Tag Archives: health

Healthcare Beyond Corporate Insurance

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Most expats in Singapore breathe a sigh of relief when their employer hands them a shiny corporate health insurance card. But here’s the catch; that coverage might not be as comprehensive as you think, and it almost certainly isn’t designed with your long-term needs in mind. Singapore’s healthcare system is world-class, but it’s also expensive if you need private care or aren’t covered. Relying solely on corporate insurance could leave you with gaps, especially if you switch jobs, leave Singapore, or face a major medical event.

1. Public vs Private Healthcare in Singapore

• Public (Subsidised): Lower cost but longer wait times, eligibility depends on residency status (most expats aren’t entitled to subsidies).
• Private: Shorter wait times, wider choice of doctors, more personalised care — but higher cost.
Example: A private room for surgery can easily exceed SGD 20,000, depending on complexity.

2. The Limits of Corporate Health Plans

• Coverage Caps: Many corporate plans have annual and lifetime limits that may not cover high-cost conditions.
• Geographical Restrictions: Some policies only cover treatment in Singapore.
• Job-Linked Risk: Lose your job, lose your cover — sometimes instantly.
• Pre-Existing Conditions: If you change employers, your new insurer might not cover them.

3. Supplementary Health Insurance Options

• Integrated Shield Plans (IPs): Available to PRs and citizens; some insurers allow foreign residents to join with restrictions. Offers access to private hospitals and higher claim limits.
• International Health Plans: Tailored for expats, with global coverage, useful if you travel or might relocate.
• Critical Illness Cover: Pays a lump sum on diagnosis of specified conditions, useful for covering out-of-pocket costs.

4. Re-Entry Medical Cover for Relocation

If you plan to move back to your home country, think ahead:
• Some countries have waiting periods for public healthcare eligibility.
• Private insurance might require medical underwriting — harder to get as you get older or if you’ve had health issues.
• Consider portable plans that can move with you.

5. How to Assess Your True Coverage Needs

Ask yourself:
• Would I want private treatment for a major condition?
• Could I afford the shortfall if my corporate plan’s cap is exceeded?
• Am I likely to move to a country with high healthcare costs in the next 5–10 years?

6. Cost vs Value

Yes, private insurance can feel expensive; but compare the premiums with the potential cost of uncovered treatment. The peace of mind is often worth it. Corporate insurance is a great benefit, but it’s just that: a benefit, not a plan. For long-term peace of mind, think beyond your current job and ensure your health cover can keep up with your life, wherever it takes you.

Work-Life Balance in Singapore: Tips for Managing Work Stress and Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

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I’m excited to discuss a topic that resonates with many of us: work-life balance in Singapore. It’s a bustling hub known for its fast-paced lifestyle, high expectations in the workplace, and a culture that often blurs the lines between work and personal life. In this episode, we’ll dive into practical tips for managing work stress while maintaining a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle.

Understanding the Work Culture in Singapore

Before we jump into tips, let’s take a moment to reflect on the work culture in Singapore. The Lion City is known for its efficiency, productivity, and long working hours. Many employees find themselves working late, connecting to emails after office hours, and struggling to disconnect from work even during weekends.

This relentless push for success can lead to burnout, anxiety, and various health issues if not managed properly. So, the first step towards achieving a work-life balance is recognising the importance of setting boundaries and prioritising mental health. 

Set Clear Boundaries

It’s essential to establish clear boundaries between your work and personal life. This means:

  • Designated Workspace: If you’re working from home, have a dedicated workspace to draw a line between personal and professional activities.
  • Work Hours: Stick to a defined work schedule and resist the temptation to check emails or take calls outside of these hours.
  • Communicate Boundaries: Inform your colleagues and superiors about your boundaries to create a mutual understanding within your workplace.

Prioritise Time Management

Effective time management can greatly reduce work stress. Here are some strategies:

  • To-Do Lists: Start each day with a prioritised to-do list. It will help you focus on the tasks that matter most.
  • Use Productivity Tools: Consider using apps and tools that can help you manage your tasks, set reminders, and track your time efficiently.
  • Break Tasks into Smaller Steps: If a project feels overwhelming, break it into smaller, manageable tasks to make it less daunting.

Incorporate Regular Exercise

Physical activity is a proven stress reliever and essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In Singapore, you have numerous options to stay active:

  • Explore the Outdoors: Take advantage of the many parks and trails in Singapore. Go for a brisk walk or a jog in the mornings or evenings.
  • Join a Fitness Class: From yoga to cycling, consider joining a local fitness class that fits your interests. This can also be a great way to socialise.
  • Short Workouts: If time permits, incorporate short workout sessions into your day, even just a 10-minute stretch or a quick walk around the office.

