1 in 3 deaths in the US are from cardiovascular disease. It is the largest killer of women. That’s 800,000 people every year. Equal to COVID deaths for 2 years. Cardiovascular Disease is the umbrella term for coronary heart disease, heart attacks, stroke, heart failure and peripheral artery disease. This video demonstrates how the symptoms of a heart attack can be missed.
Buyer’s Remorse
Now that the Affordable Care Act open enrollment is over, do you have remorse over how much you are paying for your health insurance? Many people experience this as they jumped into the ACA market place because they didn’t know there were other options available to them. However, there are options with no “open enrollment period” where you can be insured the next day. And did you know that you can cancel your ACA plan at any time… you are not tied into an annual contract.
If you did not qualify for a substantial premium subsidy, there are health insurance options outside of the Affordable Care Act that could fit more into your family’s needs and budget. What if you could save $200, $300 or more a month? Just think how you could use those savings in other ways… maybe you need more life insurance, a supplemental cancer plan or a college fund.
Health insurance is very important to protect you against financial devastation as it still is the number one reason for bankruptcy. However, you don’t have to settle for premiums that equate to a house payment. There are options and the InsuranceExperts.team can help you explore those options while being a resource for cost savings on medical services.
Food Waste vs. Food on the Waist
How many times have you heard or said “Clean your plate?” It started with the formation of the Clean Plate Club in 1917. During World War I, food was too scarce to waste. The problem is, eating more food than you need adds inches to your waist. That’s even worse for us.
Currently 36.5% of adult Americans and one in six children and adolescents are affected by obesity. Cleaning the plate when we’re no longer hungry adds to those numbers and hikes the costs of health care. The answer is to reduce food waste while you reduce your waist.
Here’s how.
Eat smaller portions. One way is to use smaller plates. They fill faster with less food yet still look like a full meal.
Another way is to take ONE spoonful of everything, eat it all, and then see if you want seconds. Chances are you won’t.
Dining out? Share a plate with someone. Most restaurant servings are plenty for two. If that’s not possible, divide your food into two halves and take half home. That way you get two meals for the price of one.
Putting food on your waist really is the biggest waste!
Medicare
Turning 65…not you? You may not be even close to 65, but I’m sure you know of a parent, grandparent, brother, sister, aunt, or uncle who is 65 or turning 65 in the very near future. Medicare Open Enrollment is October 15th – December 7th.
Medicare can be very complicated and frustrating with so many plan options to choose from. Keeping your current doctor and finding the right prescription drug coverage are two of the key determinants of which plan you may want. You can choose an HMO or PPO Medicare Advantage Plan that includes a Prescription Drug coverage with co-pays and no monthly premiums. You can choose a Medigap, also called a Medicare Supplement Plan, with a monthly premium that allows you to go to any medical provider that accepts Medicare. And along with this challenge, Medicare-eligible individuals receive huge amounts of advertising from Medicare insurance carriers. Trying to decipher which plan is the best fit for their needs and budget can overwhelming.
The InsuranceExperts.team can help you with all of this. Put the marketing propaganda away and give us a call. There is no charge for our services! We represent a variety of insurance carriers. When we find the best solution for you and/or your referrals, the Medicare insurance carriers compensate us.
Lowering Cholesterol Testimony
Earlier this year my cholesterol was 284 and my doctor suggested I start on cholesterol meds. I just do not like taking manufactured medications. I researched options that are more “natural.”
Here is what I learned:
- Delete fried foods from your diet as much as possible. (My husband, who LIVES on fried food, has 140 cholesterol. Life is not fair.) Partially hydrogenated oils (solid fats) increase your LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower the HDL (good) cholesterol.
- Use monounsaturated fats to lower LDL and raise HDL (olives, olive oil, canola oil, tree nuts like pecans, almonds, walnuts, cashews, avocados). While the nuts are higher in calories, they lower LDL.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes 3-5 times a week. I walk, yoga, dance, step exercise, bike, garden. The longer the duration of activity the greater the effect on raising HDL and lowering LDL.
- Eat fish (wild salmon, Bluefin tuna) 2-4 times a week.
- Substitute olive oil for butter which has the potential to lower LDL by 15%.
- Add spices: garlic, curcumin/turmeric, black pepper, coriander, cinnamon. Adding 1/2-1 clove of garlic daily can lower cholesterol by 9%.
- It takes 3-6 months to see results from these “natural” methods, longer in women.
- Psyllium can lower LDL by 6-10%. Put it in your smoothies or sprinkle on salads.
- Fish oil must have EPA and DHA (1000 mg recommended) to be effective. Higher EPA/DHA lowers triglycerides and raises HDL.
I bought good fish oil, started exercising at least 5 days a week. I added veggies and nuts to my diet. It is learning a new way to eat but not a bad way. At the four month check, I had lowered my cholesterol by 58 points. (I had a pact with a nurse friend that if I did not lower it by 10%, I would go on the meds. I smashed that which still makes me do the happy dance!)
Mecca T.
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