Category: Health

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How Does Fluoride in Tap Water Affect Your Health?

Adding fluoride to water supplies or fluoridation is a common practice. The practice started after studies showed that fluoridation could decrease the case of food decay. Ideally, adding fluoride to water is a way of curbing tooth decay. Strengthens the enamel and enhances the remineralization of teeth. It fights decay-causing bacteria and hence prevents and reverses tooth cavities. Remember, tooth decay is a common health problem. Adding fluoride in water was a simple way of improving the dental health of the population. Thus, individuals and families could, in turn, save their dental care costs. However, the ingestion of high amounts

The post How Does Fluoride in Tap Water Affect Your Health? appeared first on Factual Facts.

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A Former Executive of One of the Biggest Health Insurance Companies Talks About How They Lie and Trap People

In 2010, the Affordable Care Act – also known as Obamacare – became law. It not only got millions of people health insurance, but it also made that insurance more affordable to consumers.

Right?

According to former VP of CIGNA Wendell Potter, it’s not quite so straightforward. And we’ve got good reason to believe him – the insurancer’s former VP now considers himself a whistleblower against the industry.

It may seem strange that someone would go against the company they once worked for, but Potter has good reasons to take his stand. Medical debt and bankruptcy is an enormous problem in the United States, and the ACA hasn’t really helped.

The ACA was supposed to decrease the cost of health insurance and, eventually, medical debt. Unfortunately, a February 2019 study shows that levels of medical bankruptcy stayed roughly the same despite the reforms.

Here’s what Potter wrote about the subject.

As Potter explains it, the industry had to redefine “choice.”

He goes on to explain how health insurance companies manipulated perceptions of choice.

Potter explained how employer-based insurance really works.

Next, he admitted that the industry used gaslighting techniques.

Then he exposed some campaigns used to sell “choice.”

And there’s more.

He also explains why things are different now.

Then, Potter discusses one reason Medicare For All would work better for the public.

The last tweet provides useful guidance.

Whew! That’s a lot of great (though disheartening) information for anyone who wants to understand why the US healthcare industry runs the way it does.

What it comes down to, like always, is money.

Was there anything on this Twitter thread that stood out to you? Feel free to let us know.

The post A Former Executive of One of the Biggest Health Insurance Companies Talks About How They Lie and Trap People appeared first on UberFacts.

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American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss

It’s really important for children with disabilities to see themselves in pop culture, whether it’s movies, music, TV – or even the toys and dolls they play with. That’s why this announcement from American Girl should make a lot of kids and parents very happy. American Girl rang in 2020 with a new doll, and this one, for the first time ever, has a hearing impairment.

And the new doll is also American Girl of the Year.

Meet Joss Kendrick. Joss’s story is that she hails from Huntington Beach, California, and that she is “a fierce athlete born with hearing loss and a passion for surfing and competitive cheer.”

Joss was born deaf in her left ear and she wears a hearing aid in her right ear. The company said about Joss, “Whether she’s on her surfboard or in the gym, Joss shows girls the importance of trying new things, pushing past stereotypes, and being a good team player.”

The new doll was introduced with the help of Caroline Marks, a 17-year-old surfer who is looking to make a mark at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as part of the U.S. Women’s Surfing team (I didn’t even know surfing was an Olympic sport). Marks said, “I’m so excited to be a part of the Joss launch and share her message that passion and hard work can really take a girl places—even to the Olympics.”

View this post on Instagram

Happy times ?

A post shared by Caroline Marks (@caroline_markss) on

As part of the launch of the new doll, American Girl donated $25,000 to the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).

This is a great move by Mattel and American Girl!

Congratulations and good luck to Caroline Marks at the 2020 Summer Olympics!

The post American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss appeared first on UberFacts.

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American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss

It’s really important for children with disabilities to see themselves in pop culture, whether it’s movies, music, TV – or even the toys and dolls they play with. That’s why this announcement from American Girl should make a lot of kids and parents very happy. American Girl rang in 2020 with a new doll, and this one, for the first time ever, has a hearing impairment.

And the new doll is also American Girl of the Year.

Meet Joss Kendrick. Joss’s story is that she hails from Huntington Beach, California, and that she is “a fierce athlete born with hearing loss and a passion for surfing and competitive cheer.”

Joss was born deaf in her left ear and she wears a hearing aid in her right ear. The company said about Joss, “Whether she’s on her surfboard or in the gym, Joss shows girls the importance of trying new things, pushing past stereotypes, and being a good team player.”

The new doll was introduced with the help of Caroline Marks, a 17-year-old surfer who is looking to make a mark at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as part of the U.S. Women’s Surfing team (I didn’t even know surfing was an Olympic sport). Marks said, “I’m so excited to be a part of the Joss launch and share her message that passion and hard work can really take a girl places—even to the Olympics.”

