Health Tips

Eating the right foods, quitting smoking, working out in the gym or keeping fit at home will not only improve your figure and mentality, it can dramatically improve your finances as well. By taking better care of yourself, you are less likely to have something wrong with you, so you are also less likely to make a claim on your life insurance or health insurance policy.

Life or health insurance providers, like any other insurance provider will reward anyone who is less likely to make a claim with reduced premiums. In light of the current financial climate, people should be literally running around to get fit so they can save those precious pounds. If you fail to improve your health then you can look forward to not only high health risks, but high premiums too. You can expect cheaper premiums if you visit your doctor on a regular basis to get the appropriate checkups.

Some insurers will even offer cheaper premiums for vegetarians as they are statistically less likely to have heart problems.

The life insurance provider will always ask if you smoke or not, and you should never lie or put down incorrect details as this could only void your claim when or if you need to. Insurance companies are set to pay out tens of thousands of pounds when it comes to life insurance claim so they will try whatever they can to not make the payment.

Another method to reduce your costs is to simply compare the quotes you have against others. You need to be aware that life insurance policies may appear to be better value but one policy might not cover as much as another so it is advised to check the entire policy before you commit to anything.

How to Gain Weight

Eat More Than You Burn

Pay close attention to how many calories you are ingesting and how many you burn. Use a pedometer to measure your daily activity and keep a food journal to measure your daily categories. Track any changes you make to your activity or your diet so you can measure the effectiveness of your weight gain program.

Snack Away

Cheese, Peanut Butter, fruit, pretzels, oatmeal, a glass of milk - all this can be yours! Plan ahead and bring a snack with you for mid morning and mid afternoon. Chances are you can use the energy boost any of these snacks will provide and you will be getting closer and closer to achieving your weight gain goal! Once you have attained your goal weight, you don’t have to eliminate snacks, just introduce celery or popcorn and you get your snack, without so many calories!

Visualize and Aim For Your Goal

Don’t obsess over your BMI or your weight number. Focus on a weight at which you are comfortable and is within rough healthy guidelines. You and your doctor can assess the right weight range for your height and frame and once you have, visualize a more healthy you at that goal. Keep it in mind if you are struggling or just sick of your weight gain program. Make sure you surround yourself with supportive people and not those who will be insensitive to your unique health or self worth issues.

Be Consistent

Healthy weight gain is not a quick fix. You need to be patient and consistent. This doesn’t mean you have to eat the same thing day in and day out. Be creative, invent new dishes, spice up old favorites and indulge yourself in some high calorie treats. There is nothing wrong with an ice cream prescription for what ails you!

Build Muscles

The most common way that men combat being a “skinny guy” is with weight training. Not only do you gain weight, but you get bigger muscles, more definition and you feel great. Stick to free weights and big muscle groups. Work hard and fast but don’t over train. With an extra calorie boost and the energy that comes with it, you will bulk up in no time!

More Meals, More of the Time

Don’t try to binge three times a day. Don’t try to eat huge meals. Eat several small meals a day, of high calorie, nutrient rich foods. Even though this may increase your metabolism, but it will be an easy and slow weight gain, your ideal goal!

Vegetarians can Gain Weight Too

Just because you don’t eat meat doesn’t mean you can’t create a successful weight gain program. Vegetarians and Vegans often have trouble consuming sufficient calories and nutrients but you can gain weight in a healthy way and maintain that healthy weight. Look to lactose free weight gain supplements and try to integrate more foods like avocado, cheese, nuts, rice, pasta and legumes into your diet. Use olive oil and other natural fats in your cooking.

Be Creative

Like weight loss, a weight gain regimen can be tedious if you don’t get creative. Introduce new recipes and ideas into your program. Go back to basics in your cooking - make some delicious home made fried chicken if you never have, or make some cheesy lasagna or baked macaroni and cheese. Also, vary your activity. Even if it means you need to eat more, you don’t have to live a sedentary lifestyle!

Keep Track

Document your progress and your process. If you are under the care of a physician, they may want you to keep track anyway, but you need to get to know your body. You may be one of those lucky few who can keep all that caloric data and calorie burning in your head, but if you are like the rest of us, you should write it down! You can track which foods and what number of calories is the most effective for your slow and healthy weight gain. You can also write down which food gave you the most energy and which made you feel the best.

