Six Essential Items When Communicating with the Insurance Company

Despite the best efforts of most doctors, claims are frequently denied due to information that is inaccurate or missing from your medical forms/bills that are submitted by the doctor’s office to the insurance company. To help avoid unnecessary claim denials, have the following six items available for all written and phone communications, as well as hospital or health related visits.

• Group insurance name and policy number.
• Insurance identification number
• Date of birth
• Date health coverage commenced
• Your social security number
• The name, social security number and date of birth of the person who is the main policy holder

Reducing the Chances of Claims Being Denied

At the onset, it is fundamental to thoroughly understand your health insurance policy. Knowing what is covered and not covered will reduce the number of conflicts you will encounter with your provider. In particular, it is important to know the following information about your health insurance to reduce your chances of having a claim denied.

1. First and foremost, be aware of what conditions are covered, along with the limitations of your policy.
2. Determine if an authorization is required for specialized services or an inpatient hospital stay.
3. Know the maximum benefit coverage.
4. If you cannot find the answer in your policy or if you don’t understand the wording, contact the insurance company to clarify anything that is not clear or that you don’t understand.
5. Another good practice is to contact the doctor’s office before an appointment is made to make sure he/she still has a contract with your provider, since the web site or the printed sheet of listing physicians may not always be up to date.
6. Also, be aware that when you receive a written authorization for a specific procedure, surgery or physical therapy, there is usually a specific time frame given with a beginning and ending date. The authorization will not be valid and payments will not be made if you do not adhere this “window of time” listed in your authorization letter.

Insurance Essentials You Need to Know

Anyone who has ever attempted to get approval from a health provider to see a specialist or start on a new medication or treatment knows the overwhelming and frustrating challenges that can be encountered. It may be difficult, for example, for patients suffering chronic pain to obtain coverage for medical or alternative procedures such as acupuncture or guided imagery, or certain types of medications. The purpose of this article is to highlight some important things to know about your health insurance policy, as well as provide some tips for communicating with your insurance representative.

Whether you are requesting information about your current insurance plan or are applying or transferring to a new plan, it is essential to understand the benefits and limitations of your insurance policy. Although there are numerous pieces of information to review and questions to ask your insurance carrier, some of the conflicts, with insurance carriers, that individuals with chronic health problems have shared with me over the years, have led me to highlight a few of the most critical concerns.

Each year your insurance company can make major policy changes. These changes usually commence at the beginning of the calendar year, but occasionally could occur throughout the year. In addition, a specialist previously covered by your health plan that you have been considering making an appointment with could decide to discontinue their contract with the insurance carrier during the year due to a business change in their group practice. If you are considering going to a new physician, always review your insurance plan by checking their web site or by phone to check if this physician is still in your provider network.

One significant area frequently neglected by many people is remembering to keep up to date with your health insurance coverage plan and any policy changes that have taken place from one year to the next. For example, if there are any changes in your marital status, new dependents or any changes made to your plan during open enrollment at your work place, you need to contact your insurance company and ask how you would make these additional changes or revise your current health plan to ensure you will have the coverage you need and want.

In order to be prepared in dealing with health insurance providers, there are a few basic questions that need to be answered.

First, are the current medical providers and the hospital you currently utilize included in your plan’s network?

Second, do you need authorization from your Primary Care Provider to see a specialist?

Third, if you choose a physician outside the provider’s network, will you be covered?

And finally, can you change Primary Care Providers?

In addition, if you need to be admitted to the hospital or go to a clinic for a procedure, always confirm that all of the medical providers [i.e. anesthesiologist, radiologist, hospitalist, specialist…], including the facility is contracted with your health plan. The facility or the individual physicians may have their own billing system. If so, they need to be contracted with your health plan to be considered as an in-network provider.

Six Essential Items When Communicating with the Insurance Company
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Helpful Tips on Being Supportive to a Friend or Loved One with Cancer

The information below is meant to be helpful for the friends, family and caretakers of an individual diagnosed with cancer. The tips provided below were garnered from my professional and personal experiences.

This article is divided into the following sections:

1. Keys to Preparing Yourself
2. Tips on Individual Ways to Support a Friend or Loved One with Cancer
3. Thoughtful Gestures or Gifts
4. Suggestions for Communication with Your Friend or Loved One
5. Support through Online Communities
6. Supportive Comments You Can Say that Show Kindness and Support
7. What Not to Say
8. Conversations with your Spouse or Partner
9. Cannabis for Symptomatic Relief
10. Post Treatment Support

Before a “you initiate conversation” with a person diagnosed with cancer, it is vital that you first think ahead to prepare yourself.

