The medical costs of the average household are constantly growing. The most effective way to lower these costs is to buy health insurance. This is not an easy task. However, you can readily simplify things using some guidance and advice. Eventually, you will be able to make the right choice of policy.

Collect a number of health insurance quotes from a number of reputable companies. This is the first and foremost thing to do, because shopping around will certainly save you money as well as time. You can readily get quotes online easily and quickly without having to visit an agent’s office. Most of the services offered on the internet are free.

Compare the medical services covered by each health insurance that policy you are considering. Take into account what you need and what you actually do not need. It is hard to figure out what you will need exactly, but the policy should include some necessary services, such as checkup and treatments for the most common medical conditions. Find out what you do not need given your age, gender and social status. For instance, if you are a young man, you will not need maternity benefits.

Compare the amounts of coverage for different medical services you find in each of the health insurance quotes you have collected. In general, the greater the upper limits are the better. However, this will automatically increase the cost of the policy considerably. That is why you may want to look at the costs of the different medical services in your area of residence to get a rough idea on how much coverage you need.

Find out what exclusions and limitations you are able and willing to accept. Each policy has exclusions and limitations, so you should compare these as well. Ask yourself a number of questions. Do you want to be able to choose a hospital and/or a doctor? Will you accept to get treatment at a hospital with lower rates to save money? Are you happy with going to a general practitioner first and then being redirected for treatment?

Compare the premiums and out-of-pocket costs you will incur. Take a look at each health insurance quote and decide how much you will have to pay for the policy. Are the types and amounts of coverage worth this amount of money? Ask yourself this question before you get to compare the different quotes against one another.

Buy the best health insurance in line with your need, requirements and budget.

By: Sarah A Gibbs

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health tips

As more people experience the sometimes seemingly unconnected symptoms of yeast overgrowth, eliminating yeast from their diets is becoming more popular. It is believed by some holistic practitioners that much of the US population suffers from symptoms of Candida (the yeast that grows inside us) overgrowth.

Our digestive systems are populated with millions of bacteria. They regulate each other forming a delicate balance. When Candida in your body becomes overgrown because of diet, illness or medication you start to see a variety of symptoms. Some of which include bloating, abdominal pain, and many others.

Eliminating foods that contain yeast can help regulate the Candida in your digestive tract and move you towards healing. Some of these yeasty foods are quite obvious like bread, rolls, pastries, pretzels, cookies or any bready foods. Other yeasty foods may not be very obvious to you.

Most fermented foods need to be eliminated from a yeast free diet. This includes vinegar and alcohol and any foods containing vinegar or alcohol. Did you know that most condiments contain vinegar? Mayonnaise, ketchup, relishes, mustard, barbecue sauce, and steak sauce all contain vinegar. Other fermented foods like sauerkraut, soy sauce and malt must also be eliminated from the diet.

You should also avoid foods that contain high amounts of mold like all cheeses, cured, pickled or smoked meats, and most nuts. Other less obvious moldy foods that encourage the growth of yeast are pre-packaged herbs, tea, and canned tomatoes.

You probably have a bit of a sweet tooth. Most people with Candida overgrowth do. I’m sorry to have to break it to you, but you’ll also need to cut most sweet foods out of your diet, especially processed sugar. This includes white and brown sugar in all their forms. It also includes high fructose corn syrup and even honey. You’ll also have to cut out sweet fruits like citrus and grapes and all dried fruits.

If you look at the labels of most processed foods you’ll notice that they contain some high fructose corn syrup or sugar in some form. Eliminating all processed pre-packaged foods from your diet will make it much easier for you to follow a yeast free diet.

Okay, that’s a lot of stuff to cut out of your diet. You may look at this list of foods and feel quite discouraged, but don’t. This isn’t a diet that you’ll have to stay on forever. You’ll only have to do this for three to six weeks.

