Healthy Living (Nutrition, Diet, Exercise, Mental Health)
08/05/2009
The mental and emotional
health of an individual plays an important role in a person’s success, whether
in his personal life or professional career. People who are healthy, both
mentally and physically, lead a fruitful and productive existence with other
people in their community. They are able to face whatever challenges are hurled
their way, build relationships, and contribute constructively to the group they
are affiliated with. These mentally healthy people consider the problems they
face as part of their day-to-day living and as a means to improve one’s
character.
However, not all of us
give much importance to our mental and emotional health. In fact, most of us
take our emotional well-being for granted, only recognizing its importance when
problems begin to arise and reach the point of deep depression. To prevent
this, it is wise for individuals to make sure that they have health plans in
place that cover not only physical health insurance, but also to support their
mental and emotional needs.
In order to care for our
psychological well-being, we should take the time to build and exercise on the
areas where we need improvement. As with maintaining our physical health, we
should also invest our energy in developing our mental health to make it
stronger and increase its immunity from an emotional breakdown.
Being mentally and
emotionally healthy, however, does not mean that a person will never encounter
rough times and emotionally draining experiences. The true test in having a
good and stable psychological well-being is the ability to face all the
disappointments, loss, anger, and many other kinds of emotions, but still have
the resiliency of being able to bounce back and learn from the experience.
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08/05/2009
As the
green movement continues to sweep the nation—consumers are snapping up
everything from hybrid cars to all-natural cleaning products—there is an
increasing market for non-traditional medical treatments. More and more Americans are seeking
alternatives to conventional medicine to help prevent and treat various
conditions. This customer demand,
along with the emergence of scientific evidence that supports the effectiveness
of alternative medicine, has fuelled a shift in how many health insurance
companies provide coverage for these services. Progress has been slow, but is certainly leaps and bounds
from where it was just a few years ago.
Alternative
medicine is an approach to health that encompasses factors like herbal
remedies, ancient cultural healing methods, and non-invasive or natural
treatments. The most common
alternative therapies covered by health plans are chiropractic care, massage,
and acupuncture. Naturopathic
medicine—treatments that include things like nutrition and diet, use of herbs,
and holistic healing—is also covered by some plans. Some health plans even cover things like guided meditation,
homeopathic treatments, herbal supplements, and mind-body stress management.
Although
traditional health insurers are broadening their coverage for natural or
alternative therapies, there is still quite a wide gap between coverage for
these types of treatments and more conventional medical intervention. In health plans that offer coverage for
alternative medicine, insureds usually incur some out of pocket expense for
treatment—though usually at a much lower cost than if they had to pay without
medical coverage at all—or are limited in the number of sessions insurance will
cover. If you are interested in
exploring alternative or natural therapies, check with your health insurance
carrier to see if they provide coverage and what the terms of such coverage
are.
When you
contact your insurance company, you should ask the following questions to
ensure you have as much information as possible before making a decision:
-Is
pre-approval, authorization, or a referral from my primary care physician
required for alternative care?
-What kinds of treatments are covered?
-Will I incur any out of pocket expenses like co-pays, coinsurance, or charges
for additional services or products like supplements, tests and supplies?
-Do I have to choose a natural healthcare provider from a network?
-What are the limits of coverage?
Are there caps on per-visit dollar amounts or number of visits? Are certain medical conditions excluded
from coverage?
If your
health plan offers limited or non-existent coverage for alternative medical
treatments, you may be able to increase or add this coverage by exploring
options in your existing policy.
For example, some plans allow customers to use alternative therapies if
they agree to pay a higher deductible.
There are also policy amendments, called riders, that some health
insurance plans offer to customers that provide extra coverage for things like
homeopathic remedies. You may also
be able to work with a provider in your insurance company’s network to arrange
for non-traditional treatments.
It may take
some investigative work, but if you desire alternative, natural or
non-traditional medical therapies, there are options for this kind of coverage
from many health insurance plans.
