Latest news with #DiscoveryHealth
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Health
- The Citizen
Diabetes wellness day in Pennington educates
Insights into diabetes management and prevention was gained at a community event in Pennington last week. Held at Umdoni Point Lifestyle Centre in collaboration with Bloom Health and Beauty Spa, the free for all diabetes wellness day featured wellness checks conducted by Discovery Health which provided participants with health assessments and information. Attendees were encouraged to take charge of their health by understanding the importance of regular check-ups and screenings. The highlight of the day for many was the discussion of various aspects of diabetes by experts, which included the medical, emotional and physical implications of the disease. The talk also aimed to dispel common myths surrounding diabetes, helping to clarify misconceptions that often hinder understanding and acceptance of this health issue. Participants learned about coping mechanisms, lifestyle changes and crucial signs to look out for in themselves and others. 'Diabetes affects millions of people worldwide, yet many remain unaware of the challenges faced by those living with this condition,' said Shay Preston, diabetes activist. 'Our goal with this event was to raise awareness, educate the community, and foster a supportive environment for those affected by diabetes. We believe that by coming together, we can make a significant impact.' This wellness day was just one of the many initiatives aimed at empowering individuals to take control of their health. Bloom Health and Beauty Spa assures the community that future events will continue to focus on wellness topics that resonate with the community, fostering an environment of learning and support. HAVE YOUR SAY Like the South Coast Herald's Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
Daily Mirror
05-08-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Swerve common blueberry storage mistake that causes mould within days
Blueberries have a tendency to spoil rapidly, so it's best not to store them at room temperature. Here's the correct way to store them and extend their shelf life Blueberries can be made to last longer if you avoid a common step many people take when preparing and storing them in the fridge. Nathan Lyon, a chef, cookbook author, and host of A Lyon in the Kitchen on Discovery Health, has shared his top tips for keeping blueberries fresh. The celebrity chef is an Emmy nominee for his cookbook Great Food Starts Fresh, which retails for US$42.00 on his website chef Nathan Lyon. He also sells a children's book Sam The Clam and a list of 14 recipes that are high in fibre. As blueberries are known to spoil quickly, it's best not to leave them at room temperature, he advised Martha Stewart. His two key rules include: not washing them with water and avoiding overfilling one container with too many berries. This comes after a writer claimed 'I tried butter from Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and big brands - and the winner is not Lurpak'. If you find yourself with an excess of blueberries, they can always be used in a pie, as a dessert garnish or added to your morning yoghurt, reports the Express. Here's how to properly store blueberries To prolong the shelf life of blueberries, follow Washington State University's simple guide to freezing them. Firstly, give the blueberries a good rinse and ensure they're completely dry before freezing. It's vital to dry them properly to stop the berries from sticking together. Next, spread the washed and dried blueberries out in a single layer on a baking tray. This helps keep the berries separate and stops them from clumping together. Then, pop the baking tray into the freezer and let the berries freeze until they're solid. Once they're frozen, move the blueberries into an airtight container or freezer bag for long-term storage. Benefits of eating blueberries According to Healthline, blueberries contain a list of health benefits, mostly due to their high antioxidant content, including anthocyanins. This is known to protect consumers against heart disease, improve brain health, and potentially reduce the risk of certain cancers. A great source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese, blueberries are known to be great 'brain food' for students, with certain studies suggesting the fruit can improve memory, prevent cognitive decline - some going as far to suggest they can delay age-related cognitive issues.
