In Western culture we have become very detached from the cycle of life and death. Only those who work in specific industries will be accustomed to the fragility of life, but for most of us it’s something that will happen in the unforeseen future, so we try not to engage with it too often.

The overwhelming emotional shock we feel when we lose a loved one, whether sudden or expected, is natural.

Inside of this tumultuous time, we are faced with the reality that life goes on, and we have to engage with paperwork, practicalities and an often-times pragmatic process that feels devoid of the emotional engagement we’re longing for.

If we can talk about the practical side before dealing with a loved one passing, we can be better prepared.

In most cases a Notice of Death needs to be filed, confirmation of the cause of death must be established and we will need to contact a funeral director.

Here are a few extra practical guidelines of which to be aware:

In the case of natural causes

Natural causes include cancer, heart attack and stroke as well as other illnesses. If your loved one loses their life while in hospital, the attending doctor would need to issue a Notice of Death. 

Where there is suspected foul play – especially when the death happens unexpectedly or at home – the police would need to be called to bring a forensic pathologist who will perform a post mortem and ascertain the cause of death before issuing the Notice of Death.

For someone who passes away while they are a resident at a nursing home, the Notice of Death would need to be completed by the last doctor in attendance (customarily handled by the nursing staff).

Your appointed funeral director will need this notice before being able to assist with the next steps. If the hospital does not offer mortuary services or if the body is to be cremated, finding a funeral director who can handle that responsibility is often the best option.

Should death occur overseas, there are funeral directors who are registered and authorised to make arrangements for exporting and importing remains. 

In the case of unnatural causes

If a fatal accident occurs, the police need to be called and a pathologist may be necessary to discern the cause of death. The Notice of Death we mentioned earlier is also issued here too.

When your loved one leaves due to unnatural causes, your funeral director will need to wait for the pathologist to be satisfied with their examination results before collecting the body. 

The last step is to prepare for life after the funeral. Life and funeral cover are invaluable products to help ease the stress of settling debts and covering extra expenses with a diminished income.

It’s essential to plan for these events and have conversations with your family and financial adviser before they happen to be in the best emotional and financial space to positively deal with this tragedy.

Source: SonjaSmithFunerals

Most of us would gladly jump at the opportunity to have more money. Very few people are likely to say that they would prefer to have less money…

One reason for this is that we can see how our future life and our current financial status are linked. And this leads to anxiety when thinking about financial futures. 

Although it is not easy, it is beneficial to develop and maintain a positive outlook toward money to exercise greater responsibility for building our future financial stability.

In a recent email, Carl Richards shared some of the following ideas on creating a plan to continue reaching our financial goals by reducing anxiety.

Step 1: Pay attention to your spending

Mastering our finances won’t happen overnight. We need to make a habit of keeping tabs on where our money goes. In short – we need to be more aware of our spending behaviours and habits.

Here are some of the best ideas on how to pay attention to spending:

• Create a budget and follow a spending plan 
• Record all transactions
• Regularly check your card statements and stay present with what you’re buying

Step 2: Find wasted money

Most of us are accustomed to the idea of saving money that remains after all the spending. Hence, we find it challenging to find more money to save. Here the answer is not found in trying to make more money; instead, it’s to try and find money that we’re wasting.

We can find wasted cash by regularly reviewing credit card statements and cutting expenditure on things we don’t need anymore.

For example, if you’re being charged 250 bucks for a subscription fee on something you’re not using anymore (like a mobile data contract), cancel it and save that same amount every month. In a year, you will have saved over two-and-a-half grand!

Step 3: Automate savings

Setting up an investment vehicle and automating your savings can help establish the habit of saving. 

Most of our banks will help you link a savings pocket to your transactional account into which you can drop a couple of bucks each month. (aside: your bills can also be automated so that you deal with less paperwork in your life and further reduce money anxiety!)

When building wealth, we need to retain a positive attitude.

Working with a professional financial adviser will enable you to make informed decisions and discern what other areas of your financial plan can be activated and engaged with in order to reduce financial anxiety and replace it with financial peace-of-mind!

…and medicine be thy food. Hippocrates adopted this philosophy around 2400 years ago!

Before fad diets and modern medicine, he recognised that food has the ability to keep us strong and healthy – both physically and mentally. A nutritious diet is fundamental to maintaining good health and well-being. 

