01 906 1122
Trusted brokers for
life cover.
01 906 1122
Trusted brokers for
life cover.
Every year, new health trends emerge and become an important part of health culture. In 2018, we saw the emergence of alternative milk substitutes, group fitness, wellness beverages, and activity trackers.
Now, around half way through 2019 we see these emerging health trends:
This trend has been growing with reusable and paper straws to help the environment, but it’s growing in 2019. These eco-friendly packages will be replacing single-use packaging in the food industry and in grocery stores. You will start to see more compostable and reusable packaging. Some ideas of eco-friendly packaging is biodegradable bags, compostable cups, plates and cutlery and reusable boxes and bags.
In 2019, you will see a rise in the amount of plant-based foods in grocery stores, restaurants and fast food restaurants. One major event that has already happened in 2019 is that Burger King released its Impossible Whopper in the United States. This is the vegetarian option of their classic Whopper Burger. More plant-based options for vegetarians and vegans are emerging on the market. In studies, looking at plant-based diets, it has shown that eating a plant-based diet can help reduce blood pressure, treating diabetes, and improve cholesterol levels. You will see more options of these plant-based foods in 2019.
In 2019, you will see more of your favourite snacks get a healthier twist. This has been a growing trend since 2018, but in 2019 you will see more and more options of healthier snacks. An example of one of these healthier snacks is organic potato chips cooked in coconut oil. You will also see a rise in the amount of refrigerated healthy snacks. Refrigerated protein bars, bottled smoothies, yogurt, hummus and more are going to be some of the new upgraded snacks you will see start to hit the market.
This trend allows you to get personal training from the comfort of your home. Gyms and fitness studios can be seen as intimidating situations, so people are turning to at home and online workouts. An example of this trend is the rise in purchases of at home workout machines like the Peloton or The Mirror workout machine.
This trend has been around, but is growing in popularity as at home food sensitivity testing is growing. Food sensitivity and allergies have been confused with each other. If you are food sensitive to something, you can still eat it in moderation. Many at home tests can tell you these sensitivities.
See more trends here.
You may try one of the new health trends in 2019 to remain physically healthy, but why not try a way to remain financially healthy? At Oomph, we help our clients find the perfect life insurance policy that keeps them and their family financially healthy in case of sudden death or illness. Get your free quote today.
Because of our work culture and technology today, we spend a lot of time staring at screens. According to a Nieslen Study, adults spend nearly 11 hours a day staring at a screen. Screen time can cause health problems that you may not know about. Below are easy tips to prevent these screen time problems.
Blue light emitted from digital devices can affect your ability to sleep. These light emissions can harm your brain’s production of melatonin. Melatonin is needed for sleep because it is a chemical produced by your body to regulate your sleep. This is usually made worse when staring at screens in the dark. Using technology before bed can also affect the quality of your sleep. This can increase your brains activity while it is trying to settle into a restful state for sleep.
Too much exposure to screens of digital devices can possibly cause Computer Vision Syndrome. This can cause eyestrain, headaches, itchy eyes, eye fatigue and blurry vision.
Poor Posture is another problem people who spend too much time on digital screens can have. This poor posture can damage muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, and spinal disks.
Even though some screen time cannot be prevented, there are some things you can do prevent some of these problems;
You can purchase blue light glasses that reduce the amount of blue light your eyes are exposed to. This can reduce eyestrain and help improve your sleep.
The desk chair you sit in at work can help improve your posture and keep you from slouching. Getting a chair with good lumbar support or using a pillow to support your lower back can prevent poor posture and back problems.
There are many apps and some phones that have ways for you to set up time controls for apps on your phone or tablets. Apple’s iOS 12 has a tool where you go into the settings of your phone and limit the amount of time you spend on certain apps. There are apps you can download on all phones to limit time.
This can help prevent you using your phones or other digital devices right before you go to bed. This can improve your sleep because you are limiting exposure before going to bed.
Screen time reduction is an important way to keep healthy. Taking these steps will help you remain physically healthy, but it is also important to remain financially fit. Protecting yourself and your family financially from sudden death or illness is a way to remain financially fit. Even if you think you will not qualify for a life insurance, we can help you find a policy. Get a free personal quote here.
With the fast pace lives that we live today, it may seem impossible to keep up a healthy lifestyle. It may seem easier to buy pre-made meals or just eat out and skip the expensive gym membership, but there are changes you can make to live a healthy lifestyle on a budget.
One way to eat healthier is to cook your own meals. A way to stay on budget while cooking your own meals is to meal plan. Meal planning helps you stick to a budget and only get the necessities for the meals. When you go into the grocery store, you will be able to stick to the grocery list and you know it is in your budget. This helps maintain a healthy lifestyle on a budget.
Living a healthy lifestyle does not mean you have to buy the top brands. When you buy generic brands you save money and more often then not are getting the same product. Because of food production standards and regulations, you know the product is made safely and with mostly the same ingredients. If you compare name brand and generic products, they will usually have the same ingredients labeled on the back.
If you go to the grocery store hungry, then you will end up buying things you do not need. Because you are hungry, your cravings can take over what you purchase at the store. When you go to the grocery store with a budget and you are hungry, you may buy items that are not on your list over items on your list. Sticking to your shopping list will insure that you stay on budget and stick to your meal plan.
When you buy frozen produce, you are saving money and getting the produce you want. Fresh produce always changes because of the seasons and is usually the more expensive option. Even though frozen vegetables lose some of their vitamins, frozen vegetables maintain their mineral, fiber and carbohydrate content from when it is fresh produce.
Buying a gym membership can be very expensive and going to the gym might not suit your schedule. Living a healthy lifestyle does not mean you buy an expensive gym membership. There are tons of free workout apps and videos online for at-home workouts. This saves you the travel time to the gym and do not cost anything. This is another way that you could maintain a healthy lifestyle on a budget.