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08/05/2009
As
health-care costs continue to rise and more Americans than ever are going
without individual health insurance, health-care reformers and politicians
alike are seeking new ways to address consumer trepidation. A controversial new proposal aims to
link rates for medical insurance to lifestyle choices such as diet, exercise
and smoking.
According
to a recent study conducted by the University of California, the average yearly
cost of treating people for health issues related to smoking is about $72
billion. A survey from the Centers
for Disease Control found that another $75 billion is spent caring for people
with medical conditions arising from obesity. The cost of treating and managing these conditions
contributes significantly to an overall increase in health insurance premiums
for all insured people. Some
experts even suggest that poor lifestyle choices raise prices so much that they
are a causative factor in making medical insurance unattainable for more than
50 million Americans.
Supporters
of this plan suggest that people who make good decisions about their health,
exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding alcohol and drugs,
and refraining from smoking, should benefit financially in the form of lower
health insurance premiums. They
feel that people who are responsible and proactive about their health should
not have to bear the burden of other peoples’ poor decisions. Proponents often point to existing
insurance discounts for preventative or safety measures, auto insurers give
premium breaks to owners of vehicles with alarm systems, airbags, or theft
recovery devices; homeowners can get insurance discounts if their residences
are equipped with burglar alarms, smoke detectors, or sprinkler systems. It has also been suggested that
rewarding good lifestyle choices would not only encourage more people to take
better care of their health, but would also increase competition in the
insurance industry. This would have the added benefit of forcing health
insurance companies to be more innovative in the benefits they offer consumers
without compromising the quality of their coverage.
Surprisingly,
many health care insurers advocate these initiatives and cite numerous studies that
seem to suggest that poor lifestyle choices decrease a person’s overall health,
require more medical intervention and therefore increase the cost of health
care for all Americans. In fact,
several health insurers have traditionally backed higher taxes on everything
from cigarettes to junk food.
On the
other side of the argument, controversy arises from the opposition who feel
that the government does not have the right to interfere in individual
choice. They believe people should
be able to live their lives as they see fit and should not be punished for
their lifestyle preferences.
Furthermore, detractors worry that these types of incentives would
create prejudice against certain groups, such as smokers or the obese. Furthermore, opponents fear that those
who struggle with addiction would not only be unfairly categorized, but would
also find it more difficult to obtain treatment if they needed it.
Though a
highly controversial proposal, rewarding healthy behavior is one example of how
consumers are willing to at least explore different possibilities in an effort
to make the cost of health insurance more affordable to the millions of
Americans currently living without medical coverage.
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08/05/2009
The food that we eat
greatly affects our energy level, mood, the way we think, and how we relate to
other people. Carefully choosing the right kinds of food may prove to be a
challenge because of the wide variety of great tasting meals that surround us.
More often, we eat more than what our bodies can actually burn. We consume
excessive amounts of sugar, calories and fat, daily, which may lead to obesity
and other health illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular
ailments.
Healthy eating does not
mean being unrealistically strict about what we should eat. There is no need to
deprive ourselves of the food that we love. We have to remember that food
nourishes our bodies and energizes us. Maintaining a balanced diet means
consuming the right proportions of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, fibers,
vitamins and minerals. The food serving size will depend on your age, gender
and level of physical activities. Increasing water intake is also a vital part
of a healthy diet because it helps clean our systems of harmful toxins and
waste products.
Choosing a healthy eating
lifestyle also means widening our food choices by trying food that we don’t
normally eat, including vegetables, fruits and whole grains. You can still
enjoy the food that you love as long as you consume them in moderation. A
nutritious diet and an active lifestyle will help reduce the risk of serious
diseases such as cancer. It is also best to have a regular annual exam through
your preferred Health Maintenance Organization to ensure that you are on the
right track.
