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Archive for the ‘Health Living’ Category

The cost of health insurance is far out of reach of millions of Americans and more and more people are losing their health coverage every single day. Fortunately you live in New Hampshire, one of a handful of states that offers some of its citizens an affordable alternative to skyrocketing health insurance prices.

If you have an existing medical condition that is preventing you from purchasing health insurance at a price that you can afford, the state of New Hampshire offers the New Hampshire Health Plan, commonly known as NHHP.

NHHP will automatically provide insurance to individuals who qualify because of existing health conditions or for a variety of other reasons. NHHP policies are kept affordable, allowing many New Hampshire residents the opportunity to purchase health insurance that was denied to them by private insurance or which was outrageously expensive.

Learn more about NHHP coverage and what you need to qualify at: http://www.nhhealthplan.org/

But whether you are purchasing traditional health insurance or getting NHHP coverage, there are several steps you can take that will help you get the best rates on health insurance available in New Hampshire.

Start my making certain that you are as health as you can possibly be. That means that you stop smoking or using any type of tobacco product and that, if necessary, you lose weight. Losing even a little weight can reduce the cost of your monthly insurance premiums. As difficult as it is to lose weight or to stop smoking, the benefits of doing either will last for the rest of your life – and it will save you money, too!

If you drive a fancy sports car or a muscle car or if you have a dangerous job or regularly participate in risky or extreme sports you can count on your health insurance premiums being higher. After all, the greater your risk of an injury, the more likely it is to cost the insurance company and so the more they need to charge you each month.

Increasing the percentage of your copay for routine doctor visits or lab work can also reduce your health insurance premiums. This can be an extremely good deal for people who only see their doctor a few times each year on average.

If health insurance is still beyond your reach consider increasing your deductible. The higher your deductible the lower your monthly premium payment will be. In fact, many people are starting to look at health insurance in a whole new light and are purchasing low-cost extremely high deductible health insurance policies as a safety net designed to protect their savings, their home and other assets that they have worked and saved a lifetime for.

The idea behind the low-cost high-deductible policies (with deductibles of $2,000 or even $3,000) is that the insurance won’t pay for any routine health care such as doctor’s visits, lab work, even simple out-patient surgeries. Instead, the purpose of health insurance is to safeguard a person’s home and assets in the event of a catastrophic illness or an accident – the types of things that can run up medical bills in the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars overnight.

But regardless of what type of health coverage is best for you and your family, your next step is to get online and make comparisons between policies and prices on at least two and preferably three different websites. In this way you will be certain to be comparing all of the different insurance companies that provide health care insurance here in New Hampshire and you will be certain of getting the best rates on health insurance available anywhere in New Hampshire.

Brazil is the largest country in South America and offers broad opportunities for travel and a range of living opportunities you would expect from such a large and diverse country. There are the jungles of the Amazon rain forests, the high plains of the pampas around Brazilia, and of course the world famous beaches, plus much more. The range of landscapes is enormous. Brazilians are world-famous for their hospitality and friendliness, and welcome foreigners unhesitatingly. Rio de Janero is well known for its beaches, partying, nightlife, and the biggest party in the world, Carnival.

Brazil is fun, interesting, and warmly welcomes everyone. So you might expect it to be an expensive place to live. It is not. Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil are among the cheapest cities in the world to live in, according to a study by the British consultancy firm Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

It is often said in Brazil: “You either have a housekeeper or you are a housekeeper.” Even middle-class working families usually have a maid or housekeeper in Brazil.

You can retire in Brazil. There is a retirement visa available, but to qualify for it you must have proof of an income of at least $2000 per month (plus an additional amount for dependents). There is also an investment category, as well as other ways to become a permanent resident in Brazil.

Permanent residents of Brazil may apply for Brazilian passports and can also keep their current citizenships and passports too. It is perfectly legal and common to do so. There can be some benefit to holding a Brazilian passport. Sometimes citizens of the USA are targeted by terrorists when traveling overseas. Brazilians are not targeted.

