Cancer is one of the deadly diseases across the world. In 2020 alone, nearly 10 million deaths occurred solely due to various types of cancer. It assumes immense prominence to get the best cancer insurance to stay protected.

Cancer insurance plans may be available in various quotes with diverse riders and benefits. This article details the things to consider before getting a cancer insurance quote.

What is cancer insurance?

Cancer insurance offers protection against the medical expenses that cancer treatment and diagnosis demand. Compared to traditional medical insurance, the best cancer insurance focuses on cancer treatment needs end to end and offers wider protection and coverage.

Things to consider in a cancer insurance

Before taking any form of insurance, it is vital to understand the limitations, regulations, and conditions. Cancer insurance is no exception to this. Inspect the following aspects while choosing cancer insurance:

Stage wise payment

Many cancer insurance providers pay claims based on the stage of cancer. Some providers may even add this to their exclusions. It is vital to understand the stage-wise payment the provider offers.

Pre-existing conditions

If your family or yourself have a cancer history, in most cases, it might not be easy for your profile to be accepted for insurance. You must make the existing health conditions clear while submitting the insurance application. Otherwise, it might show repercussions during the claim period.

Coverage on premium drugs

Basic cancer insurance may be affordable. However, such plans might not help cover chemotherapy and premium drugs. The best insurance plan might be on a higher-end as it covers chemotherapy and costly medicines used for cancer treatment. Hence, be prudent and opt for cancer insurance even though it is on a higher end of the premium scale.

Waiting period

The waiting period might be different from one cancer insurance provider to another. Ask your insurance representative about the waiting period of various cancer insurance policies before picking the best one.

Co-payment

Co-payment indicates that the individual and the insurance provider pay the amount in different ratios. There are also some insurance plans where the whole payment is done by the provider. Compare various plans for this co-payment feature and settle on the best one that aligns with your needs.

Post-treatment payment

Some cancer insurance plans come with the feature of regular payment for a fixed tenure after the treatment. This is helpful when the individual will be unable to work post-treatment. Cancer insurance policies with such riders are the best insurance plans.

Premium waivers

Like many other insurance plans, the best cancer insurance plans offer a premium waiver once the disease is diagnosed. The rest of the premiums are waived off while the protection and benefits continue throughout the treatment period.

Types of cancers covered

Various policies may cover various types of cancer. Before proceeding with cancer insurance, you must be clear about what types of cancer it covers and excludes. Generally, insurance providers do not cover the following cancer types:

• Skin cancer

• Congenital causes

• Cancers due to exposure to radiation

• Skin cancer

• Other reasons that might vary from provider to provider

Coverage amount

An insurance policy must meet the needs perfectly. Taking low premium policies might appear affordable. However, they may not suffice when in cases of emergency. Cancer treatment costs shoot up every year and almost double every ten years. Hence, even though the premium is higher, always choose a cancer insurance policy that offers wide coverage.

Treatment types

Most cancer insurance plans offer chemotherapy and radiation treatment coverage. However, they may not cover treatments that are experimental or non-conventional. Peruse the conditions that state the types of treatments you can claim the insurance.

Network

The hospitals that are approved under the insurance provider fall under are called the network. Most cancer insurance plans offer the choice of hospitals and do not restrict their network. However, checking beforehand the list of eligible hospitals will give you a clear idea when in time of emergency.

Insurance provides you the peace of mind assurance

In the modern-day, cancer might affect anyone. Taking cancer insurance helps to stay prepared in meeting the skyrocketing cancer treatment prices. Consult your insurance agent and take the best cancer insurance plan right now.

Marijuana, sometimes known as marijuana or pot, is the most widely used illicit substance in the United States. It’s also one of the most misunderstood. People think smoking weed makes them lazy and stupid. But what does marijuana do to your brain?

THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. THC works by binding to cannabinoid receptors in the brain. These receptors are primarily found in the areas of the brain responsible for memory, thinking, concentration, movement, and coordination. THC alters the way these areas of the brain work.

The effects of THC can be different for everyone. They depend on how much you use, how often you use, your age, and your overall health. Some people may feel relaxed or happy when they smoke weed. Others may feel paranoid or anxious.

