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Migraines – More Than Just a Headache
Date: August 3, 2015

Are headaches regularly hijacking your to-do list, seriously affecting your day-to-day
functioning and quality of life?
Most of us have a headache from time to time, but do you know how to recognize when
it’s more than “just a headache”? Isn’t a migraine just a bad headache? Nope. So what
makes migraines different?

What is a migraine?
A Migraine is a throbbing, recurring headache that typically affects one side of the head
and is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and disturbed vision.
Migraines can last from 4 -72 hours, with frequency that changes from person to person.
Migraine is the most prevalent neurological condition in the developed world and
according to the World Health Organization, one of the 20 most disabling lifetime
conditions.

What causes a migraine?
The majority of headaches are not migraines. Simply put, they are pain signals within your
head. These headaches are most often associated with and made worse by fatigue, sleep
deprivation, certain allergens or stress. They’re successfully treated by over-the-counter
medication or rest.

The exact cause of migraines is not known. It is believed that abnormal brain functioning
is involved. Sufferers are usually affected between their early twenties and their forties.
80% of all migraine sufferers are women. Migraines also tend to run in families, which
points to a genetic component.

What are the symptoms?
A deep throbbing, pounding and pulsating pain behind or near the eye on one side of the
head is generally reported by migraine sufferers. Tension headache pain can range from
dull pressure to a tight squeeze on the head or around the neck. A migraine may cause
sensitivity to bright light, loud noise or smells. Tension headaches rarely cause such
sensitivities. Nausea, vomiting and an upset stomach are also common symptoms with
migraine headaches, but rarely occur during a tension headache.
A visual aura (bright, flashing lights or dots appear in the field of vision) can occur before
a migraine begins, though it’s not common even among people with a history of migraines.
Other types of auras may occur, too. These could include loss of speech, pins and needles
in arms or legs or vision loss.

What are the triggers?
When it comes to tension headaches, stress, fatigue, and sleep deprivation are the most
common triggers.
When it comes to migraines, the most common triggers include foods, drinks, stress,
smells, physical activity and sleep patterns. Common foods known to trigger migraines
include chocolate, processed foods, dairy products and meats containing nitrates. Alcohol,
caffeine and smoking are often culprits as well. In women, migraines are often associated
with changes in oestrogen that occur during periods, pregnancy and menopause.

How to prevent migraines
There is no guaranteed way to prevent migraines. Certain lifestyle changes can help to
reduce their occurrence and symptoms. The best way to avoid migraines is to avoid its
triggers. Limiting caffeine, alcohol and smoking as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle,
may help. In women whose migraines are triggered by the oestrogen in birth control pills
and hormone replacement therapy, avoiding these medications and finding alternatives, may
prevent attacks.

Treatment
The goal of treatment is to manage symptoms and identify triggers. Keeping a headache
diary can help sufferers to learn what triggers their migraine attacks. For those with frequent
attacks, preventative medication is available. Anti-depressants, beta-blockers or calcium
blockers, seizure medication and Botox can all be taken to reduce the occurrence of
migraines.

Remember, there can be unpleasant or harmful side-effects from many of the medications
used to relieve migraines. Several alternative therapies for migraines seem to be effective,
including acupuncture, bio-feedback, massage therapy and certain herbs and vitamins.
Consult with your medical practitioner to avoid reactions with other medications.

Source: www.healthline.com, doctormdx.com, www.womanshealthmag.com,
www.mylastsong.com, www.mirror.co.uk, www.migranetrust.org, www.healthline.com,
webmd.com

- See more at: http://www.fedhealth.co.za/healthy-living-tips/migraines-more-than-just-a-headache/#sthash.oq0MArsN.dpuf

What Is An Independent Financial Planner Anyway?

Posted In: Finding a Planner

After explaining in our last post how planners charge fees, we now
move to our next post which deals with how planners operate.

If you're pressed for time, the most important takeaway from this post is:

Independent planners will be able to sell products from any company,
whereas tied planners will only sell the products of one company.
Make sure that you know how much work your planner will do themselves
versus someone else in their team.
Anyway, let's jump in – it’s important that you understand what goes on
with your planner behind the scenes.