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03/04/2007
Perkins grew up around Lake Tahoe, Calif., acquiring a love for the outdoors that led to annual backpacking trips with friends. Her zeal for mountain trekking and climbing only increased after her transplant on Nov. 20, 1995. Any fears about stressing her new heart were overwhelmed by a desire to rebuild her strength.
Some 3 years earlier, she had been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy - a disease in which heart muscle becomes inflamed - which doctors blamed on a virus. For more than three years, she and her husband shuttled in and out of hospitals seeking a donor heart.
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03/04/2007
Waltham, MA - A new Brandeis University study published online in Clinical Therapeutics suggests that private health plans increasingly rely on escalating copayments to manage drug costs, as opposed to administrative controls. This makes treatment more expensive in many cases for patients, and may affect adherence to treatment, said lead author Dominic Hodgkin, associate professor at the Institute for Behavioral Health, the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University.
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03/04/2007
Men's Journal is edited for active men with an interest in travel, fitness and adventure. It provides practical, informative articles on how to spend quality leisure time. These men want to see what life has to offer.
Men's Journal contains interesting articles about travel or adventure in each issue along with a feature article on varying topics from contributing writers. There are always good features on health and fitness tips. Also, the magazine highlights sports gear, fashion and gadgets.
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03/04/2007
CardsDirect Releases Expanded 2007 Line of All Occasion Business Greeting Cards Businesses say 'Happy Birthday'! More companies than ever are turning to CardsDirect as their preferred source for ordering custom greeting cards. In this day and age, with so much of our communications going electronic and often unnoticed, what better way to show appreciation and recognition than sending a personalized Happy Birthday, Thank You, or Happy Anniversary card to customers, business partners and employees, says Michael Swart, Vice President of Marketing.
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03/01/2007
There is nothing worse than getting sick when you are in the final phases of your Ironman training. I know first hand as I am still recovering from a week-long bout of this seasons "new and improved" flu. As a health care professional I know there are increased risks associated with heavy training during the winter months, but I was counting on my good nutritional habits to protect me. As (bad) luck would have it, I had a chink in my immune armor, which temporarily brought my Ironman comeback to a screeching halt!
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03/01/2007
February is Psychology Month in Canada, so it is a good time to answer some often asked questions about this discipline. Many wonder about the difference between psychologists and psychiatrists. Psychiatrists are medical doctors, and, as such, are able to prescribe medications. Psychologists have graduate degrees in Psychology, and have been chartered by the provincial association. This means they have had to undergo a lengthy process of practice supervision, like an internship, and have had to pass the Chartering Exams. These exams cover every area of psychology, and are standardized throughout Canada and the U.S.
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03/01/2007
U.S. employers expect to see their employee health care costs to increase by 8 percent this year and next, a survey conducted by the National Business Group on Health and Watson Wyatt, a benefit firm, indicates. Although the number is lower than the 13 percent increase employers experienced in 2003, "8 percent would be a frightening number for other corporate expenses, like payroll," a Watson Wyatt representative said. Although the proportion of health care costs paid for by employees will remain relatively stable, they should expect to pay more than in the past, according to the organizations.
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03/01/2007
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07/06/2005
*Tremors that intensify when you are stressed or fatigued, but disappear during sleep or concentrated effort
*Fatigue and muscle cramps in the legs, neck or trunk
*Muscle stiffness or rigidity slowly begins to impede your movement and your body movements slow down
*As the disease progresses,you may start to shuffle and have less control over your posture and body movement.
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06/11/2005
More and more people are discovering the joys of the Internet. But once they arrive, some find it nearly impossible to sign off. Here's what you can do to prevent on-line excursions from taking over your life.
Frustration with the sluggish speed of a browser is the about the most serious psychological pitfall that most of us face when surfing the World Wide Web. But for as many as five million Americans, experts say, the Internet has become a destructive force, its remarkable benefits overshadowed by its potential to disrupt the lives of those who can't resist the lure of round-the-clock social opportunities, entertainment, and information.
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