Develop good habits to save money on medical treatment. This is how you can maintain your health in winter.

Editor's note: Researchers at Griffith University in Australia used an economic model to estimate for the first time that outdoor activities can save the world $6 trillion (about RMB 42.2 trillion), including medical expenses, nursing expenses, and losses caused by absenteeism and reduced work efficiency. In recent years, my country has been vigorously promoting health management and the concept of "preventive treatment", hoping that people will develop healthy habits as early as possible, improve their health and quality of life, and save medical expenses. So what other methods can we who love health care help us maintain a good body and save money on medical treatment? Let's take a look.

Invest in healthy habits to save yourself money

The medical community has reached a consensus that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important. Many chronic diseases can be prevented, which not only improves the quality of life, but also saves a lot of treatment expenses in the future. Experts have summarized the three most critical disease prevention habits.

Exercise regularly. The "China Cardiovascular Disease Report 2018" shows that in 2017, an average of 1.47 stents were placed in coronary artery intervention for coronary heart disease in mainland China. Zhang Haicheng, chief physician of the Heart Center of Peking University People's Hospital, said that there are two types of heart stents currently used in clinical practice: domestic and imported. Domestic stents cost about 8,000 to 17,000 yuan, and imported stents cost about 12,000 to 21,000 yuan. A cardiac intervention surgery not only includes the cost of the stent, but also the cost of the catheter, guidewire and balloon used to transport the stent. In addition, after surgery, patients need to take medication and carry out necessary lipid-lowering and antiplatelet treatments, which cost 500 to 1,000 yuan per month. The specific plan needs to be combined with regular review, depending on the recovery situation. In general, a surgery for patients with coronary heart disease costs at least 30,000 yuan, and stents are not a one-time solution. If the place where the stent is placed is narrowed again after surgery or narrowing is found in other parts, interventional surgery needs to be performed again, which is another considerable expense.

The benefits of regular exercise for heart health cannot be underestimated. During exercise, the strength and frequency of heartbeats increase, the myocardium can obtain more sufficient oxygen and nutrition, the myocardial fibers thicken, the capillaries increase, and the heart function is enhanced, which can effectively prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, Zhang Haicheng said that the physiological changes brought about by a single exercise are only temporary; only long-term exercise, such as several weeks or even years, can bring about lasting good changes to the body. It is recommended that everyone start exercising at an early age and try different sports, so that you can find out what you are most interested in as soon as possible and stick to it for a long time. It is recommended to exercise at least 5 times a week, each time for more than half an hour. During exercise, the heart rate should not exceed "170-age", and it is appropriate to feel slight sweating and no muscle soreness the next day.

Early screening. Statistics show that the cost of diagnosis and treatment of early cases is nearly 70% lower than that of mid- and late-stage cases. In reality, a patient with advanced gastric cancer may spend more than 200,000 yuan on treatment, but his life may still not be extended. However, if he spends 10,000 yuan on early screening and the cancer is controlled as soon as possible, he can save 140,000 yuan, extend his life, and his quality of life will not be greatly affected.

You Changxuan, chief physician of the Department of Oncology at Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University, said that once cancer enters the late stage, it generally means that the patient needs lifelong treatment, which is relatively expensive. Therefore, early screening is very important, which can not only detect early cancer, but also detect precancerous lesions or benign lesions that have not become cancerous, and then intervene in advance to reduce the risk of benign lesions becoming cancerous, and improve prognosis, cure rate and quality of life. Through prevention, early screening and early diagnosis, about 1/3 of tumors can be prevented, and about 1/3 can be controlled. It is recommended that high-risk groups, such as those over 45 years old, those with high work pressure, family history of cancer, heavy smoking, chronic precancerous lesions or exposure to radiation, and people in specific areas, should undergo targeted early screening.

Balanced diet. The latest "Global Diabetes Map" released by the International Diabetes Federation shows that there are about 120 million diabetics in China, and China ranks second in the world in diabetes-related medical expenditures, about US$109 billion (about RMB 766.5 billion).

Ding Sheng, deputy chief physician of the Endocrinology Department of Wuhan Central Hospital, said that the expenses of diabetic patients mainly come from three aspects: outpatient, hospitalization and treatment of complications. For patients with milder conditions, the annual cost is about 3,000 to 5,000 yuan, but if the condition is more serious and accompanied by complications, the annual cost is more than 20,000 yuan. As the disease progresses, the cost will gradually increase. Moreover, the course of diabetes is very long. For example, if you get sick at the age of 50, the cost for the next 30 years may be 90,000 to 600,000 yuan, or even more.

In order to avoid falling into the "bottomless pit" of treatment, diabetic patients must intervene in their lifestyle. In addition to regular work and rest, maintaining weight, and maintaining a calm mood, they must have a balanced diet, one pound of vegetables and half a pound of fruit every day, and eat fish, poultry, eggs, milk, soybeans, etc. in moderation to ensure food diversity. Ding Sheng introduced that comprehensive management such as balanced diet and regular exercise can not only prevent diabetes, but also help diabetic patients who are hospitalized reduce hospitalization fees by 33% and medical expenses by 40%. Other expenses are also reduced to a certain extent, and some patients can even stop taking medication.

