abdulbasitqamar

[abdulbasitqamar]

Why is Health Insurance Important?

A few years back, there was a general misconception about family health insurance. Countless people considered insurance a name of some luxury that only wealthy people could afford. However, that viewpoint of people is now turning for several reasons such as inflation, rising hospitalization costs, and middle-class growth. There is no doubt that today almost everyone is thinking of health insurance, especially the people in the middle class. Both landlords and working employees are looking for insurance that can cover their expenses related to illnesses, lifestyle disorders, health conditions, and to name a few.

In this article, I will be discussing four main reasons that would explain the importance of health insurance, regardless of age, gender, occupation, or social status. Read on to find out. Following are the points:

Financial Protection:

Above all the reasons, insurance policies provide your financial protection. Health insurance can cover your medical expenses when you are injured or sick. In these cases, you will not have to pay your charges from your pocket. Apart from this, the policies can cover your surgery and other medical procedures that can cost you thousands of dollars. For example, if you do not have medical insurance, simple bypass surgery can cost you up to $35,000. And you may not have that much money to deal with this type of emergency. Therefore, at this modern time when prices are escalating, it would be a smart move to get insured with health insurance.

Lifestyle Conditions:

Numerous homeowners and practicing professionals suffer from health conditions, such as high blood pressure, hormonal imbalances, chronic back pain, obesity, and diabetes. Most people experience these conditions because of a stressful lifestyle. The fact is that even young people need to consult a professional to deal with their current situation. Besides, mental illness is common these days. Therefore, it is a need of time that you get your family insurance. Health Insurance can provide you with free hospitalization and free bedding.

May God protect you and your family from mishaps and evil but, consider it for the sake of an example. One of your family members becomes seriously ill during the night, and they need to get hospitalized immediately. Now, in emergencies, we know that hospitals demand thousands of dollars for immediate surgery to save a patient's life. What if you do not have money on the spot? Just think how dangerous it would be for your patient. In this case, family health insurance can help you deal with that. With its aid, you do not have to pay in advance. Your insurance company will instantly cover all the costs of treatment.

Critical Diseases:

Today, insurance companies allow you to purchase essential health insurance. If you or a loved one is suffering from heart disease, disability, kidney failure, or cancer, this type of insurance may provide you with less payment for medical expenses. In some cases, the policies may provide full medical assistance.

Mental Peace:

Having health insurance can also furnish your peace of mind. You will not have to spend the night wondering how you will cover the medical expenses of your family members because if you have health insurance, your insurance company will pay for any unexpected medical expenses. In a nutshell, if you want to use all these benefits, I suggest you apply for health insurance, especially for your family. I guess now you'll understand that health insurance is not a luxury anymore but a need of time.

For reading more about health insurance, you can visit here.

Think and Reflect!

[abdulbasitqamar]

[abdulbasitqamar]

[abdulbasitqamar]

[abdulbasitqamar]

Significance of Philosophy

Many people often question me about the need and significance of philosophy. And honestly, I do not mind such questioning because I think philosophy is all about interrogating existence and certainty, and what else would be more enriching than questioning on a subject full of questions and argumentations. In this article, I will be answering that what makes philosophy unique and so valuable.

To generalize things is the nature of our minds, and that is good as far as we understand things precisely but, when it comes to philosophy, it does not work like that. In philosophy, everything has a particular actuality. Everything has a unique identity. Therefore, to explain the significance of philosophy, it would be a better idea to make some points. And this nature of philosophy (assuming everything separately) leads me to my very first point.

Thinking and reflecting precisely

No other discipline is as fixated to speak upon central concerns as Philosophy does. Regardless of whether it is defending common rights, contemplating the importance of human behaviors, or sorting out the problems of governments, philosophy has consistently addressed rational enthusiasm. Since the old days, rationalists have committed themselves to investigate many points of view while questioning their logic. No question is too large or excessively little for logicians. Other than posing huge questions, philosophy is all about the point of view. Decisive reasoning and study are the mighty pieces of what distinguish philosophy.