1) Keys to Preparing Yourself

Before you begin a conversation, please take time to process what you have been informed and consider these hints: Remember, it is about your friend, not about how you feel. Prepare to be disappointed if your friend cancels a date or fails to call you or return calls. They simply may not have the energy or may feel sick.

Coping with your own emotions first: Many people think about how they would feel with a new diagnosis of cancer. It is vital that you take the necessary time to cope with your own emotions about this new diagnosis, before you can be helpful to a friend. In addition, try not to focus on your own feelings of loss and sadness, since your friend should not feel like they need to care for you.

Your friend or loved one’s emotional perspective: Most individuals are overwhelmed with mixed emotions about the idea of having cancer. The idea of what the immediate future will look like is powerful. When a person needs to make formidable decisions about financial responsibilities, the legal ramifications of property and belongings, conversations with partners, spouses, children, and other significant relatives, it is staggering. Changes in physical appearance with possible symptoms of hair loss, fatigue, along with decisions regarding treatment options only make this time in a person’s life more stressful.

Learn some basic information about the diagnosis: It is hard to know ahead of time how much information your friend will be comfortable sharing with you. It is incumbent on you to have at least a basic idea of what they are dealing with to enable you to understand not only what your friend may share with you, but how you can be most helpful.

Be careful, since there is an enormous amount of information available on the web. Unfortunately, not all of it is accurate. Beware of claimed miracle cures.

A few reputable web sites for specific cancer info, pain control and additional information:

1. www.beatcancer.org
2. www.thetruthaboutcancer.com
3. www.cancerfreeexperts.com

2) Tips on Individual Ways to Support a Friend or Loved One with Cancer

Do not wait for someone to ask you for help or offer to do “anything they need” without first providing an example. Being a good friend doesn’t mean you need to assist with all or many of these suggestions. After speaking with your friend, try to find out which gesture may be the most helpful. Offer some practical ideas by asking if you can do any of the following:

• Pick up prescriptions or shop for groceries.
• Offer to bring a cooked meal or a variety of fruit or vegetables over to their home. Always check for any dietary restrictions, since these have become commonplace.
• If you can, offer assistance with errands. If they have a child, you could offer to drive them to a school sport, an extracurricular class, pick up from school or offer pet care.
• Most individuals enjoy activities they can look forward to. Invite your friend to go out to lunch or dinner. You could also ask whether they would like anyone else invited to join.
• Make a resource list, based on their needs. It could be organizations with support groups, grocery stores that make home deliveries or home care agencies if that type of help is needed.
• Plan activities your friend enjoys. It may be going to a movie theater or renting a DVD to watch with them at their house.
• Offering to go for a walk together outside can be wonderful both physically and emotionally.
• If your friend or loved one can travel in a car, plan a day trip to one of their favorite destinations. If the person is homebound, plan an indoor picnic, a tea or anything that makes your friend comfortable and supported. 
• Be enthusiastic about spending time together.
• Offer a ride to a physician appointment or a treatment visit (i.e., radiation, chemotherapy).
• Be understanding if your friend changes their mind on the day you made plans. It is about how they feel and impossible to predict until that day arrives.
• Allow for both humor, as well as sadness. Many folks want to hear stories that will make them laugh. There may be times when sadness and grief are shared with a particular friend. Just being present is supportive during these times.
• Be supportive of treatment decisions, even if you might handle the same situation differently. 
• If your friend starts to continually lose confidence in their ability to handle all the work facing them with a cancer diagnosis, you could remind them of a time in their past when they faced a traumatic or stressful event and how well they were able to handle that problem. That will not work for everyone, but I have seen where it is very useful in cases when there are these types of past personal experiences. 
• Not everyone wants multiple visitors. Ask permission to call, e-mail or text each week to check to see how you friend is doing and follow through.

