a blog post by Nancy Evans.

How to Combat the Aches and Pains of Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be a wonderful time in your life! But it can also be one of the most miserable. After you get over the morning sickness – which can really be all-day sickness and last for months – you start to deal with the aches and pains brought on by your growing body. It can hurt to sit down. It can feel impossible to get comfortable so you can sleep. Then you add total exhaustion to feeling achy all the time, and it can be awful.

There are some things you can do to get more comfortable even in the latest stages of your pregnancy when the aches and pains can be at their worst. Here are a few ways that you can find relief:

Get a Good Mattress

Old spring mattresses are not very comfortable. They can be thin, and they can lose their support quickly over time. You might feel like you are sleeping on a thin blanket covering the floor for as much comfort as such a mattress provides. Memory foam mattresses can provide a more comfortable night’s sleep since they conform to the shape of your body, giving you support all over. However, the foam can be a bit too soft sometimes, creating more problems for some.

The ideal solution is a hybrid mattress, which combines layers of foam with a spring coil base for the maximum support. The mattress is soft yet supportive for ultimate comfort. You’ll get the support you need on all your pressure points.

Use Special Pillows

Sometimes, no matter what position you get into, you might not feel comfortable enough, even with a quality mattress. Special pillows are made to support pregnant women where they need it most. For example, one of the most popular options is a curved body pillow that runs from your head, under your belly, and through your legs. You can wrap your body around it for comfort and support of your growing belly.

You can also get special pillows to support your knees, your back, and your neck, which can all feel sore from the strains on your pregnant body.

Stretch and Exercise Daily

Pregnancy can be exhausting, which can sap many women of the energy to exercise. But daily exercise and stretching can actually strengthen your body and combat some of the harder symptoms of pregnancy, such as fatigue. It can also help with muscle and joint pain.

For example, exercise can help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which can provide more support for the belly and put less pressure on the back and legs. Stretching can also relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve, which often causes intense pain in the buttocks and legs for pregnant women. You don’t have to do intense exercise to get the benefits. Just do some light stretching and take a walk around your neighborhood in the mornings or evenings.

Drink Plenty of Water

Muscle cramps can cause aches and pains, and dehydration can cause your muscles to cramp up. You may not feel dehydrated, but your muscles may still be needing more water. During pregnancy, your body uses a lot more water to support the growing baby and your growing body. You will need to increase your water intake to not only support a healthy pregnancy but also to reduce the likelihood of muscle cramps.

Take Supplements

A painful muscle cramp in the calf is a common symptom of pregnancy. For some women, the pain can be so bad that it can wake them from a deep sleep. Stretching may be able to help with this problem, but so can taking certain supplements.

Research has shown that a deficit of nutrients like calcium, potassium, and magnesium can increase the incidence of muscle cramps in the legs. You can take these supplements under the guidance of your doctor to see if they help. Talk to your doctor about other changes you can make to your diet to improve symptoms.

You don’t have to submit to the aches and pains of pregnancy. You can make changes that can help you find relief. After all, you need all the rest you can get now so that you are prepared for those sleepless nights with your baby!

This is a blog post by Nancy Evans.

Vaping Backed by Science as Healthier Alternative to Cigarettes

After successful completion of the first long-term study on the effects of vaping on your health, experts have given e-cigarettes the thumbs up as an alternative to smoking cigarettes. A fairly new form of nicotine replacement therapy, vaping is popular today with both smokers and non-smokers.

It has long been thought of as a healthier and alternative to smoking, since it allows ex-smokers to continue to ‘smoke’ without nicotine withdrawal symptoms or inhaling dangerous chemicals such as carbon monoxide and tar. Here are some of the main things found by the six-month study.

Switching to Vaping Improves Health

After six months, smokers in the study who switched to vaping were found to have far fewer toxins in their bodies and less cancerous substances than those who continued to smoke traditional cigarettes. This result finally debunked past claims made that vaping may be just as harmful to your health as smoking, and experts hope that it will encourage more smokers to quit using an e-cigarette.

Vaping Reduces Your Risk of Lung Cancer

For smokers, the risk of getting lung cancer is very real and scary, with a huge percentage of lung cancer cases across the world related to smoking cigarettes. According to the study, smokers who switched to vaping for just six months had 97% less of the toxic chemical NNAL in their bodies, which is strongly linked to lung cancer. Other cancer-linked substances, known as volatile organic compounds, were also significantly less in those who switched to vaping for six months.

It’s Important to Make a Clean Break

Scientists stressed that the result of the study made it clear that only those who made a clean break from smoking to vaping reaped the health benefits. If you are considering switching to vaping, smoking a cigarette occasionally isn’t going to be as harmful, but those who continue smoking regularly whilst vaping, even if they cut down on cigarettes, are unlikely to see much health improvement. Since e-liquid comes in different levels of nicotine, most vapers don’t suffer from nicotine cravings. A good way to make sure that you’re always stocked up on e-liquid is to buy cheap eliquids in bulk online.

Advice for Staying On Track

If you have decided to quit smoking and switch to vaping, there are many things that can help you stay on track and give up the cigarettes for good. For example, using a local stop smoking support group is a good way to meet like-minded people and openly discuss any quitting-related problems that you’re having. You can also download apps onto your smartphone or tablet that are designed to help you quit smoking and track your progress, which will motivate you to continue. It’s also a good idea to prepare for temptations, for example, having two e-cigarettes (or a spare battery) and making sure that you always have plenty of e-liquid available so that you don’t have to turn to a cigarette to curb a craving.

It has been confirmed by science: vaping is a safer, cleaner alternative to smoking.

This is a guest blog posting