During those three to six weeks your symptoms may get worst as the yeast in your body dies off releasing toxins. You may experience flu-like symptoms, fatigue, and irritability. Once your six weeks on the diet is over you can slowly start adding yeasty foods back into your diet. Try adding one food at a time and pay attention to how you feel as you eat these foods. If any of them make you start feeling unwell again you should avoid that food in the future.

Following this simple diet advance will help you experience better health in the future.

By: Allison Betts

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diet information

Have you been working lately? Do you love your work? Do you find it hard to balance your work and family? Do you need a break?

Research has proved that working women have extra nutritional needs. Women who have full-time jobs and have a family are always under pressure of staying ahead of the game in a competitive work environment and trying to balance home and office and do well at both.

Does your husband lend you a hand in doing household activities or looking after children? It helps.

Some diseases like anxiety, depression, osteoporosis are more common in women.
Health Tips:

#1 You need a balanced diet containing enough vitamins and minerals as well. It improves your mental performance and your immunity which helps fight diseases.

#2 Drink a lot of water. Fresh fruit juices (without added sugar) are good too. Avoid fizzy drinks.

#3 Exercise regularly. You can go for jogging, cycling or even a walk. It helps ward off heart diseases and decrease stress and anxiety.

#4 Use the stairs instead of the elevator at the office or park your car few meters away from your workplace.

#5 Always take a break. Do not burden yourself with extra work. Take time to relax. Make a schedule.

#6 Planning is essential. Plan your week with priorities.

#7 Go for regular health checkups. Make sure your blood pressure and cholesterol are within normal limits.

#8 Sleep well at night. At least 8 hours of sleep is essential. It will keep you fresh the next day.

The strength that working women have is a wonder. However, you should know when to draw the line and take a break. You can take a vacation, travel or simply relax by chatting with friends.

By: Dr. Atif Farid

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Caffeinated Content

Calcium citrate is better absorbed than calcium carbonate. Calcium in general is best absorbed when taken in conjunction with Vitamin D, because without it, it would be a wasted absorption. It is fat soluble and works in mineral metabolism and bone growth.

Calcium is beneficial in many areas. Calcium helps to repair bones, helps nerve function, muscle contractions, blood clotting, and also helps heart problems. It is also helpful in managing the secretion of insulin and hormones. Research says that Calcium may also be helpful in preventing Osteoporosis.

If you have a calcium deficiency, you may notice symptoms such as insomnia, tetany (a metabolic disorder, strong premenstrual cramps, and hypertension. When a deficiency is present the body will draw from the teeth and the bones to try and maintain normal body functions.

Here is a reason in the long list of reasons why one should not smoke. Smoking has been shown to reduce bone mass. It also increases the risk of the smoker to have broken bones.

People on high salt diets, who consume excessive caffeine and alcohol, and those with low body weight experience low calcium absorption. A diet that is high in fiber intake combined with low levels of vitamin D, also decreases the rate at which calcium is absorbed.

Calcium deficiency can also lead to such things as Osteopenia, osteomalacia, rickets and bone (skeletal) deformities. Hypertension, types of kidney stones, periodontal diseases and miscarriages, are also among the many signs of or results of deficiency.

Calcium can be found in cheese and other dairy products. Some vegetables are also a good source of Calcium. There are supplements available to help provide added support, or replace the mineral when it is not readily in one’s diet.

Information on Calcium citrate – What are Calcium supplements?

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. However, despite this fact, most adults across the world really need to take a calcium supplement, since many studies have proven that many individual only take around half of what is needed of this crucial mineral daily. This is a problem that need to be addressed and can be by looking out for a calcium supplement, however, you need to learn about which calcium is best and why you shouldn’t just get the first and cheapest calcium supplement you find. This will not help you out much at all.

Around 99% of the body’s calcium is stored in our bones and teeth. The other 1% of this crucial mineral is circulated in our blood flow. If not enough of this mineral is consumed to maintain blood calcium levels, the body will simply take what it needs from the bones and teeth in order to carry out vital functions within your body. Because of this, in the long run, the bones and teeth will become fragile from having its calcium content stolen, and this as you can probably work out, can lead to some serious problems. Osteoporosis can occur. Moreover, calcium deficiency is also linked with hypertension and palpitations of the heart.