Offer to organize your friend’s medical care information in an outlined format. You could divide the information into sections. One example would be to take a large three ring binder divided into sections and write in the information listed below into each divided section:

• Initial Diagnosis and Work-up Pathology report Second or Third Opinions
• Information on treatments for their particular type of cancer
• X-rays and Scan results (to include Pet scans, CT scans, MRIs…)
• Immunology Treatments
• Medical Oncologist, Radiation Oncologist; Radiation
• Chemotherapy drugs 
• Nutrition during cancer treatment 
• Progress Notes (a written copy of one’s medical visits)
• Symptom Sheet 

This organized approach will help your friend feel that they do not need to remember everything that has occurred and will be extremely helpful during future medical visits. In my professional experience, this type of notebook has been invaluable.

3) Thoughtful Gestures or Gifts

• Beautiful flowers like an orchid, since the blooms last well over a month or an easy to care for plant
• Their favorite type of book/s (novel, mystery, poetry, audio book, non-fiction)
• Thoughtfully wrapped candy or cookies.
• DVDs of TV shows, movies or a documentary
• Pictures of friends and family in a nice frame
• An attractive pair of pajamas
• A gift card to purchase a device such as an Amazon Echo or Google Home/Mini. This could be very helpful if someone lives alone or is very weak.
• Accessories such as earrings, scarves, or very nice personal care items
• Crossword or Sudoku puzzles
• Nicely designed note cards
• Gift certificates for a spa service, restaurants, or passes for museums or an art gallery
• Portable hobby supply kits like scrapbooking or an activity they enjoy.
• Offer to drive your friend to one of their favorite places and if energy permits go for a walk outside or just drive by some beautiful scenery.

Remember the types of activities and interests your friend has shown and think of something that would bring a smile to their face! You could get a few friends to purchase some of the more expensive items.

4) Suggestions for Communication with Your Friend or Loved One

• Do not be afraid to talk with your friend, even if you do not have any specific advice to share.
• When speaking with your friend you can express how much you care about them.
• You could offer to make phone calls your friend might find difficult to initiate on their own. For example, assisting a friend by calling a medical center to find out what drug studies are offered for their specific type of cancer, along with the details of the protocol for getting accepted can be an enormous benefit. If your friend wants to be part of the process, having the phone “on speaker” can make them feel like part of the process and may provide confidence building by giving them the opportunity to ask questions and to see how the process works.
• Stay positive and be cautious that you chose positive words that will elicit a feeling of hopefulness.
• Don’t overwhelm your friend with multiple questions. 
• Ask the person with cancer if they would like to talk about their experience. It is best to allow him or her to decide if and when to talk and how much to share.
• Make time for a check-in phone call. Let your friend know when you will be calling. Also, let your friend know that it is okay not to answer the phone.
• Before visiting, giving advice, and asking questions, you need to ask permission if it is welcome. Be sure to make it clear that saying no is perfectly okay.
• Be an active listener and comfortable with silences. You presence may be more important than any words.
• Remember, you can communicate with someone in many different ways. If you do not see your friend regularly, ask if their preference is a phone call, text or e-mail. Don’t be offended if they need a break from any type of communication for a period of time.
• Discuss other topics besides their cancer. Your discussions could include your friend’s interests and pastimes before their diagnosis or topics that raise their enthusiasm.
• If your friend has requested or given you permission to communicate with specific individuals about their medical updates and physical changes, you may want to offer to gather and organize all of their phone numbers and e-mails so these important individuals in your friend’s life can communicate and keep each other updated.
• Be respectable of your friend’s treatment choices.

5) Support through Online Communities

Joining an online community is one way for individuals with cancer to connect with others. You could share this information with a friend to see if it would be a good fit.

This type of online support has several options to choose from in getting the help one might need. There are several advantages to joining this type of group:

1. An individual can decide for themselves how much information they are interested in sharing with others.
2. One can connect with other people experiencing similar diagnoses and symptoms.
3. This method of communication makes it easier and less time consuming to stay in touch with family, friends and possible new buddies one can meet through these communities.
4. Sharing experiences and challenges without having to meet someone face to face.
5. By listening and reading information online, one may learn about new treatment options and ways to treat side effects that he or she may not have been previously told.
6. Many individuals are at a loss as to how to communicate and how to be helpful with a friend or loved one who has cancer.

There are numerous options for online support communities. I have listed a few below.

