The body does not naturally make vitamin C and it does not store it, so you need a daily dose in order to remain healthy. Vitamin C plays an important role in your everyday functioning, for example it helps to heal wounds and form scar tissue, as it forms an important protein which is used to make skin, tendons and blood vessels. It also helps to repair and maintain cartilage, bones and teeth. People have used vitamin C for many years as a remedy for the common cold, but taking vitamin C after a cold starts will not help. It is more of a preventative measure. For those who catch a cold while taking vitamin C, the cold will last for a shorter period and have milder symptoms.

Vitamin C is one of many antioxidants. Antioxidants are nutrients that block some of the damage caused by free radicals. The build up of free radicals over a period of time is largely responsible for the aging process, and free radicals may play a role in cancer, heart disease, and conditions like arthritis.

Too little vitamin C can lead to health problems such as: Anemia, bleeding gums, decreased ability to fight infection, decreased wound-healing rate, dry and splitting hair, easy bruising, gingivitis (inflammation of the gums), nosebleeds, possible weight gain because of slowed metabolism, rough dry and scaly skin, swollen painful joints, and weakened tooth enamel. Amazing how taking one vitamin can prevent all these things!

It is recommended that the average intake is 75mg per day for women and 90mg for men, but if you’re a smoker you may need more. Vitamin C also helps you to absorb iron and low levels of vitamin C are linked to a lack of iron. The more you smoke the more vitamin C you lose from your tissues and blood, and your body needs more vitamin C to counteract the damage that smoking causes to your cells.

The orange has come to be associated with vitamin C, but there are many other foods which contain it, namely: Citrus fruits and juices, such as grapefruit and lemon, kiwi fruit, mango, papaya, pineapple, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, watermelon, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, green and red peppers, spinach, cabbage, and other leafy greens, sweet and white potatoes, tomatoes and tomato juice.

If you feel you are not taking in enough vitamin C or want to take extra as a precaution for the winter months there are a variety of supplements available which are relatively inexpensive depending on the brand you buy. Visit your nearest pharmacy and stock up for winter!

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Beat the boredom 

Spice up your winter workout routine by trying a new indoor sport or hobby like ice-skating, indoor cricket or soccer, salsa dancing or indoor rock climbing. Look in local community papers for interesting classes near you and turn winter workouts into unforgettable experiences!

Lunchtime walks

If you can’t bear early morning working outs at this time of the year, pack a pair of walking shoes and take a walk during lunchtime. One of the benefits of the cooler weather is that a midday walk won’t turn you into a sweating mess.

Many underestimate the value of moderate exercise but a recent study proved that even 15 minutes of moderate exercise a day can make a life changing difference. The study found that people who exercised for 15 minutes a day, or 92 minutes per week, extended their expected lifespan by three years compared to inactive people. Now just imagine if you went for a 30 minute lunch-time walk five days a week?! Give it a try and you’ll clocked up two and half hours of moderate exercise a week without even breaking a sweat!

Deskercise

It’s miserably cold; you are overloaded with work and struggling to keep your eyes open. Sound familiar? Instead of making another cup of coffee with far too many sugars, try a quick desk workout. Watch the video below and try eight to 12 reps of each move before you get back to chasing those deadlines!

Redefine TV breaks (and your abs)

There’s nothing like cuddling up on the couch when it’s cold outside but if you read our article ‘Sit back and relax,’ you’ll know that lounging around is far from healthy! Counter this is by turning commercial TV breaks into moving breaks. Whenever an advert comes on the TV, hit the floor for a few push-ups, stomach crunches, lunges and squats. If you have little children, make it a game by muting the TV, turning on the Hi-fi or iPod player to your children’s favourite dancing song and dance around the lounge.

So when it’s grey outside, add some colour to your day with fun, heart-pumping activities that take the ‘work’ out of workouts!

For regular healthy tips and updates from Essential Med, join our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter. To find out more about Essential Med, click here. 

A nine year Swedish study of more than 31,000 women found that those who ate one or two servings of dark chocolate a week cut their risk for heart failure by as much as a third. Talk about health benefits! Research by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center found that chocolate contains comparable quantities of the same antioxidant properties found in red wine that protect against heart disease. A German study found that a square of dark chocolate a day lowered blood pressure and reduced risk of heart attack and stroke by 39%!

What makes dark chocolate so deliciously good for us? The answer is flavonoids, antioxidants in chocolate that helps increase the flexibility of veins and arteries. Apparently dark chocolate contains nearly eight times the number of antioxidants found in strawberries!

