Types of Auto Medical Payments Coverage

The following are types of Medical Payments (MED-PAY) Coverage that many consumers are NOT aware of. Worth the time to read and subsequently follow-up with your insurance agent. Could save thousands of dollars in the future.

"Non-reimbursable, Non-excess Med-pay" is coverage that many refer to as the last ''true med-pay", and is the type that would have been part of a "full-coverage" package many years ago. There is no repayment obligation by the consumer, and the applicability of coverage is independent of health insurance benefits. It is the most expensive of the medical payments coverage, but the added cost is not, by any means substantial. It is not uncommon for the coverage to cost $ 5-10 per $ 1,000.00 of coverage, over a six-month period. This is the type of coverage that you should have, as a consumer, and what we advise our patients to purchase.

"Reimbursable Med-pay" marks the first in the deviation from the type of Med-pay that was typically provided, and is one level lower on the scale of desired coverage. The reimbursement is described by many names, such as "Third Party Liability", "TPL", "subrogation" or "contractual reimbursement." All of these names have been used interchangeably to detail the concept that the original payor of the bills is due to receive a refund of amounts paid, from settlement or judgement against the responsible party, due to the fact that its policyholder was not at fault for the incident. The way this typically works, is that the med-pay insurer pays the bills as deemed reasonable and necessary, up to the limits of coverage. The insurer then has a claim against the settlement proceeds, or award of judgement, pertaining to the case of the policyholder. Upon settlement or judgement, the policyholder is required to pay the first funds of settlement back to the pay or of the med-pay benefits. This can cause friction between doctor and patient, and may ultimately lead to the possible destruction of the doctor-patient relationship, when it is perceived that the doctor received more money in his pocket than the patient, when the patient "was the one that was injured."

"Excess Med-pay" is the first in a series of coverage that many consumer groups feel represents illusory coverage. "Excess" refers to amounts of medical care that exceed that which the policyholder's health insurance will cover. Because of the status of the law, many carriers are refusing to consider billing above any contractual rate between the facility rendering care, and the health insurer. So, in essence, if you have health insurance and the facility is contracted with the health insurer, there cannot be excess, so therefore you have no med-pay, although you are paying for it. Most excess coverage also carries a reimbursement obligation; therefore, in the event the carrier does pay anything, they receive the amounts they paid as reimbursement. Further complicating this coverage, and giving further support for the allegations that the coverage is illusory, is the fact that without health insurance, many policies are subject to a deductible. Often times, the deductible, or "retention" is 40% of the coverage amount.

"Modified, or Coordinated Med-pay" further represents coverage which may be classified as illusory. The "Modification" or "Coordination" is between the health insurer and med-pay carrier, thus acting as excess med-pay. There is one little difference, separating the two; however, in that it pays only a percentage of the excess amounts, after the policyholder first pays a deductible. The same problems persist as with "excess" coverage, in that if there is health insurance the insurer may refuse to honor any amounts in excess of what was paid by the health insurer.

Caveats to Medical Payments Coverage

Insurance companies have been known to arbitrarily change your coverage from "Non-reimbursable" to "Reimbursable," and from "Non-excess" to "Excess." You should take the time to review any notices sent to you by your insurer, which reflect "changes to your automobile policy" and immediately reject any non-requested changes.

"Always better to have the correct coverage and not need it, than to need it and not have it."

Holiday Stress

For some people, the holidays bring unwelcome guests, stress and depression. And it's no wonder. In an effort to pull off a perfect Hallmark holiday, you might find yourself facing a dizzying array of demands, work, parties, shopping, baking, cleaning, caring for elderly parents or kids on school break, and scores of other chores. So much for peace and joy, right?

Actually, with some practical tips, you can minimize the stress and depression that often accompany the holidays. You may even end up enjoying the holidays more than you thought you would.

The trigger points of holiday stress
Holiday stress and depression are often the result of three main trigger points. Understanding these trigger points can help you plan ahead on how to accommodate them.

Here are the three areas that commonly trigger holiday stress or depression:

Relationships. Relationships can cause turmoil, conflict or stress at any time. But tensions are often heightened during the holidays. Family misunderstandings and conflict can intensify, especially if you're all thrust together for several days. Conflicts are bound to arise with so many needs and interests to accommodate. On the other hand, if you're facing the holidays without a loved one, you may find yourself especially lonely or sad.

Finances. Like your relationships, your financial situation can cause stress at any time of the year. Overspending during the holidays on gifts, travel, food and entertainment can increase stress as you try to make ends meet while ensuring that everyone on your gift list is happy.

Physical demands. The strain of shopping, attending social gatherings and preparing holiday meals can wipe you out. Feeling exhausted increases your stress, creating a vicious cycle. Exercise and sleep, good antidotes for stress and fatigue, may take a back seat to chores and errands. High demands, stress, lack of exercise, and overindulgence in food and drink, these are all ingredients for holiday illness.

12 preemptive strategies for holiday stress
When stress is at its peak, it's hard to stop and regroup. Take steps to help prevent normal holiday depression from progressing into chronic depression. Try these tips:

• Acknowledge your feelings. If a loved one has recently died or you aren't near your loved ones, realize that it's normal to feel sadness or grief. It's OK now and then to take time just to cry or express your feelings. You can't force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season.

• Seek support. If you feel isolated or down, seek out family members and friends, or community, religious or social services. They can offer support and companionship. Consider volunteering at a community or religious function.

• Getting involved and helping others can lift your spirits and broaden your social circle. Also, enlist support for organizing holiday gatherings, as well as meal preparation and cleanup. You don't have to go it alone. Don't be a martyr.