• Caring Village: (https://www.caringvillage.com) Caring Village is an easy to use dashboard that makes communications with family, friends and care professionals easier and faster. One can choose to utilize a centralized calendar, a wellness journal, a medication list and a customized care plan, just to name a few of the many choices. This can ease the task of repeating information and experiences to friends and family multiple times.
• Group Loop: (www.grouploop.org) Group Loop provides online support specifically for teenagers with cancer and their families.
• The National Cancer Support Community: (www.cancersupportcommunity.org) The National Cancer Support Community has 45 affiliates throughout the United States and Canada. A person can call them to get information on numerous types of research and support for different types of cancer.
• Support In Your Community: Check for a Healing Strong support group in your community at www.healingstrong.org. Their Mission Statement: Our mission is to connect, support, and educate individuals facing cancer and other diseases with holistic, evidence-based, non-toxic therapies through empowering community groups.

6) Supportive Comments You Can Say that Show Kindness and Support

• “If you ever feel like talking, I’m here to listen.”
• “How can I help?”
• “I care about you.”
• “I’m thinking about you.”
• Using words like “I am here for you” or “you are not alone”.
• “I'm sorry this has happened to you.”

Due to stages of grief, fatigue and multiple other factors known and unknown, not everyone will react the same way to each comment. It is important to not take it personally, if your friend has an untoward reaction to what you think is a supportive statement.

Many comments made to individuals with cancer are not appropriate, supportive or helpful. Below are a few examples:

7) What Not to Say:

• “How much time do you have?”
• “I understand how you feel.”
• “You will be fine.”

Do not speak to common neighbors about your friend’s health status.

8) Conversations with your spouse or partner

Suggestions for a spouse or partner who has cancer

• First, let your partner know exactly how you are feeling both physically and emotionally. Since cancer can have a severe impact on your emotional health, be specific regarding your fears, anxieties, as well as any feelings of depression and/or sense of being overwhelmed with what lies ahead. Let your partner know any physical pain or discomfort you are experiencing.
• Provide your partner with specific examples of what you need to feel supported and cared for at this time. Also let them know that this may change as time goes on and how important it is to check in with each other every week or whatever time frame works the best.

Suggestions for the person supporting their spouse or partner with cancer

• Plan ahead. Schedule a quiet place and convenient times when neither of you are not rushed. That may require hiring or asking someone to babysit or care for pets.
• Be an active listener focusing entirely on what is said to you rather than your immediate response or next question.
• Never raise your voice or give criticism.
• Since there will be multiple topics to discuss and explore, focus on just one topic at a time. It could be beneficial for you to take notes if your partner agrees ahead of time. That could help slow you down and provide some extra time for both of you to gather your thoughts. An outline is helpful for many people. It could be organized with the activities that need to get done. One example may look like the following: A few sections divided into initial diagnosis and tests completed, second or third opinions, further testing and treatment options.
• Slow yourself down, allowing your partner to speak without interrupting.
• Be open to discussing how each of you are feeling, understanding that you may each be at a different stage of the grieving process and/or handling the stress associated with this new diagnosis very differently. 
• Think of ways, you could be supportive to your partner. For example, accompanying them to a physician appointment/s and taking notes, reviewing treatment options together.
• Rehearsing in your head or out loud what you might say can be of value. Writing some notes on paper ahead of time, could also be very helpful.
• Hiring a Private Health Advocate to be present with both of you or your partner could be valuable as well.

9) Cannabis for Symptomatic Relief

If appropriate, you may also want to suggest that your friend try using cannabis for pain or nausea. Older baby boomers may have used marijuana in the past and believe it is illegal or immoral. You may want to encourage or help your friend research information.

A few good web sites are:

• The American Cancer Society’s web site, https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/complementary-and-alternative-medicine/marijuana-and-cancer.html includes information on marijuana and cancer. The web site discusses how different compounds may affect pain, anxiety, nausea and inflammation in the body.
• One can also get information from NIH-The National Cancer Institute at https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/cannabis-pdq, as well as the Mayo Clinic at https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/medical-marijuana/art-20137855

10) Post Treatment Support

Your support and bond with your friend or loved one will be needed at the post treatment period. This period of time will be different for each person and may be ongoing.

Since treatments and medications may decrease one’s ability to continue their daily routine, it is important for you to encourage your friend to stay involved in their usual activities before the diagnosis or symptoms occurred. Your presence and rapport will be your special gift to your friend or loved one.

