Consumer Directed Health Plans

Consumer Directed Health Plans
By: Michael Ertel

[Word Count: 397 words] [Viewed: 159 time(s)] [Don't forget to rate this article]


Most of you have heard about “consumer directed health plans”. The Bush administration has been a strong supporter of this concept as a way to get a handle on soaring healthcare costs. The recent inaugeration of Mr. Bush signals that consumer directed health plans will increasingly make up a larger percentage of group medical plans over the next several years. In the past, consumer directed plan designs have taken on many forms: Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).

Many experts consider HRAs and HSAs to be the first generation of viable consumer directed health care products. HRAs are typically paired with a high-deductible health plan and are employer-funded Section 105 defined contribution plans. HSAs are the latest version of consumer directed health care plans. The core components of HSAs include a high deductible insurance product and a cash spending account. HSAs combine the pre-tax treatment of a FSA, the portability and roll-over characteristics of a 401(k), and the tax-free distributions of a Roth IRA.

One of the main goals of any consumer directed health plan should be to get the consumer more involved in both the cost and statistical outcomes of certain healthcare procedures. Informed healthcare consumers will make wise healthcare decisions and typically these decisions will result in both lower costs and improved quality.

Although the advantages of HRAs and HSAs can be substantial, employers will want to do their homework prior to setting them up. Effective implementation will require a clear understanding of the consumer directed healthcare plan that best fits your organization as well as the administrative requirements. Employee education will be essential. Companies will also need to look into how the creation of a HSA or HRA may affect their HIPAA medical privacy compliance requirements.

Just like most endeavors, the successful implementation of a HSA or HRA will greatly depend on how much research your organization does on the pro’s and con’s of each alternative. The type of consumer directed health plan that best fits your company will depend on a combination of your corporate structure as well as the overall objectives of your group health insurance plan.

Although consumer directed healthcare plans are becoming very familiar to human resource managers and other benefit professionals, remember that your employees and their dependents will need a substantial amount of education and communication.

About the Author:
Michael Ertel is the founder of http://www.MedicalInsuranceNow.com

which is a website that assists individuals and small business owners

by providing side by side comparisons of health insurance alternatives.
Read more articles by: Michael Ertel
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Why Does Health Insurance Cost So Much?

Why Does Health Insurance Cost So Much?
By: Michael Ertel

[Word Count: 245 words] [Viewed: 429 time(s)]


Why does health insurance cost so much? Year after year, many of the articles that appear in print detail the specific factors driving the cost of healthcare.

These factors include: general inflation, advances in drugs and other medical devices, rising hospital and doctor expenses, government mandates, increased consumer demand, litigation, fraud, and cost shifting.

The basic answer is that a magic bullet to solve the cost of insurance does not exist because the real difficulty is controlling the cost of healthcare. A simple way to dramatically decrease the dollars spent on healthcare is to reduce the demand for healthcare.

I have seen estimates that up to 40% of all healthcare related expenses result from preventable conditions. These preventable conditions are caused by lifestyle choices such as tobacco, obesity, stress, lack of exercise and poor diet.

Most of us, myself included, make lifestyle choices everyday that eventually increase our demand for healthcare. We are never going to be able to totally eliminate all lifestyle related healthcare costs. However, improved lifestyle choices would cause a dramatic reduction in demand. This would then result in a similar reduction in the dollars spent on healthcare.

Lower demand for healthcare would result in lower health insurance costs, increased productivity, and reduced absenteeism. If your organization has not done so already, your organizational leaders need to seriously consider the benefits of health promotion and disease prevention programs. Your return on investment will most likely be as high as 2:1 in the first year.

About the Author:
Michael Ertel the founder of http://www.MedicalInsuranceNow.com

which is a website that assists individuals and small business owners by providing side by side comparisons of health insurance alternatives.
Read more articles by: Michael Ertel
Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Happy Healthy Living

Happy Healthy Living

By Lentok Otai lentok [ 04/07/2007 ]
[ viewed 8 times ]

Because thin is now what is in, many people are looking for quick and easy ways to loose weight. There are hundreds of diet plans or exercise routines that are supposed to trim the fat in no time, but many of these methods can be unhealthy and can damage the body.

Over half of the United States is considered either overweight or obese, but there is no quick fix to this problem. Instead, those that are overweight need to focus on healthy eating and exercising habits. Good eating and exercise habits are also important for those who are not overweight, because it can help them to maintain a healthy weight and live a happy healthy life.

Eating healthy is key when either trying to lose weight or to stay healthy. Some diets limit certain foods such as dairy and whole grains, but they are actually necessary for good health. A healthy diet should consist of a variety of foods from the different food groups, with the exception of the fats and oils. All fats and oils should be consumed in small amounts, because they have little nutritional value and actually can have a negative effect on the human body.

Also consider what types of foods you are eating, because there are normally healthier alternatives. Although some fruit juices do contain a serving of fruit in them, they also contain added sugar, which adds calories and fat. Instead of drinking juice for a serving of fruit, eat an apple or orange. Also consider lean meats rather than those that are high in fat, such as substituting your morning bacon with some turkey sausage. It is important to eat a wide variety of foods, to ensure that they body is getting all of the essential vitamins and minerals it needs to stay healthy. Poor eating habits can cause cardiovascular problems, digestive problems, and even problems with the respiratory system.

Getting exercise on a daily basis is also very important for happy healthy living. Because most Americans can never find time to exercise, they become over weight and unhappy with themselves. It only takes about 20 minutes a day to get in a good exercise session, and it does great for the heart and the rest of the body. In order to maintain your weight, one must burn off as many calories as they are taking in each day. Simple tasks such as walking from room to room or putting away laundry does burn calories, but not enough to burn off an entire day’s calories. Exercise is important to burn off additional calories, and to also keep the muscles in shape. Exercising not only works out the muscles right under the skin, but also many organs, including the heart. Exercise can help to improve certain medical conditions such as diabetes or cardiovascular problems, as well as leave you feeling both healthy and energized. Although it can sometimes seem hard to find time to cook healthy meals and exercise each day, but only a little time can assure you that you will enjoy happy healthy living.

About the author:
Author : Otai
Article Source:http://www.happyhealthyliving.info/
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Health Insurance - Emergency

Health Insurance - Emergency

By Bob Taylor Taylor [ 05/07/2007 ]
[ viewed 4 times ]

If you really don’t want to find yourself in a tight financial situation as a result of an illness in the family, make sure that you have family health insurance coverage. Family health insurance coverage will take care of your financial obligations related to an illness in the family that you don’t really have to go broke trying to pay up your hospital bills.

Things happen when you least expect them to happen that if you don’t have any family health insurance, you could easily find yourself in a tight financial situation when the hospital bills started piling up. Medical costs are very expensive that a single illness in the family could technically wipe out a large portion of your savings in just matter of days.

