If counting sheep is not working for you, here are some facts you may want to sleep on-chronic sleep deprivation can do more than make you tired. It can significantly affect your health, safety, performance, and lifestyle.

Most people are surprised to learn that sleeping less than six or seven hours a night can increase their mortality risk more than smoking, high blood pressure or heart disease.

Losing as little as one and a half hours of sleep for just one night could result in a reduction of daytime alertness by as much as 32 percent. This loss can impair memory and the ability to think and process information effectively.

Decreased alertness can also affect your life by limiting your participation in activities that require sustained attention, such as reading a book or watching your favorite TV show. And the risk of receiving an occupational injury more than doubles when a person is sleepy.

Car accidents are another problem. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates conservatively that each year drowsy driving is responsible for at least 100,000 automobiles crashed, 71,000 injuries and 1,550 fatalities.

As many as 70 million Americans have sleep disturbances-which include taking a long time to get to sleep, sleeping less and waking up frequently.

Sleep disturbances may in fact be a symptom of a much larger problem, especially if they are associated with irritability and mood swings. Emotional stress, racing thoughts and restlessness can be signs of something more serious, such as bipolar disorder.

“If someone is experiencing restlessness and irritability, along with sadness or emotional ups and downs for more than two weeks,” said Dr. Ellen Frank, professor of psychiatry and psychology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, “they should seek medical attention from a specialist who is trained to diagnose or perhaps just rule out depression or bipolar disorder.”

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) has launched a new Web site, www. sleeplessinamerica.org, which offers educational resources that provide screening for sleeplessness, information on when to see a doctor and a questionnaire to determine when sleeplessness might be symptomatic of a more serious illness. The Web site is also available in Spanish.

It doesn’t matter if you have already decided to purchase health insurance for the family pet or if you are simply. When you are comparing the quote of one health insurance quote to another remember that the base doller amount is not the only number you have to consider. In addition to the monthly payment make sure you also check out exactly what type of veterinary care and treatments are covered (some basic insurance plans do not include cancer treatment), what kind of deductible you, the pet owner, will be expected to pay, is there a yearly cap on medical expenses, and what type of discounts are available.
At the moment there are only a handful of companies that offer pet health insurance. Five of the most popular companies are Pets Best Pet Insurance, Veterinary Pet Insurance, ShelterCare, Pets Health and PetCare.
An insurance plan through Pets Best Pet Insurance will cost approximately $32.00 a month ($384.00 annually). Pets Best will cover pet sterilization provided the pet owner purchases an additional wellness plan. Pets Best does not cover pre-existing medical conditions a pet has so its best to insure them early in life before problems develop. Pets Best has a life time limit of $99,750 dollars per pet. Pets Best health insurance plans come with a $75.00 deductible. Multiple pet discounts are available. Pet’s Best pet health insurance does cover cancer.
Veterinary Pet Insurance is a company that offers pet owner a $14,000 a year cap on an insurance plan that only costs approximately $20.00 dollars a month. Veterinary Pet Insurance offers plans with a $50.00 deductible (after the deductible they pay ninety percent of the bill) on plans that include pet sterilization and cancer coverage. Veterinary Pet Insurance does not accept pre-existing conditions and does not offer multi-pet discounts.
ShelterCare is a pet insurance that cost pet’s owners approximately $29.95. For that $29.95 there is absolutely no deductible and cancer treatments are covered. ShelterCare will not pay for pet sterilization nor will they cover any pre-existing conditions. ShelterCare does not have a benefit cap. ShelterCare offers premium discounts for multi-pet plans, medical service, and micro-chips.
A pet health insurance policy through PetsHealth insurance company will cost the pet owner approximately $37.17 dollars per month. PetsHealth covers 80% of the pets vet bill after the $100.00 doller deductible is paid. PetsHealth has a $13,000 doller cap on each per year. PetHealth does insure pre-existing conditions after ninety days. Multi-pet discounts are available through PetHealth. PetsHealth does offer pet health insurance plans that cover cancer on a case by case basis.
PetCare is a pet health insurance company that estimates the average cost for a policy for a pet is $29.95 a month. This plan includes a fifty doller deductible. While PetCare is happy to cover the cost your pet’s cancer treatments they will not pay for any pre-existing conditions nor will they pay for pet sterilization. PetCare offers discounts for multi-pet plans and medical service.
None of the estimated monthly prices for these insurance companies include any extra insurances riders.
Any one or all of these companies can change their policies between now and the time you purchase a pet health insurance plan.
Remember to read the fine print before you sign up for a pet health insurance plan.
All five of these pet health insurance companies have their own websites where you can go to get up to date pet health insurance quotes.
There are other pet health insurance companies with different prices, discounts, stipulations, and benefit caps if you are not content with the previous five comparisons.