Here are some of the expected effects of smoking weed:

• Altered Perception of Time

Time seems to move more slowly when you’re high. This is because THC alters the way your brain processes information. The brain usually filters out unimportant information. But when you’re high, your brain doesn’t do this as well. So, everything seems more intense and takes longer to process. You might also feel like your body is moving in slow motion. You can find weed at the nearest weed shop in your area.

• Euphoria

Euphoria is a feeling of happiness or well-being. This is one of the most common effects of smoking weed. Euphoria is defined as “a feeling of intense well-being or happiness.” When you’re high, you might feel like everything is funny or that your senses are heightened. It is always advisable to be with people you trust when feeling euphoric as it can be easy to make poor decisions.

• Increased Appetite

Weed can give you the munchies. THC increases your sense of smell and makes food taste better. This can lead to overeating. So, if you’re trying to lose weight, smoking weed is probably not the best idea. THC also slows down your metabolism, which means you’ll be more likely to store fat. Visit the nearest weed shop to get your weed.

• Dry Mouth

THC decreases the production of saliva. This can lead to a feeling of cottonmouth or having a parched mouth. Drinking water can help alleviate this symptom. But be careful not to drink too much water, as this can lead to water intoxication.

Water intoxication is a potentially fatal condition when someone drinks too much water. When the kidneys are unable to excrete the excess water, it can cause a drop in sodium levels in the blood. This can lead to seizures, coma, and even death.

• Red, Bloodshot Eyes

Smoking weed can cause your eyes to look red and bloodshot. This is because THC causes the blood vessels in your eyes to expand. Your eyes might also feel dry and itchy. If you wear contact lenses, they might be uncomfortable. To help relieve these symptoms, try using artificial tears or eye drops. It can also help to blink often and close your eyes for a few minutes.

• Slower Reaction Time

THC can affect your ability to react quickly. This is because it slows down the processing of information in the brain. So, if you’re driving or doing something else that requires quick reflexes, smoking weed is not a good idea. As per the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), studies have shown that marijuana can impair your ability to drive.

• Short-Term Memory Problems

THC can cause short-term memory problems. This is because it interferes with the way information is stored in the brain. So, you might have trouble remembering things that happened while you were high. This effect is usually temporary and will go away when the drug wears off. You can try using memory aids, such as mnemonic devices to help you remember things.

• Anxiety or Paranoia

Weed can cause anxiety and paranoia, especially if you’re not used to smoking it. Some people may feel like they’re being watched or that everyone is out to get them. This feeling can be intense and may lead to a panic attack. If you start to feel anxious after smoking weed, it’s best to take a break and relax in a calm environment.

Weed can have different effects on different people. Some people may feel more relaxed after smoking it, while others may feel anxious or paranoid. If you feel anxious after smoking weed, take a break and relax in a calm environment.

People of all ages can get an eye stye, although some individuals may be more prone from various health factors. If you have developed a stye, treating it with a warm compress for the eyelid is effective.

What is a stye?

A stye, also known as a hordeolum, is a red, pimple-like bump that develops on the outer or inner edge of the upper or lower eyelid. It generally results from a bacterial infection, but there may be aggravating issues that lead to it in the first place.

While styes can be uncomfortable, painful, and unsightly, they do not constitute a serious health condition. Given appropriate treatment, a stye can clear up in seven to ten days. Before it does, it is important to avoid touching, squeezing, or popping it. The last thing you want to do is release the pus and spread the infection. If the stye is on the inside of the eyelid and it is necessary to drain it, let your doctor do it. However, medical attention is essential only in very severe cases, which are rare.

What are the factors that cause the formation of a stye?

There are many oil glands on the eyelids near the eyelashes to keep the eyes, eyelashes, and skin moist. Sometimes, a lack of proper hygiene can cause oil, dirt, and dead skin cells to accumulate around these oil glands and block their openings. The build-up is conducive to the growth and proliferation of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, and it can lead to the formation of a stye.

You may get an external stye on the outer edge of the eyelids if the bacterial infection occurs in an eyelash follicle or eyelid sweat gland. If the tiny meibomian oil glands on the inside edge of the eyelids get infected, the stye on the inner side of the eyelid could touch the eye surface.

