The top countries in the world for health care all offer totally public, universal systems — with life expectancies that rival, and even trump, the U.S.

Until we’re ready to part with our massive military and widening waistlines, the United States has little hope of making the list of top countries for health care. Our privatized system has yet to live up to the affordability of socialized, single-payer systems, no matter how user-friendly our website is. For a nation that so routinely dominates, the truth is we may have to take a page out of other countries’ books for once.

Last month, International Living released its Global Retirement Index for 2014, a list of countries ranked according to the efficiency of their health care system and how well they make for retirement destinations. Here are the top 5:

5. Mexico

Medical tourism has ballooned south-of-the-border because of the United States’ increasingly high prescription drug costs. Health insurance costs roughly $300 per year in Mexico, with private plans costing more but still far less than what its neighbor to the north charges.

Despite its recent status as the most obese country in the world, Mexico only ranks a handful of places below the U.S. in life expectancy, with female life expectancy still exceeding ours. And if for whatever reason you find yourself in the hospital in Mexico, be grateful you’re only paying $35 for the night, not $1,700 like you would in America.

4. Costa Rica

Costa Rica barely edges out the U.S. in its life expectancy, at 76.8 years, but manages to do so with one-seventh the per capita expenditures and a dual public/private system that ensures all citizens can get coverage. Known as caja, the public system of health care in Costa Rica is constantly being upgraded with new equipment, technology, and educated personnel.

Retirees, or pensionados, are entitled to full coverage on medical services provided the beneficiary has a monthly income greater than $1,000, whether it’s from Social Security, disability benefits, a pension, or a similar source. There are no caveats or restrictions set on people because of their age or pre-existing conditions.

3. Malaysia

The public health care system in Malaysia isn’t available to foreigners, but their private system may be just as good. Under the system, doctors’ visits cost $16 and dental appointments cost $9. Their per capita expenditure is actually lower than Costa Rica’s $1,197, at only $645 per person. And the highly affordable insurance premiums make for heavily reduced costs — a generally healthy man in his fifties should expect a yearly premium of $400 to $1,000, depending on his plan.

2. Uruguay

A close runner-up, Uruguay has a health care system that is largely private but with a free public safety net. Patients pay their doctors directly, according to a monthly plan that entitles them to everything from regular check-ups to major surgery. Pre-existing conditions are also a non-issue for seniors, as people aged 60 and up seldom are turned away just because they wish to use the system for its purpose.

Uruguay’s per capita expenditure on health care is also comparatively low, at $1,132 U.S. To put it in perspective, in America that number is $8,233.

1. France

France takes the top spot because of its dual approach to health care. The country has both privatized and publicly available options, which either require patients to pay small, heavily subsidized amounts of money out-of-pocket or rely on the Social Security system to cover the costs.

In France, the lines of communication between physicians and patients are extremely open. The red tape Americans have become accustomed to, further muddled by bickering insurance companies, is replaced by an overabundance of doctors that deal directly with patients and encourage their free choice of health care providers. Now if only they could do something about all those cigarettes.

We believe that each of us showers at least once a day! This habit is thought to be praised, but experts say that we should not do it, especially over the winter days.



The Medical University of San Diego conveyed an interesting study. The team of experts, led by Dr. Casey Carlos, claims that everyday showering is not good for our skin. This is especially true during the winter period.

In winter, the skin is more sensitive, drier and subjected to numerous impairments, which is not the case in summer. You might have noticed that your skin on your hands over the winter period is heavily damaged. This is what happens to whole body skin. Dr. C. Carlos says that it is very important how we take a shower.



It is important not to use hot water, which is often used during the winter, but it is very harmful. Also, it is important and how we use the soap. You don’t need to soap the entire body! It is much healthier to soap the “crucial” parts of the body, such as armpits, feet, intimate parts. The skin regenerates and cleans itself and therefore does not need long-term soaping.

Furthermore, if you cannot stop showering with hot water and a detailed soaping, you need to apply a body lotion after showering. It is important to nourish and moisturize the skin.