Embrace Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques

Incorporating mindfulness into your routine can help alleviate work stress. Here’s how:

  • Meditation: Set aside a few minutes daily for meditation or deep-breathing exercises. Apps like Headspace or Calm are great resources to help you get started.
  • Digital Detox: Take breaks from technology during weekends or evenings—not checking your phone right before bed can improve your sleep quality.
  • Nature Therapy: Spend time in nature, whether it’s visiting Gardens by the Bay or taking a weekend trip to Sentosa. Nature can be incredibly rejuvenating.

Cultivate Strong Relationships

Having a supportive network is vital for emotional well-being. Here are some ways to nurture your relationships:

  • Schedule Regular Catch-Ups: Make it a point to meet friends or family regularly, whether it’s a coffee date or a dinner at home.
  • Be Present: When you’re with loved ones, be fully present. Put your devices away to nurture deeper connections.
  • Participate in Community Activities: Join clubs or groups that share your interests. Being part of a community can provide emotional support and reduce feelings of isolation.

Finding a healthy work-life balance in the dynamic environment of Singapore can be challenging, but it’s crucial for your well-being. By setting boundaries, managing your time effectively, prioritising physical health, practicing mindfulness, nurturing relationships, and seeking help when needed, you can lead a fulfilling life both at work and in your personal endeavors.

Health Myths Debunked

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  I don’t claim to be a health specialist, nor a doctor, nutritionist, or even one of the healthiest people around. However, due to the nature of my work, and having had a bit of a health scare before, I’ve embarked on a journey of trying to be a healthier person, who eats better, exercises more, and tries to educate herself on these topics. Through my research I’ve found that there is a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to health (hello TikTok pretending that lemon water cures all ailments). So, I thought I would debunk a few of these myths.

Myth: You Should Drink 8 Glasses of Water a Day

While drinking water is of course in no ways bad, as it helps with hydrating your body, prevents gallstones and is good for your skin, the idea of drinking 8 glasses a day is not scientifically supported. If you think about it logically, we don’t just get water and hydration from drinking plain water. Many fruits, vegetables and of course other drinks provide our bodies with the hydration it needs. So how do we know how much water to drink? Well, every individual is different, so simply drinking water when you feel thirsty is sufficient.

Myth: MSG Causes Cancer

This myth is actually fraught with racist stereotypes. Known as ‘Chinese Restaurant Syndrome’, many people reported feeling sluggish and unwell after eating food that contained MSG, and the public were led to believe that this ingredient was unhealthy, higher in sodium than normal salt, and even contained carcinogens. Research has found that the vast majority of people, even those claiming a sensitivity to MSG, don’t have any reaction when they don’t know they are eating it. Essentially, this myth was created out of people’s fear of ‘exotic food’. In actuality, unlike regular table salt, which is 40% sodium, MSG contains only 12% sodium, and is safe to eat- free from carcinogens.

Myth: Microwaves Zap Nutrients Out of Food

Another myth that has no scientific backing, many people believe that cooking with microwaves is a bad cooking method. While cooking microwavable TV dinners, I agree, has little to no nutritional value, using your microwave to heat up leftovers, or even steaming veggies, does not decrease the nutritional value. In fact, microwave cooking is actually a better way to retain vitamins and minerals as compared to other cooking methods, due to the fact that lesser nutrients are lost from shorter heat exposure, and the minimal amount of liquid needed for microwaving food simply stops nutrients from leaking out.

Myth: Diet Pills Don’t Make You Lose Weight

There are a lot of miracle products on the market. I admit that most don’t work, but unfortunately, many work so well, that they have lasting consequences. These fat burning pills can decrease your appetite, or speed up your metabolism, causing you to lose weight. The problem is that once you stop, all the weight will go back on, or even worse, you can end up heavier than when you started. This leads to a dependency on these products, and can cause nasty side effects, such as rapid heart rate and higher blood pressure. It’s best to just avoid these pills as a whole.

A funny thing to note is even these ‘natural’ pills have horrid side effects. I used to frequently take Sena tablets to help control my weight, but as soon as I stopped taking them, I had constant constipation and abdominal pain, to the point where it was difficult to move comfortably.

Myth: Drinking Through a Straw Stops Food Staining Your Teeth

Regrettably, drinking coffee through a straw doesn’t prevent coffee from staining your teeth. The only thing that will stop staining is not having a prolonged contact with coloured food, rinsing your mouth frequently and not drinking an excessive amount of tea and coffee.

