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Middle Age Fitness Halves Your Risk Of Stroke

middle-age-fitness-halves-risk-of-strokeResearchers have found that if men, when middle aged, get themselves in shape, they  halve their risk of suffering from a stroke.

Researchers have said that even ‘couch potatoes’ that get themselves in shape during their 40s-50s are less likely to have a stroke than those who, whilst having been fit already, stopped working out when they become middle aged.

Facts & Stats

Dr Erik Prestgaard (of the University of Oslo) studied data gathered from a group of 1,400 men who had been recruited in the 70s. These men had their fitness tested every 7 years (having their breathing monitored while cycling).

After accounting for age, it was found that a third of these men had become fitter, while the rest had declined.

Over the 28 years in which the study took place, 199 participants suffered a stroke.

The data showed that those that had increased their fitness the most ( around a quarter of the men) more than halved their risk of having a stroke (56%). This is compared to those whose fitness declined the most, after accounting for known risks; blood pressure, weight and smoking.

Dr Prestgaard, quoted in the Times, stated the improvements were in unfit men who were “just getting themselves together”, rather than aiming to become extremely fit.

The research did also show that there was no significant difference between men who got in shape in their 40s-50s than those who maintained their fitness throughout their life.

Here are a few tips on how to get fit after 40:

  1. Make exercise part of your routine. Try and exercise around three times a week. Start of with a mixture of walking and running, even if it’s for ten minutes a time. Build it up from there.
  2. Enter an event (a fun run or something similar). This way you have a goal to aim for and it doesn’t feel as though you’re doing it for the sake of it.
  3. Do core stability exercises. Doing this reduces the risk of injuries and will give you better form.

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Cycling to work could help you to live longer

A daily bike ride to the office could halve your chance of a heart attack according to a major study by the University of Glasgow published in the British Medical Journal. The study tracked the health of more than a quarter of a million people over five years and concluded that cycling to work lowers the risk of dying early by as much as 41 per cent.

The study looked at 264,337 participants who were asked questions about their health and their usual mode of transport to work. New cases of cancer, heart attacks and death were correlated with the participants’ mode of commuting. Evidence emerged that those cycling to work had a 45 per cent lower risk of developing cancer and a 46 per cent lower risk of developing heart disease, compared to those with a non-active commute.

Walking to work was found to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 27 per cent and lowered the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 36 per cent. Walking, however, was not found to lower the risk of cancer or premature death as a whole. Researchers explained the difference in outcomes for walking and cycling due to the intensity of the activity and the distance covered.

Dr Carlos Celis-Morales, said: “Walking to work was associated with lower risk of heart disease, but unlike cycling was not associated with a significantly lower risk of cancer or overall death. This may be because walkers commuted shorter distances than cyclists – typically 6 miles per week, compared with 30 miles per week – and walking is generally a lower intensity of exercise than cycling.”

Researchers believe that government policies designed to make it easier for people to commute to work by bicycle, such as cycle lanes, city bike hire and subsidised cycle purchase schemes will have a positive impact on public health.

This is encouraging news for reducing the chances of developing a critical illness. Many people don’t like to face the idea of what would happen if they were to be diagnosed with a critical illness. Measures like cycling to work to increase life chances is one way of taking a pro-active approach. After all, prevention is better than cure. For peace of mind, income protection may also be worth considering to ensure your family are financially provided for in case you are faced with any critical illness.

 

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Income Protection: What Is It & Why Should You Have It?

income protectionIncome protection is a form of insurance that people don’t often think about. This is mainly because people don’t tend to think about what would happen if they weren’t able work. Income protection can be a financial life saver if the person bringing the majority of income into the house is unable to work due to an accident or issues with their health.

According to research conducted by Scottish Widows (source – Cover Magazine), around 35% of people admitted that if they or the person they lived with were off work for six months or longer, they would be unable to survive on a sole income. In February 2014, there were over 2 million incapacity claimants who were unable to work due to illness or injury (source:  Dept of Work & Pensions).

What are the benefits of income protection?

