To your hellth

For years I've been building up my in-body stocks of Omega III oil with the zeal of a hoarder. The reason? I'd read in one of these health reports that newspapers and magazines are increasingly full of that Omega III - a fat found in certain kinds of fish - is very effective in lowering the level of bad cholesterol, also known as LDL, to distinguish it from HDL, or good cholesterol, like those Bollywood movies about twin brothers who get separated at birth and one becomes a baddie and the other becomes a cop and they meet up at the end when the good brother kicks the ass of the bad brother from Bandra to Borivali and back. Omega III, it seems, is a great butt-kicker when it comes to bad cholesterol, which causes coronary disease, to which South Asians are said to be particularly susceptible. So I began to eat fish in Moby Dick quantities, imagining all that Omega III buzzing about in my bloodstream like gangbusters, beating the crap out of any bad cholesterol dumb enough to be caught loitering with intent in dark corners.

Then recently I read, in another health report, that while Omega III did indeed sock it to bad cholesterol, it could also cause collateral damage in males by significantly increasing the risk of prostate cancer. So now I have a choice: keep on eating Omega III-loaded fish and give myself prostate cancer or go cold turkey on fish, to mix dietary metaphors, and drop dead of a heart attack. Which of the two big Cs - Cancer or Coronary - is my preferred way to go? What's the rational, scientific basis for making a choice between the two? Toss a coin? Go eenie-meenie-mina-mo?

And it's not just about Omega III. It's about almost anything that we eat or drink on a regular basis and about which medical science - as represented by the health advice doled out in the media - holds self-contradictory views. Like sugar. Indians - all Indians - love sugar. We eat sweets on all festive occasions. Indeed there is a theory to suggest that the reason that India has so many festivals is that they provide us an excuse to eat sweets. Then along came medical science, in the form of health reports, to tell us that apart from promoting celebratory cheer, all that sugar in sweets also promoted obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. No wonder Indians are among the highest-risk group for diabetes. It's all that villainous sugar in our sweets. So everyone switched to artificial sweeteners for tea, coffee, soft drinks, gulab jamuns. Until another health report came out saying that most of the sweeteners in common use contain chemicals like aspartame which for all you didn't know could give you cancer, make your liver malfunction or cause hair to sprout out of your eyeballs. So go with sugar and get diabetes? Or switch to aspartame and risk taking your eyeballs to the barbershop every two weeks?

How about we give up sweets altogether and stick solely to savouries? Savouries? You know what puts the savour in savouries? Salt. You know what salt is? It's sodium. And along comes yet another health report which tells you that sodium will spike your blood pressure and give you a stroke. Butter? Everyone agreed that butter - particularly in the clarified form of asli ghee - was good for you. Good for your eyesight and your brain. Didn't we offer asli ghee to our gods? No wonder they were all so smart. Then a health report showed that asli ghee had triglycerides which would choke your arteries with plaque. Everyone switched to margarine, including Ganesh and Lakshmi and Amul's utterly-butterly baba log. Till a health report said margarine had trans-fats which had even more triglycerides than ghee did. Back to butter and ghee? Switch to microwaved food that doesn't require any cooking medium? Hey, have you read that report that says micros emit cancer-causing radiation?

The problem is not with our health but with our health reports. And the problem is one of spelling: they should be spelt hellth reports. Because, coming or going, that's what they give us - pure, unadulterated hell. 

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5 Insurance Policies Everyone Should Have

Protecting your most important assets is an important step in creating a solid personal financial plan. The right insurance policies will go a long way toward helping you safeguard your earning power and your possessions. In this article, we'll show you five policies that you shouldn't do without. (To find out about some insurance basics, see Understand Your Insurance Contract.)

1. Long-Term Disability Insurance

 The prospect of long-term disability is so frightening that some people simply choose to ignore it. While we all hope that, "Nothing will happen to me," relying on hope to protect your future earning power is simply not a good idea. Instead, choose a disability policy that provides enough coverage to enable you to continue your current lifestyle even if you can no longer continue working. (Protecting Your Income Source provides a closer look at this important topic.)

2. Life Insurance

 Life insurance protects the people that are financially dependent on you. If your parents, spouse, children or other loved ones would face financial hardship if you died, life insurance should be high on your list of required insurance policies. Think about how much you earn each year (and the number of years you plan to remain employed) and purchase a policy that will replace that income in the event of your untimely demise. Factor in the cost of burial too, as the unexpected cost is a burden for many families. (For a more detailed look at the types of coverage available and factors involved in choosing the right coverage for your situation, read Buying Life Insurance: Term Versus Permanent and How Much Life Insurance Should You Carry?)

3. Health Insurance

 The soaring cost of medical care is reason enough to make health insurance a necessity. Even a simple visit to the family doctor can result in a hefty bill. More serious injuries that result in a hospital stay can generate a bill that tops the price of a one-week stay at a luxury resort. Injuries that require surgery can quickly rack up five-figure costs. Although the ever-increasing cost of health insurance is a financial burden for just about everyone, the potential cost of not having coverage is much higher. (For more insight, see Fighting The High Costs Of Healthcare.)

4. Home Insurance

 Replacing your home is an expensive proposition. Having the right home insurance can make the process less difficult. When shopping for a policy, look for one that covers replacement of the structure and contents in addition to the cost of living somewhere else while your home is repaired. (To keep reading on this subject, see Insurance Tips For Homeowners.)

Keep in mind that the cost of rebuilding doesn't need to include the cost of the land, since you already own it. Depending on the age of your home and the amenities that it contains, the cost to replace it could be more or less than the price you paid for it. To get an accurate estimate, find out how much local builders charge per square foot and multiply that number by the amount of space you will need to replace. Don't forget to factor in the cost of upgrades and special features. Also, be sure the policy provides adequate coverage for the cost of any liability for injuries that occur on your property.

5. Automobile Insurance

Some level of automobile liability insurance is required by law in most localities. Even if you are not required to have it and you are driving an old junker that has been paid off for years, automobile liability insurance is something you shouldn't skip. If you are involved in an accident and someone is injured or their property is damaged, you could be subject to a lawsuit that could cost you everything you own. Accidents happen quickly and the results are often tragic - having no automobile liability insurance or purchasing only the minimum required coverage saves you only a tiny amount of money and puts everything else that you own at risk. (To learn more, see Shopping For Car Insurance.)

*Bonus Tip For Business Owners: In addition to the policies listed above, business owners need business insurance. Liability coverage in a litigation-happy society could be the difference between a long, prosperous endeavor and a trip to bankruptcy court.

Shop CarefullyInsurance policies come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and boast many different features, benefits and prices. Shop carefully, read the policies and talk to the salesperson to be certain that you understand the coverage and the cost. Make sure the policies that you purchase are adequate for your needs, and don't sign on the dotted line until you are happy with the purchase.

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