Just remember that eating healthy isn’t just about cutting out meat and “going green” but about getting a well-balanced diet of different foods (in the right amounts) to give your body what it needs. 

While it may feel a bit expensive to maintain healthy eating habits, all it requires is a little more planning. In our modern world we have become increasingly reliant on convenient foods and have reduced the amount of time that we have for food preparation. This whole approach requires our commitment to putting a little extra time into this activity (unless we have the opportunity to employ someone to do it).

So it’s not just about reducing our current weight but more about being proactive and creating a healthy future for yourself… today.

Here are 5 more top reasons to start eating well:

1. Your self-esteem improves

Most of us don’t realise that what we eat affects how we feel and think. Much of our general health is dependent on a healthy gut microbiome, and if we’re putting heavy foods into our system that undermine the integrity of this central system, we will feel heavy and unbalanced. 

Eating more bananas, raw veggies, cucumbers, strawberries, grapefruits as well as more foods that contain vitamin B and are rich in antioxidants are good for so many reasons. Eating cultured or pickled foods are also really good for the gut! This all helps us boost our general sense of ‘feeling well’ and will improve our self-esteem.

Fresh, raw foods can strengthen hair, clear skin, whiten teeth and improve breath. We will also enjoy the anti-ageing effects of foods with calcium, vitamin A and K.

2. Your memory and overall brain function becomes better

Mariah Carey sang it best, ‘It’s all in your mind.’ Prioritizing your mental health is vital in your journey of self-development. Watching what you eat is key to that.

A nutritious diet with foods that have omega-3 fatty acids or vitamins can improve your brain functionality and memory. This includes wild salmon, blueberries, dark chocolate or avocados. 

Drinking green tea is also known to be good for enhancing your cognitive ability.

3. Improve your heart health

Studies recommend that healthier eating habits should be one of the lifestyle changes that you make. This helps reduce chances of cardiac arrest, diabetes, high cholesterol, strokes and enhances your overall heart health as a result.

Include green vegetables, almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts and sunflower seeds amongst other foods into your diet to boost your heart’s well-being.

4. Overall energy levels improve

According to the Harvard Medical Center, one of the benefits of a healthy, balanced diet is the ability to boost your energy levels. 

Some of the foods that will revitalize you and sustain your energy levels throughout the day are whole grains, vegetables, brown rice, sweet potatoes, oats, apples, unrefined carbohydrates, proteins, healthy oils and fats.

Limiting your alcohol intake and drinking more water can give you a sustained surge in energy.

5. You start to feel better

The relationship between food and mood has been studied extensively. According to Healthline, your brain responds to what you put into your mouth. 

So it behoves you to be mindful of what you eat if you want to improve your mood. Drinking lots of water and eating foods rich in minerals like magnesium, selenium, zinc, amino acids, fatty acids can help in alleviating depression and mood disorders.

Sources of these healthy minerals include eggs, black beans, soy, pork, chicken, broccoli and leafy greens like spinach, lettuce, swiss chard and collard greens.

We should embrace healthy eating as one of our essential life habits.

The journey of developing your life can be challenging on your mind and overall well-being. Prioritizing mental health can help us build the resilience we need to find fulfillment at work and in our personal relationships. 

Often we focus on physical health and the list of things we want to accomplish. It’s important to remember that our body and mind always work together. We need to take care of both!

What is mental health?

Being mentally healthy is defined by having positive characteristics in terms of how we feel, think and behave in daily life. It also influences our ability to cope with stress and conquer life’s challenges.

This doesn’t mean we no longer feel anxiety, frustration or stress. Rather, we learn to accept that hardships are part of life. Holding a healthy mental space empowers us to find ways of reacting better to whatever pain or challenges we face.

Learning to pay attention to your mental health will teach you to reframe your mindset – from preparing for the worst that could happen, to expecting the best that could happen.

Here are 3 practices to help develop and maintain a healthy mental space:

• Remember to look inside

Introspection is a healthy habit to integrate into your daily routine. Being introspective also teaches you to be mindful of your thoughts and feelings as well as your actions.

Through practising introspection you’ll learn to identify thoughts and the physical or emotional sensations that tend to contribute to your cycles of stress and dis-ease. From there you’ll look to find solutions on how to address those sensations to more positive ones.

Meditation is one of the best ways to look inside. You learn to control your breathing and focus your mind. You discover that your thoughts are controlled by you and not the other way around.