The risk factor for developing a stye can increase if you do any of the following:

• Wear contact lenses, don’t maintain proper lens cleaning hygiene, and sleep wearing them.

• Touch or rub your eyes frequently with unwashed hands.

• Wear eyelash extensions.

• Wear eye makeup and do not remove it before sleeping.

• Fail to wash your eyes and face properly every day.

• Share a towel with someone who has a stye.

You may also be at an increased risk of developing styes if you have pre-existing eye problems or other health conditions like high cholesterol, diabetes, or dermatitis.

How can a warm compress help treat an eye stye?

A warm compress can help treat an eye stye by reducing the inflammation and shrinking the bump with its moist heat. The warm compress may cause the pus resulting from the infection to come to the surface, and the stye may then rupture on its own. The pus can then drain away and hasten the healing process.

You can make a warm compress for eyelid by dipping a clean, soft cotton towel in hot water, wringing it out, and applying it over your closed eyelids. Hold the warm, damp towel over each eye for around ten minutes. Be careful about not pressing down on the stye.

Instead of a warm, damp towel, you can also use a teabag as a warm compress for eyelid. Use a teabag of black tea since this tea variety has antibacterial properties and will prove more beneficial in reducing inflammation.

Boil some water first and then drop two tea bags in it. You want to use a separate tea bag for each eye. After letting the tea bags steep in hot water for one to two minutes, remove them and let them cool. Once they are warm to your touch, place them over your closed eyelids and hold them there for ten minutes.

Whether you use a towel or the tea bags, use the warm compress for eyelid once or twice a day for up to four weeks. The stye will significantly reduce in size and inflammation or completely disappear in this period. After the pus drains from the stye, keep the area clean by washing with warm water. You should also avoid touching your eyes constantly. Consult your doctor if the stye persists after four weeks.

Since the legalization of hemp and hemp-derived products in 2018, courtesy of the Agriculture Improvement Act or Farm Bill, CBD has become a talking point in the mainstream media. If you have been paying attention, you will have heard about its effectiveness in treating various health conditions. You would almost think it was a wonder drug put on Earth as a panacea for all ills. While that might be going a bridge too far, CBD has provided great relief to many people with chronic health problems, especially with pain management.

If you live in Tampa CBD products are available over the counter in grocery stores, convenience stores, shopping malls, and various other stores. However, if you want to combine them with THC for better pain relief, you will require a prescription from a licensed physician.

CBD vs. THC: What’s the difference?

CBD and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC, are the two main chemical compounds found in the Cannabis Sativa plants. They have the following differences:

Molecular structures

The molecular structure is the same for CBD and THC. However, they differ from each other in their molecular arrangement. That is responsible for the different bodily effects they produce in users.

Source

Both CBD and THC are present in varying amounts in the hemp and marijuana plants. The law classifies hemp plants as those containing no more than 0.3% THC. They have a higher percentage of CBD, and it is extracted typically from hemp. Since marijuana plants contain a higher amount of THC, it is derived from marijuana. You can also get CBD from marijuana, but it could contain THC and would not be ideal if you want to avoid using THC.

Psychoactive properties

Psychoactive properties are the ones that cause the intense high that is commonly associated with marijuana. It contains more than 0.3% THC, and THC is what causes people to experience a high after smoking or eating marijuana. And THC is the reason that marijuana is banned in a lot of places.

CBD is derived from the hemp plant, and in its pure form — that means, as long as it is not contaminated with THC traces — it is not psychoactive. You will not experience any high after using CBD products.

Effect on the endocannabinoid system

The endocannabinoid system regulates emotions, moods, sensation, immune function, cognition, memory, appetite, pain, and sleep. To do this, it releases neurotransmitters throughout the body. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that send necessary signals to the cells, tissues, and organs in the body. They tell them to react in specific ways.

While research studies on the matter are scant so far, it appears that both CBD and THC interact with the endocannabinoid system and influence the signals it sends. Since THC is more potent than CBD, its effects are more noticeable.

Legal status

CBD is legally available for sale in all 50 states in the United States. Since it is psychoactive, THC is classified by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a Schedule I controlled substance and illegal on the federal level. However, some states have relaxed their regulations regarding its sale. If you live in Tampa CBD products are available for medicinal purposes over the counter. However, you will need to have a valid prescription from a licensed physician.

