Blog - Flexible Health

13th July 2017 By FlexibleHealth

The healthy taste of summer: 5 top nutrient-packed foods you should be eating now

There couldn’t be a more perfect time than summer to give your diet an overhaul. Eating healthily through the summer months is easy with a whole range of easy-to-grab, in-season fruits, salads and vegetables available to make simple and delicious summery meals. Take full advantage of summer’s nutrient-rich foods and you’ll look and feel your best all the way through to the autumn.

The benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables are impressive. Increase the proportion of plant foods you eat and you’ll be decreasing your risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Here are 5 nutrient-packed foods you should definitely be making the most of in your summer eating plan.

1 – Tomatoes

Summer tomatoes are sweet, juicy and delicious. They’re good for your health too. Rich in Vitamin C, tomatoes are also loaded with lycopene – an antioxidant with a list of amazing benefits. Most notably, lycopene is known for its role in preventing and slowing several types of cancer.

2 – Courgettes

Sometimes known as zucchini, courgettes are part of the summer squash family and are rich in a fibre called pectin. Pectin is known to improve arterial health and reduce inflammation. It helps improve cardiovascular health and to naturally lower cholesterol. Courgettes are also a great source of manganese, potassium, vitamin C and energising B vitamins. Courgettes have a low glycemic load, which makes this summer vegetable (technically a fruit) a favourite for anyone looking to cut down on carbs, keep blood sugars balanced, and lose weight.

3 – Watermelon

The summer hydration hero, watermelon is as its name suggests high in water content. Packed with lycopene, a critical nutrient for fighting free radical damage and known for giving many fruit and vegetables their deep pick or red colour, watermelon boosts the immune system. Its high water content helps to detoxify the body. Watermelon is an alkaline food, which helps to protect the body from disease by reducing inflammation.

4 – Celery

Celery is full of dietary fibre and antioxidants and is a great booster for the digestive system. It has a diuretic effect on the body, which essentially means the kidneys flush out more toxins. The process reduces uric acid and stimulates urine production, making it a great preventative food for anyone who suffers regularly from urine infections. The diuretic effect also helps to reduce bloating, so it’s great for getting your body in shape for the beach. Celery contains a unique compound called 3-n-butylphthalide (BuPh) known to have cholesterol-reducing power.

5 – Dark, leafy greens

Protect your skin from sun damage by upping your intake of dark green salad leaves. Beta-carotenoids in dark-green foods are converted by your body to vitamin A, which helps to protect your skin against damage from the sun. Spinach, watercress and summer kale are great examples of dark, leafy greens and are rich in vitamins B, C and K and packed with calcium, magnesium and potassium. Full of phytonutrients, these nutrient-packed little leaves are the ultimate summer powerhouse food source.

26th June 2017 By FlexibleHealth

Hospital long waits for routine NHS ops at highest since 2008

A recent news report by the BBC confirms that NHS patients are waiting longer for non-urgent operations in England. In fact, the number of patients waiting longer than 18 weeks for routine treatment is at a record high since September 2008.

The Guardian confirms in a recent news piece that the number of people being forced to wait more than six months for an operation in hospital has trebled in the past four years. The types of routine treatment most affected include hernia repairs, cataract removals and hip or knee replacements.

Rising demand from an ageing population, widespread staff shortages, and an unprecedented financial squeeze are behind the NHS’s failure to meet a range of treatment waiting time targets.

Leaked documents earlier this year, according to a report in The Telegraph, revealed that the number of NHS patients waiting longer than 18 weeks for surgery is forecast to double in two years.

This comes on the back of the announcement made by Simon Stevens, NHS England’s chief executive, in March that the target of treating at least 92 per cent of patients awaiting routine surgery with 18 weeks was being downgraded so they could focus on improving A&E care.

NHS waiting time guidelines are based on the premise that if you are referred for a physical or mental health condition, you have a legal right to start non-urgent consultant-led treatment, or be seen by a cancer specialist, within a maximum waiting time. For non-urgent referrals this is 18 weeks.

Your waiting time starts from the point the hospital or NHS service receives the referral letter from your GP, or health practitioner. Your waiting time ends if a clinician decides no treatment is necessary, you decide you don’t want treatment, or your treatment begins.

Your right to an 18-week waiting time does not apply if you choose to wait longer for treatment, a delay is in your best clinical interests (i.e to lose weight or give up smoking), clinical intervention is deemed unnecessary at that stage, or you fail to attend appointments.

More and more people are turning to private health insurance for peace of mind when it comes to the possibility of requiring routine healthcare as they grow older. With burgeoning financial pressures the future of the NHS continues to challenge across the political spectrum.

A recent article published in The Lancet on The Future of the NHS concludes that unless several changes are implemented the NHS and adult social care system will be unsustainable. They point to radical service transformation and viable long-term funding solutions as the answer, including consideration of an insurance-based system starting in middle age to cover care costs.