For quite a long time, scholars discussed how to view and manage various styles of abstraction. The discussion is continually continuing. At the point where you take on a philosophical outlook and figure out how to break down explanations and thoughts with a basic understanding, you come out better as a philosopher. Philosophy makes you sharp enough to recognize when and what thought deserves your time to think. That is the primary expertise you achieve with the help of philosophy. Later, the conclusions concluded from rationalization can be applied wherever in your life. That is how philosophy helps you to think and act precisely. Simple, right? But how can philosophy speak upon central concerns in almost every discipline of life we study? Well, that is my second point. Let's get straight into it!

The Pivot Point of Existence

You may agree or disagree, but in every aspect, area, discipline, or field of life is a philosophical viewpoint - the central idea behind everything that helps us improve the understanding and learning experience. How? See, philosophy constrains you to pose questions like What? Why? How? When? And the list goes on.

Whether you are concentrating on writing or science, the reasoning in you will make you curious, and you will start questioning - What is the embodiment of the current point, and what difference does it make? It is like comprehending the essence of things to understand their behaviors and impacts on other things. But why only philosophy can do so? Because it is all about absolute reasoning and thinking, which are significant abilities in any discipline, making the learning system more coordinated and fulfilling. Therefore, philosophy is also known as the mother of all knowledge. Knowledge? Is it possible to obtain knowledge without solving problems? It is driving me towards my third point.

Role of a Problem-solver

You know, problems are a part of life. Everybody from legislators to attorneys to writers faces problems. Regardless variety of concerns and problems we are confronting, philosophy can benefit us to settle them all. Other than decisive reasoning and reflection, philosophy shows individuals the significance of being objective. It does not only help you to reach the nature of any problem but can also assist in developing a layout through which you can solve it.

Philosophy supports because a way of thinking shows few procedures like perception, instinct, and justification. With the help of utilizing conclusive reasoning and viable exploration, we can separate issues into their essence and test versions. Philosophy can be a method for taking care of problems as unavoidable issues because the core element in philosophy is to think. So, it would be a good idea to use philosophy as your problem-solver. Am I talking about a change? Okay! Let me get deeper into it.

A tool for Transformation

Are you a history lover? Well, it is fine if you are not. But you may have noticed a common element behind every change that happened in human history. Do you know that every change in history, whether it was social or political, started as scholarly discussions? That is because knowledge has a direct relation with our thoughts, and not everyone can think equally. That is how and why belief systems exist. That is right! The common element within every change is a belief system that can vary from time to time, from human to human.

With every new day, we are unveiling consciousness, and because of that, our reasoning urges the world to investigate why things are how they are and if they could be better. That is happening from the very beginning of human beings. Just like a cycle, repeat and repeat in search of better. Philosophy requests the same thing - to investigate our lives and perspectives. That is how human beings are continuously using philosophy as a tool of change and development. So, do we need philosophy in these modern times? Now that would be my closing point in this article.

Need of Philosophy

You might be wondering that how philosophy can help us today. Look, you may not know about it but, reasoning gigantically affects how the world functions. There are so many issues individuals or governments grapple with every day. The nature of these problems might get different from one another but, as long as human beings have a mind to think or a life to live, this world is not going to be a place free from problems. Even future technology can't resolve this problem. (Suggestion: Read Modernism and Humanity next)

Philosophy covers questioning, reasoning, and arguments, and we know in everyday life what importance only these little things have. Therefore, we need philosophy. We needed it and will always need it. So, that was all for this article. I hope that now you will be clear enough about the need for philosophy, the importance and value of philosophy.

Think and Reflect!

[abdulbasitqamar]

Benefits of Meditation

The mind is full of positive powers, but at the same time, it could be our biggest enemy. How? By propagating lots of unwanted distractions and toxic thoughts in our heads. And one of the best ways to manage these thoughts and distractions is meditation.