• Be realistic. As families change and grow, traditions often change as well. Hold on to those you can and want to. But understand in some cases that may no longer be possible. Perhaps your entire extended family can't gather together at your house. Instead, find new ways to celebrate together from afar, such as sharing pictures, e-mails or videotapes.

• Set differences aside. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to all your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. With stress and activity levels high, the holidays might not be conducive to making quality time for relationships. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are, they're feeling the effects of holiday stress, too.

• Stick to a budget. Before you go shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend on gifts and other items. Then be sure to stick to your budget. If you don't, you could feel anxious and tense for months afterward as you struggle to pay the bills. Don't try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Donate to a charity in someone's name, give homemade gifts or start a family gift exchange.

• Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make one big food-shopping trip. That'll help prevent a last-minute scramble to buy forgotten ingredients — and you'll have time to make another pie, if the first one's a flop. Allow extra time for travel so that delays won't worsen your stress.

• Learn to say no. Believe it or not, people will understand if you can't do certain projects or activities. If you say yes only to what you really want to do, you'll avoid feeling resentful and overwhelmed. If it's really not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time.

• Don't abandon healthy habits. Don't let the holidays become a dietary free-for-all. Some indulgence is OK, but overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt. Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don't go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks. Continue to get plenty of sleep and schedule time for physical activity.

• Take a breather. Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Steal away to a quiet place, even if it's the bathroom, for a few moments of solitude. Take a walk at night and stargaze. Listen to soothing music. Find something that clears your mind, slows your breathing and restores your calm.

• Rethink resolutions. Resolutions can set you up for failure if they're unrealistic. Don't resolve to change your whole life to make up for past excess. Instead, try to return to basic, healthy lifestyle routines. Set smaller, more specific goals with a reasonable time frame. Choose only those resolutions that help you feel valuable and provide more than only fleeting moments of happiness.

• Forget about perfection. Holiday TV specials are filled with happy endings. But in real life, people don't usually resolve problems within an hour or two. Something always comes up. You may get stuck late at the office and miss your daughter's school play, your sister may dredge up an old argument, you may forget to put nuts in the cake, and your mother may criticize how you and your partner are raising the kids. All in the same day. Expect and accept imperfections.

• Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine chores. If these feelings last for several weeks, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. You may have depression.

Have it both ways
Remember, one key to minimizing holiday stress and depression is knowing that the holidays can trigger stress and depression. Accept that things aren't always going to go as planned. Then take active steps to manage stress and depression during the holidays. You may actually enjoy the holidays this year more than you thought you could.

Gum And Your Teeth

Is chewing gum good for your teeth? The medical answer is quite simple.

When you chew gum, you produce more saliva. If you chew gum after you eat, the extra saliva can neutralize and wash away the acid that's produced when food breaks down in your mouth. This can help prevent tooth decay. The minerals in the extra saliva can even strengthen the hard, outer surface of your teeth (enamel).

It's important to choose gum carefully, however. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends sugarless gum. In fact, several types of sugarless gum even bear the ADA Seal of Acceptance.

Sugared gum also increases saliva production, but the sugar in the gum may contribute to tooth decay.

"Being successful is about professionalism, and chewing gum is unprofessional."

Causes of Irritability

Fatigue
If adequate sleep is Beauty, then inadequate and/or poor sleep is surely the Beast. The health consequences of poor sleep aside, restless nights can lead to crankiness the likes of which have rarely been seen.

The Solution: Make sure you get not only enough sleep every night; ensure that it's restful sleep with the right mattress, pillow, lighting (lack thereof) and preparation.


Stress
Stress manifests in many ways, but irritability is perhaps the most common symptom. Stressed about your job, the screaming kids, the unpaid bills, your lack of motivation to hit the gym, or any number of other life challenges? Irritability can't be far behind.

The Solution: Manage stress by discussing it, dealing with it proactively and taking control; anything but avoiding it.


Hunger
Irritability that comes on like a wave and doesn't have any other obvious cause (like those above) could be due to hunger. Face facts:  People don't eat often enough, and when they do, it's high-GI foods that rush into your bloodstream and rush right back out, leaving you tired and hungry.

The Solution: Eat small, frequent meals high in complex carbs that fuel your whole day.

Veteran's Day Suggestions

I was taken last week by the overwhelming respect and gratitude shown by the Dana Hills High School's student body, and especially by the athletes and their genuine sincerity for the evening. I was one of 73 nominated veterans for the Honor the Valor ceremonies. It included a pre-game dinner sponsored by Chick-fil-A, a pre-game band honoring the veterans, a half time show that was themed patriotic, and following the game - a jersey presentation by a player who wore our name on that jersey during the game. My player was Tommy Bortnick.

Some suggestions I read some years ago have justifiable meaning regarding a veteran you may encounter. It goes something like this .... and it's the way most of us feel deeply about.

• Please don't ask us if we killed anyone in combat, or even be snide about it. It's difficult enough speaking to our spouses and family members, let alone strangers.
• Thanking us for our service is greatly appreciated.
• Please don't get into political opinions regarding our service. In our minds eye, it cheapens the meaning of a best friend who died protecting those same opinions. Sometimes it's just a good idea to keep your opinions to yourself. We are simply proud to have served.
• Far too many of us have PTSD. Should you witness us acting anxious or moving away from crowds, turning our backs to the walls, or even fidgeting, simple kindness and understanding would be most appreciated. We often need breathing room with conversations about something interesting.
• As with many of us who has a disability, please do not stare. Veterans can be sensitive about scars or injuries, and really don't wish to rewind the experience by questions asked. And remember, many of the injuries are not visible, thus be sensitive enough NOT to challenge it.