12th June 2017 By FlexibleHealth

Type 2 diabetes: the facts and how to reduce your risk

Type 2 diabetes is a modern epidemic. According to Diabetes UK, there are now more than 4.5 million people living with diabetes in the UK, 90 per cent of which have type 2 diabetes. It’s most common in those over age 40 (or over age 25 if you are black or Asian). Your age, genetics and your weight are the key risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

What is Type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes develops when the insulin-producing cells in the body are unable to produce enough insulin, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly (known as insulin resistance). Insulin is the hormone in your body that helps your body to use glucose for energy. Glucose is carried in the blood and insulin unlocks cells so glucose can enter body cells and be used as energy.

What are the main symptoms of diabetes?

Excessive thirst
Increased urination
Persistent hunger, even after a meal
Tingling or numbness in hands and feet
Erectile dysfunction
Blurred vision
Hearing loss
Fatigue
Unexplained weight loss

How is diabetes diagnosed?

Diabetes is diagnosed with a simple blood test. It’s a fasting blood test designed to measure the glucose levels in your blood.

Are there any complications with diabetes?

Potentially yes. Living with diabetes you are much more likely to suffer from other chronic illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease. You are, for example, twice as likely to have a stroke as compared with people who don’t have diabetes. Kidney disease is more common in people with diabetes, as is the eye disease, retinopathy. People with diabetes are also at a greater risk of depression and dementia.

How to reduce the risk of getting diabetes

In type 2 diabetes there is a complex mix of genetics and environmental factors underlying the condition. It tends to run in families. However, obesity is the most potent risk factor, especially in those with an apple shape (large around the middle). A healthier diet and more exercise are the two greatest measures you can take to protect yourself against type 2 diabetes. Here are some key tips:

Avoid fast food, ready meals and calorie-rich food
Avoid too much sugary food, and cut out sugary drinks
Develop healthy eating habits and lose excess weight
Exercise regularly. You should aim for 30 minutes a day of moderate intensity exercise at least five days a week.

Having diabetes could prevent you getting private health insurance as it’s commonly listed by insurers as a pre-existing condition they won’t cover if you already have the condition before your policy starts.

If you want to find out more about your risk, consult a medical professional, such as your GP or private doctor. Always consult a medical professional if you have any concerns about your health.

23rd May 2017 By FlexibleHealth

What is a health insurance broker and what are the advantages of using one?

When you’re looking for a health insurance policy, the marketplace can feel quite daunting. There are so many different companies offering health insurance and so many different policies. It’s difficult for even the most informed to pick out the most suitable health insurance policy and feel confident you have everything covered. Using a health insurance broker is one way to cut back on the amount of research you need to do to get the best policy for you.

What is a health insurance broker?

A health insurance broker represents a variety of insurance companies. A broker looks for the best health insurance deal across a range of health insurers to get a deal to suit you and your health needs. Brokers aren’t married to any one particular company or plan, so they will be working in your best interests, not in the interest of a particular health insurer.

A broker can also advise you on how best to bundle your family or business health insurance policies in ways that an agent acting for a single insurer might not be able to. Advisors within brokers are usually highly skilled and trained in the health insurance market.

What are the advantages of using a broker?

There are several advantages of using a health insurance broker. These are:

Brokers are not up-selling one particular health insurance policy, but will look for the best deal across a number of insurers.
Brokers have extensive experience of the health insurance sector and will have insight into providing insurance solutions. They can navigate the complexities of the health insurance sector easily.
Because brokers are highly skilled in navigating the health insurance sector, they can help you lower your risk and make wise health insurance decisions. They could effectively save you from choosing the wrong product.
Health insurance brokers are at the end of the phone should your circumstances change and will give you impartial advice to guide you through any required changes to your policy.
A good broker will advocate for you and give you the best advice to make the right decision about your health and protection insurance policies.
Brokers are more likely to be clear about the costs involved. They’re not attached to any one insurer, so you shouldn’t be hit by any hidden fees.

22nd May 2017 By FlexibleHealth

Life insurance – are you under-protected?

A large amount of people often get life insurance to cover the cost of things like a mortgage should they pass away. Yet, there is research that shows that people are under-protected by around £45,000.

How bad is it?

A mortgage can be one of the most common debts within a household. If this is not properly protected against, it can cause enormous amounts of financial burden should the main bread-winner of the house die.

The Money Charity’s figures showed that the average outstanding mortgage for the 11.1 million households with mortgages in the UK was £120,230 in March 2017 (The Money Charity).

Despite the average value of outstanding mortgages in the UK being so high, according to ABI (Association of British Insurers), in 2016 “98% of claims paid out at an average value of £75,000” (Association of British Insurers).

This means that a large amount of people in the UK are experiencing a huge shortfall of around £44,973.

Considering all the costs that surround such a tragic event such as the death of a spouse, coupled with the rising cost of living, this shortfall can leave families that now depend one or have no income in a state of financial turmoil.

These figures show the sheer importance of making sure that you are fully protected against these types of situations. If you took out a life insurance policy a few years ago and in those few years you have moved, married, had children, or divorced, the policy you originally took out will most likely no longer be suitable for your current situation.

If you are unsure if your policy will properly protect you from a situation like this, contact one of our qualified advisors for a review of your policy and help on what to do next. You can call us on freephone 0800 849 7744 or use the from below.