Our information on calcium citrate – How can a Calcium Supplement benefit you?

The mineral calcium supports the body’s tissues, bones, cells, and it also has the ability to let nerves communicate with one another. The mineral helps the human body in healing properly from wounds, promotes proper functioning of the heart, aids in blot clotting, and helps nutrients throughout the body and across cell membranes. Therefore, the mineral is vitally important and should be in all our diets if we want to be healthy.

Consuming enough of calcium has also been shown to help lower ones blood pressure, and has been said to help control heartburn due to the minerals role in smoothing out digestion and neutralizing ones stomach acids.

Further information on Calcium Citrate – benefits and precautions

So what have we learned here? Calcium really does do the body as good as the tv commercials say. Maintaining appropriate levels in your blood provides is yet another reason why you should not smoke or quit if you do. Every so often, it is probably a good idea for you to have yourself checked out.

Calcium is very important for children to support healthy bone growth and development. For adults, calcium could help prevent or reduce the symptoms of osteoporosis. As with anything, check with your doctor before making any changes in your diet or vitamin/supplement. Look into whether there are any reasons for you to not take calcium, such as a negative interaction with other medications you may be taking.

Those who suffer from conditions like kidney stones or kidney disease should not supplement with a calcium supplement, as they could end up aggravating the condition.

Information on calcium citrate – Our Personal Opinion

We always suggest that most people interested in maintaining or improving their health should look into taking a calcium supplement, this is because many adults have been shown in studies to be lacking sufficient amounts of this mineral, and due to the many important roles this mineral plays in your health.

We realize however, many people still like to get their mineral content from food alone, for those still more inclined to get your calcium from food, some excellent food sources are: broccoli, almonds, sardines, and collard greens.

One problem with foods today: due to modern farming methods, over the last several decades and more, the nutrient value of fruits and vegetables has rapidly declined including that of calcium. For the above reason, we believe that one should not rely solely on foods for their nutrition content.

Our Tips For Choosing A Calcium Citrate Supplement

1. The mineral calcium in many supplements can come in several forms. Many people do not realize this fact. One of the most common forms produced in supplements is calcium carbonate. We always advise that most people avoid this form and choose a supplement with calcium citrate. Calcium carbonate can cause gas or constipation in some people, while the citrate form of calcium generally will not due to its absorption ability.

One should note that, calcium citrate is the best absorbed form of calcium supplement, other than coral calcium, and calcium citrate does not require additional stomach acid. Calcium carbonate, however, must be taken with a meal to give you the excess stomach acid needed to increase absorption of this crucial mineral.

2. Always buy your nutritional supplements from pharmaceutical GMP compliant facilities, such places comply with the most strictest manufacturing standards. This is very important because nutritional supplements have become largely unregulated in the U.S., and consumers of health products, only have a 1 in 5 chance of buying a product that contains the amount of ingredients stated on the products label..

3. Calcium cannot be absorbed unless taken with Vitamin D and magnesium as we discussed above in our article. Because of this, we advise that you take your calcium supplement as part of a more synergistic comprehensive formula. This is much better for you than taking calcium as a stand alone product.

4. Be sure the calcium product does not contain any fillers or additives (examples include: sugar, starch, gluten, silica (sand!) or any artificial colors or flavors of any kind. This is detrimental to your health.

By: John Gibb

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Caffeinated Content – Members-Only Content for WordPress

May (not real name) is a 39-year-old-female. In mid-2008 she delivered her child. Two months before delivery, she noticed the hardening of her left breast. Ultrasonography did not show anything wrong. The doctor suggested it could be due to the breast being engorged with her milk. Although she breast fed her baby the breast remained hard. There was no problem with her right breast. She went to consult order doctors and all of them came to the same conclusion – no problem!

