Saturday, September 19, 2009

Suffer Consequences if You Let Health Insurance Lapse. by: Brian Thacker

If you are between jobs and you are considering not paying for COBRA health insurance benefits, you may need to look at alternative interim insurance coverage. COBRA is the law that allows employees to keep their health insurance coverage for 18 months once they leave their job by paying expensive premiums. While COBRA may not be your best option for health insurance, Less expensive medical plans may be an important and necessary expense.

All new health insurance plans are allowed to force new subscribers to suffer a 12 month waiting period for pre-existing conditions. Fortunately there is another law that allows for portability of coverage without having to suffer pre-existing condition waiting periods. That law says that if you have had CONTINUOUS COVERAGE for the 12 months prior to and leading up to the beginning of the new insurance coverage, you will be given credit toward any new pre-existing condition waiting period. If you had 6 months of continuous health insurance coverage prior to taking out your new policy, 6 months would be applied to the 12 month waiting period and bring the new pre-existing condition waiting period down to 6 months. If you had 12 months of continuous coverage, you will not have any waiting period for a pre-existing condition on the new health insurance plan.

CONTINUOUS COVERAGE is defined as continuous health insurance coverage with no lapse of more than 62 days. If you go more than 62 days without coverage, you may have to suffer the full waiting period for pre-existing conditions. For example, if you were taking High Blood Pressure medication, you may have to wait 12 months after starting and paying for the new insurance before the insurance would cover the High Blood Pressure medication.

COBRA might be too expensive for you. However you can get a high deductible individual plan that will satisfy the continuous coverage requirements at a much lower cost. Some short-term insurance plans do not meet the requirements to satisfy the portability law. Speak with a health insurance agent like those at http://www.thackeragency.com to make sure you maintain continuous insurance coverage at the most affordable price. Tell the agent your particular situation and they'll be glad to put you in the best insurance product for you.

About The Author

Brian Thacker is a health insurance agent and owner of two insurance websites, http://www.thackeragency.com and http://www.short-termhealthinsurance.com. He has been serving his clients for more than 10 years.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

The Fuel of Stress, Anxiety and Depression by: Chris Green

In the 21st Century, it is predicted that stress and stress related illnesses such as depression and anxiety will become the biggest killers. Despite significant advances in housing, standards of living, quality of food, and medical science, the pressures all of us have to face in today’s world are as demanding as any pressures experienced by our predecessors.

Why are these illnesses on the rise? And why do some people become so ill through these illnesses, they can find it hard to function?

Well they sure don’t happen overnight! You don’t suddenly wake up one morning and feel stressed or depressed. It’s not like flicking on a light switch! And by the same rule, if you’re suffering, you can’t just wake up one morning, flick off the switch and say “Great, I’m better now.”

Many people who don’t suffer from these illnesses often say to sufferers:

“Come on, snap out of it.”

If only it was so easy! Should anyone say this to you, please forgive them as it’s just a lack of understanding. It’s very hard for people to understand how you’re feeling if they haven’t been there.

The fact that these illnesses don’t suddenly happen means we can draw some parallels with illnesses such as heart diseases, some cancers and strokes.

Because these illnesses don’t just suddenly happen either.

If we look at heart disease, it’s often the result of damaging behaviors practised over many years. Behaviors such as smoking, lack of exercise and a diet high in saturated fat. Strokes are a result of similar behaviors and cancers too, particularly heavy smoking and drinking as you know.

So how do stressful illnesses such as stress, depression and anxiety compare?

Stress is also the product of harmful mental habits and behaviors. These habits and behaviors are developed and practised over years – since childhood in most cases. These are the mental processes that enable us to make sense of our lives and the circumstances we’re faced with. When we reach adulthood, we perform them automatically because we’ve learned these behaviors by repetition.

Think of it like learning to drive a car. Initially, the skills required to control the vehicle needed conscious thought. It seemed really difficult didn’t it? But once we’ve performed them for sufficient periods, we drive on auto-pilot. We’ve mastered the required skills by repetition.

Here’s the key: if we eat healthy food, take regular exercise, cut out harmful behaviors such as smoking and drinking, we improve our health and drastically reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and strokes. We are repeating good habits, habits that will give our physical well being a huge boost.

It’s exactly the same for stress. What’s important to understand is that not everyone becomes stressed or depressed – even when tragic and traumatic circumstances happen to them. Just like people who lead a healthy lifestyle and avoid harmful habits and behaviors, people don’t become stressed or depressed because they have learned effective habits and behaviors that prevent stress from arising.