Independence
Tied Planners

These are planners that only sell one company’s products. For example,
Insurer X has tied planners whose sole job is simply to sell Insurer X’s
investment and insurance products.

Tied planners may be cheaper than independents, but will not be completely
objective and cannot offer you the range of products that Independent planners
can. If you are simply looking for a single insurance or investment product,
rather than a holistic financial plan, then a tied planner could be good for you.

Independent Planners

These are planners that are not tied to any specific company and are able to
place business (sell products) with any product provider.

If you are looking for a planner who can help you over the long-term and provide
you with a holistic view of all the products out there, then an Independent planner
is the way to go. Independent planners have the benefit of being able to offer a
much wider array of products than a tied planner can and can tailor them to best
suit your needs.

Remember though, just because a planner works for a known product provider
(and has that company name on his/her business card) it does not necessarily
mean that they are Tied; there are many planners who work for large organisations
that are entirely independent.

Individual or Team Servicing
Whilst you may initially meet a senior member of a financial planning firm
(or association) be aware that your day-to-day interaction and communication
with the firm may be with one of their more junior colleagues.

This may not be a big issue for you (and may actually be better as they may
have more time to devote to your financial health) but you should definitely
try to get a commitment from the senior planner that they will continue to
provide oversight and guidance in managing your account.

Conclusion

So: Make sure you understand whether your planner is Independent or Tied to a
specific Product Provider. Both have their advantages but it’s important that you
know who you are dealing with.

Secondly, just ensure that you will have adequate oversight and guidance from
an experienced planner, even if a more junior team-member takes care of the
day-to-day servicing of your account.

If you want help finding a quality and accredited planner visit our website and
be on the lookout for more posts in the future.

- See more at: https://www.objectivemoney.co.za/#/what-is-an-independent-financial-planner

Compliment - Our staff set the bar high

Sent: 13 August 2015 12:18 PM

To: medicalaid@c-line.co.za

Subject: FW: Cancellation of medical aid Affidavit

Good day Vicky

I wanted to thank you and send my greatest appreciation for your effective assistance. You called me to follow up and dedicated yourself to attend to my query which I am really thankful. I hope you continue with the good service you provided to me after the problems I came across.

Please will you send me the cancellation confirmation as per the telephone conversation advising me that the cover will be cancelled effectively from the 01.009.2015.

Kind Regards,

Dinah Lande | 

 

Life Cover: The Basics



Life Cover: The Basics
The life insurance industry in South Africa is notoriously tainted by
bad publicity. Stories about extortionate premiums paid by workers
barely earning enough to survive do not help to salvage the industry’s
already struggling reputation. Whilst these stories may carry some
truth, our job is to help you make up your own mind by separating
the facts from the opinions. Follow these 5 simple steps to better
understanding the life insurance industry and the value it may (or
may not) bring to your life:

Step 1: Understanding life insurance versus life assurance
Life insurance or life cover requires you to pay regular premiums to
an insurer over a specific period of time. If you die during the stated
term of the policy, the insurer pays-out a lump sum to your chosen
beneficiary. If, however, you escape death and outlive the policy
there is no pay-out and your premiums disappear into nothingness.

Life assurance has an added investment component and is not taken
out over a set period of time. Instead, premiums are paid throughout
your lifetime and they build in value. The amount of pay-out received
by the beneficiary is dependent on how long you have paid premiums
and the investment performance of the insurer.

Typically, life assurance policies are more expensive than insurance
policies due to the added investment opportunity and the fact that
there is a guaranteed pay-out regardless of when you die.

Step Two: Understanding your needs
Life insurance policies come in a variety of shapes and sizes. It would
take much more than the 5 steps of this article to discuss all the available
variations, but the key thing to remember is that you need to select a
policy best suited to your individual needs.

For example, Funeral Insurance Plans pay out a lump sum to be used
exclusively towards the costs of arranging a funeral. These plans are
more suited to those that have limited long-term financial obligations.
In comparison, Salary Insurance Plans will be based on covering a
certain percentage of your monthly salary. These plans are more
appropriate for individuals who will require an income value similar to
their existing salary (for example, if you are required to a pay regular
monthly bills that are close in value to your salary). Disability Insurance
Plans provide a pay-out only in the event that you become disabled and
unable to earn an income.

