Mutual funds are a form of investment that is managed by professional experts. When you invest in mutual funds, the fund manager allocates the amount into different securities and debts, based on the plan you choose. Due to such diversification of funds and the anticipated high returns, there is a surge in mutual fund investments.
There are several funds for you to choose from. Based on your risk appetite, available funds, and the purpose of investment, you may choose funds that help meet your long-term financial goals. If you want to ensure that mutual fund is a core part of your portfolio and if your time horizon is vast, choose from one of the below-mentioned best mutual funds to invest in.
Schwab S&P 500 index
This is a large-cap fund, which is also one of the best mutual funds to invest in 2018. It generated a return of 20.5% in 2017 and has achieved a total return of 15.6% in the last five years. The annual expenses of the fund are only 0.03% of the total asset value, thus making it an ideal fund for those who are looking for a balanced return.
Vanguard mid-cap index
As the name suggests, the mutual fund invests into mid-cap stocks and had a total return of 18% in 2017. The five-year return for the fund stood at 15.2% and its annual expenses are 0.18% of the asset value.
Schwab total stock market index
This is a fund that invests in large-cap stocks. It generated a return of 19.9% in 2017 and a five-year return of 15.5%. It has an annual expense of 0.03% of its total assets.
Schwab small-cap index
Schwab small-cap index invests into small-cap securities and had generated a return of 15.1% along with a five-year return of 15%. It has an expense of 0.05% of asset value.
Fidelity international index
If you want to diversify your portfolio and include international securities in it, you should choose Fidelity International Index. It is one of the best mutual funds to invest in with regard to foreign securities. The fund generated a return of 23.5% in 2017 and a five-year return of 8.2% with annual expenses that stood at 0.16% of the company assets.
The returns keep changing depending on the market. Consider your investment purpose and long-term goals before you choose a fund to invest in. The best bets are the balanced funds that are high on return and low on risk.
In a bid to have the best of everything, we sacrifice our health at the altar of materialism and the price we have to pay to enjoy these luxuries is quite high. Irrespective of the fact that we are living in the most privileged era, we lost out on the most important thing our health. A sedentary lifestyle, lavish food joints, smoking, alcohol, etc. are some of the root causes of a variety of ailments that would plague us at some point in our lives. The above-mentioned factors are the harbinger of different life-threatening diseases, high blood pressure being one of them.
Your faulty lifestyle, bad choice of food, lack of exercise, etc. are the external factors that cause high blood pressure. However, there are other causes of high blood pressure that are a result of your hereditary factors or are a collateral damage caused by some disorder in your body.
Here are the internal causes of high blood pressure that can cause irreversible damage to one’s health.
Genetic structure- Researches indicate that your genetic makeup is considered as one of the causes of high blood pressure. If you have a family history of high blood pressure, chances are high that you too could be prone to the same.
Diabetes- If you are suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure would tag along with it. Diabetes targets the blood vessels and causes them to harden over time. The resultant condition is called atherosclerosis and eventually causes high blood pressure. If this condition is left untreated, it might then result in bigger problems like heart attacks, kidney failure, damages to blood vessels, etc.
Kidney disorders- High blood pressure caused by kidney disorders is also known as renal hypertension. The kidney disorder causes the arteries in the kidneys to narrow, thereby obstructing the flow of blood through the kidneys. When the kidneys receive low blood flow, it diagnoses this condition as dehydration. And thus, to combat it, the kidneys release hormones that allows the body to retain sodium and water and this additional fluid causes the blood pressure to go up.
Sleep apnea- This sleep disorder is one of the major causes of high blood pressure. While sleeping, the person experiences a sudden drop in the blood oxygen levels and this increases the blood pressure and strains the cardiovascular system.
Thyroid problems- If your thyroid secretes more thyroid (hyperthyroidism) or less thyroid (hypothyroidism), you are susceptible to high blood pressure.
Sometimes, it’s not what you eat or no matter how hard you hit the gym, you can suffer from high blood pressure that can be a consequence of some other serious ailment.
Colon cancer, which begins in a portion of the large intestine called the colon, affects many in our country. It is life-threatening and can spread to other body parts, such as the liver and lungs, if not detected and treated. Like most health disorders, colon cancer has a few early signs that help individuals identify it in its initial stages. One must visit a doctor for a diagnosis as soon as they experience these symptoms.
Anemia
Colon cancer often leads to bleeding in the large intestine without the patient’s knowledge. Frequent bleeding, in turn, causes a loss of red blood cells. As red blood cells are the primary oxygen carriers, their absence causes anemia, a condition where the blood cannot efficiently transport oxygen throughout the body. The signs of anemia are irregular heartbeat, cold hands and feet, shortness of breath, pale skin, and weakness or fatigue even after simple activities like skipping or climbing stairs.
Tenesmus
Tenesmus is a condition where a person experiences the urge to use the restroom multiple times, even after having passed stool. Essentially, one constantly feels their bowel movement is incomplete. Tenesmus is a significant early sign of colon cancer, so individuals must visit a healthcare provider immediately after experiencing this symptom.
Changing bowel habits
Besides tenesmus, patients may experience several other bowel habit changes in the early phases of colon cancer, such as frequent constipation or diarrhea episodes. Additionally, the color of the stools starts showing visible inconsistencies. Many notice red stools or blood in the stools, which usually occurs when there is bleeding in the rectum or colon.
Continuous abdominal pain and cramps
The colon is at the bottom of the large intestine. The formation of cancer cells in that part can cause discomfort in the lower abdomen, such as continuous pain or cramps.
Treatment is necessary to manage colon cancer and its symptoms. Two popular options are CYRAMZA and Avastin. CYRAMZA, an intravenous infusion (IV), is recommended for those with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Avastin, also administered intravenously, is used with chemotherapy to prevent tumor growth. Patients must consult a healthcare professional before using either of these.
The Highlander earns its reputation for its all-around goodness. The 2016 Toyota Highlander is a complete package of performance, comfort, and style. This third generation Highlander is 2.7 inches long and half an inch wider than its predecessor. The 3.5 liter V6 remains the mainstay engine. The Highlander and its hybrid version have the Honda Pilot and Ford Explorer as its competitors.
What’s new in the 2016 Highlander:
Performance and safety features
A six-speed automatic transmission is available in the LE trim. The estimated combined mpg is 22. All other trims come with the 3.5-liter V6 engine. Even though the transmission remains the same, one can find the front-wheel or all-wheel drive mode as well. The front-wheel drive options provide a combined mpg of 21 and the all-wheel drive a combined mpg of 20.
It also outpaces the competition by a few seconds by recording 0-60mph in 7.3 seconds. Some of the standard safety features for Highlander include front seat side airbags, antilock disk brakes, rearview camera, traction and stability control, a driver knee airbag, and front passenger seat airbag.
The Highlander received 5/5 in government crash testing. The Limited trim comes with blind spot monitoring, frontal collision warning and mitigation system, and lane departure warning. Along with this, the Toyota’s safety connects Telematics that includes emergency assistance, stolen vehicle location, and automatic collision notification. It is interesting to know that the hybrid trim gets an excellent fuel economy of 27 mpg.
In a nutshell, the 2016 Toyota Highlander is a reliable SUV which acts its role as a mobile family room to the hilt.