You should be prepared for Emergency.
You will never know when you will need to bring members of your family to the hospital for treatments that it is always a good idea to be prepared.
To get the best deals available in the market, you have to do your homework and get as much information as you can from different health insurance companies. It is always a good idea to shop around first and try to find the best offers before you actually commit yourself to buy family health insurance policies.

Getting a family health insurance is not really difficult or very expensive. Of course there are family health insurance plans that are quite expensive but there are also those which are affordable.
Informations are easy to get of different insurance companies. Most of these companies have websites where you can find the information you need especially the services covered and the prices. If you have some questions about their services, you can always email them or give them a call request for a meeting with an insurance agent who could explain to you in the details the services of the company. Do shop around before you make any decision and compare prices.

http://www.preferedforms.com

About the author:
Believing in good balanced diet, taking vitamins and minerals. Daily exercise, yoga, stretching, breathing exercises, drinking enough water, meditation, relaxation, positive thinking, and trying to be happy.
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"Sicko" - The Future of American Healthcare
by Dr. Tim Langley

Let me start by saying I've never been a Michael Moore fan. Being a libertarian Conservative all my voting life, I've always been opposed to "Socialized" medicine. However, firsthand experience in the healthcare business for the last 17 years has shown me that our system of health care (much like our tax system and education system) is broken beyond repair.

Michael Moore's latest movie "Sicko" should be a wake-up call for insurance companies, the pharmaceutical industry and the AMA. The movie starts out showing what can happen to working class Americans without health insurance, citing the story of a man who cut off the tip of two fingers in a work accident. Because he had no insurance and would be paying cash, he was given the choice of having one fingertip replaced for $12,000 or the other for $60,000. What kind of choice could that possibly be? Of course, he chose to save the less expensive of the two.

The movie went on to show the fate of a couple who had worked all their life, bought insurance through their employers. Three heart attacks and a bout of cancer left the couple bankrupt and virtually homeless despite their insurance coverage.

The movie goes on to compare American health care systems and those in Canada, England and France. And while I was somewhat put off by Moore's veiled support of socialism, the viewer can only come to the conclusion that our and their health care systems don't compare very well.

Almost any American health care consumer will relate to the hassles of dealing with insurance companies, exclusions and long waits in the Emergency Room and wonder if there isn't a better way. Even respected medical journals report that Americans' have shorter lifespan, higher infant mortality rates and more cancer, heart disease and diabetes than the rest of the industrialized world. The final comparison of the care rendered to Guantanamo detainees and that give to three American volunteers at the 9/11 WTC site.

While one knows that "Sicko" was made with a bias in favor of a universal health care system, Moore makes the valid impression that the system is broken and, like Humpty Dumpty, can't be put back together again. As a healthcare provider, I've dealt firsthand with the Managed Care nonsense. The movie is not far off, at all.

As I mentioned earlier, I'm not a fan of big government solutions to market problems. However, the free market does NOT govern the American health care system. Between the AMA, the pharmaceutical cartel and the insurance industry, access to health care is limited. Not only does that put upward pressure on prices, but lends itself to market manipulation. The higher prices go the more consumers are forced to buy health insurance EVEN with ever-increasing premiums and routine reductions in coverage. It's a spiral that feeds on itself and will eventually lead to collapse.

For those who would say, "We can't afford universal health care", it should be noted that between Medicare and Medicaid we ALREADY have (almost) universal health care. The only group left out of America's government funded health care is a large percentage of the working class and the self-employed. Conservatives should take another look at a single-payer health care system for a variety of reasons. Rising health care costs is a major reason American business is less competitive in the global marketplace. Further, the aging baby boomer generation will soon be eligible for Medicare. When that happens, subsequent generations of Americans will demand either relief from the burden of paying for that extra care OR be included in the system themselves. My guess is that it will be both. The party that resolves THAT problem will probably rule the political roost for decades to come.

Michael Moore has hit the nail on the head. The American health care system is broken. The harder entrenched institutions try to limit the public's access to basic health care, the sooner and more certain will Americans' will demand a dramatic change in the way health care is delivered. The AMA should drop its resistance to alternative and complementary therapies.

Pharmaceutical companies should embrace the concept that American citizens should not pay more for their drugs than do citizens of other countries. Finally, the insurance industry should build long-term profitability by finding a way to cover as many Americans as possible, giving them access to any willing provider and open to alternative and complementary health care options. IF the market doesn't resolve this problem, it's an almost certainty the government will.

About the Author
Dr. Tim Langley is a chiropractor, economist and business consultant. He lives and practices in Marietta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. Dr. Langley writes on issues that relate to health, business, personal development, economic development and politics. He is also the developer of "The Membership Practice". You can find out more about Dr. Langley at his web site

http://www.langleychiropractic.com

or through his blog at http://drt

Mental Health

Mental Health

By David McEvoy
Article Word Count: 895 [View Summary] Comments (0)

What is it to have good mental health? At a basic level, mental health could be described as the absence of mental illness; however, the whole issue surrounding mental health and mental illness is highly complex and therefore what constitutes mental health is not easy to define. On saying that, we can describe mental health by referring to what might happen when we are not in good mental health, when we are suffering from some form of mental illness.

Here in the UK it is estimated that a quarter of the population will experience some kind of mental illness at some point in their lives. Mental illness can affect any one of us; it is indiscriminate of age, gender, and status. It can strike at any time, sometimes with warning and sometimes without. So how can you recognise if you are suffering from a mental illness?

How to recognise mental illness
Mental illness can manifest itself in many different ways and no two people will be affected in the same way to the same degree. Someone suffering from a mental illness may be mildly inconvenienced by their symptoms in their daily lives and yet others can be severely debilitated to the extent that they are unable to care for themselves or integrate into society at any level.

Recognising when someone is suffering from mental illness is important in order to get the right help but it can be difficult when the symptoms are mild or vague or when the individual themselves deny that anything is wrong. Basically, someone can be said to be suffering from a mental illness when they are experiencing alterations in their moods, in their behaviour and in how they think and feel about themselves and the world around them, or a combination of all of these, to such an extent that they become distressed or have an impaired ability to function normally on a day to day basis.

Some of the more commonly known ways that mental illness can affect our lives is in the form of depression, anxiety, compulsive disorders, phobias, panic disorders, bipolar or manic depression, schizophrenia and dementia. Even within these terms there are variations and subgroups and different degrees of severity. Mental illness on the whole is anything but straightforward; it is often misunderstood by family and friends and can be misdiagnosed if a full medical assessment is not made. It can be isolating for the individual, particularly as they may not understand what is happening to them and why they are behaving in a particular way.

What causes mental illness?
There is no single known cause of mental illness but instead combinations of factors appear to have an influence including psychological, biological and environmental conditions.