Newari Culture

४ भदौ, काठमाडौैं । तीन दशक पुग्न लाग्ने नेपाली चेली नाज्मा साइब्लर श्रेष्ठले युरोपेली आमाहरुलाई नेपालका नेवार समुदायमा प्रचलित नवजात शिशुलाई तेल मालिस गर्ने परम्परागत तरिकाबारे जानकारी दिन थालेको छ ।

सन् १९८३ मा स्वीट्जरल्यान्ड, जुरिकमा पहिलो छोरी जन्मेलगत्तै परम्परागत तेल मालिसका निम्ति नेपालबाट आफ्नी आमा हरिदेवी श्रेष्ठलाई बोलाएर सुरु भएको यो तरिका यतिखेर युरोपका अधिकांश देशमा विस्तार भएको नाज्माको भनाइ रहेको नागरिकमा खबर छ ।

हरिदेवीले पहिलो नातिनी जमुना मायालाई अस्पतालमै तेल मालिस गर्न खोज्दा नर्सहरुले अचम्म मानेको उनको भनाइ छ । ‘शिशुलाई केही बिराम भएको छैन । किन मालिस गर्न लागेको भन्दै ती नर्सले सोधेकी थिइन् । यसपछि मात्रै स्वीसहरुले शिशुहरु बिरामी हुँदा या अफ्ठ्यारो मानेका बखत मात्रै मालिस गर्दा रहेछन् भन्ने लाग्यो र मैले नेवारी तरिकाको मालिस स्वीसहरुलाई चिनाइ छाड्छु भन्ने प्रण गरेँ,’ नाम्जाले भनिन् ।

स्वीस नागरिक डा जियोभानी साइब्लरसँग दाम्पत्य जीवन विताइराखेकी नाज्माले युरोपका विभिन्न मुलुकमा यस विधिबारे तालिम पनि दिइसकेकी छन् ।

Congenital heart disease is one of the most common types of birth defects, affecting up to nine in every 1,000 babies

Aug 27, 2015- Women who eat healthily before and during pregnancy may cut the risk of their baby developing a heart problem, researchers believe. The link is suggested by a study of 19,000 women in the US who were asked about their diet in the year leading up to pregnancy.

A healthy diet was one with plenty of fresh fish, fruit, nuts and vegetables.

Pregnant women and women trying to conceive are already advised to take certain supplements. Experts recommend folic acid to reduce the risk of other birth defects like spina bifida, and vitamin D for healthy bones and teeth.

In England, the government’s Healthy Start scheme provides vouchers for pregnant women that can be used to buy milk and vegetables.

In the study, published in Archives of Diseases in Childhood Fetal and Neonatal Edition, half of the women had babies with heart problems while the other half did not. When the researchers compared the diets of these two groups they found a healthier maternal diet was associated with a lower chance of congenital heart defects.

Pregnant women in the top 25 percent (quartile) of diet quality, had a lower risk of having a baby with certain heart defects—atrial septal defects and Tetralogy of Fallot—than those in the bottom 25 percent, even after accounting for other factors such as whether the mother took folic acid or was a smoker. Congenital heart disease is one of the most common types of birth defect, affecting up to nine in every 1,000 babies born in the UK. Mild defects, such as holes in the heart, often don’t need to be treated, as they may improve on their own and may not cause any further problems. But others can be more serious and some, lethal.

In most cases, something has gone wrong in the early development of the foetus. Some heart conditions are due to faulty genes or chromosomes. But often it is unclear why the baby’s heart has not developed normally, says the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

Victoria Taylor, senior dietitian at the BHF, said: “This is an interesting study which highlights the importance of diet right from the start of life.

“A healthy diet before, during and after pregnancy can have benefits for both mother and child and, as seen here, the whole diet should be taken into consideration, rather than solely focusing on individual nutrients.

“Eating well isn’t a guaranteed way to avoid congenital heart defects, but this will be another factor that will motivate women planning a pregnancy to make healthy choices.” BBC