Health care is a high priority for retirees. Health care in Brazil is very good. The poorer people depend entirely on the free national health care system. It is not necessary to be a citizen of Brazil to use the national health care system. Any person who is legally in the country is welcome to use the national health care system. The national health care system does a good job of providing all health care needs at no cost to the patients. National health care patients pay nothing at all for doctors’ fees, lab fees, hospitalization, surgery, and even prescription drugs are free.

Brazil’s national health care system is toughly equal to the caliber and operational style of the V.A. hospital system in the USA. There are some drawbacks to this system. You will not receive the very highest possible quality of health care in the national health care system. There is a trade-off. If you want completely free health care, including all your prescription drugs, Brazil’s national health care system is very good. Free health care is a good safety net. If you want the very highest possible quality of health care, then you must pay. The more affluent Brazilians favor two different private market providers for health care, much like Blue Cross & Blue Shield.

The first private market medical provider is UniMed , which is owned and operated by doctors. They have their own hospitals and clinics throughout Brazil, they use a referral type system whereas you have a primary doctor and he refers you when needed to a specialist for any special treatments. A plan for a family of three costs about R$600.00 per month (less than $300 USD). I would recommend UniMed if you demand the highest quality healthcare. Personally, I prefer the completely free national health care system, but to each their own.

The second private market medical provider is Banco Bradesco , which is a major financial institution in Brazil offering health insurance and directly employing a substantial and high caliber medical staff. The difference with this type of policy is they only have private clinics and have to buy the hospital stay coverage from someone like UniMed. Costs are also higher. A comprehensive health insurance policy for a family of three runs in neighborhood of R$1,000.00 ($500 USD) per month.

The bottom line is you can get more for your money in Brazil than almost anywhere else on earth. You can enjoy a higher standard of living for your money.

The Importance of Friendly Bacteria

Bacteria are everywhere, and that’s a good thing.

One of the most important steps that you can take to improve your health, is to make sure that your intestines have plenty of good bacteria. There are approximately 100 trillion bacteria and microorganisms living in your digestive tract. All together they weigh between three and five pounds in the average adult. Most of us didn’t know that bit of information.

The two most common groups of important bacteria are Lactobacilli, which are found in the small intestine, and Bifidobacterium, which are found in the large intestine. These aid in completing the digestive process and assist in the production of vitamins.

Lactobacilli are bacteria that normally live in the human small intestine and vagina. Lactobacillus acidophilus is generally considered to be beneficial because it produces vitamin K and lactase.

Bifidobacteria are probiotics that gather in the human GI tract and vagina. Bifidobacterium longum is very important to the human body. This bacterium is very helpful because it maintains a normal digestive tract, inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria, and also boosts the immune system.

Without the naturally occurring helpful bacteria in our guts, the immune system does not work properly. This can make it more difficult for our bodies to fight off infection. In fact, many experts believe that a strong immune system starts with a healthy gut.

What are the benefits of all of these bacteria and microorganisms?

Improve digestion and normalize bowel movements Reduce and eliminate skin conditions like: acne, eczema, psoriasis Provide protection against asthma Improve your immune system Protect against food allergies Reduce or possible eliminate seasonal allergies
Do you know what can destroy friendly intestinal bacteria?

Use of antibiotics (including antibiotics found in dairy and meat products) Not managing tension and stress Eating foods and beverages that have sugar or other concentrated sweeteners Use of antacids or laxatives Use of some prescription drugs (including birth control pills and steroids like prednisone) Ingestion of chlorine

Many experts believe that consuming healthy bacteria, called probiotics, boosts the body’s overall general health.

What foods contain Probiotics?

Acidophilus milk or cultured milk Yogurt listed with “live active culture” Fermented food such as pickles, kimchi and sauerkraut

Probiotics are available in supplement form and are extremely effective when your gut is under assault from antibiotics, though they can also be helpful when taken daily. They should also be taken with food. Research has also shown that probiotics also can improve irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bloating and gas.