That's right! Nowadays, meditation is considered one of the most powerful tools we can use against negativity within us. We can not only manage toxic thoughts but, with the help of meditation, we can get some other benefits as well. In this article, I'm going to share those benefits with you. Following are they:

Stress Management - Reduces Stress

Many doctors and psychologists often suggest meditation when you are striving to overcome stress. Even myself, being a psychologist, sometimes recommends my clients to try meditation when it comes to stress relief. Many people think that it's a great option to avoid doing the things that stress you out but, stress can come from just about anywhere. How can someone get rid of his job, finance management, friends, and family? Because they all can be a reason for stress too, and one can not simply ignore them. Therefore, learning how to meditate can significantly reduce stress without making any of these adjustments to your lifestyle. The real question is how sitting quietly for 15-20 minutes can be so impactful when you're stressed?

Well, our bodies produce cortisol - the primary stress hormone responsible for increasing sugar (glucose) in the bloodstream, enhancing the brain's use of glucose, and increasing the availability of substances that repair tissues. It also restricts functions that would be nonessential or harmful in a fight-or-flight situation. A study in 2013 found that meditation, specifically mindfulness meditation, effectively deals with stress by decreasing the side effects of cortisol production. Another study that examined over 1,200 participants found that regular meditation can lower stress levels. The results were consistent for everyone. It means that it does not matter who you are or how much older you are. Meditation can be an incredibly effective way to reduce your stress levels.

Controls depression

Meditation is considered a form of therapy for individuals fighting against depression (my another article on usage of emotions "Excessive use of Emotions" is also one of the biggest reasons of getting depressed, read it). It does not control only the production of neurons associated with depression but also helps nurture a stable emotional mindset by decreasing the presence of negative emotions in us like sadness, anger, and self-criticism to stick around for way too long.

The research took place at the University of Exeter. The goal was to study the behavior of two different groups of people healing from depression. The first group used only medication for depression but, the other one practiced mindfulness meditation at least once every day. In the end, the researchers found that about half of the medicating group ended up relapsing because of unhealthy behaviors like brooding that prevented the medicines from doing their job. On the contrary, those who practiced meditation were significantly less likely to relapse because they were less likely to engage in certain depressive behaviors. So, if you're hoping to improve your emotional health, mindfulness meditation can be a safe and excellent idea to cut depression off.

Improves sleeping pattern

Generally, it takes between 10-25 minutes for a body to shut down and go to bed but, if it takes you an hour or more to fall asleep, it could mean two things. First, you're just going to bed too early, and second, it could be a sign of insomnia. Believe it or not, over half the population has dealt with insomnia which can last anywhere from a few days to a few years. Most people choose to resolve this problem with sleeping pills but, these can have several nasty side effects. It could become an addiction or cause fatigue and drowsiness. So psychologists have begun recommending meditation as a healthy and safe alternative.

According to research in 2015, meditating before going to bed reduces both mental and physical stress. And this short period of relaxation can significantly improve the quality of your sleep, even for chronic insomniacs. Meditation helps you fall asleep earlier, stay asleep longer, and stop you from randomly waking up in the middle of the night. That is what quality sleep means! And you'll also notice, after rising in the morning, there would be improvements in memory concentration and problem-solving that require your brain to be sharp and well-rested. Let's talk about memory now.

Enhances memory

You might have noticed that the people who meditate regularly often have a very sharp memory. Did you wonder why? Here's the thing - regular meditation leaves a tremendous effect on our brain; especially, on the parts responsible for storing and recovering memories. Its best example can be a study carried out in 2013 in which a group of researchers examined the brains of two groups of people. The first group of people had those who never meditated, and in the other group, people were meditating every day.

The researchers found that the brains of frequent meditators were developed better in several different areas than the non-meditators. The regions of their brains associated with memory were most prominent, thicker, intricate, and active than their counterparts. That means they not only have an easier time recalling events from their long-term memory but can also store information much more efficiently. It's never too late. If you have a memory issue, you should give it a try. Meditation can be helpful for you.