Although Texas ranks the highest among U.S. states in the number of uninsured residents, obtaining affordable Texas medical insurance is easier and more affordable than you think. Here are answers to five common questions about getting health insurance in Texas.

1. I’m young and healthy. Why should I spend money for medical insurance that I’ll never use?

Having insurance is like carrying an umbrella. You may not need it most of the time, but when there’s a torrential downpour you’ll be glad you have it. Even young and healthy people have accidents, seasonal illnesses, and sometimes tragic health issues. If you wind up having a serious medical condition, it can become very difficult to obtain Texas medical insurance, or your preexisting condition may be excluded from your coverage. In addition, you can get much lower premiums when you’re young and healthy, so health insurance provides excellent protection at very little cost.

2. Is there a benefit to using a health insurance agency, as opposed to getting quotes for policies on my own or going through a single agent?

A health insurance agency provides a number of benefits. First, they have established relationships with many, many insurance companies. This means that they have access to all of the best Texas medical insurance plans in the marketplace, while not having a bias toward any single insurer. This is in contrast to some individual agents, who work on behalf of one or two companies, and who will try and push you to sign up with their company. While you can research various plans on your own, a health insurance agency will do the legwork for you and present you will all available options, at no charge to you.

3. What’s the most important feature to consider when buying health insurance?

There are two important features that people often overlook: the lifetime maximum coverage and the maximum out-of-pocket expense. Although your more immediate concerns might be co-payments for doctors’ visits and prescription coverage, if you or a family member experiences a catastrophic illness, your overall coverage and out-of-pocket costs are much more crucial. Look for a policy that offers lifetime maximum coverage of $3 million or more, and a yearly out-of-pocket maximum in the $2,000 to $3,000 range.

4. Can I trust online comparisons for Texas health insurance?

Yes. The law requires that identical plans have identical pricing, regardless of whether you go directly through the insurer or use a health insurance agency. In other words, if you’re looking at the XYZ company’s Plan A, you will receive the same quote whether you get it online, place a phone call, or visit an insurance agency or company. Keep in mind though, that the price you pay may depend upon a number of variables, including your age, your gender, whether or not you smoke, and any pre-existing medical conditions that you may have. The final price is in large part determined by your medical history.

5. What’s the difference between an HMO and a PPO?

When it comes to Texas medical insurance, a health maintenance organization (HMO) requires that, for non-emergency services, you use their physicians and hospitals. A preferred provider organization (PPO) allows you to visit any health care provider, but gives you more benefits if you use health care professionals and services within their network.

A healthy colon is a vital part of a healthy body. The colon, along with the small and large intestines, are a major area where the nutrients in food are absorbed. If the colon is not clean, it cannot fulfill this important task. Not only that, the impacted fecal material that builds up in the colon and intestines releases toxins into the bloodstream. You are in effect getting toxins instead of nutrients – not a very good trade.

Symptoms that a colon detoxification might be in order include tiredness, PMS, headaches, and of course, constipation. There are a variety of ways colon cleansing can be done, including colonic irrigation, enemas, dietary fiber, and laxative herbs. These methods can help, but each has negative points.

Another natural option for colon health is to use an oxygen based colon cleanser. This method uses magnesium oxide that has been treated with oxygen and ozone. This substance will react with the hydrochloric acid in the stomach to release oxygen. The oxygen gets into the bloodstream to nourish all parts of the body, but it does more than that. It also nourishes the favorable bacteria that live in the digestive tract.

Unfavorable bacteria in the digestive tract will give you vomiting, diarrhea, and cramps. Favorable bacteria compete with the unfavorable ones for living space. An oxygen based colon detox will encourage those good microbes, for better all around health. So how exactly does it work?

An oxygen based colon health product creates a chemical reaction that releases oxygen and melts the impacted material in the intestines and colon into gas and liquid. It will make you need to stay close to a bathroom for a day or so while you eliminate the material from your colon, but you will feel much better afterwards.