Many of us with disabilities appreciate light conversation and assistance if we look like we are in need. As for myself ... I'm damn proud to have served!

"To be a veteran one must know and determine one's price for freedom."

Water or Coke

                                                                 

WATER

1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.

2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.

3 Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.

4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

5. Lack of water: the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6. Preliminary research indicates that 8‑10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short‑term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

And now for the properties of COKE:

1. In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of coke in the truck to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

2. You can put a T‑bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days.

3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca‑Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous China.

4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled‑up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca‑Cola.

5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca‑Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.

6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca‑Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca‑Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.

8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca‑Cola will help loosen grease stains.

9. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

SOME HARD FACTS

 

1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.

2. To carry Coca‑Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for Highly corrosive materials.

3. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years!

Now the question is, would you like a coke or a glass of water?

Abusive Childhood Can Ruin Your Adulthood

Those who were physically or sexually abused as children are twice as likely to have C-reactive protein (a measure of inflammation) in their blood, which could be one reason that abused children have a higher incidence of heart disease and diabetes as adults. These results were obtained by monitoring 1,000 people in New Zealand from birth to the age of 32. Stress-creating factors were measured, and they were tested for levels of inflammation associated with heart disease.

Inflammation is a natural response to physical trauma, but psychological stress can also trigger inflammation. Constant triggering could reduce someone's ability to produce inflammation-suppressing glucocorticoid hormones. That could, in turn, eventually lead to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and other illnesses.

Negative emotions can do a great deal of harm to your physical health, including increasing C-reactive protein levels, a sure sign of heart disease and just as lethal as having high amounts of LDL cholesterol. In fact, there are many ways in which negative emotions can shorten your life. In contrast, positive emotions can make a difference in your blood pressure readings and your ability to heal.

This is merely further confirmation for something that any astute clinician can confirm. Many doctors experience that nearly all serious autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and chronic fatigue syndrome, have at one of their foundational roots some time of severe emotional childhood trauma that was never fully compensated for.

Children are a product of their environment. Negative emotions are like vibrations that ripple through a pond. Yes, working on the child is important, but if you look at how they have learned their behaviors, it stems back to the parents.

"Children believe what their parents show them and tell them."

Laugh And Cut Stress

 Take a deep breath. Now put your hand on your belly. Imagine your stomach jiggling, as if you are starting to laugh. You may have just taken a step toward reducing stress hormone levels.

Researchers say merely anticipating a laugh can jump‑start healthy changes in the body.

The findings come from a small study, made up of 16 healthy men. The men were divided into two groups. The experimental group was told to anticipate something funny. The other group was used as a comparison.

Researchers then tested the levels of three stress hormones participants had in their blood and compared that to the control group, which did not expect a laugh was on the way.

Researchers found that the group anticipating the laughs had reduced levels of three stress hormones compared to the other group.

Here's the breakdown from the experimental group.

  $        Cortisol levels dipped 39%. Cortisol is known as a major stress hormone.

  $        Adrenaline levels dropped 70%. Adrenaline is also known as epinephrine.

  $        Dopac levels dropped 38%. Dopac is a chemical related to the "feel‑good" chemical known as dopamine.

Persistently elevated stress hormone levels in the blood, as happens under chronic stressful situations, has been linked to a weakened immune system.

"Our findings lead us to believe that by seeking out positive experiences that make us laugh we can do a lot with our physiology to stay well," says researcher Lee Berk in a news release.

The researchers were following up on a similar study they did two years ago in which they found that anticipating laughter led to an increase in healthful chemicals such as beta‑endorphins.

"Laugh and whole world laughs with you."

Eye Floaters

Eye floaters, or muscae volitantes, Latin for “hovering flies", are those tiny, oddly shaped objects that sometimes appear in your vision, most often when you’re looking at the sky on a sunny day. They look like spots, or a squishy little amoeba, and drift aimlessly around in your field of vision. Try to get a fix on one, though, and it seems to disappear.

Floaters aren’t just optical illusions. You’re really seeing them, and they’re actually in your eye, not just on it or in front of it. The weird little squiggles are pieces of the vitreous humor, the fluid that fills the eye, breaking off and then floating about in your eyeball.

A little gross, I know, but completely normal. The vitreous humor fills the gap between your retina and lens and helps maintain the round shape of your eye. It’s made up of water bound up in a little hyaluronic acid and collagen. When you’re young, it’s thick and gel-like, but as you age, the hyaluronic acid network breaks down and releases the trapped water molecules. As this happens, the core of the vitreous humor becomes more watery and little bits of undissolved gel break off and slowly drift around. When light passes through the eye, the shadows of these pieces are thrown up on your retina and you perceive them as floaters.

Since floaters, well, float, their paths generally follow the motion of the eye. This makes looking right at them difficult, and when you shift your gaze towards them, they often move and stay at the edges. They don’t always float, though, and many of them will sink towards the bottom of the eyeball. To get a good look at them, just lie down looking up at a clear sky. Some of the floaters will settle near the fovea, a small area that sits at the back center of your eye and is responsible for your sharp central vision. The lack of movement and the even, textureless background makes it easy to scope them out and watch the blobs bob around a little.

For the most part, floaters are nothing to worry about, just a sign that you’re not a kid anymore. The sudden appearance of a lot of floaters combined with the onset of other eye weirdness, like flashes of light or blurriness or loss of peripheral vision, could indicate a problem, though. Sometimes, floaters are a symptom of the vitreous humor pulling away from the retina, a retinal tear, or the abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eye. If your floaters cross the line from curiosity to nuisance, it’s time to give the eye doctor a call.