There are so many more myths I stumbled upon, but that’s for another article! What are some health myths you’ve debunked?

How To Eat Healthy On A Budget In Singapore

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So we all know that hawker centres, although cheap, are not the healthiest, and buying ‘free from’ or organic food can be ridiculously expensive. So is there a way to find a happy medium…by making healthier choices but still not overspending? Here are a few top tips I have for you!

Less Rice

When you’re ordering at the cai fan stall (the one where you can pick and choose what you want), ask for less rice, brown rice or no rice at all! That way you don’t overeat processed carbohydrates and you can fill up on healthy stuff, like boiled vegetables or steamed fish. Even if you they don’t give you less rice, you can use the excess rice to soak up the extra sauce and oil! And all this for just a few bucks.

Cook At Home

This is an obvious choice; cooking at home means that you know what you’re putting into your body and the quantities of food you’re using. But sometimes produce can be pretty pricey, especially if you’re ordering your groceries online. But there are ways you can save the pennies when buying your weekly shop;

  Do a bulk-buy of dried food such as beans, lentils, rice and even herbs and spices. Keep track of how much of these you have. These good can keep for a very long time and you normally don’t need huge amounts with every meal, meaning they will last longer!

  Buy your fruit from fruit stalls- it’s way cheaper than the supermarket and often riper and juicier (check out my article ‘Random Money Hacks I Do’, where I talk about buying fruit at night).

  Not only that, you can start buying your meat and vegetables at wet markets; if you go later on in the day, there are often discounts and deals to be had!

  Get protein from non-meat products such as tofu, which is so cheap in Singapore. Top Tip- press the tofu by layering it in between kitchen roll and putting a plate with a heavy weight on top of it. This will squeeze out all the water. Once all the water has been squeezed out, you can marinate it in whatever you like…honey, soy, chilli, you name it! Then all it needs it a quick roast in the oven (or air fryer) and you’ve got a juicy, tasty meatless protein for dinner.

Healthy Cheap Restaurants

If you do want to eat out on a budget but still want to eat something fresh and healthy, there are loads of places you can try! Smol do great tasty grain bowls that are affordable and have vegan options, Green Dot has all veggie bentos there are easy on your wallet, Simply Wrapps has cheap and affordable healthy options and the Soup Spoon have classic and delicious soup and salad at a reasonable price.

So check it out! Explore with your cooking! Venture into the hawker centre! Just because you want to eat healthily, doesn’t mean your relationship with food has to be boring or with a scarcity mentality. Live life and enjoy!

Diabetes In Singapore; The Bitter Sweet Truth

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This month I’m going to focusing more on health in Singapore; my last article touched on mental health, and this one I wanted to talk about Diabetes.

  Singapore offers us a lifestyle that is often perceived to be luxurious- nice restaurants, bars and our weekends filled with relaxation. But, there is a darker side to this, and this is the increase of chronic diseases. In 2009, 1275 people were diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure…this increased to a shocking 1999 in 2017. And what was the cause of this? Not only the aging population, but also due to the high rate of diabetes.

  Here in Singapore, more than 400,000 people have diabetes. The PM has declared a ‘war on diabetes’ for the past 5 years, implicating stricter rules on advertising sugary food, and promoting nationwide health screening. The cost burden of diabetes, stood at more than $940 million in 2014. This is expected to increase to $1.8 billion by 2050. Not only does diabetes impact one’s own health; leading to heart conditions and strokes, it can complicate the treatment of other diseases, including Covid-19.

  So, what sort of things can we do as individuals to prevent this from happening? Of course, prevention is better than cure, so going for frequent health screenings helps tackle an unexpected diagnosis. Making small improvements to our diets will also prevent onset diabetes; managing and cutting back on our intake of sugary foods, drinks and carbohydrates, cutting back on smoking and being more active can help.

  Being more active not only helps with keeping fit and healthy, but it also improves productivity throughout the day and has a positive affect on your mental health. Exercise, along with a diet of lots of vitamins and fibre, can increase blood sugars and prevent pre-diabetes.

  Did you know that diabetes is a declined risk for most insurance critical illness plans on the market? With 3 in 10 Singaporeans having diabetes before 40, it’s obviously best to stop diabetes from happening before it affects your life! However, if you have diabetes, following the above tips can help manage your situation. Not only that, there is now critical illness and insurance coverage available to you!

Use the WhatsApp link below to contact me with your thoughts on diabetes, and if you have diabetes and need help getting cover, let me know!