Packing lunch for work or school helps your budget and your health. When you pack your lunch, you do not run to get fast food. Packing your lunch also insures you have healthy snacks and do not run out to get snacks either. This way you insure you are eating healthy and not spending excess money as you are sticking to your budgeted meal plan.
At Oomph, we make buying life insurance easy and affordable for you. Keeping healthy is important, but protecting yourself and your family from sudden death or illness is also important. Oomph can help you find a policy that fits in your budget. Get your free personal quote here.
In honour of Unicef World Children Day, we would like to have a look at how we set examples for our children’s health.
Don’t worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you. – Robert Fulghum
For example, it’s great that you tell your children to eat your vegetables but don’t expect them to listen to you if you are not eating them yourself in front of them. Having good healthy habits that your children will imitate is the best health education you can give them.
From the time they come into this world, children learn how to live by observing and imitating the people around them. Children learn to process what they see and they make decisions about what to mimic and take part in certain behaviours by watching these people around them.
Showing your children how to have a healthy relationship with alcohol will benefit them throughout their lives. Drinking heavily may show your children that you try and solve problems in an unhealthy way. This will not improve your children’s health in the future.
Children who grow up watching their parents drink are more likely to become alcoholics themselves. As teenagers the region of the brain which is responsible for problem solving, decision-making, and judgment are not fully formed. This manifests itself in behaviours like promiscuous and unprotected sexual behaviour, rebelling against authority, and substance abuse. Moderation, on the other hand, provides children with a good model of responsible use.
Showing your children that a healthy fitness routine is essential for not only physical health but for mental health as well. Set aside designated workout time. This shows your children that exercising is a priority and you’re making a point to instil healthy habits for you and your family. Getting your children to understand and form a fitness routine early on in life will start a habit with them. They’ll notice the importance of fitness without you having to talk excessively to them about it.
Showing your children a good relationship with a healthy balanced diet can have positive effects on them for the rest of their lives.
Healthy family eating should not be simply about eating fruit and vegetables. It’s about eating a range of different foods, and enjoying treats as well. Don’t put too much emphasis on eating as you don’t want negative emotions to be associated with food. Either being too worried of gaining weight or using food as a coping mechanism.
You children will inevitably be exposed to stress and other mental obstacles, even if they exercise and eat healthy. Teaching your children to talk openly about their feeling and not to be ashamed if they are feeling down. Nurturing your children self-confidence and self-esteem is just as important as teaching them healthy eating and fitness habits. Different ways of achieving this are;
By 2020, 1 in 2 people in Ireland will develop cancer during their lifetime. In Ireland, an average of 40,000 new cases of cancer are diagnosed each year. The most common of these are skin, prostate, breast, bowel and lung cancer. We know that 4 out of 10 cancers can be prevented. Do you know how to reduce your risk? By not smoking, eating healthy, healthy weight, watching our alcohol intake and taking regular exercise can reduce our risk of getting cancer.
An easy way to reduce the risk is to get regular screenings. If you are regularly screened for cancer, then there is a chance of catching the cancer in the early stage. If the cancer is caught in an early stage, there is a greater chance of survival and the ability to make a full recovery.
Do not smoke and avoid second-hand smoke. Smoking cigarettes is linked to being the cause of one in three cancers. Smoking is the single biggest risk factor for lung cancer and various other cancers. Lung cancer is one of the biggest killer cancers in Ireland because it is usually at a later stage when detected. Smoking is an addiction, but if you choose to stop it could save your life. In 2013, it was estimated that 5950 premature deaths were caused by smoking. There were also 200,000 admission into hospital caused by second hand exposure. Cigarettes contain over 4000 chemicals, 60 of these are carcinogenic, compounds that can cause cancer. Half of smokers will die from tobacco related disease.
Weight is an important factor as it can increase your chance of developing cancer. People who have a healthy weight have an estimated 18% lower risk of cancer compared to people who are overweight.
Regular exercise is important both for the mind and body. You should do 30 minutes of exercise a day, which is the estimated time recommended to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
You are what you eat so a healthy diet with lots of fruit, vegetables and whole grains is good to maintain a healthy body and immune system. If you limit salts, sugars, fats, red meats and processed foods eaten, you could reduce your risk of developing cancer.
Alcohol intake can increase your risk of developing cancer as it damages your DNA and is very high in calories. It doesn’t matter how much you drink, drinking alcohol can cause cancer.
Many people underestimate the strength of the sun in Ireland. Extended sun exposure can cause skin cancer. It is one of the most common causes of cancer in Ireland. Avoid too much sun and always wear sun screen.
You could be at risk of developing cancer, if you work in a hazardous workplace or if you are exposed to toxic chemicals and pollutants. Wear protective clothing and mask and follow health and safety procedures. Exposure to Asbestos can be very dangerous and can cause cancer like lung cancer.
Irish people receive a high dose of radiation and approximately 86% comes from natural sources. The principle sources of radiation are radon, cosmic radiation, natural radioactivity in soils, thoron, natural radioactivity in food, exposure to artificial radiation and medical exposure. Radon is a natural element and occurs in the Earths crust. This means it is wise to check the levels where you are residing and working. For more information www.epa.ie/radiation/exposure
Women over the age of 50 who take HRT for more than five years or more are slightly more at risk of breast cancer. It is also important that men and women do regular breast checks.
By ensuring that your children take the vaccination programme can prevent and/or reduce the risk of cancers caused by infectious agents including viruses and bacteria. In Ireland, it is estimated that there are 420 new cancer cases diagnosed annually caused by HPV (Human Papilloma Virus). Cancer caused by HPV can be prevented with the vaccines.