"Just open your eyes and see the beauty in life."

Tennis & Golf Elbow

Many of my patients are taking advantage of the warm weather and spending increased time outdoors. It’s no surprise that some of my patients are making appointments based on sprains, strains and tennis and/or golf elbow. These issues crop up after too much exertion on weaker muscle groups.

Tennis/golf elbow does affect roughly 40 percent of all players, but the condition is not limited to those who spend time on the court or golf course. Manual workers, those who use a keyboard frequently or those who conduct repetitive tasks with their hands are all at risk for developing the condition.

Pain stemming from tennis/golf elbow is not always felt in the patient’s elbow, which can lead to confusing and misappropriated resources when treating the condition.

Many of my patients complain of neck stiffness or nerve irritation, but largely the symptoms for tennis and golf elbow include tenderness over the bony epicondyle and trigger points in the wrist/forearm muscles. Keep in mind that referred pain can also mask a cervical neck issue. The most common neck joint that refers to your lateral elbow is C5/6, which transmit their pain signals along the radial nerve. It’s important to remember that the radial nerve can also be a source of referred pain from reduced neural mobility.

Minimizing pain while rebuilding muscle strength should be the source of progress in regards to treating tennis/golf elbow. In recent years, there has been ample evidence shown that tennis/golf elbow is not a product of inflammation from overused tendons as previously thought. Part of the treatment plan includes educating the patient about the root causes of tennis/golf elbow so that the patient whose lifestyle or daily habits include risk for a chronic condition can augment activities to be better protected long term.

“Muscle activation facilitates healing - that’s how the healing begins. Stillness is the true enemy,” states Gary Reinl, author of Iced!

The Illusionary Treatment Option, says of muscle stimulation or as some call it, active recovery.

Reinl, a sports medicine consultant, relies on electrotherapeutic stimulation treatments to proactively support injuries like tennis or golf elbow while maximizing treatment outcomes.

“Activity recovery is the answer (ARITA) — controlled movement can help solve the problem and that’s where muscle stimulation comes in,” Reinl says. “Inactivity and over-icing will shut off the signals that alert to potentially harmful movements and put patients at the risk of more damage."

"Activity heals - inactivity creates more problems."

A Paradox Of Our Time

An observation:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.

Remember to spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

And always remember, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by those moments that take our breath away.

-Attributed to George Carlin 

Eye Exercises Help

When it comes to exercise, people all too often focus all their efforts into the body core and forget to exercise their eyes. We must remember that as we age our "focus" becomes an event that introduces poor vision and subsequent glasses into our lives.

Below are a few examples of eye exercises that may prevent an early departure from excellent sight.

*Changing Focus
Hold a magazine or book as close to your eyes as possible without the print becoming blurred. Focus on the words for 15 seconds. Then, look at an object at least 10 feet away and focus on that. Refocus on the magazine; then refocus again on the distant object. Repeat five times. This exercise helps build stamina so you don't experience eye fatigue as often when working on close tasks.

*Eye "Push Ups"
Hold a pencil at arm's length in front of your face. Slowly move it toward your nose, holding your focus at the same spot on the pencil. The objective is to bring the pencil to the tip of your nose before you see a double image of the pencil. This exercise strengthens the "convergence ability" of your eyes (that is, the ability of both eyes to aim at the same task), which helps prevent eyestrain and may eliminate the "floating print" that can occur when your eyes are tired.

*Eye rolls
Close your eyes. Slowly roll your eyes in a complete circle; then move them from left to right. Repeat this exercise three times. This improves blood and oxygen flow to your eyes.

*Palming & Cupping
Note: If you wear contact lenses, remove them before trying this exercise. Close your eyes. Place the base of your palms over your eyes and press gently for a few seconds. Then cup your hands and place them over your open eyes. Look into your cupped palms as you slowly breathe in and out through your nose for 30 seconds. This exercise relaxes tired eyes.

*Blinking or Yawning
Both actions produce tears to help moisten and lubricate the eyes.

"As long as I've got my eyesight, I'm not going to stop."

Live Life Healthy

One would think that living in agreement with nature would be common sense. However, in this day in age, common sense is not so common. So before personal responsibility goes the way of the human extinction, here are a few suggestions on how the gain and maintain health.

1.  Eat Whole Foods. Focus on diet of inclusion.

 

2.  Eat a balanced diet with optimal protein, unrefined carbohydrates and the right fats. There are health promoting and health destroying foods within each macro nutrient category; Fats, Carbohydrates and Proteins. Our body is a chemistry lab, not a bank account and the types of foods you eat cause specific hormonal responses that can harm or heal you.

 

3.  Stay hydrated. Water is a by-product of beta oxidation and you need it to burn fat!  If you are even slightly dehydrated you will lower your metabolism and you won't be able to perform at your peak.

 

4.  Make an oil change. The types of fats and oils you eat can dramatically impact your health.  Emphasize monounsaturated fats and omega 3 fats found in cold water fish, avocados, raw nuts and seeds (not peanuts) and olive oil.

 

5.  Eat foods rich in phyto-nutrients and antioxidants. Some of our favorites include red grapes, turmeric, sesame, tomatoes in olive oil, ginger, celery, rosemary, saffron, garlic, cherries, berries, cabbage, umbelliferous vegetables, green tea, freshly ground flax seed meal (not oil) and licorice. Live food is best. 

 

6.  Avoid health destructive foods and toxic chemicals -

  - pro-inflammatory and rancid fats including - corn, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed oils, all margarine, trans fats and fried foods.