IOL News
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Yoshni's inspiring parkrun journey: completing the Alphabet Challenge across three continents
Yoshni Naidoo completed her 250th parkrun. Image: Supplied YOSHNI Naidoo turned a simple smartwatch challenge into a global parkrun adventure, completing her Alphabet Challenge across three continents and inspiring others along the way. Naidoo's parkrun challenge began in 2016 at North Beach in Durban. 'It all started with an Apple Watch. I was thrilled to sign up for the 'free' smartwatch program with Discovery Health. Being smart with my money, I refused to default on the fitness requirements for the free watch because I did not want to pay for it," said Naidoo, 46, of Silverglen. "My husband was less convinced about my commitment and joked that my fitness journey would not last more than six months,' she said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Nine years later, Naidoo travelled to Australia to complete parkruns with the alphabets "Y" and "Q". 'Since South Africa does not have parkruns in areas with the alphabets 'Y' and 'Q', Australia was the perfect destination. I did parkruns in You Yangs in Melbourne and Queanbeyan in Canberra and Inverloch. This was a special chapter in my parkrun story as I got to complete my Alphabet Challenge. I am officially an Alphabeteer,' said Naidoo. 'The challenge has taken me to 58 beautiful places in South Africa, the United States and Australia. I shared priceless moments with my family and made many friends along the way." She said she was not a natural athlete but with this challenge, she discovered a new side to herself and a passion that kept her coming back for more. 'Through the parkruns, I have discovered a love for running and have found a healthy balance in my life. The weekly 5km events on a Saturday motivated me to join a running club and dive deeper into the sport, finding myself signing up for half marathons and even attempting a full marathon." Parkruns have become a family affair for Naidoo. 'The Parkrun are non-negotiable in our home. It has become a way of life for my family. My family and friends usually say I am a parkrun bully or the parkrun police. But I believe I am persuasive and good at making them lace up and join me.' 'My husband, Veldon's career as a biokineticist is a perfect fit, allowing him to share his passion and knowledge of running with others. We have nicknamed him the 'over achiever' at the parkrun because while we stick to the standard 5km, he goes for a double dose,' Naidoo said. Looking back since she first began, Naidoo said her most memorable parkrun experience was completing her 250th parkrun at a home run at the Durban Point parkrun. 'It was a beautiful day surrounded by my parkrun family. It was a special moment. Parkruns are a blast. You get to meet new people, explore new places, and enjoy the outdoors while getting some exercise. You don't have to be a seasoned runner to join. It is okay to start slow, walk or jog. The goal is to have fun and improve at your own pace,' she advised. POSTPLUS
Daily Maverick
16-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Maverick
Beat the mid-year medical blues
There are ways to help manage your costs after your medical savings account is depleted. We're into the second half of the year and you may be one of thousands of medical scheme members now finding your medical savings accounts are depleted, leaving you to pay directly for day-to-day costs. According to the Council for Medical Schemes 2022/23 annual report, South Africans paid close to R40-billion out of pocket for healthcare, with nearly half of this going towards outpatient services, not hospital stays. These costs include essential visits to specialists, radiologists and dentists, which are often not fully covered once medical savings accounts are exhausted. Although there is no magic fix, there are ways to change the way you access healthcare to make it more affordable. For example, Tania Joffe, founder of Unu Health, says that instead of spending R500 or more on a face-to-face GP visit, you could opt to speak to a doctor for a fraction of that cost through a telemedicine app. 'The old model of always visiting your GP or specialist in person for everything just isn't sustainable any more,' says Joffe. 'It's time to embrace the hybrid model that includes telemedicine.' See more: How medical schemes are using AI's predictive power to revolutionise health risk management One of the easiest ways to reduce medical costs is by taking advantage of low-cost or free screening tools offered by your medical scheme. For example, Discovery Health launched a Personal Health Pathways programme earlier this year. Accessible via the Discovery Health app, the platform helps members and their healthcare practitioners to navigate the healthcare system with precise and personalised healthcare recommendations, improving both immediate and long-term health outcomes for each member. Each pathway is tailored to the member's specific health status, risk profile and engagement patterns, dynamically adjusting as new health data becomes available. Dr Ron Whelan, chief executive of Discovery Health, says the AI-powered platform behind Personal Health Pathways processes more than 33 terabytes of data, and an additional 500 gigabytes are ingested daily. To illustrate the platform's scale, there are more than 7 million possible pathways for completing 12 health actions. Examples of personalised pathway prompts include: A healthy 42-year-old woman may be encouraged to schedule a health check, complete a mental wellbeing assessment, go for a dental check-up, get a mammogram or Pap smear, nominate a primary care GP, complete a Vitality Age Assessment or receive a flu vaccine; A 45-year-old man with elevated cholesterol and blood pressure may be guided