This is very good news if you suffer from these illnesses. Because just as we can learn habits and behaviors which cause us to become highly-stressed, depressed or anxious, we can learn the habits and behaviors which stop these terrible illnesses in their tracks. And the more often we make use of them, we’ll soon begin to perform them automatically and our mental health will benefit enormously.

No more feeling stressed out. No more feeling unable to cope. No more anxiety and no more depression. EVER.

I’m living proof of this. For 5 years, a series of traumatic events sent me spiralling into an anxiety-induced depression nightmare. I came out of it by learning the natural skills that starve these illnesses. The more I used them, the less anxious I became. They’re now as natural to me as driving a car, and I’ve completely eradicated anxiety and depression from my life.

You can do it too.

About The Author

Chris Green is the author of the new book “Conquering Stress”, a special program which will show you how to conquer stressful illnesses such as depression, anxiety, panic and worry permanently and without taking powerful drugs. You can learn more about this new book and purchase it at www.conqueringstress.com.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

What Will Body Toning and Sculpting Do for Me? by: Machelle Lee

Magazines and other fitness sources tout the benefits of body toning and sculpting for your figure. According to the headlines, you can shrink your body in a short amount of time, lose the excess weight that you have, and create a new figure. But are these promises just too good to be true? The good news is that body toning and sculpting can do all of this and more. Here's what you'll want to know in order to add this exercise to your life.

The first thing that people turn to body toning and sculpting for is that physical benefits. When you're performing body sculpting and toning exercises, you can increase your muscle tone, which looks attractive. When used in conjunction with an aerobic fitness plan, you will see these results all the more quickly as you will be burning more calories in doing so. Body sculpting workouts can not, however, take the place of a good diet or regular activity. It takes a comprehensive approach to your health in order to see the full physical benefits. Performing body toning and sculpting exercises every other day will provide the greatest results.

The reason why body toning and sculpting can help you slim down is its ability to increase your metabolism. When you add muscle to your body, you add more calorie burning power. While this can sound like an excuse to eat whatever you want, that's not the case. You will be able to eat more, but if you're looking to lose weight, you still need to create a calorie deficit for each day – meaning you have to burn off more than you eat. Over time and body sculpting workouts, you will find that it's easier to keep your lost weight off, but when you're just beginning to slim down, you need to remember that your diet does matter, even if your metabolism is speeding up.

What the magazines don't tell you about body toning and sculpting is that you're also strengthening your bones as you gain muscle. As women age, for example, their bones can become weaker. To help bolster their bones, resistance training like body sculpting is recommended by many researchers and other health experts. Men can reap some of these same benefits, though they're not necessarily predisposed to bone loss as women are. Other health benefits include increased energy, increased resistance to disease, and lowered risk of injury during activity.

While you might start a body toning and sculpting program to help you slim down or buff up, it's the health benefits that you gain along the way that should keep you coming back for more.

About The Author
Machelle Lee owns and operates, The Invisible Gym in Santa Cruz, CA. Her mission is to inspire people to become physically active and enjoy the benefits of a balanced, healthy lifestyle. For more information and questions you can visit her website. http://www.the-invisible-gym.com/

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Why You Are Fat – Natural Weight Loss Dieting Program by: Chris Chew

Have you ever wondered why you are fat and have considered going on a weight loss dieting program? If you did, then you must know why certain food makes you fat.

Most if not all of us are somewhat carbohydrate addicts. We have pastas, pizzas, white rice, spaghettis, bread, refined flour food and confectionaries in almost if not all our meals. Just look at the queues at the fast food joints on a regular day and you will know what I mean. Bread and sweet sugary drinks are the menu of the day, naturally.

Some of us are reluctant to embark on a weight loss dieting program to lose that excess baggage (body fat) because we think it is an exercise in sheer willpower and futility.

"You are asking me not to eat bread/rice/pizzas/hamburgers, chocolates and ice-creams my entire life? You must be nuts!" Sounds familiar? For those who incessantly snack on biscuits and chocolates between meals to stave off hunger while working at the office, here is why.

You unwittingly and naturally reach for such snacks because of the food you chose to eat earlier at an earlier meal. If you start the day with three or four slices of white bread spread with fruit jam or margarine and then wash it down with coffee and sugar, you can be sure you will be craving for snacks by mid-morning even though your breakfast was a filling one.