Mental illness appears to be more common in certain groups of people indicating that some circumstances can act as a trigger, for example, those living in poverty and poorer living conditions, those who are suffering from long term physical illnesses or disabilities, those from ethnic minorities and those in prison or other institutions. People who are addicted to substances or are dependent on alcohol are more likely to suffer from mental illness than those who are not and different types of mental illness seem to be more common to men or women.

Life changing events can also trigger a period of mental illness such as redundancy, bereavement and divorce and there is also a genetic aspect to it as those with a history of mental illness in their families have an increased risk of developing a mental illness themselves.

Recent research has also highlighted that a lack of Omega 3 fatty acids in the diet can increase the risk of developing certain types of mental illness.

Clearly, there are many influences involved so it isn't possible to identify who is going to develop a mental illness and who is not and each and every one of us could find ourselves suffering from some form of mental illness at any point throughout the course of our lives.

Getting help
The good news is that regardless of the type of mental illness, there is help available but the biggest step to recovery is first of all recognising that there is a problem in the first place. Many people feel that to admit to not coping or that they might be suffering from some form of mental illness is a sign of weakness or failure, and fear of stigmatisation, lack of understanding and knowledge, and of course denial, can effectively prevent many people from seeking help.

However, it is essential that help is sought because mental illness doesn't just go away and without help, the symptoms can persist for months or years causing a great deal of unnecessary suffering and distress for the individual.

The first point of contact is your doctor who will be able to make an initial assessment and advise you on the options available for treatment and guide you towards any other support groups or therapies that might be available. With the right help from the medical profession and with support from family and friends, most forms of mental illness can be beaten completely and normal life can resume once again. Even in the most severe cases, with a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment, it is possible to dramatically reduce the severity of symptoms and make a real improvement to quality of life.

Depression and anxiety are serious mental health conditions that can strike anyone at anytime. For more information about depression and self help come and visit our site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_McEvoy

A Healthy Lifestyle Requires a Healthy Home

A Healthy Lifestyle Requires a Healthy Home
By James Wilmer
Article Word Count: 965 [View Summary] Comments (0)

In order to support a healthy lifestyle, one must think about more than eating right, regular exercise and taking vitamin supplements. A healthy body needs a healthy home to give it the all-around support that complements a healthy lifestyle - and choosing green cleaning products can help.

Using harsh chemicals to clean contributes to unhealthy air in the home, not to mention a mixture of dangerous chemicals ending up in the septic system or the city sewage system. Increasing importance is being made of using green cleaning products because of the concerns over the health of our Earth. But, people need to realize starting their environmental efforts at home is the best way to make a significant difference toward establishing a healthy lifestyle.

Different types of natural products often work better than harsh chemical cleansers and by doing so naturally, the environment will stay green longer. Thus the reason green cleaning is becoming so popular for those committed to a healthy lifestyle.

Many of the more effective green cleaning products that contribute to a healthy lifestyle are those made with enzymes and bacteria that safely and effectively remove organic stains and odors. Grass, berry juices, blood and wine are perfect examples of organic stains that are difficult to remove. Besides working on stains, using all-natural enzymatic cleaners can actually break down organic odor-producing molecules. These types of green cleaning products work on stains and odors by attaching to the contaminant and breaking it into two separate molecules, and therefore changing its chemical structure. The stain or odor molecule is degraded and no longer has the characteristics that made it a stain or an odor.

Enzymatic cleaners have unlimited uses for supporting a healthy lifestyle, from removing odors caused by smoke, restrooms, trashcans, litter boxes, nursery pails, kennels, etc. to removing stains, and all without dangerous chemicals. The benefits of these green cleaning products are obvious and include not having toxic odors in the house from cleaning chemicals that are dangerous to inhale as well as to have on your skin or in your eyes. Also, you are keeping your septic system in better shape as well as your pipes that lead to it. More importantly, you don't have to worry about residue from harsh cleansers affecting your healthy lifestyle, or that of your family or pets.

Other enzyme green cleaning products can be used specifically to break down the waste in septic systems. For those people who have a septic tank in their yard, if they have ever had to have it pumped, they know how expensive and frustrating it can be. Using a waste degrader that not only uses enzymes, but living bacteria, is a safe and extremely effective way to consume liquefied waste, converting it into inert compounds like water, carbon dioxide, and minimal solids, and protecting one's healthy lifestyle. Organic wastes are things like cooking oils and grease, body oils that come off in the shower or bath, and sewage from bathrooms. Biodegrading this waste is a simple, safe and cost effective way to prevent septic tank and drain field problems from arising.

Also, what can you do about antifreeze, transmission oil, power steering fluid, and motor oil leaks on your driveway and garage floor? The typical cleaning solvents that are used are harsh, highly alkaline soaps and hydrocarbon-based cleaners that are not compatible with a healthy lifestyle. These solvents are toxic to humans, and once the leak is cleaned up, the toxin-soaked rags are pitched into a waste can or bagged for disposal in a landfill. In effect then, the problem is being transferred initially to a different location in your home (hold your breath!), only later to be deposited in a landfill at great long-term expense to the public. Enzyme and bacterial green cleaning products offer a solution to degrade the automotive fluids safely and effectively. The problem is solved (or "dissolved and degraded") at home and can be washed away with a little normal dish detergent and water.

Green cleaning products using enzymes can also be used in pools and spas. They emulsify and digest skin oils, suntan lotions and other organic contaminants, keeping the water clear and eliminating the host environment or substrate that would allow the algae to grow. Using enzymes in this way enhances a healthy lifestyle by reducing the amount of chemicals, such as chlorine, needed to keep the water clean and in turn helps to diminish the side effects of using those chemicals such as stinging, watery eyes and itchy dry skin. Plus, the use of an enzyme-based green cleaning routine assists in keeping the filter lines clear and by following this green approach can save the consumer money and time.

Another use for a green cleaning system involving enzymes and bacteria that isn't commonly known is as soil conditioners for lawns and gardens. Using fertilizers yearly is, simply put, a waste of time and money - and can impact a healthy lifestyle in a negative way. This is not to mention the run-off that goes into the streams, rivers and lakes that supply drinking water. By using a soil conditioner (enzymes and surfactants derived from bacteria), you can aerate and oxygenate the soil in turn, breaking down the complex nutrients, feeding the plants and grass by making the nutrients easily assimilated by the roots.

Enzymes are created naturally in the human body, animals, plants, and bacteria. Nature has been using them for billions of years, and now we know how effective and safe they can be for our day-to-day lives. So the next time you are shopping, take the time to read some labels and educate yourself about safe, natural cleaning products. With so many 'green cleaning' products becoming available, you are sure to find what you need to complement your healthy lifestyle.