So now we know that chocolate is good for the heart but did you know that it could be good for the waistline too? A study by the University of California found that people who reported eating chocolate more frequently were thinner than those who ate less, as measured by their body mass index (BMI). It’s a puzzling discovery and Dr Beatrice Golomb, who led the study, said that it, “clearly wasn’t explained by the fact that people who ate chocolate ate less food, because they ate more. And they didn’t exercise more than those who didn’t eat as much chocolate…”

Working on a budget or filing your tax? You might want to swop that cup of coffee for a hot dark chocolate. A study reported in 2009 showed that people did a better job of counting backwards in groups of three after they had consumed a hot cocoa drink. Apparently the flavonoids are thought to increase blood flow to the brain.

Dark chocolate is the smart choice when it comes to satisfying a craving and studies continue to reveal that, in moderation, chocolate has plenty of health benefits. This is the most delicious health news we’ve heard in a while so go on; take a bite!

For regular healthy tips and updates from Essential Med, join our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter. To find out more about Essential Med, click here. 

Sources: About.com, Healthland Time, Live Science and Women’s Health Magazine

Indigenous to South Africa, rooibos tea is one of our most popular exports. Known as ‘red bush’ tea abroad, rooibos tea has a number or health benefits. 

Rooibos tea contains high levels of antioxidants which help fight free radicals in the body and boost the immune system. Antioxidants in rooibos tea have been found to increase the productivity of carcinogen-detoxifying enzymes and according research published in the journal of Phytotherapy Research, rooibos tea has anti-mutagenic properties which prevent cells from mutating and developing into cancer cells.

A study by the Juntendo University School of Medicine in Tokyo reported that rooibos tea prevents inflammation and DNA damage, concluding that it’s safe for children to drink as its caffeine free and contains no stimulants. South African mother Annetjie Theron could have told researchers that! In 1968 she found that rooibos tea soothed her baby’s colic and since then many mothers have mixed rooibos tea with baby’s milk to ease colic cramps. If you or your children have stomach cramps, make a cup of rooibos tea and allow the teas anti-spasmodic agent to help soothe a sore tummy.

And the health benefits of rooibos tea don’t end there, there’s even good news for diabetics! Rooibos has been found to promote the regulation of blood sugar in Type 2 diabetes by increasing insulin production and the muscles’ absorption of sugar. This doesn’t mean you can skip your medication or start adding sugar to your tea if you’re diabetic, but as part of a healthy eating plan rooibos tea could improve your overall health.

Some might say that the beauty of a cup of rooibos tea lies in the taste but real beauty of the rooibos is enzyme superoxide dismutase, an anti-aging substance found in the tea. Enzyme superoxide dismutase helps reduce premature aging by promoting the production of healthy skin-producing cells. Drinking rooibos tea is so good for your skin that one study even found that rooibos tea protects against the growth of lesions associated with skin cancer.

So the next time you crave a warm drink, make a cup of proudly South Africa rooibos tea, it’s perfectly healthy and simply delicious!

For regular healthy tips and updates from Essential Med, join our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter. To find out more about Essential Med, click here. 

Sources: Best Health Mag, Livestrong, Rooibos Tea Benefits and Better Skin with Rooibos.

A survey on our Facebook page revealed that 64% of respondents suffer from disruptive sleep and wake up a few times during the night. We decided to investigate the impacts of a poor night’s sleep and healthy ways to get enough shut-eye.

People who suffered from disrupted sleep are more likely to have amyloid plaques in the brain (the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease) than sound sleepers, according to a study by Neurologist Dr. Yo-El Ju and researchers at Washington University. Another study concluded that over time, not getting enough deep sleep contributes to high blood pressure. In a 2010 study the protein associated with heart attack risk, C-reactive protein, was found to be high in people who got six hours of sleep or less per night.

In contrast, a good night’s sleep could help you live longer. Adults who sleep between six and half hours to seven and half hours a night have been found to live the longer than those who get less or more than this optimal amount of sleep. A good night’s sleep won’t only help you live longer; it could help you learn faster! According to Dr. Rapoport, associate professor at NYU Langone Medical, sleep helps strengthen memories or “practice” skills learned while you were awake in a process called consolidation.