When your food made up primarily of carbohydrate, especially refined carbohydrate like white bread and pizzas, with little protein or fat, not to mention high in sugar, your blood glucose surges crazily following that meal.

To counter the effect of extreme glucose surge in your blood stream, your pancreas will pump more insulin than usual to bring your blood glucose level down. What happens then is that your blood glucose surges will then dip lower than your pre-meal level. When this happens, you start to get hungry and crave for more sweet stuff and more carbohydrate. This is why you reach for sweet snacks and drinks instinctively. Thus the vicious cycle continues again and again and you are eating more and more calories. So choosing the food in your meal is important so that you will not get hungry fast and then consume more calories to satisfy that hunger upsetting your natural weight loss dieting program.

When more carbohydrate is consumed than can be stored by your liver and muscles as glycogen, they are naturally converted to fat. So what should you do?

Well, you can start to limit your carbohydrate consumption (note that I said limit and not stop) and on top of that, choose slow digesting carbohydrates especially carbohydrate with fibers like fibrous vegetables, fruits, legumes, brown rice and brown bread, your insulin spike will not be so eccentric and therefore you will not get hungry or having your sweet tooth so often.

Now think about it, if you do not reach for your snacks and sugary drinks that often, it means that you are consuming fewer calories. So if your caloric consumption is less than your caloric expenditure, you are right on a natural weight loss dieting program without even realizing it. Better still, you are not going on a hunger and starvation diet because you will not get hungry that easily.

Just imagine now that you are losing weight naturally, what if you incorporate an exercise routine into your natural weight loss dieting program to burn off some more calories? Your natural weight loss result will be amazing wouldn’t it?

Now that you know why you are fat, let’s get started on this natural weight loss dieting program.

About The Author

Chris Chew is a fitness personal trainer of actors, fashion models, male pageant winners and other celebrities. See his health and fitness websites at http://www.sgfitness.com and http://www.sgfitnessonline.com.

Monday, September 14, 2009

The Shocking Gluten-ADHD Link - Can Celiac Disease Cause ADHD? by: Laura Ramirez

If you're wondering if wheat gluten & ADHD might be related to each other, then you are smart. Celiac disease which is an allergic reaction to wheat gluten is on the rise. In this article, you'll learn more about the connection between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and wheat gluten and what to do about it.

When a child is allergic to gluten (wheat protein), the lining of the small intestine gets compromised, which results in poor digestion and malabsorption of nutrients. This leads to gastrointestinal problems, but is also responsible for other issues related to malnourishment: poor growth and developmental delays which can lead to problems with learning and attention.Obviously, removing gluten from the diet is the first step in reversing the damage.

Anecdotal Evidence for the ADHD-Gluten Diet Link

Most kids who have disorders like ADHD have some form of IBS (inflammatory bowel syndrome). IBS is a classic symptom of celiac disease.

Kids who have celiac disease often have a neurologic dysfunction, which is the hallmark of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD is a developmental disorder that seems to start in the brain, but may actually have its origins in the gut. If your child cannot get the nutrients that he needs from food, he is literally starving himself. We all know that the stomach feeds the brain.

A two-week study of 31 children who were put on a gluten-free diet showed marked behavioral improvements in over half the kids.

Gluten-ADHD Diet Recommendations

Since gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, barley and rye, eliminate these products from your child's diet. Replace them with gluten-free products, but be sure to read the labels and make sure that there are no chemicals or preservatives. If your child is resistant to dietary changes, make them slowly over time.

Eliminate casein from the diet (milk products). Many children who have the gluten-ADHD link are also allergic to milk protein.

Purchase a Gluten-free cookbook and learn how to make healthy, delicious baked goods.

Give your child a natural remedy designed to treat ADHD, so that his brain can heal more quickly from the damage done by celiac disease.

Although following the recommendations for a ADHD gluten diet is important for kids with celiac disease, it's not enough to just remove gluten from the diet. This is because it takes up to 12 months of following a gluten-free diet for ADHD symptoms to resolve. Additionally, since an adverse reaction to gluten has caused changes in your child's brain and nervous system, it is essential to reverse the damage with a natural supplement designed specifically to suppress the symptoms of ADHD, while restoring proper brain function.