Increases focus in you

Most of us have a common problem - lack of focus. You'll agree with me that we often make silly mistakes in our regular work. It mostly happens when we have so many tasks to complete, but our single mistake ruins our schedule completely, right? If you were finding an answer for a "why" then, here it is. Your brain is not focusing precisely, and there are two causes for that: First - You have overloaded your brain. Second - You become hasty. If you are overburdened, you have to learn some management skills, and if you are impatient, you should become patient, right? What if I tell you that meditation can teach you these two skills for free?

We know that management skills and patience require a complete focus, and meditating regularly, is a counteractant that can improve your focus. How? By our nature, it is hard for us is to sit silently while keeping our minds empty. But, it becomes more difficult for us to sit quiet, emptying the mind and sensing everything around us. While meditating, a person achieves the same mental trance. Initially, it is impossible to do so but, practice makes a man perfect! Now, what exactly happens is that whatsoever we practice for a long time, our body gets addicted to it (Just the way a smoker gets addicted).

Then, we all know what happens. We automatically start doing it, no? The idea is to focus. We are guiding our brains to focus effectively. So, whenever we do something, automatically, all our senses respond, and their point of focus becomes one. Increasing focus means lesser chances of loss. This way, your schedule would also not get disordered. In 2007, a study answered this question by testing the concentrated skills of people before and after an eight-week course on mindfulness meditation. The researchers observed that before meditation, their speed and performance were poor. But, just after the eight weeks of regular meditation, participants got more efficient.

Managing pain

Do you know that if we can learn to control our minds, we can often lessen the amount of pain we feel? That's right! Practicing mindfulness meditation can help us hone a controlled mentality that can allow us to cope with pain and lessen its amount. It almost sounds impossible, yeah? A study in 2011 found that individuals who meditate every day seem to experience lesser pain than those who don't meditate daily. The researchers discovered this by looking at the activity of their brains when they were in pain. The meditators responded a little to pain in comparison to people who had never meditated before.

Another study tested pain tolerance, and over 3,000 participants who were struggling with chronic pain found that those who practiced daily meditation were far better at coping with their pain. It means that daily meditation can potentially decrease your perception of pain. Oh! Talking about pain and forgetting self-confidence... Let me tell you another benefit of doing meditation regularly.

Increases self-confidence

Self-confidence is something that almost every one of us struggles with daily in a world full of critics and bullies. Sometimes, it can be hard to develop and maintain a lasting positive self-image but, without it, you may struggle every day to avoid another cycle of depression. The question is how meditation can help us improve self-confidence. Well, let me answer it. Mindfulness meditation can help you build a kind of self-esteem that won't fall apart easily.

The idea is quite simple. All you have to do is bring your full attention to the present moment by focusing exclusively on where you are and who you are. It will allow you to stay calm, relaxed, and focused. Furthermore, it will also reduce your anxiety while allowing you to think clearly and intelligently. The ultimate goal of mindfulness meditation is to get you in touch with your senses and emotions, giving you a deeper understanding of yourself.

A study in 2005 showed that this deeper understanding often results in the development of self-esteem. In short, we lose self-confidence and self-esteem when we don't know who we are and what exactly we can do. It's like, when you know yourself, you feel proud of yourself. And when people are proud of themselves, they stay focused, positive, and confident. So, if you are a non-meditator, you should think about starting it today. And you'll find tremendous results in a week or so.

A little change in your daily-routine can be beneficial along with meditation. You can read "Healthy Habits" for personal well-being.

Think and Reflect!

[abdulbasitqamar]

Small Business Tips

Thousands among us want to start a new business but don't know how to do so. Therefore, I'm sharing some tips that might help you start your business.