Now that you know why a good night sleep is important, here are a few ways to improve the quality of your sleep…

• Cut down caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant which can keep you up at night. Instead of having a cup of coffee after supper, opt for caffeine free tea like Rooibos tea or, if you crave that coffee taste, opt for decaf coffee.
• Eat to sleep. According to Joan Salge Blake, RD, a clinical associate professor at Boston University, foods that contain tryptophan, an amino acid that converts to serotonin in the body, may aid sleep. Blake recommends making a meal which contains a balance of protein and tryptophan, like a tomato whole-wheat-pasta dish with fresh vegetables, diced chicken breast and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
• Create a calming ritual. Squeezing in work, surfing the net and watching that thrilling crime investigation TV show all before bedtime won’t do you any favours. Too much mental stimulation at night may make it hard to log off and nod off. If you have an active mind, record that TV show, give work a break, turn off your computer at least an hour before turning in, switch your mobile phone off and rather opt for light reading material before bed.
• Create a serene space. Remove distractions and clutter from your bedroom, particularly electronic devices like mobile phones, computers and TVs. If possible, don’t let pets sleep in your bedroom and ensure the bedroom is as dark as possible when sleeping. If bright security lighting or street lights illuminate your room at night, invest in blackout blinds or curtains.

The best recommendations for a good night’s sleep are aimed at calming the mind, because as the famous English author Charlotte Brontë so aptly put it, “A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow.”

Sources: Health.com, Time Healthland, Time Healthland and TIME

For regular healthy tips and updates from Essential Med, join our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter. 

Have you ever thought about how much time you spend sitting? Most of us sit on the way to work, whether a commuter or passenger, and if you have an office job you’re bound to be seated for most of the day. The journey home is yet again, a seated one. And after a long day, many people enjoy kicking back to enjoy their favourite TV shows.

According to research this sedentary lifestyle could be slowly killing us! Studies have found that people who sit and watch TV for three hours or more a day are 64% more likely to die from heart disease. Studies have linked obesity and sitting finding that obese people sit an extra two and half hours per day than those who maintain a healthy body weight.

The good news is that we have the power to improve our lifestyles. Start by interrupting your sitting time with these three tips…

• Stand-up when talking on the phone at work and at home
• Get out the office for a short walk during lunch
• Follow WORKOUT WEDNESDAY on our Facebook page for weekly workout inspiration
• Go for a 30 minute walk or jog instead of turning on the television after work

And if you still think you can sit back and relax, read through this shocking infographic which collates numerous studies about the negative health impacts of a sedentary lifestyle…

Via: Medical Billing And Coding

For healthy tips and updates from Essential Med, join our Facebook fan page or follow us on Twitter. 

Essential Med is recognised for affordable good quality health insurance products and it is our quest to maintain this, despite the rising cost of hospitalisation and medical care. We have therefore worked hard to successfully negotiate a premium increase of only 6,5% (average) for 2012, well below the medical aid average of around 9,5%.

The new 2012 premiums come into effect as of 1 March 2012. Click here to see our updated rates and visit our policy option pages to be reminded of the various products and benefits we offer.

We would also like to remind you of the value-added Essential Plus services that all our policyholders have access to. These include health, home, legal, travel and auto assistance.

As your partner in good health, we look forward to giving you access to benefits that meet your healthcare needs and enable you to live a life uninterrupted.

If you have any queries or would like to discuss updating or upgrading your policy please contact us on 0861 632 123 or clientservices@essentialmed.co.za

Once their tears dry and the trepidation turns to excitement, they let your hand go a little quicker, their hugs squeeze a little less and their goodbyes are shouted at pace as they skip to the welcoming giggles and chatter of their new-found friends. Little did we know that the same hands grabbing our child’s to pull them enthusiastically to the jungle gym and the same happy whispers into our child’s ear welcome our child to a germ fest of snotty noses and runny tummies.

We soon realise that the minor colds, tummy bugs, scraps and bruises are less serious than the resultant doctor and pharmacy bills. Those who chose to cover these unexpected and unwelcome costs with their personal savings due to the formidable cost of traditional medical aids soon realise that the financial burden is more than most can anticipate. And those forking out ever-increasing monthly premiums for medical aid often wake up midyear to a depleted savings account.

In the face of medical aids’ current annual increases and reduced benefits members are frustrated and exasperated. Angry enough to tackle the medical aid giants in the public arena by launching Facebook pages and approaching media to make their argument heard.

“While this David and Goliath story has us intrigued, we are more convinced now than ever before that our day-to-day product is the ideal solution to families unable to afford medical aid and the perfect complementary product for those with medical aids,” says Danie Kok, director of Essential Med.

Essential Med’s day-to-day benefit provides for out-of-hospital costs giving policyholders unlimited access to GP consultations, medication (chronic and acute included), referred pathology and radiology as well as limited dentist and optometry consultations and associated costs. These services are provided through the Care Cross network of more than 3000 health professionals nationwide and no shortfall or co-payment is required.

For as little as R605 per month for a family of three, Essential Med’s day-to-day benefit covers GP consultations and procedures and basic, acute and chronic medication allowing medical aid members to reserve their savings for specialist consultations and procedures.