About the Author

James L. Wilmer, Ph. D., is the director of scientific affairs for Market America; he previously served as the head of the Product Information department for the internet shopping company. Wilmer has published 43 peer-reviewed research articles in international publications including Cancer Research, Mutation Research, Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Cell Genetics and Cytogenetics, Environmental Mutagenesis, Toxicology Letters, In Vitro Toxicology, and the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. For more information about Market America, please visit www.marketamerica.com.
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Drink Your Way To Good Health

Drink Your Way To Good Health

By Steven Godlewski
Article Word Count: 441 [View Summary] Comments (0)

If you really want to have great health, you can drink your way to it. Water is the substance of life. The majority of people on earth are dehydrated, and they don't even realize it. In fact, nutritionists report that about 80% of the people on earth are dehydrated. Before you assume that you are not in that group, because you don't feel thirsty, you need to realize that thirst really has nothing to do with dehydration.

You may also believe that you get enough water because you drink beverages that have water as an ingredient, such as coffee, tea, and sodas. Even though these beverages are made with water, when they are ingested, they actually cause us to lose water! You don't need other beverages - what you need is water. Those other beverages should be a once-in-a-while thing, not a daily thing!

Even though we can't survive under water, we are water oriented. 70% of the earth is covered by water, and two-thirds of our bodies consist of water. Approximately 83% of our blood is water, 75% of our muscles are water, 22% of our bones are water, and 74% of our brains are water. Our brains even float around in water!

With these percentages, it should be obvious as to why we require water to live. The water in our bodies is lost every minute of every day - through sweat, tears, and urination - and simply through our pores. You are losing water right now, at this very moment, and it needs to be replaced.

If you increase your water intake to eight glasses per day, in about a week's time, you will notice that you have more energy, your mind is clearer, your skin is healthier, and your food digests easier. Water will help you lose weight, remove toxins from your body, and help you absorb nutrients and vitamins.

Not just any water will do, however. You should avoid drinking tap water. Go with bottled water that has been purified or better yet, choose bottled spring water that is all natural. Tap water generally is full of toxins that you don't want in your body.

Furthermore, aside from your daily eight glasses of water, you should drink one glass of water for every cup of coffee or tea you have, as well as for every soda, and one glass of water for every cigarette you smoke - if you do smoke, and one glass of water for every glass of an alcoholic drink that you have. If you have unhealthy habits, you may find yourself drinking a great deal of water each day to combat the ill effects of those unhealthy habits!

Steven Godlewski is a self-made millionaire and is currently working with Life Force International products.

He has an extensive background in nutrition as well as other health related fields.

For more health-related articles and a FREE bottle of Liquid Vitamins see their website at:

http://www.pillfreevitamins.com
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Women and Healthy Diets

Women and Healthy Diets

By Michelle Van Otten
Article Word Count: 402 [View Summary] Comments (0)

In today's modern world, women and healthy diets don't seem to be making time for each other. Whether women are busier now or diets are simply more complicated, that may never be fully understood. What people do understand right now is that women and healthy diets are connected in ways that will affect their future health.

Excuses that Women Use... All the Time

If you were honest with yourself, the link between women and healthy diets is something you already know. However, you might be suffering from these normal excuses:
- I just don't have the time to (insert healthy habit here)
- I'm working longer hours
- I'm too tired to cook
- I deserve some 'naughty' foods for working so hard
- I don't want to make separate foods for myself and for my family
- Healthy food doesn't taste good

But with each excuse, you are pushing yourself further and further away from health and fitness. This is the time to realize that excuses are just that... excuses!

Creating New Habits Instead
What most women don't realize is that good health doesn't have to take up a lot of time. By simply looking for ways to increase the nutrition in each day, women and healthy diets can work together – without being inconvenient.

- Try adding a multivitamin to each day to ensure you're getting the nutrition you need
- Add one piece of fruit as an afternoon snack
- Add vegetables to every meal
- Cut down to one drink a day
- Try to drink more water each day
- Let yourself cheat once a week, or have a smaller treat everyday

When you begin to look at your health as being a series of small steps in the right direction, you can see that it's not that hard or time consuming to start looking after yourself.

Convenience Will Win in the End

Many healthy women and healthy diets they choose are based on convenience. Here are some ways that you can add convenience to your menu:
- Try healthy frozen dinners when you don't have a lot of time
- Cook once a week, freeze the meals in single serve portions and reheat as needed
- Try prepackaged salads and sandwiches
- Pack your foods the night before
- Only go to restaurants with healthy choices

Good and healthy doesn't have to mean that you're sacrificing the rest of your life. These changes can apply to all women and healthy diets can affect all women's lives.

Michelle Van Otten is the founder and owner of Ultimate Body Potential located in Los Gatos, Ca. UBP offers personal training in Los Gatos, fitness classes, outdoor fitness bootcamps and much more.

To learn more and sign up for lots of free information please visit

http://www.ultimatebodypotential.com
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Alternative Health Care - Healing The Natural Way

Alternative Health Care - Healing The Natural Way

By Wade Robins
Article Word Count: 543 [View Summary] Comments (0)

Medicine is developing every day and there are more and more new cures for various problems coming through as we speak. Within fifty years, there is likely to be a medicinal cure for the majority of diseases in the world, which can be no bad thing. But just think what you are pumping into your body at the moment. Every time you get sick, you will more often than not go to the doctor. He or she will prescribe you with a variety of pills and potions, designed to make you better. If I asked you what those pills and potions contain though, you would have no idea. Companies producing them make billions of dollars every year, but do they really care what our individual health is like? I doubt it! Anyone who is sick may therefore want to look into alternative health care for the answer.

If you do get sick and look into alternative health care, you will find that there are a number of cures for any given ailment and you just have to find the best possible one for you at any given time. For example, some of the ingredients may not suit you in one remedy, but you would still have several more to choose from, depending on the branch of alternative health care that you choose to investigate. Alternative health care will offer a cure that is completely natural almost every time. From potions and lotions to aromatherapy, acupuncture and massage, there is guaranteed to be something for you out there!

There are a number of alternative health care branches that come from all over the world and have had proven results in the past. In fact, most of them are ancient. You just have to look at the traditions of China and other Eastern countries to see that. Various cures have been evolved and used over periods of time totalling thousands of years and will varying degrees of success over those years, but the alternative health care solutions they offer now have been tested and proved to work. In fact, some experts and professionals argue that the cures from back then are better than the medication that general practitioners use today.

Alternative health care looks after the body whilst you are ill as well as working to prevent ailments by offering ongoing treatment like massage and acupuncture, for individuals that may have forms of arthritis for example. Eastern alternative health care actually serves to heal the body and the spirit so you feel much better for it in yourself – from the inside out!

