Health is …
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Health is …
Health is . . . ..
by Colin Byrne
23 July 2011
There is a common misconception that not being sick, is being healthy. We commonly greet each other by a polite, “How are you?”
This reveals how we get “stuck in our history”. This form of greeting originated during the plague of the 14th century when thousands of people all over the world were being decimated and died a tragic ans painful death from the “plague”. It was unsafe to be with people who had the plague so there was a dark suspicion of anyone who was unwell. This has contributed to our negative thinking about what health is.
Ever since then people all over the world greet each other in that way, “How are you?”
How many times do you say, “How are you?” without waiting for a response. Our human history has the idea the that if you are unwell, then that represents a threat to your health. How often has someone asked asked you, “How are you?” without waiting for a response.
Of course, nowadays, this question is about being polite.
To set the record straight being “fine” is not being healthy. The response “Fine” most time means, “I am not sick” . I want to raise the “bar” as it were, about what health is.
I want to explain what it means to be healthy. In our past being “fine”, was not “being sick”. I want to share with you that “not being” sick or unwell is not necessarily being healthy. Do you know what health is?
Health is a concept that alludes many people because of our history. Being alive is not necessarily a passport to good health. So what is good health? Health is . . .
To understand health, we should also understand something of our evolutionary history. Our grandparents, or for some, great-grandparents lived in a very different way than we do now. There were no instant, preprepared meals. They ate largely from that which came from the earth. Natural foods grown in a natural way.
Furthermore, we should understand how our evolutionary history effects the amount of exercise we get. The truth is we get too little exercise. Exercise is very important for health because it generates nitric oxides in our veins and arteries. It also stimulates oxidants that are part of our immune system.
In our past, time was more sedentary. There were less activities to distract us. Modern day life is lived at a hectic pace. More to do, schedules, timetables, “to do” lists, more, more, more. It never ends. We have less time for reflection, for being sedentary and taking time out and just being.
Because of this, we don’t take time to reflect on our history. Where do I come from? What pre-dispositions to ill-health do I have? If my family history is longevity or brevity why is this so and what can I do about it?
Did you know that you can lose 90 percent of the use of your kidneys before you become aware that you have a problem? Ill health is pervasive. Arteries, your heart, lungs, pancreas, liver, brain, can all become diseased without you knowing about it until it is too late.
So health is….
Eating the right foods Getting the right amount of exercise Making time for reflection, asking yourself “How am I?” Asking yourself, “What natural conditions did my ancestors die of , and how can I avoid this?. This is only the start.
Health is having all the cells, tissue and organs in your body working together harmoniously.
Science has discovered the reason for the ageing process (ill-health). It is quite complex but there are two major contributing factors.
Firstly, the moment you are born your immune system produces oxidised cells. Oxidised cells are the “first response” to any bacteria, pathogens and free radicals in the body. I won’t go into what each of these are, but suffice it to say, they are “foreign bodies” in our physiology (we also get them in our foods and in the air).
The oxidised cells play a big part in keeping us healthy. However, oxidation is the reason why we keep our foods in tins, bottles and plastic. You see, when food is exposed to air, the oxygen in the air, begins to oxidise the foods and they begin to rot. Oxidation is also the reason metal rusts. Most forms of cell deterioration are a result of oxidation.
In the past, we used to eat foods that contained natural antioxidants (mainly berries) and these antioxidants prevented the oxidised cells from doing damage to the body. Oxidised cells are like renegade firemen. Once they put out a fire, they look for the next fire, and if there isn’t one, they start one to carry out their “firemen duties”. Since we are not getting sufficient antioxidants in our diets, we have to supplement with antioxidants. In other words, if you don’t get sufficient antioxidants in the body, the body begins to oxidise (rot) and the cells in your body deteriorate.
The second process that is a major contributor to ageing (cell deterioration) is the cell renewal process (apoptosis). Every cell has DNA. DNA is a molecule that carries the “blueprint” of our physiology, that makes all the cells in our bodies work harmoniously, so that our cells don’t turn on each other (like in heart transplant or liver transplant patients). DNA creates the “match” or “mating” of other cells. I won’t go into what and how important DNA is, but basically, when our cells renew, they should renew with the exact chromosomal structure as before. Chromosomes are like the “computer language” that determines our physiology.
Cells have a communication system that is used to communicates with other cells. That is how the body responds to foreign bodies.
