Surge in Surgery

How many surgeries does the average person have in a lifetime?  According to the most recent study of its kind from 2002, it was found that you could need surgery at least 9.2 times if you live to 85 years of age. It is no surprise that surgeries increase with age.  Surgery is also prevalent in women during their reproductive years.  For both men and women between ages of 45 to 75 there is also an increase.  Three of the top ten most common surgeries were for women’s gynecological conditions.  C-sections ranked as number one.  For men the top surgery was for cardiac conditions (angioplasty, heart bypass).  Fortunately many surgeries done today are minimally invasive done as an outpatient instead of in a traditional hospital stay.

These facts indicate that you will have surgeries in your lifetime.  Think about the cost of this.  Would you be able to pay for it?  Rising health care costs and increase in illness have made this nearly impossible for most on an average income of today. The sensible and responsible thing to do is have health insurance.  Is your health more important than that $50,000 car or $200,000 home you insure? Plus these insurances are usually required.  Your health deserves to be insured as well.

If your health insurance policy has been cancelled, your health insurance provider has other plans that will fit your need with comprehensive, affordable coverage that covers more and includes your same providers.  Look at the cancelled product as new and improved health benefits at a much lower price. Basically your policy has not been “cancelled”, but upgraded with many more options.

There is also the option of looking at the National Healthcare Insurance Exchange by phone, paper application, online, or in person at designated places.  This offers more choices from other health insurance providers with different “levels” of coverage.  Each level offers basic and free preventive care from less than 60%  to 90% coverage.  The cost is now actually less than what you may have paid previously under the “cancelled” policy!  Now that health insurance is more affordable and chances are you will need surgery, it makes sense to have it.  Plus you get the chance to maintain your health with prevention and proper treatment in hopes of preventing surgery.

The yearly cost of your health insurance premium is much less than the cost of one major surgery and recuperation (equals 5-10 years worth). Even if you have enough cash to pay, you will save more than your money by being insured. Get covered for good health!

Best health!

Your Weight: When Less is More

Here are some things YOU can do to lose weight and keep it off sensibly:

• Make good eating habits part of your life long health maintenance plan.  Avoid yo-yo dieting.  This often results in recurrent weight gain - each time!
• Learn good eating habits.
• Eat small portions.  Five small meals a day will be less caloric and give you more energy with less hunger.
• Enjoy foods you like that may more unhealthy less frequently. 
• Exexrcise routinely.  Frequent intervals of 10 minutes 2 to 3 times a day a few times a week is adequate.  Start slow like with five minutes for first week.  This will help encourage a positive attitude and more activity.

Ask your primary care health provider to refer you to dieticians and nutrition specialists for more details.  Weight loss surgery is an option that can be considered if obesity is causing and making other health problems more serious; however, serious side effects can occur and you can gain the weight back.  Talk to a doctor that specializes in bariatric surgery for details.

Healthy weight is always great. It is one time when less is more.

Best health!

Spill the Pills, Take a Knife Slice: Surgery vs. Conservative RX

Conservative treatment is the mainstay for many chronic diseases.  This means that your healthcare team will most likely encourage you to avoid surgery unless it is life threatening issue.  Why is the stigma of surgery avoidance associated with poor outcomes?  This day in time savvy surgery techniques and fewer post operative complications complications are more likely to restore your quality of life to a livable level.  In other words three years or more of taking pills with or without complimentary treatment can be more costly in the long run with a poor quality of life.

How will you know if surgery sooner rather than later is best for you?  Talk with your doctors and healthcare providers.  If you find there is disagreement, seek out more opinions until you find what is best for you.  Surgery is preventive and can improve one's quality of life in months especially if conservative treatment fails.  Conservative treatment may help, but after many years it is less likely and becomes more costly in every way primarily in worsening of symptoms.

Spare yourself countless years of needless suffering. Do your homework.  See what treatments work best for you.  Talk with your healthcare providers about new treatments, and look for doctors (specialists) who have experience in the area.  If you've been getting around with the same nagging symptoms and watching your years pass you by without improvement or feeling good on the same treatment year after year, get on with it! Consider surgery if it is an option.

Great health is true wealth!