Utrasonograhy of her breasts on 1 December 2008 indicated diffused inflammatory process. The left nipple was retracted. Conclusion: probably diffuse mastitis. A biopsy is advisable. Subsequent needle biopsy done did not show any malignancy. Not satisfied, a tru-cut biopsy was done on 29 January 2009. The result showed atypical proliferation of cells suggestive of an intra ductal carcinoma. An open biopsy of the breast lump confirmed invasive ductal carcinoma with high grade intra-ductal carcinoma.

May sought a second opinion from a doctor in a private hospital in Singapore. The histology slide was restudied. It was concluded that it was a ductal carcinoma in-situ, intermediate grade with comedonecrosis and infiltrative ductal carcinoma.

CT scan done on 31 January 2009 showed: a) no metastataic deposits in the liver, b) several rounded sclerotic lesions seen in the thoracic and upper lumbar spine suspicious of metastatic lesions, c) a tiny nodule in the upper lobe of the right lung – probably a solitary pulmonary metastatic nodule. A bone scan confirmed bony metastases at the left scapula, left third rib and sites along the spine.

Histopathology report showed carcinoma cells are immunopositive for oestrogen rerceptors and progesterone receptors. HER2 oncoprotein is overexpressed.

May was advised to start chemotherapy immediately. The first chemo-treatment started on 2 February 2009. A pump was fitted to continuously deliver 5-FU. May also received two doses of Navelbine for each 5-FU cycle. In addition, May was given Zometa for the bone. In total May received 13 cycles of chemotherapy from February 2009 to October 2009.

At this point I asked two questions:

1. What did the oncologist say about the chances of a cure? The answer was: The doctor said there would be no cure. The treatment was only to control the problem.
2. You must have spent a lot for this treatment? The answer: Yes, approximately RM 500,000. That is half a million ringgit – right? Yes, it is.

A CT scan on 27 April 2009 showed: a) a solitary pulmonary nodule in the right middle lobe. This measures less than 5 mm. It shows no change from previous examination, b) multiple sclerotic bony lesions. These were already noted in the previous CT scan.

May went to China for another opinion in May 2009. A PET /CT scan was done. The doctors in China concluded that May’s condition had stabilised and there was no need for treatment.

A CT scan done on 12 October 2009 showed the cancer had stabilised. However, throughout the whole month of October 2009, May complained of headaches, pains in the neck and shoulder. The oncologist said the pains had nothing to do with her cancer!

In October 2009, May completed her 13th chemo treatment in Singapore.

In November 2009, May went to India for further treatment using the Cytotron (Cytotron is the trade name of the device developed in India. It looks like a MRI machine that uses Rotational Field Quantum Magnetic Resonance Generator).

May received an hour of Cytotron treatment per day. While undergoing the Cytotron treatment, May continued to receive the 5-FU-Navelbine regimen (the 14th cycle). The treatment was scheduled for a total of 28 days but after the 20th tretment, May developed bad coughs and chest pain. The doctor thought this was due to pneumonia and she was given antibiotics and cough syrup. An X-ray indicated left pleural effusion (i.e., fluid in the lung). A week later the pains still persisted and the coughs became bad whenever May moved. A CT scan was ordered and revealed pulmonary embolism (blockage of the arteries in the lungs by blood clots that travel to the lungs from other parts of the body). May was put on Heparin, an anti-blood coagulation medication.

May returned to Malaysia in mid-December 2009. May started to have pains again. Her shortness of breath also persisted. She coughed wherever she moved. The oncologist in Kuala Lumpur mentioned that the cancer appeared stable and there was no hurry to continue with chemotherapy but the pulmonary embolism had to be resolved first. May was prescribed Warfarin. Her pulmonary embolism cleared off.

A PET CT scan on 23 February 2010 showed stable results. The oncologist said no further chemotherapy was necessary for the time being. But May had to continue receiving Bonefos (for the bone). In addition May was started on Tamoxifen beginning March 2010.