Some forms of alternative health care do utilize ingredients that are hard to get hold of because they are rare or come from remote locations all over the world. As a result, they can be extremely expensive. However, they are no more expensive than the medications we all pay for to get well again anyway. There is no real difference; apart from the one you will feel after undergoing a course of treatment from alternative health care practitioners and the general ones that we are already used to. When the daily stresses and strains that we undergo get on top of you again, try alternative health care. You have absolutely nothing to lose!

You can also find more info on Affordable Health Care

and Health Care Insurance.

Tophealthcarehelp.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Health Care.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wade_Robins

A Healthier Lifestyle

A Healthier Lifestyle

By Bob Taylor Taylor [ 21/06/2007 ]
[ viewed 3 times ]

There is no better way to learn about how to be healthier then at a health spa.

Many health spas have special focuses on weight loss. These spas offer customized menus, professional trainers and other therapies and procedures to help kick off a persons weight loss. There is a focus on good diet and exercise during a weight loss spa visit. The goal is to help a person learn how to eat and exercise to reach their goal and how to maintain their weight once their goal has been met.

A health spa is a great way to jump start your quest for a healthier lifestyle. Health spas are created to help people meet their health goals. They offer a range of activities and procedures which all aim to make a person healthier. They are staffed with knowledgeable and trained professionals that act as guides and teachers throughout the spa experience.

A health spa retreat can occur over a weekend or be a vacation that lasts for a week or more. No matter the length of the stay, the spa usually has everything arranged so that the person can enjoy the full benefits they have to offer. The spa will create a personalized schedule that the person follows during their stay. The schedule will be tailored to the persons personal goals.

A health spa can also be about relaxation and some sort of relaxing experience is included in the stay. Usually this involves a massage, a facial or other pampering procedure. Spas are known as being a place where a person can focus and get away from daily demands. Spa retreats are all about taking time for oneself and leaving to do lists and other demands behind.

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About the author:
Believing in good balanced diet, taking vitamins and minerals. Daily exercise, yoga, stretching, breathing exercises, drinking enough water, meditation, relaxation, positive thinking, and trying to be happy.
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Smart Healthcare Consumers Turning to Health Savings Accounts

Smart Healthcare Consumers Turning to Health Savings Accounts

By Wiley Long [ 22/06/2007 ]
[ viewed 4 times ]

"Consumer driven healthcare" is the name that has been given to the change that is currently happening in the medical marketplace. As millions of people get Health Savings Accounts, medical providers are having to adapt to the new reality of people spending their own money when purchasing healthcare. As more companies compete for your business, the opportunities to save money will continue to grow.

Since the advent of employer-sponsored health insurance during World War II, the pricing and quality of medical services has been shrouded in mystery. As the real price for computers, organic food, big-screen TV's, and just about everything else has continued to drop (including health services where there is not a third party payer, such as laser eye surgery, contact lenses, over the counter medication), the price of healthcare has continued to rise. But that is finally beginning to change. And you, fellow HSA-owners, are the reason.

To gain a competitive advantage, healthcare providers have traditionally attempted to grow local market share in an attempt to extract higher payments from insurance companies. But since Health Savings Account owners have the ability to accumulate unspent funds and invest them tax-free, those of us with a Health Savings Account have a strong incentive to avoid unnecessary care, and to be more cost conscious when we seek treatment.

There are now billions of dollars in Health Savings Accounts, and healthcare providers want access to that money. And since you control it (instead of the insurance company), the only way for the provider or retailer to get that money is to offer you high quality care at a price you are willing to pay. And dozens of companies are doing just that.

The Market Responds
One obvious response to the consumer-driven healthcare movement is the proliferation of quick-service medical clinics. These clinics, which require no appointment and typically charge less than $50, offer a low-cost way to diagnose and treat strep throat, bronchitis, pink eye, and other common ailments. MinuteClinic operates dozens of locations in Target, Cub Foods, and CVS Pharmacy stores. Wal-mart, which currently has 75 in-store clinics in 12 states, is forecasting more than 6,600 in-store medical clinics will be open in retail stores within 5 years.

Diagnostic labs, which have traditionally sold their services to physician's offices, are now offering tests directly to the public at prices often 70% less than you would pay at a doctor's office. With most you can order the test online, go give blood, and get your results in a couple days.

Companies are even providing self-testing services and devices which can enable you to avoid going to the doctor when minor medical events occur. One of the most common reasons kids see a doctor is because of a possible ear infection. For about $50 you can buy an EarCheck Middle Ear Monitor. This uses sonar to test for fluid behind the eardrum, which may indicate an infection. "The QuickVue Strep Test" which costs less than $4 per test in a pack of 25, can quickly help you determine if your child has a strep infection, which would require a doctor's visit, from a common viral infection, which would not.

Demand Price Transparency
Health Savings Accounts reward personal responsibility in three ways: 1) they reward you with tax-breaks for putting money aside to cover future medical expenses; 2) they reward you for taking care of your health by enabling you to grow your account; and 3) they reward you for being a cost-conscious and discerning consumer.

So be a discerning consumer, and spend your money wisely. Remember that the doctors and healthcare providers you see work for you. If you don't get the quality of service or a fair price, take your business elsewhere. Here are some common sense suggestions to make sure you do get a good price:

1. Ask how much it will cost, before you buy. There is nothing else that you buy without knowing the price up front, so don't feel intimidated to ask your doctor the same.
2. Review your bill before paying it. You might be shocked how often extra charges are "accidentally" tacked on to hospital bills.
3. Ask for a cash discount. To avoid the hassles of filing for insurance and trying to collect past-due charges, most physicians will gladly offer a cash discount if you ask.
4. Explain that you will be paying out of your own pocket. When a doctor is prescribing tests or writing prescriptions, he or she is rarely taking cost into consideration. The American Journal of Preventive Medicine recently reported that up to $63 billion in medically unnecessary tests are ordered every year.
5. Vow never to pay list fees. Doctors and hospitals routinely discount their services to insurance companies and PPO organizations. As a cash-paying customer, you should get the best price available.

For many years, a small group of health economists and other policy-makers pushed for a more market-based approach to healthcare. They correctly argued that healthcare was like any other market and that if you put a true price on health care services and let the market function, costs could be controlled. We are now beginning to see this happen.

Our healthcare system is the best in the world. It is a dynamic and complex work in progress, which can only get better as the consumer gets involved. So be savvy about how you spend your healthcare dollar. And watch those unspent funds in your Health Savings Account continue to grow.