  • Peace of mind – there is no worry of financial struggle if you can’t work due to injury or illness.
  • Does not effect state benefits – income protection does not effect your statutory sick pay.
  • Deferred period – you can set up the policy to start paying out at a certain time after you are signed off from work e.g. 8 weeks. This varies from insurer to insurer so always double check the deferred period available.
  • Can cover up to 60% of your annual income.

There are lots of different insurance companies that offer income protection policies, all of which are slightly different to each other. If you would like more detailed information about  income protection and to review the market, it is always worth using a broker.  A brokers job is to offer the most detailed review of the market and find what suits you.

Our qualified, professional brokers are here to help you, it’s always worth a call as you never know what we might be able to do for you.

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Income Protection and How it can Help Your Family

Income Protection - Flexible Health

According to The Money Advice Service, over 1 million people find themselves unable to work every year due to a serious illness or injury. Individuals never think that they will be the ones to suffer from an accident or illness. They drive safely, they look both ways when crossing the street and keep themselves in good shape.

Unfortunately, you only have to be in the wrong place at the wrong time to find yourself out of luck and unable to work. If this were to ever happen to you, income protection insurance will help tide you and your family over while you rest and recover. It may seem unnecessary at this point in time, but it can be a great help when you really need it. Read on for more information on how Income Protection can help.

Who Can Apply?

Income protection is really recommended for anyone who wants to cover their salary so that they do not fall behind with any monthly outgoings, in the unfortunate event that they are unable to work. People often consider income protection insurance when they are self-employed, when they have children or other dependants, or if they know they would struggle to make ends meet if they had no salary. If any of these examples fits your scenario, it may be a good idea to look into income protection.

Do I Actually Need it?

While Income Protection can certainly help you in times of need, you may already have some other kind of cover that provides you with the support you and your family will need. You may not need Income Protection if;

  • You become ill and you can get by on sickness pay. Some employee benefits packages provide their employees with an income for 12 months or more for long-term sickness.
  • You can get by on your savings. This is not always easily measurable, but it can be achievable in the short term.
  • Your partner or family can support you. In some instances, where two members of the family work full-time jobs, one partner may earn enough money to keep all family members in the clear. This could be an option for you if you would rather not invest in Income Protection.
  • You can take early retirement. If you are close to retirement age and you are unable to return to work, you may be entitled to take your pension early.

What Income Protection will Cover and What Policies are Available

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An Income Protection policy pays you a benefit of up to 60% of your gross income if you cannot work due to ill health or accidental injury, after an agreed period of time called a Deferred Period. Payments are usually tax-free, depending on individual circumstances, and will continue for the entire period of your illness up until the end of the policy term or retirement – whichever you select. Income Protection policies do not provide cover for redundancy or unemployment.

You’ll need to choose the deferred period you think best suits your situation based on your personal financial situation, the longer the deferred period, the lower your premium. Next, you will need to choose a policy to fit your needs. Options include;

Guaranteed Policies; which guarantee that the premium you pay stays the same for the duration of the policy term – which can be any length specified. These policies can be expensive initially but can end up cheaper in the long run.

Reviewable Policies; which is a policy that is reviewed by the provider at regular intervals (usually annually). This can gradually increase the premium you pay year over year, meaning that while the policy may be cheaper initially, it may work out more expensive in the long-term.

Age-Related Policies; These are normally popular with people who are at a greater risk, either through their health (smoking, history of cancer etc.) or through their occupation. Age-related policies mean that your premium will increase every year in keeping with your age, but you will know how much by.

Other Types of Insurance

If you are still unsure about Income Protection being the right policy for you, there are other types of insurance that you can consider. These include;

  • Life insurance – Provides financial support for your dependants if you die.
  • Payment Protection Insurance – This policy will cover certain selected payments, such as your mortgage if you are ever ill, unable to work, or are made redundant.
  • Accident and Sickness Only, Unemployment Only and Accident, Sickness and Unemployment Cover (also known as ASU). You’ll need to choose the type of cover you think best suits your situation
  • Short Term Income Protection – If you are unable to work for a short period of time, this may be the best option for you.
  • Critical Illness Insurance – This policy provides a tax-free ‘lump sum’ if you are diagnosed with a serious or critical illness covered in your policy.