In June 2010, May’s left breast hardened again. The oncologist did not think chemotherapy was necessary but May was asked to continue with her Tamoxifen and Bonefos.

In July 2010 the skin colour of her left breast turned dark. A PET scan on 29 July 2010 indicated increased FDG avid activity and this could represent an inflammatory process of tumour activity. There was also increased FDG uptake in the thymus. At this point, the oncologist suggested a mastectomy.

On 2 September 2010, May had her left breast removed. There were some wound infections after the surgery and it took two months to recover. The histopathology indicated invasive ductal carcinoma, grade 2 with a few foci of ductal carcinoma in-situ, high grade. Twelve of the 13 lymph nodes were completely infiltrated by malignant cells with infiltration into the surrounding adipose tissue in 4 nodes.

On 20 October 2010, there was a slight swelling in May’s right breast near the nipple. Ultrasonography of the right breast did not show anything wrong. May was prescribed antibiotics. Since there was no improvement, a needle biopsy was done on 27 October 2010. The right breast tissue showed invasive ductal carcinoma.

The doctor suggested mastectomy of the right breast. This would be followed by radiation treatment for the left breast. There would also be radiation treatment for the right breast after the wound has healed. Bonefos would be changed to Zometa.

A PET scan done on 10 November 2010 showed cancer activity in the right breast.The bone lesions which were stable before had now become active. In view of this, the oncologist suggested more chemotherapy.

May underwent 3 cycles of chemotherapy using a combination of 5-FU, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (FEC) together with Zometa. The 3rd FEC cycle was completed on 14 January 2010.

How CA Care Got Into the Picture

On 3 November 2010, we received this e-mail:

Hi Chris,
I am Don (not real name) and came across your website while searching for some alternative cancer treatments. My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer stage 4 in February 2009. She had undergone chemo and just recently did a mastectomy of her left breast. Unfortunately now her right breast is also affected. Last week the biopsy shows it is an invasive ductal carcinoma. Doctor is suggesting another mastectomy but we are worried as we don’t think it can help.
Can you help us? How good is your treatment? Can I send you the reports for review?
Hope to hear from you soon.

On 14 January 2011 was another e-mail:

Dear Chris,
I would like to come to Penang and meet you to discuss regarding my wife. I have got the latest scan results with me. What are the days and time convenient for you to see patients?

Actually before these e-mails, Don came to our centre to collect some herbs but did not take them due to lack of confidence. Then she started to receive her first chemo treatment and suffered severe side effects. She had headaches, felt nauseous and was dizzy.

Before receiving her 2nd cycle of chemotherapy, May started to take our Chemo-tea. The side effects of this second chemo treatment were reduced by about fifty percent. This built up her confidence in our herbal teas. When May had her 3rd cycle of chemotherapy, she felt even better.

The War Has Not Ended Yet – perhaps a “surge” is just about to begin

May was scheduled to receive three more cycles of chemotherapy. This time the drugs to be used are Taxotere plus Herceptin. May is supposed to receive Herceptin indefinitely once every 3 weeks (but at least a year). May is also to receive Zometa once every 3 months.

From March 2010 to end of July 2010, May was on Tamoxifen. According to the oncologist since there was a recurrence, Tamoxifen was therefore not effective. He is of the opinion that May should switch to another drug – the newer generation of aromatase inhibitor. But for the aromatase inhibitor to be effective patient must be in her menopause. So to achieve this menopause, the oncologist suggested removal of May’s ovaries.

Don (husband) came to our centre in Penang and told us the above story on 18 January 2011.
Comments:

1. The Breast Cancer War – fancy gadget plus half a million ringgit

Most patients (especially those who never had the experience of having a family member undergone medical treatment for cancer) have the misconception that after surgery / chemotherapy, their cancer will go away. Unfortunately, this is far from being true. Read the following two quotations.

Amy Soscia, a cancer patient said: There is no cure for metastatic breast cancer. It never goes away. You just move from treatment to treatment.