The Medicare Trust Fund will soon be out of money, and there will be no practical way for the government to continue to provide the level of benefits that current Medicare recipients receive. The result will be serious rations, waiting periods, and a reduction in benefits. If you wish to maintain your medical freedom, and have access to a high level of medical service, you must be prepared to pay for it yourself. The best strategy is to take good care of your health, and to build up your medical retirement fund as large as possible by using a Health Savings Account.
About the author:
y Wiley Long - President, HSA for America (http://www.health--savings--accounts.com) - The nation's leading independent health insurance firm specializing in individual and family coverage that works with a Health Savings Account.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Enough Vitamin C

You May Not Be Getting Enough Vitamin C!

by: Darrell Miller

Vitamin C is the most well known and the most commonly ingested supplement on the market. If you aren’t taking vitamin C as a supplement you have encountered it in other forms such as foods, beverages and candies. Vitamin C has the amazing ability to fight free radical damage in the body. Society today does not consume enough vitamin C and this is causing a lot of damage in the body. For example, by taking 1000mg – 2000mg every day for adults and 500mg every day for children, Americans could cut there doctor bills in half. Vitamin C has been known to reduce fatigue, aches, pains, asthma, colds, flue, and hay fever to name a few. Vitamin C can reduce these aches and pains by reducing free radicals in the body. One way a free radical is created is by breathing oxygen. In the body, oxygen can loose an electron and become unstable called a free radical. The free radical looks for a replacement electron and can attach to any healthy cell in the body causing damage to cells. Vitamin C has electrons it can donate and stabilize the free radical rendering the free radical harmless which can then be excreted out of the body safely. The U.S. Government has set a minimum standard for all vitamins and minerals. The standard is called the recommended daily allowance (RDA). I would like to call it the minimum recommended daily allowance because the standard has been set to a minimum to prevent disease.

The RDA has been set way to low and people today need to remove the misleading notion that you shouldn’t take more than this standard. Remember the RDA is a minimum standard to prevent scurvy, which is a nasty skin disorder caused from the lack of Vitamin C in the diet. The recommended therapeutic dose of vitamin C for asthma is starting at 1000mg per day and reach as high as 10,000mg or 10 grams per day. Vitamin C is a great antihistamine and a great antioxidant for the lungs. As blood levels of vitamin C drop histamine levels increase and one can become more prone to allergic reactions, rhinitis (Chronic nasal drip) and asthma attacks. If you suffer from any of these symptoms give vitamin C a try. Take vitamin C at a dose of 1000mg or more for three days straight and watch how your symptoms clear up. There are a dozen human studies showing how vitamin C can improve lung function by taking only 1000mg per day. (1-6) Poor dietary habits are largely to blame for chronic asthma in adults. Adults and children need to consume more raw fruits and vegetables. It is estimated that 20 – 30 percent of Americans consume as little vitamin C as 40mg per day which is below the RDA recommended minimum daily dose. (7-9)

Vitamin C can lessen the severity and incidence of a cold. Research is still out on this subject because they do not use enough vitamin C to be effective for treatment of cold and flu. In high enough doses vitamin C can normalize and boost the immune system. To prevent colds and flu in adults and children one should consume 1000mg per day or ideally 2000mg per day. In several studies 1000mg was given and the duration of the cold was reduced by 6 percent. In another study the dose was 2000mg and the duration of the cold was reduced by 26 percent. (10)

Sever stress, cold weather, and intense athletic training increase the vitamin C requirements of the body. Nine studies with military personnel under heavy exertion experienced a 45 – 91 percent reduction in colds for the men receiving the vitamin C. (11) If you are fighting a cold take 1000 – 5000 milligrams per day spread 3 to 4 times in that day at the onset of cold symptoms. Vitamin C is available in various forms, capsules, tablets and powders.

If you have ever ventured into a vitamin store you know there is quite a selection of vitamin C on the shelves. You might be wondering which one is best for me? Is it ascorbic acid, buffered sodium ascorbate, ester C, or Ascorbyl Palmitate? You will find that ascorbic acid is the least expensive form of vitamin C available on the market. Most individuals will be perfectly fine with consuming large doses of ascorbic acid daily. Ascorbic acid tends to increase stomach acid and can cause some individuals to have an upset stomach. If you have a sensitive stomach then buffered sodium ascorbate or ester C is what one would be looking for. These forms of vitamin C are neutral non acidic and 99% of individuals can take this with out any side effects at any dose. All the previous forms of Vitamin C are water soluble and eliminate out of the body within a few hours, but Ascorbyl Palmitate is different. Ascorbyl Palmitate is a fat soluble form of vitamin C and can even pass the blood brain barrier. Research suggests that this form of vitamin C is more effective of an antioxidant protecting lipids (fats) then water soluble vitamin C. The fact that Ascorbyl Palmitate can pass the blood brain barrier makes it a great antioxidant for the brain. No matter which form of vitamin C you choose, make sure you take at least 1000mgs each day for better health.

References:
1. Ezzo J (2005) From asthma and Alzheimer’s: Cochrane vitamin reviews cover an array of topics. J Altern Complement Med 11, 213-216.
2 .Fogarty A, Lewis SA, Scrivener S, et al. (2006) Corticosteroid sparing effects of vitamin C and magnesium in asthma: a randomized trial. Respir Med 100, 174-179.
3. Ram FS, Rowe BH, Kaur B (2004). Vitamin C supplementation for asthma. Cochrane Database syst. Rev (3), CD00093
4. Boskabady MH, Ziaei T (2003). Effect of ascorbic acid on airway responsiveness in ovalbumin sensitized guinea pigs. Respirology 8, 473-478.
5. Fogarty A, Lewis SA, Scrivener SL (2003). Oral magnesium and vitamin C supplements in asthma: a parallel group randomized placebo-controlled trial. Clin Exp Alergy 33, 1355-1359.
6. Ochs-Balcom HM, Grant BJ, Muti P et al. (2006). Antioxidants, oxidative stress, and pulmonary function in individuals diagnosed with asthma or COPD. Eu J Clin Nutr 60, 991-999.
7. Johnston CS, Corte C (1999). People with marginal vitamin C status are at high risk of developing vitamin C deficiency. J Am Dietetic Assoc 99, 854-856.
8. Hampl JS, Taylor CA, Johnston CS (2004). Vitamin C deficiency and depletion in the United States: the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988 to 1994. Am J Public Health 94, 870-875.
9. Taylor CA, Hampl JS, Johnston CS (2000). Low intakes of vegetables and fruits, especially citrus fruits, lead to inadequate vitamin C intake among adults. Eur J Clin Nutr 54, 573-578.
10. Hemila H (1999). Vitamin C supplementation and common cold symptoms: factors affecting the magnitude of the benefit. Med Hypotheses 52, 171-178.
11. Hemila H (2004). Vitamin C supplementation and respiratory infections: a systematic review. Mil Med 169, 920-925.