This communication takes place through glycoforms. They are like little “masts” (similar to the mobile telephone towers scattered around). They receive and transmit cell signals to each other through electro-magnetc cell signalling. As long as the glycoforms remain healthy and intact, the body’s communication system stays healthy. However, if the glycoforms deteriorate, this can contribute to wrong messages to the body for cell renewal. The body then reproduces cells that that are not the same, contributing further to cell degeneration. The glycoforms are made up of 8 saccharides (sugars). Only 2 are commonly fond in the diets of many individauls (glucose and fructose and often in unhealthy large quantities, particularly if they don’t follow a healthy nutritional regimen).
If the process of oxidation continues and is not stemmed by antioxidants, cells in the body degenerate. (Our cells renew approximately every 7 years). Now the problem is, if they are degenerating, the body produces exactly the same cell. In other words, the body begins to reproduce degenerative cells. Over time, the cells in our body, begin to deteriorate, and this produces the ageing process.
It is quite simple, and the understanding of this is what made me formulate Glyco-Boost. Glyco-Boost contains some of the most powerful antioxidants you will find. Why do I have more than one? The reason is because different antioxidants stimulate different responses in our systems. Some are water soluble, and act in our blood plasma, and others stimulate lipids and protect the membrane surrounding each cell. The bottom line is to fight and neutralize pesky free radicals (oxidised cells), you need both types of antioxidants from as many sources as possible. When taken together, the efficacy of water- and lipid soluble antioxidants is enhanced even more.
Furthermore, Glyco-Boost contains the 6 saccharides that one doesn’t commonly get from your diet. These fortify the glycoforms surrounding the cell membrane and assist in healthy cell-to-cell communication.
Glyco-Boost doesn’t make you younger or healthy, necessarily, but it assists in these 2 vital area’s, viz. oxidation and cell renewal.
I have not been sick for 7 years now. I have not seen a doctor or dentist for 7 years. Why? because I look after the cells in my body. If I get the symptoms of an illness, I double up on my dosage of Glyco-Boost and the symptoms are gone within 24 hours.
You can learn more about the health-giving properties of Glyco-Boost at:
http://www.glycopyc.com/about_pycnogenal.php?osCsid=c0dfb51c28c61ba3a9b970ae81df48e1
Health is simple, if you understand what health is? Not so?
Colin is the owner of Glycopyc Nutritional Supplements and has authored many articles on how to maintain good health.
@ January 25, 2012
Health Plans
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Health Plans
Health Plans offer a helping hand during a medical emergency and save you from severe financial catastrophe. Our fast paced lifestyle and hectic schedules have made us prone to many diseases and sickness. Life continues to be unpredictable and unfortunate events like a heart attack or stroke can strike anyone, anytime costing you anywhere between Rs 4-5 lakhs which includes the hospitalization expenses, doctors fees, medicines, etc. Thus, in absence of a medical insurance policy, this can lead to severe financial debt for a common man and his family which may take them years to overcome.
Most people in India are becoming aware of the advantages and benefits associated with a health insurance policy and are willing to purchase it. Among criteria which need to be considered when buying health plans, “affordability” stands out as one of the most important ones.
Affordability of medical insurance differs across individuals belonging to different sections of the society. Premium for health insurance policy is higher for higher sum insured and vice-versa. There are also other factors which influence health insurance premium like policy type, age of members, number of members, habits, pre-existing diseases, etc. Thus, it is rational to select health insurance cover with affordable premium.
Personal health plans can be broadly classified into two types (a) Individual health plan and (b) Family Floater. Individuals willing to be insured alone can opt for individual health insurance policy. However, there are some people who extend their medical coverage to their beloved family and can opt for Family Floater health insurance even though individual health insurance is an available option to them.
Health plans for family is designed to provide coverage to the insured his/her spouse and upto 2 children excluding parents.
Individuals willing to provide coverage to his/her parents need to buy a separate health insurance policy for them. To improve on such a scenario, few health insurance providers in India have introduced mediclaim policies which not only covers family members but also your extended family consisting of in-laws and other relationships. Such comprehensive family health insurance policies are real boon for individuals willing to provide coverage to their family members.
Group health plans in India are designed to provide coverage to people belonging to a group like members of a society, employees of a common employer, etc. Group health insurance policies in comparison to personal health insurance have gained much popularity lately due to its comprehensiveness and lower premium payment amount.
An Insurance Analyst by profession also writing articles on health insurance in India.
@ January 20, 2012