  - hormones and additives in meats, chicken and eggs

  - farm raised fish treated with additives, hormones and unhealthy feed ( buy wild caught fish )

  - alcohol and caffeine

  - Processed foods

  - refined and simple sugars, high glycemic load foods including fruit juice, white flour, etc.

  - Iron fortified cereals (and vitamins)

  - Soda

  - Drugs - OTC or prescribed (sulfur, mercury, thermisol etc)

  

7.  You cannot supplement a poor diet to make it healthy. It is virtually impossible to get all of the nutrients you need even in the most healthy and balanced diet. Use supplements to enhance a healthy diet to make it optimal.

 

Supplements nearly everyone needs include a pharmaceutical grade multiple (make sure it includes 800 mcg of folic acid) taken 2 x's per day, omega 3 essential fatty acids and minerals, especially magnesium.

 

8.  Balance your hormone responses. Think of your body like as chemistry lab; eat, work, exercise, rest and play to support appropriate hormone responses of growth hormone, cortisol, adrenaline and insulin.

 

9.  Avoid toxic exposure - eat organic, use environmentally friendly household products, filter your air and water.  It is estimated that 80% of all cancers are from tobacco, nutrition and environmental carcinogens.  Add houseplants to reduce the chemicals in the air.  Some of the best are Areca Palms, Lady Palms, English Ivy, Boston Ferns, Rubber Plants.  2-3 per 100 feet.

 

10.  Exercise, like nutrition and supplementation, is dose dependent. You must make sure you are doing the right amount of each to ensure optimal results. Too much can have a negative effect as too little. There are 3 types of exercise; adaptive (resistance training), calming (flexibility/core exercises) and stimulating (cardio). Which type, how much of it and at what intensity depends on your  metabolism type.

 

11.  Maintain your ideal body fat percentage and remember you must be healthy to lose body fat and increase lean muscle mass. Test your body fat percentage vs. testing your weight regularly.

 

12.  Take time out for fun and get adequate rest. Laughing and smiling changes your brain chemistry for the better. Mindful exercise like yoga and aerobics have been shown to enhance the immune system. Do not eat 3 hours before bedtime so the body can put its efforts into repair vs. digestion.

 

13.  Regular Chiropractic Care: Research demonstrates your nervous system controls all body function - your immune system, glandular system, circulatory system, digestive system, elimination system, and musculoskeletal system. Regular chiropractic care is the foundation for optimizing health and assisting the body in restoring health, maintaining and maximizing function.

Follow these simple steps to  maintain your own health and those of your loved ones.

Benzene In Soft Drinks

The FDA has acknowledged that benzene, a carcinogen, has been found in U.S. soft drinks at four times the limit considered safe for drinking water.

This contradicts earlier FDA statements that the levels of benzene were insignificant. Organizations such as the Environmental Working Group have accused the FDA of concealing information about benzene in soft drinks.  Benzene has been linked to leukemia. It can form in soft drinks made with vitamin C and sodium or potassium benzoate.

Beverage Daily.Com  April 19, 2006

Many do not realize that today sodas are the leading source of calories in America. This is a tragic commentary on American dietary habits. Additionally, diet drinks do NOT cause weight loss, but invariably will actually DOUBLE your risks of obesity. This new report is not surprising as extremely high levels of benzene were found in soft drinks distributed in France and the UK. This shouldn't be a big surprise to the soft drink industry, considering how long they've known about the chemical reaction that produces benzene.

But despite that, manufacturers have been putting vitamin C (ascorbic acid) back into their products lately, hoping parents will be fooled into buying vitamin‑C‑enhanced "health drinks" that give the appearance of being far healthier than they actually are.

But benzene is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to soft drinks. One of the simplest changes you can make to optimize your health is to start the process to stop drinking soda immediately. This is especially important if you are consuming diet sodas, as they are FAR more toxic than regular sodas.

If you are consuming large amounts soda you will want to gradually reduce it to minimize your withdrawal symptoms, which can be quite severe if you are consuming caffeinated sodas.

If you really want to do what's best for your health, stick to pure water as your beverage of choice.

Life Is About Choices

As I enter the winter of my life, I wonder of tales told of how your life flashes before you in those final moments. Presume for a moment seeing your life history is real, and that you will see your life unfold from youth to the end point. I've often wondered how mine would visualized.

Most people believe that their lives were born of circumstances, influenced by fate and created and controlled by family or the workplace. They even believe that they are not important, only a victim of the times.

I've been taught that life is not something that merely happens to you, it is something that you do! Life is not given to us to be endured, but to be lived! Often times I wish I adhered more to that philosophy.

We are unique among all the creatures on earth by being able to direct and control our lives and decide our own fate. Our thoughts and actions are not predetermined by blind instinct. They are of free will and free choices. We can choose to be different or we can choose to remain the same. We can grow and develop into anything we wish, or we can choose to remain stagnate. We can, at any time, choose new paths or we can tread the familiar, safe and uninspiring ground of tradition.

Life is always a series of choices. We can choose to let life drift along with no direction, plan or goals. Sometimes we wander and allow chance to take hold, only to find out that was a bad decision, usually based upon emotion. Or, you can choose where you wish to go, program your life with a plan and objective in mind directed at your ultimate target. The power to choose can be either fulfilling achievements or chasing rainbows.

You, at any time, can choose to change or rearrange their life. Should you follow that decision with positive action and effort, you can accomplish that change. It begins with thought ...

"There are no mistakes in life. Love yourself, trust your choices, and everything is possible."

 

Laughter - Best Medicine

Feeling out of sorts? Stressed out and depressed about life's frivolities? Watching and reading too much news and knee-jerk journalism? Remove yourself from that trite. If not, you'll probably end up on Zoloft or some other mind altering drug. LAUGH!