The Natural Way to Heal Cancer

The Natural Way to Heal Cancer

by: Dr Laurence Magne

Is it possible to control and influence rate at which injuries, wounds and even cancer heal? That’s the question a group of researchers from the Ohio State University asked when they decided to observe wound healing rates in a group of exercising older adults in comparison to that of a non-exercising control group.

This three-month study looked at the effects of exercise on wound healing among healthy older adults. All participants had not exercised regularly for six months, so the 28 participants who were encouraged to exercise were given one month to acclimatize to a new exercise program that included 30 minutes of pedaling on a stationary bike, 15 minutes jogging or brisk walking on a treadmill, and 15 minutes of strength training. Fifteen participants acted as controls by not changing their level of physical activity. All then underwent a small puncture wound about half a centimeter across and deep on the back of the upper arm. Individual wounds were measured three times a week until fully healed. Regular exercisers took only 29 days to heal, while non-exercisers took up to 10 days longer to recover. From these results, researchers have speculated that exercise may speed wound healing by enhancing neuron-endocrine function, meaning that stronger individuals have a higher body funct!

ion that helps the body heal wounds and cancer faster.

The point of this study is not that exercise is important. It is now acknowledged as an important factor in maintaining health. The main point is that even moderate exercise can improve the time to recover in wound and cancer healing.

In the case of a cancer diagnostic, the body and its recovery system: the immune system, are stressed by the attack of the disease on the body. Even a moderate level of exercise can improve your condition. Your breathing rate increases, bringing more oxygen to your cells. Your heart rate increases as well, pumping and circulating that oxygen to all parts of the body.

The immune system contains some of the fastest replicating cells in the human body. You must remember that self healing does occur for people with cancer. It doesn’t yet happen as often or as fast as it does with the cold or with the flu, but it can. The main strategy to improving the self-healing capacity of the body is obvious: increase the strength of the immune system. Strengthening the immune system is probably the most significant thing you can do for yourself to heal cancer and wounds quicker, and as a happy side-effect, many other life improvements come along with an improved immune system.

One very simple improvement is a modification in breathing. Far too often, we take quick and shallow breaths. This can lead to a higher blood pressure, as it constricts the blood vessels. That constriction slows our circulation, which also reduce the speed with which our immune system can respond to a problem.

Everything going on in your body is dependant upon a steady and regular circulation of blood. Anything that interferes with that circulation is unhealthy and needs to be resolved immediately. It can slow down healing and promote cancer.

The solution to this problem is really rather simple: commit five minutes, three times a day, to breathe deeply. You can do this while working, reading, driving, etc. You’ll probably find it most beneficial if you start your day and end your day with one of these five minute breathing exercises. To learn more ways to remain cancer-free, read Cancer Free For Life. Dr Magne has written in it the results of extensive studies and research that demonstrate the cancer can be healed without chemotherapy or surgery.

In close conjunction with the concept of deeper and more thorough breathing is the practice of relaxation with breathing exercises. This focuses solely on the action of breathing while you do it. Obviously, then, this requires that you not be driving or reading a book. Instead you simply find a comfortable place to sit, put yourself into the most comfortable sitting posture, and focus on your breathing.

To really focus on breathing during this time, you should focus your attention on your belly, as if you have a balloon in your stomach. Inhale, slowly, to fill the balloon and focus on the expansion happening in your stomach area. Hold the breath for a comfortable amount of time and exhale slowly, depleting the balloon in your stomach.

You’ll probably find out almost immediately that you feel a lot better…even if you didn’t realize you could! In the process, you are also strengthening your immune system, providing it with the necessary support to speed healing of cancer and wounds.

Cancer treatments can cause serious damage to the immune system. This damage opens you up to a wide-range of infections and diseases. If you are diagnosed with cancer, it’s important that you listen to what your physician tells you with an open mind. Don’t operate under the assumption that your doctor will know everything there is to know. Research all your other options, learn everything you can and take control of your own recovery. Your doctor doesn’t have the time to get to know you. Often the prognostic you receive is only the result of statistics and probabilities, but doesn’t take into account your own ability to recover and your will to live.

Even moderate exercise and deep breathing can save your life from cancer by speeding up your healing.

Vegetable Nutrition for a Healthy Life

Vegetable Nutrition For a Healthy Life

by: Shelley Green

Fruit and vegetables are brimming with fibre, plus a whole range of vitamins and minerals, and because they're low in calories, they make an important and healthy addition to any diet. Here is some information for you about vegetable nutrition. "Eat your fruits and vegetables" is one of the tried and true recommendations for a healthy diet, and for good reason. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent some types of cancer, avoid a painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss."5 A Day" is a national health programme in the USA and also in the UK to explain why you need vegetable nutrition as well as fruit and to encourage you to eat more servings of fruit and vegetables every day. People all over the world are becoming more and more aware of how important fruit nutrition and vegetable nutrition is to stay healthy.

In general, yellow and dark green vegetables are excellent sources of vitamin A. Green leafy vegetables are rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C and many of the B vitamins. The greener the leaf, the richer the nutrients will be. Here are some suggestions to think about color to pack nutritional power in your diet: · White: Eat cauliflower more often than potatoes, onions and mushrooms.· Green: Add more dark lettuces, such as romaine and red leaf lettuce, spinach, broccoli and Brussels sprouts to replace iceberg lettuce and green beans. · Yellow-orange: Substitute more carrots, winter squashes, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, oranges and grapefruit for corn or bananas. · Red: Select tomatoes, red peppers and strawberries in favor of apples. If you are trying to watch your weight, an idea is to make sure you are not eating too many calories if you are adding these foods to your diet. increasing the amounts of fruits and vegetables you eat can promote weight control, but only if they replace higher fat foods like ice cream, meat and chips to help you consume fewer calories. But if fruits and vegetables are simply added to what you already eat, total calories won't significantly drop and weight loss should not be expected. The most important thing to do is to vary the fruit and vegetables that you eat from day to day. This is to give your body a variety but to also keep you interested in your food. There are always great new recipes, ideas and ways to make your food look and taste great!

Balance your Energy with Yoga

Balance your Energy with Yoga

by: Jennifer Marie Jordan

From energy drinks to energy bars, energy is something sought by people each day. Everything is made up of energy. Energy is pulsation - a pulsation that moves in a wave-like rhythm flowing up and flowing down. We may think we need to grab for energy outside of us in order to have more energy inside to function. What we really need is to learn how to balance the energy that is pulsing within us. While it may seem easy and convenient to purchase an energy product on the way to work, consuming it as you sit in traffic, quick energy fixes only lead to crashes later on. Instead, balance your energy with yoga a natural way to keep you invigorated throughout your day.

Practicing yoga is a great way to energize your day. Yoga helps release tension and clear blockages, allowing energy to flow freely, creating an overall sense of vitality and well-being. Yoga poses don't create energy, they release energy and they also keep us from expending energy in activities that don't do anything for us. Often we have so much tension stored in our bodies that we are forced to use our energy for support. If we can release that tension, we will be free to use this energy for whatever we really want to do.