Today, the balance between “good bacteria” and “bad bacteria” that live in your intestines is the result of the choices you make in what you eat and your lifestyle. The healthier your choices, the more friendly bacteria you have living inside of you. Taking probiotics can bring the gut back into balance.

Are you suffering from any of these problems?

Diarrhea Due to Antibiotic Use or from Traveling, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Constipation, Vaginal Yeast Infections, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s Disease, Lactose Intolerance, Colds, Allergies or Hayfever, Colon Cancer Prevention, Pouchitis or Canker Sores. Go visit my website to learn more about the Probiotic Supplement that I suggest you begin taking on a daily basis.

Wow, I’m a little shocked that both Houses have drafted bills that include a Public Option for Health Care Reform. I am also surprised that the House bill is making Health Insurance mandatory.

I used to live in Boston, MA where the state has a law where all citizens must have insurance. I was a little upset with this law, only because many of the people who do not have insurance do so because they can’t afford it. They have no alternative, and therefore, go without. But in Mass., you have to have it or you pay a penalty. Here is the clincher. You have to prove that you’ve had insurance on your taxes, or you pay the fee. I had insurance, so that wasn’t a big deal to me, what about those that didn’t have insurance? They can’t afford insurance so they get hit with another fee they can’t afford. Um…tell me how this is helping people?

But, my biggest question, and more importantly I think, is the issue regarding undocumented people. This country does not make it mandatory upon entering a hospital to prove citizenship, not even state residency. Many times this is done after the person has been admitted. Who carries that burden? It seems to me that we still have this underlying issue of Immigration Reform, that we still have not addressed? If we make it mandatory to have insurance, does that mean hospital can now turn people away that do not have insurance? Does that mean, those that are here on vacation, or visiting on business and get sick will not be seen in US hospital? What does this mean for the millions of people that live in the US undocumented?

I, for one, strongly believe we need immigration reform, INS is a mess in general and needs to be changes. But I wonder how it is that we don’t address this issue in this Bill. I believe all people deserve to be treated if ill. But if money is the issue, which, who are we kidding, that is the biggest issue here, how can we ignore the fact that millions of people live in the US and are not documented. Are they going to have to get insurance too? Can they get insurance without proving citizenship, or will the government now institute a rule that we must have documentation in order to get insurance?

I’m all for reform, reform, reform! But lets not ignore a major issue in this health care debate. I want to know how we will address the immigration question. Cause, I don’t know about most of you, but I live in California now, and while I’m Jewish and have always been a minority, the fact of the matter is, Hispanics are the majority in many of California’s major cities, legal or not, they make up a vast number of people using our medical facilities, and I want to know that they will be able to freely and safely get insurance without fear of retribution. Why? Because I’m going to have to pay for it in the end if we don’t give undocumented people the right to purchase it and I don’t want to have to pay if I don’t have to.

What I’m really wondering is, why isn’t anyone asking this question? Am I the only person that sees this an a conundrum?

You have heard about various studies that have been conducted in the past 20 or so years in relation to health benefits of elderly people who own, or have consistent interaction with pets. The more time that has been invested in this research has only supported evidence of health benefits of owning a pet for the elderly. So, why does owning a pet increase the health in today’s golden population? It caters to two human primary needs: health needs and emotional needs. Pets, usually cats or dogs, but really any pet, provide both health and emotional care for people.

First, let us look at the physical benefits of owning a pet. Repeatedly, studies have shown that when a person owns a pet, their physical activity is increased. Because they need to care for a pet, such as walking a dog, cleaning out the cat’s litter box, laying fresh newspaper lining on the inside of the bird cage, they are forced to get up and do more. Especially if an elderly person owns a dog, they may take them for walks. This gets a person outside in the fresh air to receive some low impact, mild exercise. Studies have also shown that a person who owns a pet is able to walk for a longer time period than a mature person without a pet.