Find some kind of laughter in your day. Perhaps a friend that carries with them a contagious smile and attitude, or someone that provides a belly pain from the laughter they provide. Do it quickly, as the alternative is not pretty.

Smile and laughter are the healthy medicines that boost the immune system and triggers pleasure inducing neuro-chemicals in the brain. Research has shown that giggling and laughter, and other forms of humor have health enhancing properties.

Laughter lowers blood pressure, increases muscles range of motion and allows for an abundance of beta endorphins, which is the brain's morphine-like compounds, thus inducing a sense of euphoria. Research also shows the body's immune system is enhanced with laughter. Natural "killer cells" that destroy viruses and tumors increase during a state of merriment and high spirits.

Dr. Stanley Tan, an expert on laughter's effects on the nervous and endocrine systems, says humor provides a safety valve that shuts off the flow of stress hormones, which are the fight-or-flight compounds that come into play during times of stress, hostility and rage.

Often times it's difficult to smile and be witty when so much can be wrong in your world. The cure is laughter in any form, being mindful that no harm or threat should be displayed to others.

"If you laugh a lot, when you get older your wrinkles will be in the right places."

Things That Bring Happiness

Happiness is a great blessing. It takes many things and many people to make a happy life. Most importantly, happiness inspires others as nothing else will.

Life is real, life is earnest. Draper once stated, "WE do not know what the future may bring, but we do know what we can bring with us to the future.

Blessings that bring us greatest happiness are those that are shared with others. For example, wishing you happiness and a day without tears can bring you a plus in store for the coming years with the best of everything. The personal birthday cards I do personally do as much good for me as it does the recipient. As I do my cards, I tend to visualize the smile it may bring when opened.

Be a friend to your mate, yet be even more than a friend. No one can calculate the infinite debt of joy two married people owe to each other. It hurts if the spark dims, and worse if it cannot be illuminated once again.

There's a lot more joy in living then you find along the way a very special person whom you love more each and every day. That's why it's such a pleasure to greet and to express kind wishes for continued joy and endless happiness.

James Whitcomb Riley beautifully stated; "it's the songs you sing and the smiles you wear that's making the sunshine everywhere."

Life is not a selfish or private existence. It is meant to be cooperative, based upon sharing joys and sorrows and making the best of everything. Edwin Markham wrote;

There is a destiny that makes us brothers;

None go this life alone.

All we send into the life of others

Comes back into our own.

The question is, what are you sending into the lives of others. Is it peace, joy, and love, or is it resentment, trouble, and hate? Remember ... as you sow you also reap.

Persons often excuse their shortcomings saying they are ill, that pain and misery keep crowding into your life against their will, and pushing aside their genuine wishes for good. Not a good excuse at all, but rather whining instead of getting into action and committing to good health. Changing a woeful diet is a great start. And, joining a yoga class or fitness program can change a life forever. Plus you meet some incredible people along the way. Nice perk! And remember chiropractic, as it addresses your nervous and hormonal systems - a good thing to keep in check should you wish to remain healthy and active.

"Believe that you can do anything!"

Sunscreen Understood

A summertime sunscreen Q & A:

(1) Once applied, how long does it take sunscreen to thoroughly penetrate the skin to begin protection from UVB rays?
     Answer: Sunscreen protection begins about one hour after lotion has been applied

2) Once protection begins, how long does protection last when using sunscreen lotion with 30 SPF (sun protection factor)?
     Answer: "in general" an SPF 15 sunscreen provides 15 minutes of protection, while an SPF 30 gives about 30 minutes of protection.

3) Does waterproof sunscreen wash off when you go in the water?
     Answer: "Waterproof" sunscreen will in fact come off in water.

4) Does sunscreen prevent your skin from converting sunlight into vitamin D?
     Answer: Dermatologists and scientists have still not been able to determine if sunscreen interferes with the skin's production of vitamin D from sunlight exposure.

Sunscreen has often been referred to as the "The snake oil of the 21st Century."  However, it is wise to utilize contemporary sunscreen products for skin protection. Even some protection is better than none.

There are certain foods and supplements that everyone (and especially those who get a lot of sun exposure) should be consuming in abundance.

Vitamins C and E are very important to relieving stress to the skin. Research has stated that a folic acid deficiency is "a major contributor to skin cancer risk." Folic acid is destroyed rapidly by heat, cold, and exposure to light, including sunlight. So it's sunlight's destructive effect on folic acid in the skin, not the actual sun exposure itself, that accounts for a significant part of the skin cancer problem. Folic acid (along with vitamin B12 and zinc) is absolutely key to DNA reproduction and repair."

The best dietary sources of folic acid include spinach and other dark green vegetables, brewers yeast, lima beans, cantaloupe, watermelon, wheat germ, and liver from organically raised animals. In addition, supplementing with 1,000 mcg of folic acid daily is beneficial, and even more if you spend a good amount of time in the sun or have a family history of skin cancer.

"Sunscreen, like relationships, are useless except when applied properly."

Pregnancy & Low Back Pain

Chiropractic care for the pregnant woman can offer invaluable help when it comes to low back pain and discomfort. It’s hard enough for the pregnant woman to deal with the hormone changes associated with pregnancy, and there is no need to have to put up with low back pain or leg pain. Many women believe that low back pain is normal with pregnancy, and something that they simply have to cope with. Wrong!

Ironically, once the pain becomes too intense to deal with, is when the pregnant mother seeks help from the chiropractor. Expecting mothers are encouraged to see their chiropractor early during the stages of pregnancy. Experience in dealing with the pregnant patients is important, because they can offer many treatments and some great advice.