Look for an oxygen based colon detox product that is available in a capsule form. Make sure it does not include ascorbic acid among the ingredients because ascorbic acid is an antioxidant. An antioxidant will undo the good that could be done by the oxygen. A good ingredient to look for, however, is GE-132. This is the germanium-132, which is good for the health of the immune system. It also facilitates and adds oxygen. It is considered to be a nutrient that is helpful for many ailments.

Cleansing the colon can help with weight loss. Many people who have eaten an average diet for years have accumulated ten to twenty pounds of impacted fecal matter in their colons. An oxygen based colon cleanse will help the body eliminate this material, resulting in a quick loss to jump start your weight loss plan. Follow up the cleanse with reasonable portions of healthy natural food. You should have enough energy after the cleanse to start an exercise program,

State health insurance is a branch of health insurance that is for high-risk individuals with chronic and/or pre-existing conditions. Most common diseases to see on this type of insurance are HIV, AIDS, kidney disease, obesity, and diabetes. This high-risk pool is designed to act as a safety net to offer some form of insurance to these people but for a hefty premium. This program has fewer participants due to the cost. This plan is not low-income friendly. Rates can be as much as double what the normal market value for health insurance is. The pool does tend to offer better benefits but is definitely geared to those people that truly afford insurance. So, most people who fall under this category and require this type of plan are likely to be uninsured due to not being able to afford a plan. This plan is last resort for persons with such illnesses that land them for emergency or hospital care frequently, and it that case pays for itself quickly. Some of the few persons who cannot afford this are lucky enough to have a spouse in the work place that is able to add them to their policy from their employer, these plans cannot discriminate due to chronic or long-term illnesses. The State Health Insurance Pool knows its rates are high, and claims so are medical costs for the chronically ill. They have to charge more to be able to get ahead and stay afloat.

Most risk pools are nonprofit associations ran by the state. Usually they do not use taxes to operate their business. Most persons requiring this type of service usually are filling up the gap in cost of what their normal plan won’t cover or is a temporary pit stop till they can find a plan that accepts them at a lower cost. The people who qualify for this type of coverage must be a resident of the state they are applying in. Most states require you live there for at least six months and some up to one full year before reaching residency status. You also need one of several possible documents from other insurance companies. You will need proof of rejection from at least one company denying them benefits similar to the ones being asked for. You can use proof of insurance with a higher premium as well. You may also be eligible if you can show proof of insurance with a rider or rated policy. Any of the above mentioned could get you approved to apply for the risk pool in the state you reside in. A reciprocity agreement is when a person who is eligible for the plan and is currently on a similar plan, met the waiting period quota, and not used up the lifetime maximum benefits can still be eligible if they move to another state after they meet the residency requirement. Not all states, but most, have this agreement included into their plan.

There is a list of those who are not eligible in the high-risk pool besides non-residents. You are no longer eligible if you move to another state but if you have a reciprocity agreement, you can become eligible in the state you now reside after residency has been established. Most people who are eligible or receive Medicaid or Medicare are also not eligible. Many states do have a high-risk plan for Medicare eligible persons, but if you receive or could receive Medicaid than you don’t qualify. If a person has terminated their coverage in another plan and less than 132 months have passed they are not eligible for the pool till that time is up. Those who have used their maximum lifetime benefits for their plan are also not qualifying. Inmates of a public institution are also not eligible for the risk pool. Other specific exclusions can include state decided specific diseases or medical conditions that they just don’t want to cover. An enrollment cap may also be in affect so only a specific amount of persons may be actively enrolled at any given point of time. All other applicants who are eligible will be placed on a waiting list till there is an opening. There seem to be a higher list of those who don’t qualify then who do for this high-risk benefit that costs an arm and a leg anyway.

Baby boomer couples cutting health care costs by pooling resources to reduce the cost of long term care premiums. Instead of buying for one, advisers and analysts say you can sometimes slash premium costs by approaching long term care insurance as a couple.

For those willing to shop around the following three strategies are worth exploring:

1.Shared care plans

In general, sharing long-term policies doesn’t eliminate the need for both partners to buy separate plans. B…

Keywords:
baby boomer couples cutting health care costs, long term care premiums, long term care partnership, shared care plans

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Baby boomer couples cutting health care costs by pooling resources to reduce the cost of long term care premiums. Instead of buying for one, advisers and analysts say you can sometimes slash premium costs by approaching long term care insurance as a couple.