Linda Winkler Garvin
Health Advocacy & Consulting

6/29/19: This article was published at BeatCancer.org

#cancer #tips

How to Prevent Medication Errors with your Aging Parents or Relatives

Every year there are countless deaths and hospitalizations resulting from the mismanagement of medication usage. These deaths occur from multiple factors including administration of the incorrect medication, taking drugs improperly and the wrong dose to name a few. We can help reduce these medications accidents and deaths, by implementing some safety precautions.

Follow these steps to help your elders...

1. List all the medications prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs and any vitamin and herbal supplements they take.
2. Educate the elderly person about their medications including the desired effects and be familiar with the instructions on how and when to take the medication, possible side effects and drug interactions.
3. Develop a medication usage sheet. Below is one example of how you can list all the medications. A medication list should include the following:
   • Name of the medication, color and shape.
   • Dosage and frequency
   • Reason they are taking the medication
   • The date they started taking the medication
   • The prescribing physician's name and contact information
   • Any special instructions and/or side effects about the medication
4. It is important to have all the medications filled at only one pharmacy. It can be very helpful to develop a relationship with one of the pharmacist' s where the elder picks up their medications. Pharmacists are well trained and can answer your questions about possible drug interactions, side effects and contraindications that your health care provider may not tell you.
5. Keep a list of all the medications the elderly are taking on the refrigerator or by the main telephone they use in a brightly colored folder clearly marked.
6. Ensure that the medications are stored properly [away from the heat or in the refrigerator] and discard any drugs that have expired or have no labels.
7. Instruct the elderly to put on a light when taking medications and never take their drugs in the dark.
8. If the elderly person utilizes a pill box, always have them keep at least one pill in the original medication container for identification purposes.
9. Never have the elderly mix more than one medication in a pill container, especially when traveling.
10. Always have the elderly bring a list of all of the medications they are currently taking when going to a physician appointment.

#pill #tips

Hints for Airline Travel in a Wheelchair

When I have assisted my parents with their airport travel, I frequently came across a few issues from ordering a wheelchair in the airport, to going through security that taught me to be as prepared as possible for the unexpected. Preparing a list of questions for the airlines and reading information on the web will be of great assistance in your quest. Reviewing the Disability booklet from the U.S. Department of Transportation [information given below] will place you in a position of preparedness and confidence.

Although there will be an enormous amount of variation as to how dependent each person is with a wheelchair, these are some tips that may be helpful for utilizing a wheelchair for airline traveling:

1. If possible, try to get a non-stop flight.
2. If you need to change planes, arrange the flight to allow at least one hour in transferring to another plane. Make a reservation on the telephone, as soon as you have your airline reservation. Contact the airlines and inform them that you will need a wheelchair, as well as a person to help in bringing you through security and possibly stay with you until your flight leaves. It is usually a courtesy to tip the person who assists you in a wheelchair.
3. Once you arrive at the airlines to check in verbally inform the person behind the desk of the airline you’re flying or the sky cap so they can put this information into their computer [I was recently informed that by doing this “in person” it assures a wheelchair will be waiting on the other end of the flight/s.
4. Sit as close to the front of the plane as possible. This will afford easy access getting on the plane, as well as when departing & you will be close to the bathroom. You may want to consider the first row since the bulkhead seats have a little more room. Also, there may be 4 or 5 other people requesting wheelchairs on your flight. By being the first one off the plane [particularly if you have to change planes], you will be the first one in a wheelchair. This is important when there are five people all waiting for assistants to arrive to wheel them to their destination.
5. If you have your own wheelchair, contact the airlines to check on their individual procedures. I have read where it is important to utilize only “gel type cell batteries”, since many airlines may refuse wet cell batteries on their plane, due to possible dangers associated with them. Always put a permanent type of identification tag or marker on your wheelchair. If you checked your wheelchair with the airlines, verify with airline attendant to make sure it was loaded on the airplane. Call the particular airlines to check on any specific requests for your “own wheelchair”.
6. Preparedness Bag: Pack the following items in your “carry on” bag.

• Cell [international cell if going out of the country] phone, paper and pen
• Phone numbers of friends, neighbors, medical contacts & emergency contact information
• Necessary prescription medication you take on a daily basis, along with multivitamins and vitamin C. Consider bringing over-the-counter medicines for problems with digestion, diarrhea, pain, allergies, motion sickness, as well as antibiotic ointment and band aids. If you have skin sensitivities to bites, you may want to bring Hydrocortisone ointment.
• Hand sanitizers or individual sanitary towelettes are very handy to not only wipe your hands, but for wiping the surfaces of areas you will be putting your hands for long period of time on the airplane.