A renowned oncologist in Singapore wrote: Oncology is not like other medical specialties where doing well is the norm. In oncology, even prolonging a patient’s life for three months to a year is considered an achievement. Achieving a cure is like striking a jackpot.

In a review entitled: In the End What Matters Most? A Review of Clinical Endpoints in Advanced Breast Cancer (Oncologist, January 2011; 16:25-35), Sunil Verma et al, wrote:

- Many agents are being studied for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer (MBC), yet few studies have demonstrated longer overall survival, the primary measure of clinical benefit in MBC.
- Of the 73 phase III MBC trials reviewed, a strikingly small proportion of trials demonstrated a gain in overall survival duration (12%, n = 9).

From the very beginning May was told the treatments she received were to only control the situation – and in this case, where is the control? Almost half a million ringgit has been spent but May was not getting any better. In fact her condition became worse. She is starting the second phase of another battle now that the cancer had spread to the other breast, after one had been removed. The war will go on. Based on the review paper published in The Oncologist a week ago, the overall survival advantage due to chemotherapy could just be an illusion.

Can we not learn a lesson from May’s experience? Albert Einstein said: Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

2. Total Commitment – do you really believe in herbs?

Not all patients who come to seek our help believe in what we do. We are firm in saying that It is not for us to “influence” you to follow our ways. This has to be entirely your choice.

We are fully aware that after spending thousands of ringgit on the so-called scientific, high-tech treatments provided by the best brains in medicine, it is hard to believe that some roadside weeds could help your cancer. To the educated mind it seems like a big joke. So believing in what we do is an important ingredient for success. Past statistics showed us that only 30% of those who come are really committed or believe in what we do.

3. Chemo-Tea Helped Her – she gained more confidence

I told Don that I would be writing this story. Otto von Bismarck wrote: A fool learns from experience. A wise man learns from the experience of others. So the main aim of writing this story is to share May’s experience with others – perhaps those who wish to learn would not have to experience similar bitterness.
Some patients believe even before they experience, but others need to experience before they can believe. It is a choice.

4. Cancer War – In a war, no one ever wins!

Tragic stories about breast cancer war abounds. But all is not lost. There are some patients who have the guts to say: “Chemo? No thank you!” Many of them survived to tell their sweet stories.

Let me close by quoting Dr. Bernard Jensen (in Empty Harvest): “While the situation is dire, should fear be the correct catalyst for change? I don’t think so. For fear is a disease in itself – a disease of the mind. Therefore, it is not out of fear, but courage, that mankind will be most effective in restoring health and harmony.”

By: Chris Teo, Ph.D.

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Caffeinated Content

If you are considering taking supplements for fibroids, this is a wise step. Sadly, even the healthiest of diets cannot always provide us with the necessary nutrients which our bodies need to promote shrinkage of fibroids and healing.

Although your diet is a crucial and integral part of any system for managing fibroids, it is essential that you understand that it is only one part of any successful system to reduce your fibroids. Your fibroids did not grow because of just one factor but as a result of the subtle interaction of various elements. It therefore follows that treatment to shrink fibroids must use a multifaceted approach which includes altering your diet, detoxing, internal cleansing, stress management and exercise modification.

Much of the foods we eat are processed in one way or another. The fabrication and modification even of natural foods can deplete the nutritional content, destroying fragile nutrients. In addition, the use of pesticides, transportation and longer storage techniques can all have a negative impact.

The following supplements for fibroids have been shown to be helpful as part of an overall system to shrink fibroids:

* Essential Fatty Acids
* Coconut Oil
* A Multivitamin Supplement (hypoallergenic)
* B Group of Vitamins
* N-Acetyl Cystine
* Chaste Tree Extract
* Vitamins C and E
* Milk Thistle
* Dandelion Root

When taken daily as an integral part of a holistic system, many women find that supplements for fibroids quickly help them feel revitalized and a much healthier and happier person altogether. However, to get the full effect, the other protocols must also be followed.

By: Gail Atkinson

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