01 906 1122

Trusted brokers for

life cover.

Easy Changes to Keep a Healthy Lifestyle on a Budget

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.

 

Meal Plan

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.

Avoid Purchasing Top Brands

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.

Avoid Going to the Grocery Store Hungry

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.

Buy Frozen Vegetables and Fruit

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.

Home Gym Videos

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.

Packed Lunch

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.

 

5 Life Insurance Myths that keep You from Buying a Policy

There are many common myths about life insurance that stop people from purchasing life insurance. You may believe one of these misconceptions and have not purchased a policy yet. Life insurance could protect you and your loved ones in case of a sudden death or illness.

 

1. Because you are young, single and healthy, you do not need it.

Just because you are young, single and healthy does not mean there is no need for life insurance. If you have any outstanding debt from education loans, car loans, or other debts, when you pass away, these debts will be transferred to your estate and still need to be paid of. Life insurance policies can help pay off these debts in case of sudden death, so your estate is not stuck paying it off. If you get a policy when you are young and healthy is usually cheaper, which makes it more manageable.

 

2. Employer-provided insurance is sufficient enough.

This is not always the case because company provided life insurance usually only covers 1 to 2 times the amount of your salary. 1 to 2 times your salary is not a sufficient amount. It is recommended to have 10 to 15 times the amount of your salary. Life insurance policies can provide this recommended amount in case of sudden death or illness.

 

3. All life insurance policies are the same.

This is just not true. Most life insurance providers have many different policies for people of all lifestyles. There are policies for people with different health conditions, for married and single people, and policies for people in all stages of their life.

 

4. Only breadwinners of the family need a policy.

The lose of one source of income can be a harder hit to a family than it is thought to be. Just because one spouse is not the breadwinner, you still lose one source of income for your family and this can take a bigger toll than you make think. If both income earners for the family have life insurance policies, in the case of a sudden death, the policy can assure the family can live at the same standard.

 

5. I have a health condition like high blood pressure or asthma and will not qualify for a policy.

Serious health conditions may disqualify you from life insurance, but not all health condition disqualify you form life insurance. Most insurance companies have plans for people with health conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. If you have a health condition, the premiums might be higher, but you can find a policy. Read more here.

 

To read more myths about life insurance click here.

At Oomph.ie, we provide competitively priced life insurance policies from the top 6 insurance providers in Ireland and can find a policy to fit your life. Take our 3 easy steps to get a free personal quote today!

 

Unicef World Children Day – Setting good examples for your children’s health

Children’s health

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.

How to set good examples for your children’s health:

Drinking

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.

Fitness

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.

Eating healthy

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.

Mental Health

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;

 

11 Ways to Significantly Reduce Your Risk of Getting Cancer

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.

Here are some tips to reduce your risk of getting cancer:

Screening for 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.

Smoking Causes Cancer

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.

Watch your Weight

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.

Exercise Routine 

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.

Stable Diet

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 Consumption

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.

Sun Exposure 

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.

Chemical exposure and pollutants

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.

Radiation

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

Limit Hormone Replacement Treatment

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.

HPV & Hepatitis B Vaccinations

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.

 

 

You Think You Won’t Qualify for Life Insurance, You’re Wrong!

Think you can’t qualify for life insurance? Think again.

You want to protect your loved ones for the future once you’re no longer around to provide for them. We all do. A life insurance policy can give you the peace of mind that when you are gone, your family will be protected.

However, you’re also worried that your health issues mean you won’t qualify for life insurance because it is meant for healthy people only. So what do you do?

Don’t despair—there is good life insurance out there for you! Whether you have heart disease, mental health issues, kidney or liver problems, or almost any other health condition, you can qualify for life insurance!

Looking at the Big Picture

About 85% of consumers agree that most people need life insurance, but the figures say that there is younger people and couples do not have life insurance for various reasons.

Let’s look at the facts about qualifying for life insurance!

There are plenty of reasons why someone may not have life insurance or may not qualify for it, including:

People do not attempt to buy a life insurance policy because they think that they will not qualify for on. We are here to put an end to the myth that only healthy people can get life insurance.

We are here to put an end to the myth that only healthy people can get life insurance.

 Overcoming Roadblocks

Actually, almost any health history can be insured. The right company can get you insured at an affordable rate, even if you are dealing with any of the issues listed above.

Take a man in his late 40s, who had suffered a severe heart attack in his early 40s, and while he had been declined elsewhere, we were able to find a company that would insure him.

Another great example is mental health issues, many times consumers with mood disorder and or depression with multiple medications are not insurable. Some people with mood disorders may be able to purchase a policy because every company’s underwriting departments have unique fill qualities.  An individual who had been declined multiple times for a policy because of a mood disorder was able to secure permanent insurance because he had a steady job.

If you are dealing with health conditions, life insurance companies love seeing that you’re working to improve or properly maintain your health.

Basically, follow your doctor’s orders and you are much more likely to qualify. And that means being able to get financial protection with life insurance that your loved ones need and deserve.

Let Oomph help you find a policy to fit you life. Get your free quote here.