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Women in India are culturally ingrained to prioritize everything to do with the family - even if it comes at the cost of their health. It’s time to take care.
Women in India are culturally ingrained to prioritize everything to do with the family – even if it comes at the cost of their health. It’s time to take care.
The ‘Bharatiya Nari’ sacrifices her attention willingly but bigger diseases await her in her late 30s and early 40s.
You know the age-old saying, ‘Health is Wealth’. Reverse it to ‘Health lost is wealth lost’ and this new version will garner more attention.
Most Indian women and men starting from their 20s and extending to their 40s, spend each day of their lives in the pursuit of earning for a safe and secure future. The lack of social security systems in India and the rising inflation rate means more stress about earning and saving enough.
Amidst all this, women go through many physiological processes too, like child bearing, early menopausal symptoms, and early arthritis to name a few. The wear and tear of the ‘neglected’ body at the earlier stages of life leads to women falling prey to chronic diseases early in their life. Instead of enjoying our lives, we then make trips to hospitals and diagnostic centers, and budget for medical expenses.
If you think that these diseases will affect you in your old age, you are wrong. The most vulnerable time is the age bracket of 35-45 years!
So, what must we do? We must not postpone paying attention to our own health! It is as simple as that! We must listen to our bodies and watch out for early symptoms of common chronic ailments and nip them in the bud.
Here are the 5 chronic ailments you need to keep in mind:
India is the diabetes capital of the world and you will be surprised to know that 50% of this population consists of women. According to WHO statistics, an increase in Type 2 diabetes in India is expected at the rate of 58% – from 51 million people in 2010 to 87 million in 2030.
Diabetes treatment becomes costlier when detected late due to the complications that arise at later stages. The cost for the first five years is estimated at Rs 1,50,000 and increases yearly. This makes it all the more important to get on to a health care plan that covers such chronic diseases.
13 out of the 20 most polluted cities of the world Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.!
As women, how much attention do we pay to our lungs? Since fewer women smoke than men, we assume we are less at risk, forgetting the risks of secondhand smoke and pollution.
With the incidence of asthma on the rise, it is important to be proactive about prevention as well as treatment if needed.
Did you know one in three Indian adults suffers from hypertension? Moreover, 67% of those who suffer from hypertension are unaware of this complication!
Urban women with increasing levels of stress in their jobs and limited or no help from their spouses at home are certainly at risk.
Lack of exercise, eating late meals and the absence of relaxation all contribute to this disorder. Aren’t we all guilty of these, irrespective of gender?
Short of time? Grab a pizza on the way. Leftover party food? Eat it anyway, so that it is not wasted and serve your family fresh food. Free time on hand? Munch on your favourite fried food and ice creams.
Without realizing the repercussions, we tend to do all this and it inevitably leads to high cholesterol thereby putting her at a risk of cardiovascular disorders.
Did you know that 55.7% women in the 25-45 age bracket had abnormally high cholesterol in comparison to 43.4% men?
Stop thinking of cholesterol as a men’s issue, and get yourself tested as well, especially if there is a genetic history. Getting tested early can mean that you plan better for treatment and management, and avoid worsening of the condition.
A survey by a British Journal revealed that in 2014, there were 20 million obese women in India as compared to 10 million obese men. Obesity increases the risk of 7 types of cancer in women (like breast, pancreatic, bowel, kidney), although there are of course other factors to consider as well.
These dismal statistics are not meant to scare but make you aware; aware of the fact that we need to put our health too on our priority list. Aware of the consequences of postponement of diagnosis. Aware of the fact that your life can actually come to a standstill with these ailments, if not attended to!
Chronic illnesses have a mounting cost of treatment over time, especially if left unmanaged early on. The result is that Indians end up spending on medicines and health care needs mostly from their own pocket.
Ladies…make a two point agenda for yourself today and add in your TO-DO list:
Health insurance providers in India mostly do not cover chronic health diseases. That’s why this Aditya Birla Health insurance product is interesting. They cover four chronic ailments from Day 1 namely Asthma, Hypertension, High Cholesterol and Diabetes and therefore, appear to be a good option in the scenario that prevails today.
To elaborate, medical consultation, diagnostic tests, pharmacy expenses and hospitalization – everything is covered, rather than hospitalization alone as most other policies do. Moreover, there are Wellness Coaches who will guide you towards management of your illness.
For instance, if you were a person diagnosed with high cholesterol, the program would include a consultation with a specialist twice a year, suggested diagnostic tests done once or twice a year as recommended by the specialist and the prescribed medicines as well. It is important to understand that healthcare does not mean just hospitalisation – rather, the idea is to prevent lengthy hospitalisation as much as possible.
Here are some of the benefits that the policy offers:
The policy thus aims at becoming your health partner, being with you in your resolve for a healthier life. The Activ Health app that helps you track your activities, records your health history, and physicians in your area and besides all this, offers you HealthReturnsTM .You can claim upto 30% of your premium back using HealthReturnsTM . So, this Chronic Management Program marks the end of the ‘intezaar’ for a new age policy. The app also allows you to access all policy details and renew the policy online easily as well.
So…take this pledge to be healthy…not for your jobs, family or children…but for yourself too, and for your own quality of life and happiness!
Post supported by Aditya Birla Health Insurance
Image source: pixabay
Ruchi Verma Rajan is a woman on a mission of self-discovery. An avid reader since childhood, she grew up in the idyllic world of Enid Blyton and went on to devour the age old read more...
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