For families who can’t afford medical aid and currently rely on public healthcare, Essential Med is an affordable option giving them access to quality private healthcare at a monthly rate that’s easy on the pocket.

“Essential Med is a health insurance and does not offer the same scope of benefits as a medical aid, however our day-to-day product is ideal for a growing family with growing children, especially in the face of growing medical aid costs,” concludes Danie Kok.

For healthy tips and updates from Essential Med, join our Facebook fan page or follow us on Twitter. 

Children can be cruel and the nastiness hurled at overweight children is often the worst kind of bullying. As parents, nothing hurts our hearts more than our child coming home from school in tears because of name-calling or being teased and ostracised by their classmates. But the cold hard truth is that nothing hurts our child’s heart more than his or her being overweight.

The threat of obesity is far greater than name-calling and if not addressed by parents and caregivers, can lead to lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and certain cancers.

Broaching the subject of a child’s physicality with him or her is a sensitive matter and if not done with empathy and emotional intelligence can leave the child feeling self conscious, unmotivated and isolated.

There are many things that parents can do in a subtle constructive way to ensure children do not gain excess weight or to assist overweight children shed the extra kilos and are put on the road to good health:

Lead by example: It is difficult to instill healthy eating habits in children if they have no role models and examples to follow. Research and set a healthy eating plan for you family and involve your children in the preparation of food. Teaching them about the natural benefits of each ingredient while enjoying quality time together in the kitchen.

Educate the school: If your child’s school does not already have a healthy tuck shop or canteen menu, insist that they consult a child nutritionist and revise their food choices.

Love the lunchbox: Pack healthy lunchboxes and snacks for your children but be sure to make it appealing and enticing otherwise the school dustbins will swallow it rather than your child. Get some great lunchbox ides here.

Hydrate: Getting children into the healthy habit of drinking water rather than sodas. According to a study led by researchers at Queens College of the City University of New York, children need between five and eight cups of water each day.

Make sweets a treat: Moderation is key. Children love sweets and they should not be denied a treat at special times.

Be active together: Family fun should be fit fun. Ball games in the garden, swimming, beach walks, picnic cricket or volleyball, dance marathons, indoors obstacle courses and bicycle rides are great family team building initiatives. Be creative with your ideas and challenge your children to come up with their own family fun exercises.

Be a sport: Insist that your child participates in at least one winter and one summer sport, whether at school or a local club, but let your child make the choices so that he or she is more committed and enthusiastic. Read about Essential Med’s Join the Team campaign, offering 30 x R1000 sport sponsorships to policyholders who sign up before end Feb 2012.

Ensure quality healthcare: Access to good quality healthcare in the unfortunate event of your child falling sick is imperative to ensuring they are quickly and professionally diagnosed and treated. View Essential Med’s policy options to determine which is best for your family.

What are your suggestions on how to keep our children healthy?

As a result of the abundance and prominent promotion fast foods, children’s lunchboxes now have to compete with the school tuck-shop.

Here are a few ideas to help ensure your children don’t swop their lunch for junk…

• On the trail - Chop up dried fruit and add to raw nuts to make a healthy trail mix. High in protein and healthy omega fats, trail mix will complement a healthy sandwich and help keep your children fuller for longer.

• Silly sandwiches - Make those healthy low-GI sandwiches interesting by cutting them into interesting shapes with a cookie cutter. You could also hoist little flags, made with toothpicks and coloured paper, and turn triangular cut sandwiches into little sailboats. Who says eating healthy has to be boring?!

• Calcium kick - Ensure your kids get a good dose of calcium by decanting low-fat or fat-free yoghurt into a small container with a secure lid; there’s nothing worse than opening a school bag to find an exploded yoghurt.

• The real deal - Sweets have mimicked fruit but now it’s time to give your kids the real deal by packing a serving of small, sweet fruits like strawberries, grapes or gooseberries. Remove stalks to give them that delicious easy-to-eat appeal much like fast-food.

• Cool in school - Ensure your children stay well-hydrated and cool throughout the day by packing a healthy drink. ”If you children like fruit juice, dilute it with water in a reusable water bottle they can refill as required,” recommends Jordana Smith, a Cape Town based dietitian, “It’s a good idea to dilute fruit juice because although natural, pure fruit juice is high in sugar.”

Try some of these ideas and see how your kids like their revamped lunchboxes. And go on; pack yourself an healthy adult-sized version too – fancy shape sandwiches and all.

Have you got a healthy tip you’d love to share? Post a comment or share your tips on our Facebook fan page. We’d love to hear from you.