For those willing to shop around the following three strategies are worth exploring:

1.Shared care plans

In general, sharing long-term policies doesn’t eliminate the need for both partners to buy separate plans. But unlike traditional policies, a special rider is tacked on to each to allow one spouse to dip into another’s benefits.

The main advantage of shared coverage is that if you need more than your current plan allows. But what happens if both eventually go over their allotted amounts?

If you’ve bought a contract with plenty of flexibility and terms that stretch over long periods, experts say that won’t necessarily be a problem. They point out that some providers offer policies that can cover an entire lifetime. A longer time frame usually means greater premiums. A lifetime policy can translate into extra costs when compared with short-term plans covering three- to five-years of long-term care.

“That can defeat the whole purpose of buying a policy that allows you to share benefits,” says Neil Gholson, President of LTC Finical Solutions, inc..

To make sure you don’t run out of benefits, Neil suggests at least four years of coverage. The Consumers Union senior policy analyst says that’s based on data showing nursing-home use averages around 2.5 years in long-term policies.

“Very few people spend more than five years in a nursing home,” Gholson said. “So if you’re going to get a long-term plan that shares care between spouses, look at a four-year term. Fewer years could be a little shy, especially considering that policies can cover home as well as nursing home care.”

Best suited for shared care policies might be couples that want to buy shorter-term plans but still want some flexibility to reach into their spouse’s pool of benefits, he added.

2. Long term care partnership deals

Two years ago, Congress expanded to most of the country a program that had been running for years in less than a handful of states. It allows the total value of long-term-care policies to be counted against Medicaid requirements for drawing on personal assets to pay health bills.

But different states have different contingencies. For example, in New York consumers must purchase a long-term-care policy that covers at least three years in a nursing home and six years of home-based care. In return, the state pledges not to go after any personal assets once someone exhausts the benefits in their private policy, says Gholson.

“So Medicaid care becomes a free benefit without any strings attached,” he added.

States such as California and Connecticut use what’s termed dollar-for-dollar protection. In those cases, authorities count the value of a private insurance policy to determine the amount of assets that are protected against pay-down requirements in Medicaid.

It saves the states money because they’re shifting costs of long-term care to insurance companies. And it puts fewer burdens than we currently have on the entire Medicaid system.

For individuals, such partnerships can limit the size of policies they’ve got to buy. The trade-off is that if you buy less coverage than a state’s threshold to qualify for Medicaid, you’ll still wind up dipping into your savings.

“If you live in a dollar-for-dollar state, you might want to buy enough insurance to protect your entire portfolio in a partnership program,” Gholson said.

3. Ask insurance agents about discounts on bundled purchases

This could be the simplest way to savings.

Some carriers now offer promotional rates for two people that buy a long term care package at the same time.

Those are marketed as spousal discounts and can range between 15% and 25% off regular premiums. And if you qualify as extremely fit and healthy candidates, some carriers will even add another 10% discount on top.

Some things to consider:

Each of the three options presents different caveats. “People need to remember that the shared-care marketplace is a fairly new phenomenon,” said Cheryl Matheis, a health strategist at AARP. “They need to ask a lot of questions and carefully examine all of the details in each policy.”

1. Check the insurers’ history of changing prices and policy conditions. Only a few carriers haven’t hiked premiums.

2. Shared long term care benefits likely will cost you slightly more than traditional long-term-care policies of a similar term.

The alternative is that if two people aren’t sharing long-term-care insurance, they’ll probably need to buy more extensive individual policies to get the same level of coverage. The big advantage to shared care is that you reduce the term of policies.

3. If you’ve got enough money, the best option is always to buy separate longer-term plans.

4. If you’re looking at a more affordable alternative, then shared care is an option to at least consider.

5. If you choose a state partnership programs need to note any loopholes may exist, Gholson says. Even buying enough private care insurance to match asset levels isn’t a guaranteed solution.

“Depending on where you live or move, the different Medicaid eligibility and income requirements in each state, the government might still be able to come after your assets in certain cases,” Gholson said.

Spouses cutting health care costs can produce significant benefits with the right amount of research. Contact a Long Term Care Professional that represents several carriers to see what your options are.