Yoga helps you Manage Stress

Stress is a natural part of life’s pulsation. Stress can be motivating or disabling. Poor stress management drains energy out of the body, leaving you tired and unmotivated. Yoga helps you manage the accumulation of stress by helping you consciously release it.

The mindfulness aspect of yoga trains the mind to focus on body sensations, to bring the body-mind back into synch. Naturally stress begins to rapidly diminish. Restoration and rejuvenation arise from the body's ability to self-regulate as the mind-body duality diminishes.

Yoga Tones Muscles

Life is movement and movement is life - how we move can bring balance or imbalance to our muscle tone. The practice of connecting to your breath stimulates the body’s natural intelligence to move into alignment when performing yoga poses. Therefore, the integration in the body develops balanced muscle tone and increased energy. A person’s energy level is dictated by their metabolic rate, the rate at which their body is able to convert substances into energy. The expedience of this rate is based on a person’s metabolism, a process that is contingent on their muscle mass; a person with more muscle tone will have a vastly higher metabolism than someone who has a small amount of muscle mass. In other words, a person with good muscle tone will have much more energy that someone whose muscular tone is minimal.

Yoga Stimulates Blood Flow

Yoga stimulates a person’s body into an open highway, unclogging avenues through which blood, oxygen, and nutrients - all elements of energy - can travel. The way yoga does this is by cultivating balanced action when performing yoga poses... Balanced action is when we engage enough muscular energy to create stability and strength in a pose balanced with organic energy, extension through the bones, to create freedom in the joints. The breath always leads the way- it is what fuels the vehicle of the body into contraction and expansion of the body’s natural pulsation.

Balanced action helps your body to become flexible. Because a person may have a restriction that they are unaware of, gaining flexibility helps energy get to its destination with ease. Breathing, along these lines, helps oxygenate the blood, helping drive the life force of energy to muscles, organs, and any part of the body that is need of some reserves.

Yoga is Vitality

Yoga provides a direct route for tapping into your true self: a self that, by nature, is fluid and vital, not rigid and dull. All yoga postures are expressions of your true self. When the postures are practiced with mindfulness and meaning they naturally shift you out of a habitual negative rut or help you celebrate the joy that you brought to the mat. Yoga brings self awareness to our habitual patterns that either support the expression of one’s true heart or not. From this place of clarity we can then make life-affirming choices.

People can find energy in many things - protein shakes, energy powders, even energy pills - but yoga remains one of the most natural and effective ways to balance the energy in your body, giving you the ability to make the most of each and every day.

About us: TWISTED is a medical yoga studio at the Center for Osteopathic Medicine in Boulder, Colorado. Twisted integrates osteopathic medicine, Hatha yoga and mindfulness practices to teach optimal balance between physical, mental, and emotional health. It aims to educate and help people to live a healthy life from the inside out. Rehabilitation programs offer a comprehensive treatment regime for the whole being,empowering each person one breath at a time to stimulate the body’s natural healing potential

What Is a Healthy Diet

What IS a Healthy Diet

by: Chris Chenoweth

There is so much information about what is healthy and nutritious these days that it is very difficult to sort out the hype from the truth. Following a healthy diet can be accomplished by making some simple adjustments to your current diet.

If you think it is just too much trouble to make some simple changes to improve your family’s diet, think again. Most people do not realize the incredible impact that a healthy diet has on our bodies, making the difference between poor health and good health.

Along with regular physical activity, a healthy diet is the most important factor that determines your weight. If you are overweight or obese, your chances of developing many diseases or conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, and certain cancers, increase significantly.

EASY STEPS TO A HEALTHY DIET

Your first step to following a healthy diet is to make sure you include food from all food groups. Vegetables, fruits, whole-grains, legumes, lean proteins and low fat milk products should all be incorporated into your daily diet.

*VEGETABLES – A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. It also contributes to a healthy weight, reducing your risk of obesity and the conditions associated with it. There are a multitude of vegetables to choose from, the healthiest being dark green vegetables like broccoli, lettuces, and kale, orange vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash, and red vegetables like red peppers and tomatoes.

*FRUITS – Eat a variety of fruits each day, canned, dried, fresh or frozen. Stay away from fruit juices as they can be high in sugar. (Unless you make the juice yourself.)

*WHOLE GRAINS – Choose whole grain cereals, breads, rice, and pasta. Read the food label and make sure the grain that is listed such as wheat, rice, oats or corn is referred to as WHOLE in the list of ingredients. Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber can help reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

*LEGUMES – This class of vegetable includes beans, peas and lentils. They are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, are high in protein, and have phytochemicals, compounds that help prevent heart disease and cancer. They are also a good source of fiber. Add pinto, kidney, black and garbanzo beans, split peas and lentils to your daily diet.

*LEAN PROTEINS – Choose lean meats, poultry, and fish. Bake, broil, or grill it. Do not fry! Beans, nuts and seeds also provide protein.

*LOW-FAT MILK PRODUCTS – Eat low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese or low-fat milk every day. Dairy products can lower your risk of diabetes and help build strong bones, reducing your risk of osteoporosis.

There are a variety of foods that should not be present in your diet except in very small amounts. These foods, such as sugars, alcohol, and some fats, contribute to diseases and poor health.

*SUGARS – Avoid foods containing sugar. You know what they are! Always check food labels to see how much sugar is present as some foods contain sugar that may surprise you.

*ALCOHOL – Avoid alcohol. If you must drink, limit intake to one drink a day. Alcohol can increase your risk of many conditions including some types of cancers.

*FATS – There are different kinds of fat in our foods. Some are detrimental to your health and others are very healthy.

1. Monounsaturated fats (olive oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil and avocados)
2. Polyunsaturated fats (safflower, sesame, sunflower seeds)

These fats raise your good cholesterol levels. To stick to a healthy diet, choose foods with these fats.

3. Saturated fat and trans fatty acids raise your bad cholesterol levels, contributing to your risk of heart disease. Limit your intake.

Saturated fats are found in beef, veal, lamb, pork, lard, butter, cream, whole milk dairy products and can be present in processed foods like frozen dinners and some canned food. Always check food labels before purchasing.

Trans fatty acids, the kind of fats that increase the risk of heart disease, are formed during the process of creating cooking oils, shortening, and margarine and are found in commercially fried foods, some baked goods, and crackers. When checking food labels, make sure the ingredients do not include hydrogenated fats.

Following a healthy diet is a necessary step for the improved health of you and your family. It is not difficult to make the simple changes necessary to change an unhealthy diet to a healthy one. The advantages, better health, longer life, and more energy, far outweigh any inconveniences you may experience.