The State Department Web site http://travel.state.gov/ has the following information available online:

• Helpful safety information about the countries you will visit
• What to do if you become sick or injured while traveling
• Travelers with weakened immune systems
• Travel health & Medical Evacuation Insurance
• Vaccination information

The State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs has an Office of Overseas Citizen Services that can be reached at 1-888-407-4747 from the US or Canada. If calling from overseas, the contact number is 202-501-4444

#advocacy

Protecting Our Babies From Hazardous Toxins

It is disturbing to learn how much ambivalence there is about the amount of chemicals and toxins that are absorbed through the skin and into our bodies from commonly used household and personal care products and cosmetics as well as exposure to contaminants in the produce and water we consume. Infants are at an increased risk, since they have internal organs that are still growing, decreased body weight and immature immune systems.

It is alarming to see how many infants are being diagnosed with central nervous system disorders, cancers and heart problems. The Environmental Working Group’s “Body Burden 2-the Pollution in Newborns Report,” states that researchers found an average of 200 industrial chemical and pollutants in the umbilical cords of 10 babies in U.S. hospitals even back in 2004.

All of us need to take a closer look at the various ways we can decrease the exposure of infants to the pollutants and carcinogens in both our home and in the outside environment. Here are some practical ways to reduce the possible risks babies may be exposed to on a daily basis:

• Nutrition/Produce: Buying completely organic can be very expensive for most households. The Environmental Working Group has identified 12 fruits and vegetables that have the highest levels of pesticides. This information can be found at http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/04/29/2010-dirty-dozen-produce-list-released-by-the-ewg/

You may want to consider purchasing either pesticide free from the farmers markets or buy organic for these twelve items.

• Infant Products: Also try to purchase Bisphenol A [BPA] free products. BPA is commonly used in baby bottles and other drinking containers. BPA is frequently used for the linings of cans. Medical news from Med Page Today sites that researchers have confirmed that BPA increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, watch out for the lead that could be in your child’s toys. Go to this wonderful easy guide to learn more on how to avoid the hazardous ingredients and chemicals for children. http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/special/parentsguide/

• Household Products: Harmful toxins can be brought into our homes through our household cleaning products. The following web site will teach you about the hazardous substances to avoid when purchasing these products: http://www.leas.ca/Cleaners-and-Toxins.htm. When you get to this web site click on the cleaners and toxins guide.

• Drinking Water: Do everything you can to prevent toxins in drinking water from affecting your newborn. Consider installing a water filter to prevent the ingestion of heavy metals. Google “water filter comparisons” to review the performance ratings of several top brands of water filters.

• Washing your hands: Unless you are informed to maintain this practice by your health practitioner due to life threatening or high health risks at home, be cautious about using antibacterial hand soaps particularly those containing triclosan. Read this important guide about the possible risks of triclosan… http://www.ewg.org/files/EWG_triclosanguide.pdf

• Organic Products: Just because ingredients are organic, they may not be free of health concerns and may still contain many harmful chemical ingredients. Several toxic chemicals can still be present in ingredients that claim to be Organic, Natural or Green. Remember to read all labels. Making a concerted effort to choose at least a few items that are non toxic and non hazardous to your infant’s health could be one of the best decisions you ever make for your baby’s health care!

• Outside Toxins: Minimize the use of insecticides and weed killers, since these toxic ingredients can get into our infants systems through inhalation and skin contact. In addition, remove your shoes before coming into the house. Lawns and inconspicuous toxins on the ground can be tracked into your home and remain there for long periods of time.

Since there are no restrictions or requirements for the safety testing of most products that we purchase, it is incumbent on us to be diligent on the products we purchase and bring into our homes that can affect our growing infants. By educating ourselves and trying to embrace eco friendly lifestyle options, we can learn to reduce our exposure to the high number of questionably safe products and choose healthier alternatives.