Besides getting pain relief, many women report that chiropractic care aids in the ease of delivery. Several research papers have been published on manipulative therapy for low back pain in pregnancy, and report great results (Diakow 1991, Epstein 1959, Parsons 1994) and specifically, manipulation of the sacroiliac joints (Berg 1988, Daikow 1991, Golightly 1982, Sandleer 1996, Sands 1959). Manipulation of the low back in pregnancy is a very low risk procedure (Daikow 1991, Hitchcock 1976, Philips 1995, Sandler 1996)

Hormones, specifically Relaxin, which peaks in the first trimester and at delivery is believed to soften the pelvic structures to allow for delivery is one of the causes indirectly for the low back pain. According to the research by Bookhout 1988, and Perkins 1998, the sooner the pregnant patient is treated, the better the opportunity for successful management. Other contributing causes being the altered bio-mechanics of the musculoskeletal system due to the developing fetus and its contribution to your altered center of gravity, in turn putting altered stress on the bio-structures.

The many options chiropractors have in treating the pregnant patient such as:

• Comfortable positioning for successful manipulation
• Safe manipulation techniques such as low force, instrument, muscle energy techniques, mobilization
• Soft tissue therapy including a variety of techniques usually applied to the varius muscles/tendons/ligaments surrounding the low back/pelvis/legs
• Physical therapies including moist heat, ice, massage
• Supportive devices such as low back supports designed especially for pregnancy
• Exercise instruction and recommendations
• Ergonomic and activity modifications

Get a referral from your OB/GYN physician who is educated to the value of chiropractic. And, speak to others that have benefited by chiropractic during pregnancy.

"I'm pregnant ... I'm uncomfortable ... I'm crabby!"

Bad Moods

You need to understand why you're really down. Everyone gets into bad moods, but eventually we get over them. The main reason we have trouble extracting ourselves from them more quickly is because oftentimes we're not aware of what's causing it.

The next time you get into a bad mood, try taking the following steps improve your mood. However, remember that you first have to figure out what’s causing it.

1. Guilt. Feeling even mildly guilty can have a huge impact on our mood. Forgetting someone’s birthday can make you feel bad even if you apologize. The best way to resolve guilty feelings is to atone for your actions. If you still feel bad about the missed birthday, take a few minutes to send a belated card or buy a small gift. They will appreciate the gesture and it makes you feel better.

2. Small rejections. Rejections are an extremely common emotional injury, especially in the age of social media. Facebook's "likes" cause many to feel bad if not acknowledged. It's very important not to take things personally. Actually it's a social media experiment for others to peruse. Again, a text and/or a phone call can clear up the questionable thoughts. Don't point out on Facebook type social media outlets your personal feeling or rejections. When you do ... ALL CAN SEE.

3. Outstanding tasks. Our mental to-do lists can sit in the back of our mind, nag at us, and bring down our mood. But you don’t have to complete every outstanding task to improve your mood. Studies have found that just making a plan for tackling tasks is sufficient to eliminate the mental nagging and improve your mood. So you decide when you’ll do the task, and watch your mood lighten.

4. Brooding. Many of us can get stuck replaying upsetting scenes that occurred days, weeks, or even months ago. When an upsetting visual continues in the back of your mind, use distraction techniques to reduce the intensity and frequency. Studies show that even a two-minute distraction is sufficient to disrupt the distressing thought and restore your mood.

5. Having a low self-esteem day. Like the proverbial bad hair day, sometimes we just wake up feeling bad about ourselves, for no apparent reason. Our self-esteem tends to fluctuate but it is also important to prop it up when it is low. Therefore, when your self-esteem is in a slump, do something to make you feel good about yourself. Exercise and release some much needed endorphins, or perhaps wear your favorite outfit. Even better, call someone who truly appreciates you and makes you feel good about who you are.

6. Fearing failure. We can worry about an upcoming sporting event, a work related project, or an important exam for days or even weeks beforehand. To get out of that fixation, focus on things that are within your control. Exercise, create support among peers by being supportive and encouraging of their work, making them more likely to be supportive of yours.

7. Feeling disconnected. Often times we can get so caught up in life that we neglect our emotional and social needs. Thus, we begin to feel disconnected from the people around us. To move past this feeling, give a loved one a call or take a break and play with your pet.

8. Getting caught up in small annoyances. As we go about our busy lives, small annoyances such as incorrect charges on a bill, cable service on the fritz, car stalling can become exaggerated and ruin our mood. To restore it, get perspective and remind yourself of the big picture. Most of the small annoyances are forgotten with days. Life affirmations are also an excellent example to reprogram the mind.

9. Hunger. Low blood sugar has an enormous impact both mentally and physically. Being hungry impacts our mood far more than we tend to realize. If it’s been a while since you last ate...have a snack.

10. Exhaustion. Children aren’t the only ones who get cranky when they’re tired. When adults don’t get enough sleep it significantly impacts our thinking, creativity, and especially our general mood. If you can, take a short nap. Even a brief nap can be sufficient to recharge your batteries and bump you out of the doldrums.

"I'm not in a bad mood, everyone else is just annoying."

It's Easy To Quit

Do you have a difficult task before you? It's easy to quit, but what then have you accomplished? Would you like to win in the game of life? Here's a heads up - a quitter never wins and a winner never quits. The game becomes fascinating as you learn to play it. Give it a try!