Do what you Enjoy

The greatest motivation for an entrepreneur is the passion for what they love to do the most. Before starting your business, you must be familiar with what you enjoy the most because you will be spending both of your time and energy on what you enjoy doing. It would be great to become successful. If not, then at least you would not regret doing something that you love.

Planning and Execution

Create a business plan and write it down for your ease. Go according to the demand of time but never be too hasty with its execution. Remember the sentence you often use to hear? Rome was not built in one day. Yes, be patient and wait for the right time before executing things.

Market Research

Before launching your business, make sure to study the market, competitors, and your customers' psychology. Find prospects and try to engage them while building your initial network to save time and generate profit as soon as possible.

Branding of Business

No matter how much worth your business has. If there is no proper branding, in the end, only you will suffer. Therefore, choose a relevant name for your business. Get your required printing done like business cards, invoices, letterheads, logos, designing, etc. Create your website and if you can afford it, have a business email too.

Backup of Capital

Before starting your business, you need to memorize that you will not get profits right away. Therefore, you should not invest all your funds. If you're a job person, don't resign until you start getting profit from your start-up. Even if you already have a source of income, you should not invest all your cash into the business. At least keep 30% of it as a backup. After all, we can always invest our money into the business but gradually!

Having an Efficient Team

Always remember that you cannot do everything alone. You will always need an efficient team that can increase both your productivity and profit. First of all, find a mentor or a person who can minimize the chances of relapse. Pieces of Advice, you know. If you don't have one, hire a business consultant. The second step should be hiring staff who should be experts in marketing, production, etc. They can be two or three but EXPERTS in their fields! Tip - The right person at the right place at the right time.

Start as a Professional

What would you say about a person who wants to become a professional but doesn't have professional ethics and manners? No matter how much successful your business will be in the future, practice professionalism from day one. It will not only increase your reputation in the market but raise your character in front of your team as well. I guess that would be enough to know before starting your new business. Now it's time to invest in what you love to do.

Think and Reflect!

[abdulbasitqamar]

Healthy Habits

We all know that our physical health affects our mental health and vice versa. And what we do to our bodies makes a big contrast to how we feel.

Endorphins - Pain reliever Neurochemicals

Physical activities such as diet, alcohol consumption, smoking, and drugs can all affect our mental health and wellbeing in so many ways. We will discuss them later in this article but before that, let me tell you that our physical activities release pain reliever neurochemicals named endorphins. They are also known as endorphins, which help us feel and sleep well, in easier words. It can also improve our physical fitness, which tends to make us feel better in general. Even small amounts of regular physical activities can improve our mental wellbeing, especially when it comes to something that we enjoy the most.

Doing some Physical Activities

Physical activities are even a recommended treatment for depression. Trust me, we can get active at our own pace, in our way. There is no need to join a gym or even spend any money on that. Simply the number of small changes in our daily routine can make all the difference. Taking a brisk walk or walking to get where we are going, getting active in gardening, or cycling once or twice a week are excellent options. If you need a little help fitting more physical activity into your day, try the NHS's Active 10 walking tracker app to help you get short bursts of brisk walking into your day. Meditation can also be helpful (Check "Benefits of Meditation" to know how meditation can help you out) but, if there was an activity you used to enjoy, think about picking it up again.

Replacing Junk-food with Healthier Food

Eating healthy food can play an essential role in our health and wellbeing. No matter what we take in our diet and how much because our diet possesses a powerful connection with physical and mental health. We should try to eat a healthy balanced diet, with plenty of fruits and vegetables. It is also a wise decision to keep an eye on calories. Therefore, we should minimize foods that are high in sugar and fats.

Role of Drugs Addiction

Consumption of alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, and even drugs may seem tempting in stress. They may seem relaxing when we are tired. We use them to escape or face difficult situations but, they can cause more problems than they solve, especially long-term. All these habits can complicate our sleeping patterns and affect how anxious and depressed we feel (By the way, using too much emotions can also become problematic for us. Read "Excessive use of Emotions" for better understanding). Alcohol particularly can worsen our moods. Even smoking is not a good habit and can cause death. Quitting it properly or controlling it could make you breathe freely, feel better, and save money! So try to limit or stop such habits. If you can't help it, take help from your psychologist or counselor.