to visit his GP for a check-up, collect prescribed medicine, monitor blood pressure or cholesterol levels, or go for prostate or colon cancer screening; and A 65-year-old man who has diabetes may be prompted through the app to schedule an HbA1c test, collect medicine, undergo foot and retinal screenings, complete a prostate cancer test or have a mental wellbeing assessment. When you go to your local pharmacy for medication, ask the pharmacist for the cheapest generic option. When you buy milk, you consider different brands and weigh up the costs before you buy – your medication deserves the same consideration. Tax benefits Continue submitting claims to your medical scheme even though your medical savings account is depleted. The scheme will not pay these claims, but it records the amounts as your out-of-pocket expenditure and this information is shared with the South African Revenue Service. In the long run, this means less admin for you when you submit your tax return and a potential tax benefit – the additional medical expenses tax credit. According to TaxTim, out-of-pocket expenditure that could fall under additional medical tax credits includes: A consultation and medicines supplied by a registered medical practitioner, dentist, optometrist, homeopath, naturopath, osteopath, herbalist, physiotherapist, chiropractor or orthopaedist to you or any of your dependants; The costs of a nursing home or hospital, or any duly registered or enrolled nurse, midwife or nursing assistant (or to any nursing agency in respect of the services of such a nurse, midwife or nursing assistant); Medicines prescribed by a registered medical practitioner and acquired from a pharmacist. Note – this will not include over-the-counter medication such as cough syrup and pain relievers; and Medical expenses incurred and paid outside South Africa. DM
IOL News
10-07-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Health bodies urge implementation of report on racial bias in medical aid schemes
The fight for fair treatment of healthcare providers is far from over. Image: File Several years in the making, the fight for justice in South Africa's healthcare sector is far from over. Health bodies say the real test now lies in the implementation of key recommendations from a landmark report, which found that black healthcare providers were unfairly targeted by medical schemes often having their claims withheld based on race and ethnicity. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi received the final report from the Section 59 Investigation Panel on Monday. The investigation, commissioned in 2019, examined allegations of racial discrimination and procedural unfairness in the application of Fraud, Waste and Abuse (FWA) processes by major schemes and administrators, including Discovery Health, Medscheme, the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS). Covering the period from 2012 to 2019, the Panel reviewed statistical and testimonial evidence and found that black providers were disproportionately flagged, audited, or penalised through opaque FWA systems. The report also detailed serious procedural shortcomings. These include failure to notify providers of alleged irregularities within a reasonable timeframe, audits that stretch back more than three years, the use of non-transparent algorithms and risk-rating tools, and the absence of independent mediation or effective appeal mechanisms. National Health Care Professionals Association (NHCPA) chairperson Dr Donald Gumede, who was among the complainants in the matter, welcomed the release of the report. 'We are very excited that the final report has finally come to light,' said Gumede. 'What's critical now is the implementation because the report, at the end of the day, is just a document with recommendations. It's what happens next that matters.' He welcomed the proposal for a tribunal, saying: 'There needs to be a proper system in place to regulate the entire healthcare chain. Right now, medical aid schemes operate like a law unto themselves. They are not accountable to anyone and they've destroyed many lives.' Gumede added that they still receive complaints from healthcare professionals and acknowledged that reaching this point had been no easy feat. The South African Medical Association (Sama) welcomed the release of the long-awaited final report and said it had been an active participant throughout the inquiry process. 'The Report validates what many of our members have endured for years: racially skewed targeting, opaque algorithms, and Kafkaesque audit processes,' said Sama chairperson, Dr Mvuyisi Mzukwa. 'Sama has zero tolerance for any form of racial discrimination. Our members have a right to fair treatment, regardless of their race, and patients deserve a health system built on equity and accountability. We urge all medical schemes to act decisively and transparently. South Africa cannot tolerate discrimination masquerading as fraud control. Sama stands ready to work with all stakeholders to restore fairness, trust and accountability in our healthcare financing system.' Sama said they supported the panel's call for urgent remedial action; legislative, regulatory, and operational, to eliminate discrimination and ensure fairness. 'The association has called on the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) to publish an implementation roadmap within 60 days; on medical schemes and administrators to institute a moratorium on recoveries for claims older than three years until updated rules are adopted; and on the National Department of Health to accelerate long-overdue amendments to the Medical Schemes Act that would require algorithmic transparency and the establishment of independent dispute-resolution mechanisms.' Discovery, Medscheme and the CMS did not respond to requests for comment by deadline. Cape Times