Be Healthy

When people think of how to gain weight, they imagine eating piles of pizza, cakes and cookies. Truthfully, you should maintain as healthy a diet as possible with full servings of fruits and vegetables, lean protein and carbohydrates. Some of these foods are not going to have the caloric kick to spark your weight gain, but your health is about achieving a balance - hence trying to gain and maintain a healthy weight in the first place. Be healthy - but don’t be afraid to indulge.

Weight Gain Aids

If you are working out a lot and building muscle, or if you are suffering from a wasting disease, or even if you have a super fast metabolism, you just may not be able to eat enough to gain weight. This is when calorie supplements and weight gain supplements like weight gain shakes come in handy. They can give you the boost you need without the hassle of another big meal. Look out for weight gain pills though, they probably don’t contain the caloric punch of a powder supplement that can be mixed in with other foods or liquids.

Plan Ahead

Plan your meals for the week ahead of time to ensure you have all of the necessary ingredients and healthy weight gain foods in the house. Don’t be tempted to run to the corner store for a snickers bar, have some peanut butter on whole grain bread or an extra piece of your extra cheesy lasagna to support your weight gain program. Also stock up on a variety of ingredients for weight gain shakes and weight gain smoothies which can make a huge impact on the success of your weight gain program.

Cleaning your ears

• Clean your ears with extra care. Wipe the outer ear with a washcloth or tissue. Do not put anything into your ear smaller than your elbow. Do not use Q-tips, bobby pins or sharp pointed objects to clean your ears. These objects may injure the ear canal or eardrum.
• Earwax is the ear’s mechanism for self cleaning. If you have a build-up of wax that is blocking your hearing, see your ear physician to have it removed.
• If you experience itching or pain in your ears, consult with your ear physician to determine the appropriate treatment.
• If you have pierced ears, clean your earrings and earlobes regularly with rubbing alcohol.

Illness and Medications

• Reduce the risk of ear infections by treating upper respiratory infections promptly.
• Some illnesses and medical conditions can affect your hearing. If you experience sudden hearing loss or persistent noise in your ears or head, see an ear physician immediately.
• Drainage from the ear is not normal and should be evaluated promptly.
• Some medications can affect hearing. Take medications only as directed, and consult your physician if you experience unusual hearing, balance symptoms, or ringing in the ears.

Noise

• At home or work, wear hearing protection during exposure to loud levels of noise. This includes mowing the lawn, leaf blowing or using power tools. By law, a noisy work environment will require the use of hearing protection.
• When using stereos and home theater systems, avoid excessive volume. If you think it is too loud, it probably is.
• When using personal sound systems, the volume should be comfortable. If someone else can hear what you are listening to, the volume is too high. Remove the headphones from time to time to give your ears a rest.
• Wear earplugs at rock concerts, nightclubs and motor sporting events.
• Keep automobile sound systems at sensible volumes. This can help you avoid hearing damage and allow you to hear and yield to emergency vehicles.

Safety Issues

• Always wear a helmet when you bike, ski, and roller blade or in any other activity that puts you at risk for head and ear injuries.
• If you scuba dive, learn and practice proper underwater techniques to avoid potentially damaging changes in pressure inside your ears.
• When flying in an airplane, swallow and yawn frequently when the plane is ascending and descending to equalize pressure in your ears. If you have an upper respiratory problem such as a cold or sinus infection, take a decongestant a few hours before descending, or use a decongestant spray just prior to descent and on landing.
• Earplugs with special filters can be purchased to help equalize air pressure in ears during air travel.

General Care

• Have your ears checked regularly by your primary care physician and your hearing checked regularly by an audiologist. Consult an ear physician as necessary.
• When outdoors in sunny weather, remember to use a sunscreen on your ears.
• If you notice unusual bumps or scaly areas on the exterior ear, consult your physician immediately.
• Know the warning signs of hearing loss:
  • Difficulty hearing conversations, especially in the presence of background noise
  • Frequently asking others to repeat what they have said
  • Misunderstanding what other people say and answering inappropriately
  • Difficulty hearing on the telephone
  • Requiring the television or radio volume to be louder than others in the room prefer
  • Feeling that people are mumbling or have marbles in their mouth when they talk
  • Difficulty hearing environmental sounds, such as birds chirping
  • Agreeing, nodding your head, or smiling during conversations when you are not sure what has been said
  • Withdrawing from conversations and social situations because it is too difficult to hear
  • Reading lips so you can try to follow what people are saying
  • Straining to hear or keep up with conversations
  • Noise within your ears or head called tinnitus not caused by an external sound source
• See an ear physician immediately if you injure your ears, experience ear pain, or notice changes in your ears or hearing.