A simple objective observation regarding quitting is quite simple. It's easy to quit. Regardless of whether your objective happens to be too far away, or you're too tired to keep on going and you end up quitting half way there. Please, don't be that person. When life provides you a difficult task to perform, don't stop when the going gets tough. See the thing through. Especially see it through regarding your education. Education encourages others to look up to you as a role model.

It is so easy to quit. Any fool can explain to themselves or their friends why the struggle was vain. Grow a pair! It doesn't take brains when you start cutting loose from a difficult task to think up an excuse. There is always a plausible, soul-soothing lie on the tongue of the person who refuses to try. What a horrible self-enabling concept.

I may be singled out as insensitive regarding my remarks. And there are those who will state that I'm passing judgement without knowing the facts. And, if I was in there place, I would stop in my tracks and quit also. Probably NOT! Many people defend themselves by saying they're not lazy, or fearful, or stupid, or dull. Worst of all I hear that health will not allow them to keep up the pace. They claim their liver does not function properly, or they have constant headaches, or even their spine is in a quirk. They further claim that aspirin, tranquilizers and other drugs don't work to make them feel better. My goodness, how can those folks continue with pain and/or their back "gives them a fit." Yes, that is being condescending. Hey .... Grow a pair! Don't quit!

The bottom line is that people are just thinking up excuses while traveling down the certain road of failure. By quitting, you are simply treating the effects without seeking the cause of the turmoil, whether it be emotional or physical.

"When you feel like quitting, try to remember why you started."

Watching The Clock

There is virtue in watching the clock to see when to start work, but not much in watching it to see when to quit.

Time is the most important thing you possess because it is life itself. Time well used is a life well spent. Merely wasting time is living to no avail.

Should you be one who says, "I always allow myself plenty of time and even then I am often late?" Watch the clock and start on time. When you allow yourself added time, you waste it loitering, or by doing useless things until time slips away from you . As a result you find yourself rushing in the end, and sometimes you don't make it because of the habits of being slow. In the business world, being on time means arriving 15 minutes early.

Watch the clock. Time yourself. Know how long it takes to do a given task, a routine thing. Then make time count, be on schedule, or rearrange the schedule to fit you requirements but be ready on the hour or on the minute as the case may be. When you learn to do this, you remain relaxed because you are sure of yourself, thus you always seem to have plenty of time.

Relaxation is important for accomplishment and also for health. No one can do good work when they are tense and hurried, nor can the organs of your body function properly when you are all tied up inside with stress and anxiety. Learn to relax. Take it easy. Watch the clock and keep things moving in quiet routine, properly coordinated within and without. You will feel better if you do.

Have you even noticed how quietly your heart beats, some 72 times a minute? Also, the rhythm of breathing at about 16 times a minute, and how constant the temperature of you body remains at 98.6 degrees. Of course, each of these functions changes tempo as emergencies arise, but the rhythm and coordination remain steadfast because of an Innate Intelligence directs and controls function in unison through the medium of the nervous system.

Watch the clock, and when you find your pace is slowing down, see your chiropractor and enjoy a better life.

"Yesterday is but today's memory, and tomorrow is today's dream."

Start From Here

When I was a young boy, I often visited my great grandfather in Beaverton, Michigan. I was always curious and asking questions of many things. On one of those occasions, I wondered about the city's name. While sitting on the front porch of his farm, I asked, "What is this place called Beaverton known for?"

He smiled down on me and replied, "Well, young Jimmy, this is the starting point for any place in the world you desire to go."

How true this is in life. Whatever you want to be, wherever you want to go, start from here and start now. It is up to you to choose your destination and the mode of travel. You may wish to advance your education and go off to college or join the military to serve your country. It doesn't matter which path you choose, simply start from here.

You are created with many hidden talents. Those talents may remain in neutral, or you have the choice to awaken them. Start from here, from where you are and make yourself what you want to be. The degree of your success is determined by how much of yourself you put into your undertaking ... and especially how soon you start.

Some talents evolve slowly, but all talents must be encouraged, awakened, developed, practiced and trained. As you sow, so shall you reap; nothing more. The time to begin is here and now, wherever you may be. Take the first step with your objective in life clearly in mind. Keep on keeping on, and your goal will be reached.

There can always be obstacles in your way. Some of you may be  physically or emotionally "handicapped". Some may have chosen a lesser educational level in life, meaning you made that decision by choice or by life's dictate. So what! Many persons, both male and female, have faced life's hurdles, yet they have succeeded. They even utilized their stumbling block as a steppingstone.

Jimmy Durante had a big nose, Abraham Lincoln was not an attractive man and had no formal education. So what! They started from where they were and went to the top. And remember, as you strive for your goals, your physical and emotional well-being is performing at it's finest.

Try being a role model for yourself ... then you become a role model for others.

Sleep Challenges

We need to understand why we need a good night's sleep, and in the majority of cases, more of it. If you habitually stay up late at night, but still get up early, you must understand that you are doing more harm than good. Research has shown that sleeping five hours or less per night is associated with a significant increase in heart disease. A lack of sleep has also been associated with migraines and chronic pain.

College students who slept four hours of sleep for six night produced only 50 percent of the antibodies from their shot (NOT promoting flu shots here). There is significant evidence that sleep deprived people consume more calories and higher amounts of fat in their daily diets.

Studies also suggest five hours of sleep and sedentary lifestyle habits can bring a person to a pre-diabetic level in a matter of two weeks.

As we learn more about the human brain, we are beginning to get insight into sleep. Some of the latest statistics are:

Nearly 60 percent of adults report having sleep problems.

Only 37 percent get the recommended hours per night.

About half of sleep problems are stress related.

American filled 60 million prescriptions for sleeping pills last year.

"Laugh and world laughs with you; snore, and you sleep alone!"