A variety of health problems exist today which can all be traced back to the colon; abdominal pain, discomfort, constipation, diarrhea and lack of energy. Bowel movements are the basis of our health. If we don’t have at least one bowel movement per day, we are already walking our way toward disease. These diseases even may lead to colon cancer. Therefore we require a regular cleanses of our colon, kidney, liver & gall bladder to keep our bodies healthy. A colon cleanse is the most important cleanse of all others.

Different Types of Colon Cleansing

The different methods of colon cleansing are 1) Colon Hydrotherapy, 2) Enemas, 3) Herbal supplements, 4) Laxatives and 5) Oxygen-based Cleansers. Here is a brief description about all these cleansing methods.

1) Colon Hydrotherapy: In this process of colon cleansing warm and filtered water is used to fuse into the colon via a plastic tube. With this method, only the large intestine can be cleansed. Colon hydrotherapy process is also termed as ‘colonic irrigation’ and ‘using colenemas.’

2) Enemas: The problem of constipation is being treated by this process of colon cleansing from many earlier centuries. The effectiveness of this treatment mainly depends on the type of enema used. Enemas are used to remove the waste material only from the lower part of the colon. Enemas are also useful in emptying the rectum. The different types of enemas are water enemas, coffee enemas, clay enemas, etc. Most people do not like inserting enemas through their rectal cavity.

3) Herbal supplements: Nowadays, different herbal supplements are available on the market in the form of pills or capsules. These herbal supplements are very inexpensive and are not fully effective in cleansing the bowel.

4) Laxatives: Like enemas these are also used as the temporary treatments of constipation. This treatment can be considered as the most dangerous treatment among all other colon cleansing methods as there may be serious dehydration and even loss of muscle round the colon lining.

5) Oxygen-based Cleansers: The best method among all the colon cleansing methods is the Oxygen-based Cleansers. In this process of colon cleansing the compacted matter can be melt away by oxidation reduction reaction. A good oxygen-based colon cleanser works in the whole system and can completely cleanse the entire intestinal tract and it also fully detoxifies the whole tract.

The Benefits of Colon Cleansing

– Prevents irregular bowel movements and constipation
– Helps to promote clearer skin
– Improvement in Concentration
– Absorb minerals and vitamins easier
– Colon cleansing also helps us from different fatal disease like colon cancer.

I hope the above information will give you a good idea on which type of cleanse to do for your colon, and open your eyes to the many reasons as to why you should opt for a colon cleanse if you haven’t had one, regardless of your current state of health.

Just for a moment I want you to imagine that you are coming out of a very deep sleep. If you have ever had surgery try to remember the way you felt as you were trying to make sense of things as you awoke. As you imagine or remember this sensation do you find yourself wondering if it is morning or night? Are you trying to remember where you are? Do you have a startle reaction and think for a moment that you are late for work or forgot to pick up your children at school? I have had that upsetting feeling if I wake up in the middle of the night or even after a nap. Now imagine that same fog every moment of your life…….

So many care givers find themselves frustrated with an Alzheimer’s sufferer. They may say things like “He just doesn’t seem to care if I am with him or not” or “He doesn’t enjoy doing anything any more.” I know that it is so hard to accept the changes in your loved one and know that this is going to be your reality. If you can remind yourself that the behaviors are organic it will help. The plaque is building up and spreading over the surface of the brain just as a grassfire moves across a dry field. As it covers more areas your loved falls deeper into that fog. Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t show up like a broken one or a surgical scar but the effects are just as real.

When the things they say or do cause you to feel angry or sad do you best to remember that it is the disease…not your loved one. That’s when it is time for some care giver TLC.

Care giver burnout is a very real occurrence. If you are caring for someone you must include your own needs each day. Your health may decline at a faster rate than the person you are caring for if your dietary, emotional and physical needs are not met. Skipping your checkups with Dr.s is not an option.

You may be asking “How am I supposed to do all of this all by myself?” The answer is simple. You can’t do it all alone. The first step to healthy care giving is accepting the fact that you have limitations. Every human being does. You can only stay awake, maintain your health and keep up with the demands for a limited amount of time. When you reach your limit you may find yourself suffering from care giver burnout. You may have trouble concentrating, experience nervous tension, and you may find it difficult to fight off resentment toward your loved one or others in your family that you feel should be assisting you.

Reach out. Call upon your family, friends, church and community organizations. Your local hospitals will have information regarding community resources. This information can usually be found by contacting the Social Services Department. Another good resource is the Alzheimer’s Association. By taking care of your health you will, in turn be a better care giver.