To decide on the best cover to suit your needs, you need to consider a
number of different factors including the following:
Your age and domestic circumstances
Your health situation
The needs of your dependants
Your debts (for example a bond on your home or a car loan)
To help you understand how these factors come into play, consider these
two examples:

o Tumi is a 30 year old single parent to two young children. She is
responsible for paying all bills (including a bond on their home) and
school fees for the children.

o Michael is a 40 year old business owner. He is unmarried and has no
direct dependants. His home and car were purchased with cash and he
does not have other unpaid loans.

Whilst Tumi will require more comprehensive life cover to account for her
current expenses as well as future obligations (such as the costs of sending
her children to varsity), Michael is likely to opt for little or no cover.

Step Three: Choosing your beneficiaries
When applying for a life insurance plan you will need to stipulate a
beneficiary or beneficiaries. Usually, you will need to identify a primary
beneficiary who will receive the pay-out on your death. Secondary or
contingent beneficiaries will also be identified should the primary
beneficiary die before the pay-out is finalised.

Step Four: Calculating your premiumst
Once you approach an insurance provider for a quote, you will need to
disclose your personal information including any health issues for your
monthly premiums to be calculated. The younger and healthier you are,
the lower your premiums are likely to be. Disclosing all relevant
information is critical as the insurer could refuse to pay-out for reasons
of non-disclosure.

Step Five: Choosing an insurance provider
The life insurance industry is a very competitive space with a handful of
big providers competing for your monthly premium. This is where doing
some research is essential to making sure that you find a provider that is
best suited to you. When you first start out, you might receive several
quotes and feel inclined to choose the provider that requires you to pay
the lowest premium.

However, there are a number of other questions that should be part of your
decision-making process:

How reputable is the insurance provider in terms claims payouts?
Does the insurance provider offer cash back benefits if no claims are made
over a certain period of time?
Does the insurance provider reward you for reaching certain life milestones
or making improvements to your health?
What other benefits are available (for example regular health checks or
assistance in preparing a will)?

Call us to assist you ... 0861 450045

Foreign travel adviceSouth Africa

Summary
Still current at: 12 August 2015
Updated: 7 August 2015

Latest update: Summary and Entry requirements section - updated details
on requirements for travelling with children

South Africa has introduced new immigration rules. From 1 June 2015,
parents travelling with children (under 18) will be asked to show the child’s
full unabridged birth certificate. The full unabridged birth certificate should
list the child’s details and both parents’ details. The abridged (short) birth
certificate which only lists the child’s particulars won’t be accepted. The
South African Department of Home Affairs are not accepting uncertified
copies of birth certificates or copies of the parents/guardians identification.

A parental contact affidavit (PCA) must have a certified copy of the parent’s/
guardian’s identification (ie passport) attached to it.

From 26 May 2014, if you live in South Africa, you must have a valid
esidence permit in your passport when you enter and leave the country.
Instead of fining those whose permits have expired, you may be blacklisted
and prevented from applying for a visa to re-enter South Africa for a period
from 12 months to 5 years. See Entry requirements

There has been an increase in strike action in South Africa and some
demonstrations have turned violent. Follow developments in the local
media and avoid all demonstrations, rallies and large public gatherings.

There is a very high level of crime, but the most violent crimes occur in
townships and isolated areas away from the normal tourist destinations.
See Safety and Security

There have been incidents involving foreigners being followed from OR
Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg to their destinations by car
and then robbed, often at gunpoint. Be vigilant in and around the airport
and when driving away.

The standard of driving is variable and there are many fatal accidents.
See Road travel

Most visits to South Africa are trouble-free.

There is an underlying threat from terrorism. See Terrorism

The Overseas Business Risk service offers information and advice for
British companies operating overseas on how to manage political,
economic, and business security-related risks.

Take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before you travel.

Make sure you have at least 2 blank pages in your passport on arrival.

Woman's Month - At Care Line

Happy Woman's Day on the 9 AUG 2015 - Lucky Ladies get a Long weekend :)





Happy women’s month South Africa

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