What Indexes should be Considered to Find Retirement Countries? - part 2

One of Budha temples in Indonesia

We have talked about of cost of living index at previous post: What Indexes should be Considered to Find Retirement Countries? - part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Another important index to considered as cheaper place is local purchasing power index.

This index refers to the power to purchase (goods and services) based on local salary, then, the index is compared to USA (New York).

As an example, country with local purchasing power index 45 means that:

- people of that country can afford to buy 45% good than their peer in New York, USA.

Moreover, Marlene Satter (2019) wrote article about “15 Cheapest Countries for Retirement (Some of Which May Surprise You).”

6 of them are following (may not in order):

1. Sri Lanka

- Cost of living index is 30.24 and Local purchasing power index is 17.36

2. India

- Cost of living index is 24.17 and Local purchasing power index is 17.15.

3. Malaysia

- Cost of living index is 39.38 and Local purchasing power index is 22.75.

4. Pakistan

- Cost of living index is 20.40 and Local purchasing power index is 15.42

5. Columbia

- Cost of living index is 30.15 and Local purchasing power index is 22.46

6. Indonesia

- Cost of living index is 36.24 and Local purchasing power index is 18.02

Other countries considered cheaper are: Philippines, Mexico, Vietnam, Serbia and Bulgaria.

Have you planned to retire overseas? Where?

Why Sugary Drinks Cause of Heart Diseases? – Heart 2

Sugary drinks sold in groceries

Based on observations to 118,000 of health professionals for 3 decades that sugary drinks lead to higher risk heart diseases.

Another study of 42 thousands men shown that drink for one can (200 ml) sweetened beverages may increase risk of heart relate diseases.

Consumption of two cans everyday improves heart failure to death up to 23%. The sugary drinks may include soda and sport (energy) drinks.

In addition to sugary drinks, other risk factors of heart diseases are:

- smoking tobacco

- less physical activities

- poor quality diets

- high blood pressure

- diabetes

- stress, anger and depression

Illustration effect of soft drink to body (credit to The Telegraph)

Why Sugary Drinks Cause of Heart Diseases?

Sugar associates with atherosclerosis in which arteries are “blocked” to bring oxygen to heart and to all parts of body.

We know that higher blood sugar level relates to diabetes. This diseases contribute to higher risk of atherosclerosis, and double the chance to get a stroke or heart attacks.

Other substances to cause atherosclerosis are:

- calcium

- cholesterol (bad cholesterol)

- fat

Heart diseases or cardiovascular disease (CVD) responsible for higher mortality rate in the world and USA.

The most death in the USA is caused by CVD. Top 5 diseases lead to death are:

- Heart diseases

- Cancer

- Unintentional injuries

- Chronic lower respiratory disease

- Stroke and cerebrovascular diseases

Do you like sugary drinks? How many glasses or ml you consume sugary drinks each day?

What Indexes should be Considered to Find Retirement Countries? - part 1

A tropic beach, just for illustration

Some retire persons in developed countries try to find “suitable” places for their retirements.

The places might be in Asian countries, European nations and in Latin American countries.

Word of suitable refers to the “cheapest” or affordable nations. At least, 2 Indexes should be Considered to Find Retirement Countries:

- cost of living index

- local purchasing power index

Cost of living index is a tool to compare cost between one location to other locations. In this case, USA (New York) as a standard. It is included the cost of:

- one gallon of milk

- gas (transportation)

- food

- clothing

- utilities

- groceries

- other cost of goods and services that relate to every day life.

Sample of Local food

The highest score for cost of living index is 100. A particular place or country might be have the higher or lower than 100, the meanings are following:

1) If index score higher than 100, let’s say 115:

- the meaning that the place or country has the higher cost of living. 15% expensive more.

2) If index score lower than 100, let’s say 85:

- the meaning that the place or country has the lower or cheaper cost of living. 15% cheaper.

What is local purchasing power index?

What countries to be included as cheaper countries and suitable for retirement?

We will discuss in the following post.

# To be continued at part 2

Whale Shark is Observed after Disappearing for 100 years

Whale Shark is included in endangered species list

Whale Shark is a shark instead of a whale. Physiologically, a whale shark breathes with gills, like other fish.

Its large size, make people call this shark as a “whale shark.” In fact, whale shark is believed as one of the biggest fish in the ocean. While whale is the biggest marine mammal, and even the largest animal in the world.

The number of whale shark (Rhynodon typus) is estimated around 7 thousands all over the world.

The population is decreasing year by year. Caused of population depletion are:

- by catching impact of fish industries.

