Archive for the ‘Other Insurance Posts’ Category.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, the Christmas season has officially begun. Over the weekend my neighborhood and the local stores have literally transformed into a sea of twinkling lights and jolly decorations in red and green. The Christmas season is met with joy, kindness and, of course, shopping.

While sometimes it is sad that Christmas is so focused on the material (that is another argument for another day), it is no doubt that a busy holiday shopping season is a big focus.
(more…)

The leftovers are filling the fridge and people are starting to awake from their food induced coma. My friends, Thanksgiving has come and gone and we are left with the aftermath.

I finished my Thanksgiving dinner feeling twice the size I was before I started downing the turkey. Thanksgiving marks the middle of the holiday season: Halloween one month earlier and Christmas one month later. And the bad habits are usually out of the window by then. But you can still enjoy the holidays without letting your health go downhill.

Try not to overeat. No, this does not mean starving yourself. In order to have a safe and healthy holiday season you need to eat well and often. But with the extra treats at holiday parties and from neighborhood gifts, it is easy to eat way more calories than you intend to. My rule is to only eat things you enjoy. Why would you waste calories on brownies if you are not a big brownie fan? Use those calories for the homemade caramels you adore. Eating healthy does not mean you have to restrict or deny yourself, it just means you need to make smarter choices.
(more…)

While the holidays signify ugly sweaters, overeating and family, it can also mean an increase of drinking. Whether recreationaly for a party or to take the edge off when spending time with family, drinking generally increases during the holidays.

And the morning after a night of drinking is usually not full of fun and games. Yes, the dreaded hangover is the ugly step-child of the holidays, but a constant after a night of drinking. (Want to avoid a hangover? The best way is to curb your drinking or to not drink at all.) If you do decide to drink, get a designated driver. No amount of Humana health insurance can take back an accident.
(more…)

While the end of November reminds most people of Thanksgiving: a day full of turkey, pumpkin pie and family. A day where most of America (except for Golden Corral) takes the day off to watch football, or in my family’s case, eat treats and play games all day.

But for other Americans the end of November signifies a whole other breed of day: Black Friday shopping.

For those who are not familiar with Black Friday shopping, it is a huge shopping day to kick off the holidays the Friday after Thanksgiving. It is called Black Friday because it is usually the first day of the year that the companies are out of the ‘red’. Or simple, they are making money.
(more…)

The cold weather has ushered in crisp breezes and fluttering of snow. And sadly, a cougher in my office who just cannot get the hint to stay home when sick.

If you work in tight confined cubicles, or you just happen to live in the outside world, you will come across a sickie: someone who is sick but for lack of better judgment cannot just stay home until they get well. Instead, the germs are passed on to unsuspecting passerbys. And these offenders come from all different places: work, the gym (I saw you over there sniffling on the treadmill!), family gatherings (someone would rather spread feverish germs than miss out on the good time) or at a play or concert (can’t give up those tickets). While no one wants to miss out on any fun wintertime activities, diseases and germs are spread by people who have them.
(more…)

Is the almost the week of Thanksgiving. It is fair to say that the holidays are in full swing. The grocery stores were filled with customers piling their carts high with Thanksgiving fare, and so the cooking flurry begins.

And in my case, so long sleep. The holidays are wonderful, but Thanksgiving just starts off a whole month of sleep depravity. Sadly, lack of sleep tends to make me crabby. So here are a few ways you can make sure to maximize your sleep to maximize your holiday experience.
(more…)

A healthier lunch is not coming to a school near you. That is, if congress has anything to say about it.

Yes, my friends. We live in a world where pizza sauce is considered a vegetable. And yes, french fries are potatoes. Which is also considered a vegetable.

Public school lunch has been under fire recently for contributing to childhood obesity. With famous chefs like Jamie Olliver and the Obama administration behind a school lunch overhaul. But congress just wouldn’t bite.

In some what is called a throwback to the Reagan administration (you know, when they tried to save money by considering ketchup as a veggie), or is history just repeating itself?
(more…)

Big changes could be coming to a Medicaid health insurance plan near you. Medicaid, a health insurance program for low income individuals and families, is one of the cheapest health insurance plans out there.

Simply, Medicaid is a health insurance option for low income families. It is federally funded but state run. To be eligible, you must fit a certain amount of guidelines. Medicaid is not a free pass to health care on demand, however, it does provide health care otherwise unattainable to those who cannot afford it.

Medicaid is one of the only reasons that low income families can afford health care. And some people feel like they should work for it.
(more…)

“They don’t make ‘em like they used to!”

“It wasn’t like that in the good old days!”

“Well, back in the day we used to…”

Raise your hand if you have ever been forced to listen to one of these phrases. If you spend much time around your grandparents (and around seniors like I do for work), you will hear at least one of these phrases when they are reminiscing about the “golden years.”

But frankly, they are right. Things have changed. People used to leave their home doors unlocked, but now wouldn’t dream leaving the house without locking the door. Yes, things have changed. In some cases for the good, and in others, not so good.
(more…)

As an avid skier, I look forward to the first day the slopes are open. Luckily, in my neck of the woods, the ski resorts were open well into June due to a high snow fall. But I am always excited for fresh snow to ski in.

With ever changing seasons comes new sports. Fall brings football and winter brings inside sports like basketball. But the outdoor winter sports are some of my favorites. (Let’s be honest: they are the only ones I like.)

Here comes the Debbie Downer part: each sport comes with some inherent risks. But learning to prevent them will keep you safe and having fun until the snow melts.

Only play in designated areas. It can be tempting to sled or ski in areas that are considered back country, but there are serious risks. Just today a professional skier was killed in an avalanche. His talented life ended when he was skiing at a resort that has not opened yet. During the off season resorts do not do avalanche control making it extremely dangerous for those who dare to ski it. Sure, the risk and the danger can be exciting but it is not worth it. Only play in designated areas. If you are in an avalanche zone, get out. Catastrophic health insurance will do you no good if you are not around to use it.
(more…)