View this post on Instagram

Happy times ?

A post shared by Caroline Marks (@caroline_markss) on

As part of the launch of the new doll, American Girl donated $25,000 to the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).

This is a great move by Mattel and American Girl!

Congratulations and good luck to Caroline Marks at the 2020 Summer Olympics!

The post American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss appeared first on UberFacts.

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Here’s How Alex Trebek Plans to Officially Say Goodbye to “Jeopardy!” Fans

I’m not looking forward to this one bit…

Alex Trebek has hosted the hit TV show Jeopardy! since 1984, and in those three-and-a-half decades, he’s become a beloved figure. His name and face are so synonymous with the television program, it’s hard to imagine anyone else hosting the show.

It was revealed last year that the 79-year-old Trebek has stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and since then the public has been rallying by his side and hoping for a happy outcome as he has gone through multiple rounds of chemotherapy.

Trebek has said he doesn’t have a particular date in mind for his exit from Jeopardy!, but he added that when he leaves it will be “a significant moment for me, but I’ve kind of, in my mind, rehearsed it already. What I would do on that day is tell the director, ‘Time the show down to leave me 30 seconds at the end.’ That’s all I want.”

Trebek continued, “And I will say my goodbyes [and] I will tell people, ‘Don’t ask me who’s going to replace me because I have no say whatsoever. But I’m sure that if you give them the same love and attention, and respect that you have shown me…then they will be a success and the show will continue being a success. And until we meet again, God bless you and goodbye.’”

Here is the video of Trebek’s interview with Michael Strahan where he discusses his farewell.

We’re going to miss you, Mr. Trebek! Thanks for all the great entertainment throughout the years!

The post Here’s How Alex Trebek Plans to Officially Say Goodbye to “Jeopardy!” Fans appeared first on UberFacts.

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Here’s How Alex Trebek Plans to Officially Say Goodbye to “Jeopardy!” Fans

I’m not looking forward to this one bit…

Alex Trebek has hosted the hit TV show Jeopardy! since 1984, and in those three-and-a-half decades, he’s become a beloved figure. His name and face are so synonymous with the television program, it’s hard to imagine anyone else hosting the show.

It was revealed last year that the 79-year-old Trebek has stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and since then the public has been rallying by his side and hoping for a happy outcome as he has gone through multiple rounds of chemotherapy.

Trebek has said he doesn’t have a particular date in mind for his exit from Jeopardy!, but he added that when he leaves it will be “a significant moment for me, but I’ve kind of, in my mind, rehearsed it already. What I would do on that day is tell the director, ‘Time the show down to leave me 30 seconds at the end.’ That’s all I want.”

Trebek continued, “And I will say my goodbyes [and] I will tell people, ‘Don’t ask me who’s going to replace me because I have no say whatsoever. But I’m sure that if you give them the same love and attention, and respect that you have shown me…then they will be a success and the show will continue being a success. And until we meet again, God bless you and goodbye.’”

Here is the video of Trebek’s interview with Michael Strahan where he discusses his farewell.

We’re going to miss you, Mr. Trebek! Thanks for all the great entertainment throughout the years!

The post Here’s How Alex Trebek Plans to Officially Say Goodbye to “Jeopardy!” Fans appeared first on UberFacts.

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Here’s How You Can Recognize the Symptoms of a Heart Attack in Women

There’s a sad lack of knowledge and attention to the fact that women’s heart attacks begin and progress differently from men’s. We’re all shown the “typical” shortness of breath, pain the left arm, and finally in the chest…but if you’re a woman who thinks that’s how it’s going to happen for you, well, it could be too late to save your life by the time you realize you’re in trouble.

It’s important for everyone to know what they’re looking for when it comes to heart attacks in women – this is one of those things where your much better off safe than sorry – so here’s what happened to one woman when her heart went on the fritz:

Researcher Matthais Meyer seconds all of this information, and encourages women to stay in touch with how they’re feeling.

“Women and men have a similar amount of pain during a heart attack, but the location may be different. People with pain in the chest and left arm are more likely to think it’s a heart attack, and these are usual symptoms for men. Women often have back, shoulder, or stomach pain.”

Considering heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the United States, this is information we should all have and share – so pass it on.

The post Here’s How You Can Recognize the Symptoms of a Heart Attack in Women appeared first on UberFacts.

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A Woman With a Sick Husband Talked About the “Cheapest” Health Insurance Plan Available to Them

It’s no secret that the United States has a very expensive healthcare system. Insurance costs can easily eat up or exceed a person’s paycheck, and there are over 100 million Americans struggling with medical debt.