Prescription medicinal use

CBD is used in prescriptions to treat epileptic seizures and the muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis. THC and synthetic substances similar to THC are used in drugs to alleviate nausea and vomiting during cancer chemotherapy treatments.

Side effects

CBD is generally safe to use and does not have too many side effects. Some people have reported side effects like nausea, dizziness, and fatigue, but nothing more serious than that. THC can give you a high. You may experience euphoria, excitement, relaxation, restlessness, irritability, confusion, and stress.

CBD vs. THC: Which should you take?

It depends on your specific reason for wanting to take them. CBD may be a good choice if you need to get better sleep or reduce your stress levels. THC may be better for improving your appetite. Both are effective for pain management and reducing the symptoms of chronic conditions. Consult your doctor before using either of them.

At least once in your lifetime, you must have heard about birth control or seen advertisements. If not in the news, we all have seen references to birth control for women in television series, movies, etc., for safe sexual activities. Women who are sexually active use birth control methods to avoid dangerous diseases and unwanted pregnancies. This article focuses on the various types of birth control methods for women, but first, let us see what birth control is.

What is Birth Control?

Birth Control, also known as contraception, is mainly used to prevent pregnancy in women. Other than preventing pregnancy, birth control is also recommended for women to have regular mensuration cycles, improve acne, and treat endometriosis.

Moreover, it’s one of the most reliable, effective, and safe ways to prevent STDs and STIs. Dangerous and contagious Sexually transmitted diseases include HIV, AIDS, Chlamydia, genital herpes, and syphilis. Most of these infections can be prevented when you take birth control recommended by a doctor.

Since ancient times women have been avid users of birth control, but unfortunately, it wasn’t that safe and effective earlier, but now things have changed for the better. Since the 20th century has begun, safe and effective methods of birth control are available for women worldwide. According to research conducted by the CDC, around 95% of women will use birth control in any form at least once in their lifetime.

Different Types of Birth Control for Women

There is quite a variety availability of options when birth control is considered. There is a type of birth control for almost every bodily need and lifestyle. Selecting a birth control can be pretty tedious and confusing, but not to worry, the list below will help you choose the right type of birth control, which is perfectly suitable for you and your body. Here is a list that will help you to get to know about different types of birth control methods for women:

1) Permanent Birth Control- The first type of birth control, which many older women prefer, is permanent birth control, which is a surgical process of having your ovarian tubes tied through an operation. Tubal litigation or tubal block is permanent birth control and cannot be reversed easily. It’s quite a similar procedure to vasectomy for men.

2) Intrauterine Device (IUD) – An IUD is a small t-shaped device surgically placed inside a female uterus to stop the sperm from fertilizing the egg. An IUD looks like a tiny copper t and prevents pregnancy around 99% of the time. According to doctors, if more and more women switch to IUDs, only 1 in 100 women will get pregnant each year. An IUD is one of the most efficient and preferred forms of birth control in women who are in middle-aged groups. It’s one of the low-maintenance types of birth control as well.

3) Birth Control Implant- One of the most effective types of birth control is the implant. An implant is a small rod surgically placed in a women’s upper arm by medical professionals. This rod releases the hormone progestin, which prevents pregnancy as it stops the ovaries from producing eggs. An implant prevents pregnancy almost 99% of the time, lasting for around three years.

4) Vaginal Ring- A vaginal ring is a flexible ring that doesn’t need any surgery and just a timely schedule to work efficiently. Moreover, women can use this according to their lifestyle needs by putting this vaginal ring inside their vaginas each month for 2-3 weeks.

5) The Pill- One of the most preferred and relied on a method that almost every sexually active woman rely on is the pill. These pills release hormones, which prevent ovaries from releasing eggs. Hormone progestin is present in these pills, making it difficult for sperms to enter the uterus. These pills should be taken every day for maximum effectiveness.

Where Can You Get Birth Control From?

Birth Control is relatively easy to get your hands on, as many cost-efficient options are available on the market. You can even order birth control from online stores that supply feminine care medications, or specific websites, which focus on birth control products.