- vessels strikes

- long life span

- late maturity

In some spots such as in Tambelan, Kepulauan Riau, Indonesia, whale shark is observed after 100 years of disappeared.

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) enlists whale shark as endangered species.

Have you seen or knew about whale shark?

What is the Meaning of Insulin Resistance? - Diabetes 15

Insulin resistance for illustration (credit to EndoctrineWeb)

Insulin resistance refers to cells (of organs) which resist to insulin, thus glucose in the

blood streams can not enter the cells, and then can not be used as source of energy.

What factors contribute to Insulin resistance? Here are several of them:

- body weight

- belly fat

- smoking

- less sleep

- less exercises

Resist to insulin is a kind of pretext to reduce cells ability in order to absorb glucose. This condition could cause increasing of sugar level in the blood.

In long term, higher blood sugar lead to development of pre-diabetes and then diabetes (type 2 diabetes) diseases.

Illustration of obesity and diabetes (credit to Infographic)

Sure, physicians may know whether we are developing insulin resistance or not. The tests may include:

- test of Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG).

- A1C test for knowing pre-diabetes development.

Moreover, can we feel or know that our body is developing insulin resistance? Some signs are following:

- feel hungry often

- thirsty

- skin tag

- urination frequently

- feel tired

- feel tingling in hand and feet.

Insulin resistance may be reversed by doing:

- Reduce body weight and belly fat

- Healthy life style (no smoking and sleep enough)

- Eating healthy foods (fruit, vegetables, whole grains, fish, beans and legume)

- Doing exercises regularly 

Physician prescribes drugs to control blood sugar, they may include:

- Fortamet

- Glucophage

- Glumetza

- Riomet

Relate posts:

- How Lipotoxicity Relate to Diabetes? - Diabetes 6 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- What is Hypoxia and How Its Relates to Diabetes? - Diabetes 7 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Can Abnormal Blood Sugar Lead to Seizure? - Diabetes 8 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Can Diabetic Ketone-acidosis Lead to Death? - Diabetes 9 | Tanza Erlambang Update

 - Is there Relationship between Coffee and Type 2 Diabetes? - Diabetes 10 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Why We are not be Rich Persons?

Illustration for a rich person (credit to filthy poor)

After hard work with two or three jobs, some people may ask a question for themselves: “Why am I not rich yet?”

Based on many sources such Forbes, Lifehack, The Motley Fool and Kiplinger that the answer might be due to the following reasons:

1. Not have right friends (not have good networks)

- It is important to have successful friends from community (school alumni, ex boss, ex coworkers) to build a business and invest wisely.

2. Risk Avoid

- Taking risk is a part of to be a rich person. It is not mean to gamble in doing business. Off course, rich people will take any risk wisely and invest with great calculations.

3. Have no good ideas

- People can not be rich without any ideas let’s say to start own business and success need a good idea and goal.

Avoid debt in order to be rich (credit to Michaelwest)

4. Not pay attention to little things

- Many simple things always be done by rich people such as compare prices from different stores or groceries, the different might be just few cents. It could be accumulated in many transactions in years.

5. Spending too much with a lot of debt at the end

- Rich people never spend more than their earning. The balance then be invested carefully and wisely.

6. The same job

- Rich people will avoid to work at the same job with no improvement of income and career for long time.

What do you think that why you are not rich yet?

Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?

A mummified bird from ancient Egyptian

(credit to pinterest)

The bird was part of worship to a god, namely Thoth. After sacrificing to God Thoth, ancient Egyptian mummified the birds and buried them in the ancient catacombs or burial grounds.

God Thoth is a god represented by human body with Ibis bird head. Thoth was god of:

- magic

- justice

- wisdom

- the moon

- writing

- mathematics and measurement

- knowledge

Interestingly, Ibis was believed as god symbols of:

- power

- identity

- attributes

Modern African sacred ibis

(credit to Science Source)

What wonder me was the number of mummified birds: millions. However, the number was collected for about 600 years, from 665 BC to 250 AD.

Million mummified are found in two areas, they are:

- 4 millions from catacombs of Tuna el Gebel

- 1.75 millions from burial of Saqqara.

Million birds were mostly collected from wild species, and small number was from reared (farmed) population.

Based on DNA study, scientists proved recently that wild birds were the most source of mummified sacred Ibis. This finding has answered the long time question: where the bird come from.

Moreover, ancient mummified birds relate to modern species, African sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus). The birds are indigenous of Middle East and Africa.

Unfortunately, the birds had been extincted in Egypt, the last observed of bird was in 1891. The extinction was mainly due to habitat destruction and human hunting.

Luckily, African sacred Ibis is found elsewhere in Africa, and quite abundance in the sub Saharan and South Africa.