• Become more active

Again, your mind and body always work together. Improving your mental health comes with improving your body.

The wonderful thing about working out is that it can be done at home. The Coronavirus lockdown may have kept you indoors but you could still keep fit. Apps and videos of effective 5- to 10-minute daily workouts are in abundance. 

Keeping fit doesn’t only mean you need to pound weights or run long distances. Dancing, playing activity-based games with friends and family can also help you become more active and improve your physical health. The hormones that are released during these activities boost your mental health considerably.

Simple things like gardening or cleaning your home also contribute to your physical and mental health.

• Have a purpose

Finding purpose and establishing a vision can help you create meaning in your life because you’ll have something that drives you. An inspiration that pulls you towards all that you wish to accomplish.

Purpose can be found in your work. You can choose to focus on work that challenges you to be more productive and improve your service to others. Volunteering in old-age homes, charities and non-profit organisations are other heartfelt ways to establish purpose in your life.

It’s also possible to find meaning in the relationships you build. Focus on building fulfilling and mutually beneficial relationships. Socialise more with people who will be empathetic and supportive and less with those who put you down and are constantly in competition with you.

Manage your expectations. Be patient and compassionate with yourself. Results will come even though it doesn’t seem like it now. We need to pay attention to our mental health because that is what helps us reframe our minds and look towards a happier future instead of focusing on the uncertainty and stress of our current situation.

It is easy to think that the terms Medical Aid, Medical Insurance and GAP Cover refer to the same thing. Although they all serve to help you afford medical care, there are some subtle differences. 

Getting a clear understanding of these words will help you get savvy with your options. If you already have health coverage you’ll be more informed about the benefits and extent of your health plan. However, many of us sign up for this type of cover, but over the years (especially if we don’t claim often) we can easily forget the massive role that these products play in our financial portfolios.

Medical Aid or Medical Insurance, it’s all medical cover, right? 

Yes and yes. But, one of the key differences is that medical insurance products are not governed by medical aid regulations. In 2018, updated Demarcation Regulations stated the following:

• Medical aid schemes fall under the Medical Schemes Act No. 131 of 1998.
• Medical insurance products are governed by the Short-term Insurance Acts No. 53 of 1998.

 

The guidelines of these laws actually play a crucial role as they differentiate the offering and extent of the cover of these two types of medical cover.

For instance, medical aid schemes are required by law to pay in full for Prescribed Minimum Benefits – a.k.a PMBs. The payment may be limited when you go to a doctor who is not on your medical scheme’s designated service provider network (the one they choose for you).

They’re not required to offer funeral cover, personal accident disability or cover for any loss of limbs.

Moreover, payments of in-hospital benefits are made based on the National Recommended Price List and healthcare professionals use this price list to determine the base price of their services. 

In addition, there may also be yearly limits for procedures.

How does medical insurance differ?

The purpose of medical insurance is to protect your financial assets as well as promote a lifestyle of health and wellness. It is considered more affordable because it mostly focuses on out-of-hospital expenses including prescribed medication and meetings with your GP, optometrist or dentist. Often the amount you would be able to claim is based on a set procedure cost, not what the hospital or doctors actually charge you – which means that some procedures could leave you well covered (with money in the bank) whilst others could leave you heavily under-insured.

Other benefits include cover for funerals, accidental injuries and/or disability caused by an injury.

Pre-existing conditions may not be covered by your medical insurance. Just like your home insurance can only pay for damage that happens to your house after you’ve joined and not for damage that happens before that.

These are just a few differences – these products are highly complex so it’s always best to chat through your personal situation before making and decisions to shift or change products.

What about Gap Cover?

Gap cover is also an insurance product. It does not cover the full amount for hospital procedures as it works in conjunction with your medical aid – covering where your medical scheme falls short. 

For instance, in cases where your chosen doctor charges more than your medical aid’s rate, the difference will be taken care of by Gap cover. It literally covers the gap. (this gap can be as much as 400%)

Depending on your medical aid options, Gap cover can be provided for:

• Oncology shortfalls
• Sub-limits
• Medical aid co-payments

These differences do not mean you should take up everything at once. Whilst GAP cover is generally considered a must-have, helping you choose medical aid or insurance options that are most suited to your lifestyle and your family setup is what we will do together in your financial planning sessions.

If you haven’t reviewed your medical cover, it’s best to do so towards the end of the year as most medical schemes don’t allow for changes or upgrades during the year.