Experts call for developing good habits as the lowest-cost disease prevention measure. In order to reduce the economic burden of disease and avoid falling into poverty or returning to poverty due to disease, everyone must establish a healthy concept, take immediate action, and develop healthy habits, which can not only save money for medical treatment, but also reduce the medical burden for the country.

Quitting smoking improves gut bacteria and reduces disease risk

Smoking has a wide range of effects on metabolism, oxidative stress and inflammation, but its impact on the human gut microbiota is less clear. Cardiologists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have found that quitting smoking can lead to significant changes in the human gut bacteria, thereby reducing the risk of disease.

The research team recruited 36 volunteers who were ready to quit smoking. Their average age was 51 years old, 42% were male, and they smoked an average of 15 cigarettes a day. The researchers analyzed the participants' stool samples at the beginning of the study, 2 weeks later, and 12 weeks later. The results showed that after the participants quit smoking, the diversity of bacteria in the intestines increased, their heart rate and systolic blood pressure decreased, their C-reactive protein levels decreased, the body's inflammatory response weakened, and the amount of hemoglobin (red blood cells that carry oxygen) increased. The results of the study were read out at the American Heart Association's scientific conference.

The researchers noted that the number of Firmicutes in the intestines of smokers who quit smoking decreased, while the number of Bacteroidetes increased. Previous studies have shown that improvements in these two indicators are signs of a reduced risk of diabetes and obesity. Optimization of intestinal bacterial diversity is also associated with improvements in heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and C-reactive protein levels, all of which help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Brushing your teeth three times a day can prevent heart failure and atrial fibrillation

Oral hygiene is linked to the health of many parts of the body. A new study from Ewha Womans University in South Korea found that regular tooth brushing can effectively reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation and heart failure.

The researchers selected 161,000 participants aged 40 to 79 from the Korean National Health Insurance System who had no history of atrial fibrillation or heart failure. When the participants underwent routine physical examinations, the researchers collected information about their height, weight, diseases, lifestyle, oral health, and oral hygiene behaviors. During a median follow-up period of 10.5 years, 4,911 people (3.0%) developed atrial fibrillation and 7,971 people (4.9%) developed heart failure. Data analysis results showed that people who brushed their teeth three times or more a day had a 10% lower risk of atrial fibrillation and a 12% lower risk of heart failure. This probability is not affected by comorbid factors such as age, gender, socioeconomic status, exercise, drinking, body mass index, and hypertension. The research conclusions were published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

Researchers say that poor oral hygiene can cause bacteria to grow in the blood, leading to inflammation in the body, thereby increasing the risk of atrial fibrillation and heart failure. Frequent toothbrushing can reduce bacteria in the biofilm under the gums, thereby preventing them from transferring to the blood.

Angelica, ginger and mutton soup nourishes the essence and blood

Angelica, ginger and mutton soup comes from the "Golden Chamber" written by "Medical Saint" Zhang Zhongjing. There are only three herbs in the recipe: angelica, ginger and mutton. Mutton is a kind of flesh and blood, with a strong taste and warm nature, which can greatly replenish qi and blood; angelica nourishes blood and relieves blood stasis; ginger dispels cold and promotes qi, so that it can replenish but not stagnate. Together, they can nourish essence and blood, dispel cold and relieve pain.

Treatment scope: 1. Abdominal pain caused by cold hernia. 2. Acute pain after childbirth. 3. Indications for women with cold constitution, such as dysmenorrhea and amenorrhea. 4. Anemia. 5. Colds caused by wind and cold, etc.

Cooking method: 30g angelica, 30g ginger, 500g mutton. Remove the bones and fascia of the mutton, blanch it in boiling water to remove the blood, remove it and let it cool, and cut it into 5cm long, 2cm wide, and 1cm thick strips; put clean water in a casserole, add the mutton, angelica, and ginger, boil over high heat, remove the foam, and simmer for 1.5 hours over low heat until the mutton is cooked; eat the meat and drink the soup 2-3 times a day.

Poria cocos and yam soup can nourish the stomach

Take 250g of pork spine, 20g of Poria cocos, 100g of fresh Chinese yam (yam), 20g of Euryale ferox, 20g of lotus seeds, and appropriate amount of salt. Wash and blanch the pork spine; soak Euryale ferox and lotus seeds in warm water for 1 hour, drain and set aside. Add appropriate amount of water to the pot and boil, add all the ingredients, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for 1 hour, and season.

In the recipe, Poria strengthens the spleen and replenishes Qi; Chinese yam can replenish deficiency, strengthen the spleen and remove dampness; lotus seeds are good at replenishing the deficiencies of the five internal organs, and have the effects of replenishing the spleen and stopping diarrhea, replenishing the kidney and astringing essence, nourishing the heart and calming the mind; Gorgon fruit can replenish essence and Qi, make people's hearing and eyes clear, and can replenish the spleen and remove dampness, with the characteristics of "replenishing without being harsh". The four ingredients are matched to make soup, the soup tastes light and sweet, can strengthen the spleen and stomach, and replenish the deficiency. (People's Health Network compiled from Life Times)