Since all supplements are not created equal, look for one that contains proven ingredients like Arsen Iod, Hyoscyamus and Verta Alb. Make sure the formulation has been approved by the FDA and that the company stands behind their product with a no-questions-asked guarantee. Such a guarantee proves that the company has done their research and is confident that their product works. This is the best and safest way to boost the effectiveness of a no gluten ADHD diet and give your child the nutrients he needs to calm his brain, focus, pay attention and get back on track.

By respecting the ADHD gluten diet link, eliminating gluten and casein from the diet and giving your child a natural remedy to relieve symptoms and restore brain function, your child will come into his own and fulfill his unique potential. Don't feel bad that you didn't learn of this connection earlier: just follow the steps right now. You'll be surprised at how fast your child recovers. After all, kids are much more resilient than we think.


About The Author
Laura Ramirez is a passionate researcher of natural remedies for ADHD and other health issues. Read more about her research by going to http://www.treating-adhd-naturally.com.

The author invites you to visit:
http://www.treating-adhd-naturally.com

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Irritable Bowel Syndrome - IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome also called IBS is one of the most common disorders of the digestive tract. Symptoms of IBS often increase with stress or after eating and include

Abdominal bloating, pain, and gas
Mucus in the stool
Feeling as if a bowel movement hasn't been completed
Irregular bowel habits with constipation, diarrhea, or both
The cause of IBS is unknown. Symptoms are thought to be related to abnormal muscle contractions in the intestines. However, when tests are done, they find no changes, such as inflammation or tumors, in the physical structure of the intestine.

IBS can persist for many years. An episode may be more then severe than the one before it, but the disorder itself does not worsen over time or lead to any serious diseases such as cancer. Symptoms tend to get better over time.

If you have not yet been diagnosed with IBS, try to rule out other causes of stomach problems such as eating a new food, nervousness, or stomach flu. Try home treatment for 1 to 2 weeks. If there is no improvement of if your symptoms worsen, make an appointment with your doctor.

Your doctor may prescribe medications for you to take in addition to doing home treatment. There are no tests that can diagnose IBS but your doctor may recommend testing to rule out other possible causes of your symptoms. The amount of testing your doctor will do depends on your age, the pattern, and severity of your symptoms, and your response to initial treatment.

Prevention:

There is no way to prevent IBS. However symptoms often worsen or improve because of changes in your diet, your stress level, your medications, the amount of exercise you get, and for other reasons. Identify the things that trigger your symptoms. This can help you avoid or minimize attacks.

Home Treatment:

If constipation is your main symptom

Eat more fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Add fibre rich food to your diet, but do this slowly so that you do not develop severe cramps

Add unprocessed wheat bran to your diet. Start with 15g per day then gradually increase to 60g

Try a product that contains a bulk forming agent such as Citrucel, FiberCon, or Metamucil. Start with 15g a day and drink extra water to prevent bloating

Use laxatives only if your doctor recomends them.

Get active. Increase your physical activity.

If diarrhea is your main symptom

Try the dietary suggestions for relieving constipation. Fibre rich foods and wheat bran can help reduce diarrhea

Avoid foods that make diarrhea worse. Try eliminating one food at a time then add it back into your diet and see if symptoms develop. Many people find the following foods or ingredients make it worse:

alcohol
caffeine
nicotine
beans
broccoli
cabbage
apples
spicy foods
foods high in acid such as citrus fruits
fatty foods like bacon, sausage, butter, or oil,
dairy products
sorbital
olestra
starchy foods such as bread, rice or potatoes
MSG

If diarrhea persists a non prescription medication such as lopeamide found in Imodium may help. Check with your doctor if you are using lopeamide more than twice a month.

To reduce stress

keep a log of the events in your life that seem to trigger your symptoms then try to correct the underlying issues

get regular and vigorous exercise

When To Call Your Doctor:

If you have been diagnosed with IBS and your symptoms get worse and begin to disrupt your usual activities or does not respond to home treatments

If you are becoming increasingly fatigued

If you are symptoms frequently wake you up at night

If your pain gets worse with movement or coughing

If you have abdominal pain and fever

If you have abdominal pain that does not get better when you pass a stool

If you are loosing weight and you don't know why

If your appetite has decreased

If there is blood in your stool

About The Author


Sher Matsen author of Healing Herbs For The Mind Body & Soul offers you alternative choices for treating disease and illness at http://www.herbs-that-heal.com © Copyright Sher Matsen, All Rights Reserved – You may republish this article with an active link to our site.