Did you know this about Cancer?

Did you know that cancer can be linked to your weight? 44% of us don't know this!

Its true - if you are overweight you are at an increased risk of  bowel, ovary, womb, pancreas, gallbladder, kidney and oesophagus, and breast cancers. In fact, there is a link with weight and 16% of breast cancer cases, 15% of pancreatic cancer cases and 14% of bowel cancer cases. What is really interesting about this is that these figures are higher than the chances of getting cancer through inherited genes - where the likelihood is only 5-10%.

This data was pulled from a survey conducted by YouGov, where 2,000 Britons were polled by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF). It also noted that two in five people were unaware that a poor diet can increase your cancer risk.

This is yet another demonstration of how a good weight and proper diet can benefit your overall wellbeing.

Choices... or lack of them

In a survey undertaken for NHS England last week, it was revealed that less than two-fifths of patients are offered a choice of hospital by their GP when being referred for out patient treatment.

Having a choice is a major part of being in control of your own medical treatment. Is it more convenient to go to a hospital nearer to work, rather than to home? Has your GP referred you to a hospital with the best facilities for the particular treatment necessary? Does the hospital have appointments at convenient times for you?

Is there any discussion with your GP about which hospital to use? A quick conversation with them during your GP appointment can help you to understand why they are referring you to a particular facility, or give you a chance to explain why you'd like to go elsewhere.

You do have a legal right to make a choice, don't be bullied into going to a medical facility if you're really not happy with it.

NHS Cancer Treatment - Quick Response or Shortfall in Treatment?

Its a subject that often gets debated - just how good is cancer treatment on the NHS?

The answer is a complicated one. It depends on the type of cancer, and the type of treatment.

In most cases, the NHS is very good at dealing with cancer quickly, because it is commonly known that the faster you treat cancer the better the survival chances are. Some hospitals are able to see patients quicker than others, and some hospitals have better response rates to particular cancers.

However, the subject of cancer drugs is constantly being reviewed by the NHS, with patients often missing out on recieving the best course of treatment because the drugs they require are not available through the NHS.

A new example of this is Enzalutamide, a drug used to treat prostate cancer. Under a new guidance issued on Wednesday, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have proposed that patients who previously received the drug abiraterone should no longer be offered Enzalutamide, and as a result the NHS will only fund one of the two methods of treatment, instead of offering both drugs should the first try be unsuccessful.

Enzalutamide costs around £25,000 per course of treatment, and the chief executive of Prostate Cancer UK says that some patients are using their own savings to pay for this privately.

It has been proven that Enzalutamide can extend the life of a prostate cancer patient by five months, and in some cases as long as 18 months. To put a price on such valuable time is difficult to comprehend.

The value of going to the dentist - is it important to you?

Its fairly common to hate going to the dentist, just the thought of sitting in the dentist's chair is enough to make some people stressed, but it is so important to get those regular checkups to ensure that your teeth are looked after in the long run.

In a recent survey, one in five people (18%) said that they would cancel a dentist appointment in order to go to the pub, have a social night out, or even just go on a shopping trip.

Recent studies have shown that oral health can be linked to a number of serious medical conditions, such as breast cancer, strokes, diabetes, pneumonia and even dementia, therefore making the dentist even more important.

For more on the survey, please visit https://www.healthinsurancedaily.com/health-insurance/product-area/cash-plans-dental/article443311.ece

That cinema outing accompanied with a tub of popcorn may be more fun, but perhaps its worth rethinking if you're due a dental visit...

How much business can you achieve in 126 days? Could you afford to take that much time off work?

The NHS currently operates a system where you may have to wait this long – 18 weeks – to receive treatment for a medical condition. Furthermore during this period, as an NHS patient you are expected to be available at any time should a hospital appointment become available. Not terribly practical if you're lining up client meetings or trying to meet deadlines. If you were unable to work during this period and take sick leave, particularly if there is nobody to cover for you at the office in the meantime, your business could suffer as a result of your illness.

One way to cure this complaint is to take out private medical insurance. With a policy in place, treatment dates can be chosen by you instead of the hospital, and there are no waiting times. The result of this means returning to work faster and getting healthier quicker.