That number is so enormous, it’s hard to even conceptualize, which is why we need personal stories to really feel the impact. Stories like this Twitter thread.

Lori, or @iCounterSpin, shared a screenshot of the costs of healthcare plans available to her sick husband. The reality is devastating: Lori’s husband needs to stay covered so he can stay alive. But how can they afford coverage with prices like these?

As you can see from the screenshot, the only plans available to her are not only expensive, but they involve sky high deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses as well.

Lori did everything she could to try to find ways to save. She tweeted out one her ideas:

Healthcare and illness are a sensitive topic in the United States today. Lori’s thread elicited plenty of responses from people who face similar struggles.

Others promptly tried to help her find solutions.

Another well-wisher tried to impart advice as well.

Others wanted to find ways to pitch in more directly.

People from other countries also showed their concern.

Though the subject of Lori’s thread was serious, she chose not to accept offers to start a crowdfunding page. Instead, she encouraged people to support presidential candidates that have discussed their desire to change healthcare policies in the U.S.

Airing out grievances can be a hit or miss on Twitter, but once again, people on social media showed that they have compassion and just want their fellow people to be OK. Good on Lori for sharing her story so others can understand how the backwards U.S. healthcare system truly affects people.

What are your thoughts on Lori’s thread? We’re all ears in the comments section!

The post A Woman With a Sick Husband Talked About the “Cheapest” Health Insurance Plan Available to Them appeared first on UberFacts.

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When You’re Stressed About Money, This Is What Happens to Your Body and Your Brain

I think a lot of us can say that we’ve felt this kind of stress before: stress about being broke or very close to it. But how does this stress affect us, physiologically speaking?

We all have a fight-or-flight response system in our bodies that developed when our ancestors were roaming the land trying to avoid the many threats that could literally kill them at any time. Stress hormones are released when we’re presented with what we interpret as these kinds of situations – times when we humans have to decide whether to stick it out and fight or to run for our lives.

Stressed

But there are fewer saber-tooth tigers these days, and your fight-or-flight reflex is much more likely to be triggered by social issues – including dealing with money problems. When it does happen, the fight-or-flight reaction is very hard on the body. It can tense up our muscles until they hurt and mess up how our immune systems work, leaving us more vulnerable to getting sick. It can also cause constant stomach aches and headaches.

Stress

Another bad side effect: you might make bad decisions, even though, deep down, you know better. Aimee Daramus, a clinic psychologist, said, “Under stress, blood flow and electrical activity are reduced in the frontal and prefrontal lobes and increased in the survival parts of the brain, such as the amygdala.”

Since the parts of the brain where blood flow is reduced influence impulse control and planning, your decision-making process might get thrown for a loop, causing you to do things you normally wouldn’t do. Basically, you start to feel the walls closing in, which pressures you to act in ways that actually hurt your situation.

Daramus added, “We act quickly and decisively, but not always as accurately as usual.”

Depressed

On top of that, frequent stress reactions – whether caused by money issues or not – may cause anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. Chronic stress might even lead to long-term physical ailments such as heart disease and diabetes. Finally, the stress may lead you to take comfort where you can find it – and that can sometimes mean in alcohol and drugs, which may lead to substance abuse problems.

Money problems are hard – really hard – but try to take care of yourself.

Remember, your only real wealth is health.

The post When You’re Stressed About Money, This Is What Happens to Your Body and Your Brain appeared first on UberFacts.

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You Might Not Realize These Phrases and Actions Are Seen as Microaggressions to the Disabled Community

Listen up, people.

When we know better, we do better. And to know better, we have to listen when marginalized communities tell us that something is offensive, hurtful, dismissive, or all of the above.

So read through this list of 14 phrases that can be taken as ableist, then do your best to remove them from your vocabulary – it won’t hurt you to quit using them, but it might hurt another person’s feelings if you choose not to.

Easy decision, no?

14. Why on earth would anyone think this is okay?

13. Promise.

12. That last one, though.

11. Maybe they just think the other person is awesome?

10. I want to shout this from the rooftops.

9. None of these are at all helpful.

8. Maybe just skip the labels.

7. They’re not there so you can have a moment.

6. This makes me sick to my stomach.

5. Stop thinking fair and equal are the same thing.

4. Strictly speaking, vegetables aren’t that helpful of a suggestion any time.

3. I promise it’s not Jesus.

2. Chances are they realize that fact already.

1. It’s not “nice.” And while we’re at it, neither is saying “I don’t see color.”

Now that you know better, do better!

The post You Might Not Realize These Phrases and Actions Are Seen as Microaggressions to the Disabled Community appeared first on UberFacts.