Think and Reflect!

[abdulbasitqamar]

Excessive Use of Emotions

Being emotional is not bad but we know that excess of everything is bad so does too much usage of emotions is...

It is human nature to become highly emotional in times of distress. I believe that the emotions present inside human beings should be expressed and flowed out, but we know that excess of everything is also harmful to us. So does excess emotions are, resulting in situations getting worse.

“Behind every pain and sorrow we face, there is nothing but our own emotions.”

We should not let our sentiments or feelings take over our minds because this will only cause sorrow and pain. Furthermore, they will take us away from reality which will restrict our brain to think and make valuable decisions. To explain my point, I will provide two examples here:

Associating hopes and expectations from people: Every human being, at some point in his life, unknowingly or knowingly associates himself with people or becomes emotionally dependent on them. When those people are unable to fulfill their hopes and expectations, they then accuse them of a reason behind their pain and sorrow. We should understand that by associations and expectations, we can acquire satisfaction and happiness, but only for a short period. In the long run, it only brings pain, and this happens because of the excessive use of our emotions.

Becoming impatient and too hasty: You must have noticed that a man is always seen in a hurry to conclude things. When he sees his efforts getting abandoned, he becomes disappointed too quickly. This disappointing behavior of his brings miserableness and suffering, the first sign of recklessness he feels because of which he becomes incapable to make logical and valuable decisions.

Similarly, there are many other things and tasks a human being does that makes him unsatisfied and disappointed, and this all occurs just because of excessive usage of his emotions, he has within. So, be conscious enough and don’t flow your emotions more than the need otherwise, only you’ll alone have to face circumstances.

To control usage of emotions, you should start consider practicing meditation. It is indeed a powerful tool for controlling our emotions. If you're not familiar with benefits of meditation, you should read "Benefits of Meditation" in which I have shared some benefits and impacts of meditation on human body. Moreover, some changes in our lifestyle can also help us controlling excessive use of emotions. For that, I have written "Healthy Habits". You can read it for personal well-being.

Think and Reflect!

[abdulbasitqamar]

Modernism and the Downfall of Humanity

We believe that we are very wise and smart, but the reality is that we are not. Every person considers himself sensible, but the question is that how can he call himself intelligent if he does not meet the requirements of kindness and virtue for understanding humanity?

From the beginning, nature has made humanity the first persona of human beings, and without it, we are incomplete, and those who do not understand this, in my opinion, are fools and not smart or wise.

We must have to protect humanity; otherwise, we would destroy each other one day, just for possessing personal interests. — Abdul B. Qamar

Today, we are busy exploring science and new planets in space, discovering new galaxies, but what is the use of such discoveries when we are losing our quality, humanity. If we are so fond of exploring, then on the priority, we must recognize ourselves, the most complex creature in this universe, which we proudly call the wisest among all, the human beings.

We should first examine our behaviors, understand our existence, recognize our nature, but instead of doing so, today we are thinking of giving our position to robots. It is strange that we all want to travel in space, but most of us are not willing to explore our own minds to understand the reason behind our actuality. And to do so, we must have to act upon the norms and morals set by humanity, precisely. Anyone who has said, “The more human beings are progressing and becoming modern, the more they are moving back to the ages of ignorance and tyranny.” is right. We are indeed the biggest enemies for our own selves.

Now, we must not only understand this but also learn some lessons from it, that has become very important for us today. We should increase the humanity present in us, or we will have to face natural torments. We should stop causing mischiefs and set examples of humanity in front of those who have been committing crimes so that they could come back to their original quality known as humanity.

Our future is in our hands, and only by fulfilling the fundamental rights of humanity, we can make it better. We can’t change our past, but we can fix such situations to make our present better and our future best.

Think and Reflect!