Studies have also shown that keeping a pet aids the owner’s blood pressure and over-all cardiac health. When a person pats a dog or strokes a cat on their lap, the physical contact relieves and reduces stress levels in the human body. Also, taking care of a pet has shown that people who own pets tend to live longer lives than those who don’t. Taking care of a pet may give a lonely elderly person the sense of purpose to their life that is essential to good physical and emotional health. Filling the role of the caretaker helps people lose focus on their minor health issues, and instead they focus on their pet.

The next benefit to elderly people that own pets is their emotional needs. Pets provide companionship and friendship that may be difficult to find in other humans. Pets are loyal, loving, affectionate, helpful, and non-negotiating. Some people really enjoy that they don’t need to engage in social niceties with their pets; they can just get along and spend companionable time together. Some studies have shown that a large percentage of people who own pets say that their dog, cat, or bird are their best friend. That speaks a lot about the health and emotional benefits of these loving animals.

Pets also help people interact with other human beings, such as neighbors or people in the community. When a person is involved in their community, and interacts socially with humans on a regular basis, their lifespan is supposedly increased. There have been links that tie owning pets to increased interaction in the community, though scientists are not quite sure of the link yet.

Pets are loving, affectionate companions. They help people of all ages emotionally and physically; however, those in the elderly community seem to reap the most benefits of owning a pet. It also keeps them active and happy, living by the side of their best friend.

By a raise of your hands, how many of you live in pain every day? How many of you have aches that prohibit you from performing the basic functions that are required of you during your day? It is estimated that 60% of Americans suffer from some form of aches and pains every day. This seems to be growing at an alarmingly high rate. So many people are on medications for arthritis, back pain, headaches, stomach pain, and hip pain. You can literally go to your doctor and say you have an ache or pain somewhere in your body and they will prescribe a pill for you to take. Something about this does not sound right to me.

Now, without knowing an exact percentage, I would venture to say that a good majority of those people that have aches and pains do not exercise, are somewhat overweight, take prescription drugs and mope around everyday wondering why they are not getting any better. Well, perhaps you have heard of this thing called EXERCISE! This is not a new concept. People have been doing some form of exercise for as long as people have been around. Cavemen used to run and hunt for their food (also could be a fear of getting eaten by big wild animals). Knights from the Middle Ages used to perform various physical feats just to win the tournament or the girl. My dad used to play stoop ball back when he was a young boy in the 1950′s. The point I am getting at is we as humans have always been physically active. Being outside, playing ball, running, jumping, lifting things and throwing, that is what our bodies crave.

You may be wondering how you can fit exercise or any kind of activity into your very busy schedule. Well, you just answered your own question… schedule it! That’s right, put exercising into your weekly schedule and treat it like it’s as important to you as completing your project at work. I’ll tell you right now, without it, living in pain and taking those prescription drugs, you will not be around to complete those work projects because you will be in to much pain, sick or even worse… I forgot to mention, your family will not have the benefit of YOU as a parent to tell them to get out and be active. It does not stop at you, the children follow exactly what you do as a parent, it’s time to set a good example for your children.

I see nowadays that the National Football League is promoting 60 minutes of physical activity per day for every child. They can see that staying active in some form has tremendous benefits towards living a healthy lifestyle. This pushing of our youth should not stop at our youth, being an adult means acting responsible, how can you tell your children to be active and exercise when you sit in front of the TV with them instead of playing ball with them. I challenge you to take time for yourself to get in any kind of exercise. Maybe you take your dog for a walk, a bike ride sounds like fun or get into the local gym and find a trainer that can help you with planning the best exercise program for YOU. Becoming more active helps stretch out your muscles, lubricates your joints; your core gets stronger, your posture improves, more blood flow gets to those tight muscles and the best thing of all happens, you feel no pain. I would even venture to say that your stress levels will decrease. There in itself is a huge reason why people are in as much pain as they are in. I’ll leave that to the next article though.

There are so many reasons why people DO NOT live in pain; there are also so many people that live in pain. Which way do you want to live out your days? Myself, I choose to be pain free. I would love for you to join me in that feeling.