• http://www.medpagetoday.com/PublicHealthPolicy/PublicHealth/17921
• http://www.ewg.org/files/EWG_triclosanguide.pdf
• http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/consumer-protection/recalls-and-safety-alerts-5-08/plastic-ingredients-in-bottles-and-cans/recalls-plastic.htm
• http://www.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2/execsumm.php
• http://antiagingchoices.com/infant_children/dirty_dozen_baby.htm
• http://www.preventcancer.com/publications/pdf/Time%20to%20Protect%20Babies%20feb2805.htm

#wellness

Healthy, Fit & Fabulous: Heaven Can Wait! Eight Sustainable Strategies to Live By

Start to protect and prepare your body for the aging process by developing sustainable long term habits early in life, which will carry you through your twilight years free of chronic disease. Creating a healthy and contented life requires us to spend some time to figure out what we need to do for ourselves to keep our lives healthy and give us a sense of self worth. Adopting a positive outlook will have a beneficial outcome in beginning this process. The eight sustainable wellness recommendations listed below are suggestions for getting started:

Mind-Body [Emotional component]: Healthy relationships with others can not only be a source of great comfort and strength, but can also improve your health. The feeling of connectedness can reduce your stress, increase your level of happiness and be a great support at a time of loss. Volunteering or donating, can give you an opportunity to open your horizons, your heart and your humanity. It helps to give you a perspective on someone else’s life, as well as your own & it a great way to meet new people.

Mind-Body [Physical component]: Learn some new exercise for relaxation to incorporate into your daily routine. Developing body awareness through Pilates, yoga, stretching, walking, visualization [imagery], progressive body relaxation & meditation can be very useful in learning how to relax and lower stress levels. If you need more vigorous physical activity try biking, jogging or running. For the more adventurous and well trained, consider entering a race or marathon.

Nutrition: Remember to read the ingredients with the foods that you purchase. Avoid those foods that contain excess sugar, small amounts of fiber and low nutritional values. Some foods that are popular for their anti inflammatory benefits would be omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, salmon, pumpkin, walnuts, flax seeds whole grains, and olive oil. Nourishing your nervous system with healthy food and fat choices will hopefully provide your body with more strength and resilience to fight diseases and chronic pain, as well as decrease the amount of inflammation in your body.

Beverages: Limit your caffeine use. Factors such as medication usage, anxiety issues, and hormonal issues all affect the way your body metabolizes caffeine. Caffeine has many adverse affects including, irritability, headaches, interrupt sleep patterns, gastrointestinal upsets and anxiety.

Sleep: Remember to establish a regular routine for bedtime. Reduce the level of stimulation by at least an hour before you retire by dimming the lights, turning the sound lower on your stereo or television. It is helpful to avoid caffeine containing beverages Like tea, coffee, diet Pepsi, or chocolate] at least eight hours prior to bedtime. Since alcohol can interfere with sleep, try abstaining from alcohol two hours prior to bedtime.

Simple Pleasures: It is important to enjoy lives simple pleasures. Getting involved with a hobby, taking a new class or inviting someone over for a meal are just a few of the many ways to connect with other people. 

Here are a few tips:

• Explore the wonderful state parks available to everyone. Bring a camera to capture some wonderful pictures of birds, flowers, trees and lakes.
• Visit a botanical garden and see if you can identify the various flowers.
• Preparing a special meal with friends or for yourself gets those creative juices flowing.
• Bookstores frequently offer some interesting free events and speakers.
• Go online to research free events in your town or the closest city you live near.

Spirituality: Many people report that their sense of emotional hardiness is derived from their particular relationship with a spiritual being. Whether that is defined from attending a place of worship or done privately there can be a wonderful sense of support derived from this relationship.

Forgiveness: Forgiveness does not mean forgetting or denying another person’s responsibility for hurting you. By embracing forgiveness, you may be able to let go of the angry and resentful feelings you feel emotionally & physically. Possible benefits may result in understanding and compassion. That being said, people/friends who express a lack of compassion or turn your expressed problems into “their issues “may need a reassessment of the time you spend with them.

Toxin Free Ideas: Toxins and Pollutants are brought into our homes daily through water, food, soil, dust and household cleaning products. Carefully read the list of ingredients on all labels of your household products to make sure you are not using products that contains harmful toxins.

Here are a few tips:

• Install a water filter to prevent the ingestion of heavy metals.
• Never microwave with plastic.
• Try to minimize the use of weed killers and insecticides.
• Always vacuum with a filter or even better a HEPA filter.

Choose your personal products and cosmetics that are made by companies that do not have toxic ingredients. The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep web site is an extremely useful tool for researching this information. Their web site is http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php

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