The AmeriPlan OpportunityGet Started for $20

• Have you ever dreamed of a career in the healthcare field?



• Have you ever dreamed of being in business for yourself?



• Have you ever dreamed of firing your boss some day?



• Have you dreamed of having the financial freedom to do the things that you want and spend more time with your family?



• Have you dreamed of being able to earn a lifetime of residual income from the comfort of your own home?

What if you could do all of this for just a $20 start-up fee?

I have some really great news for you! For a limited time only, you can start your AmeriPlan business for just $20.00 for the first month. This is a $75.00 savings from our regular start up cost of $95.00. This promotion begins on June 30, 2008 and ends July 31, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. Central Time. This is an excellent opportunity to try a new business and see if it is right for you with minimal financial risk. Visit my website at:

www.bestnewhomebiz.com to find out more about the AmeriPlan opportunity.

What You Will Be Doing?

As we are all aware, there is a serious healthcare crisis in the United States. There are over 47 million Americans with no health insurance at all and even more Americans are underinsured. Insurance companies hold the reins and can decide to cancel you if your expenses are too high or not insure you if you have a pre-existing condition. Even more people have no dental insurance. It is estimated that 7 out of 10 Americans do not have a dental plan. People need dental and health insurance policies, yet the high price puts this coverage out of the reach of many Americans.

Discount health plans can provide individuals and families with a low cost and effective alternative to expensive medical and dental insurance coverage. At AmeriPlan, we have 4 great affordable plans to choose from. Prices range from just $14.95 to $59.95 per month and provide you with important benefits for your family. These plans include:

1. Dental Plus – Save up to 80% on all dental services. Includes discounts on prescriptions, vision care, and chiropractic treatment. Savings are available on cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, orthodontia, and lasik eye surgery.
2. Basic Health – Discounts on doctor visits, lab tests, hospital advocacy, hearing aids, diabetic supplies, a 24 hour Nurseline, and much more.
3. Total Health – Includes everything in both the Dental Plus and Basic Health programs.
4. Total Health Plus – This is our complete package. It includes everything in both the Dental Plus and Basic Health programs plus the AmeriPlan Auto Club, the AmeriPlan Identity Theft Assistance program, and AmeriPlan Legal Services.

As an AmeriPlan Independent Business Owner, you will be signing up members in our affordable medical and dental plans and helping families save money on their benefits and healthcare. To learn more about our discount health plans visit:

www.healthplansplus.net. You will also have the opportunity to introduce other people interested in a homebased business to the AmeriPlan Business Opportunity.

About this opportunity

As a new Independent Business Owner, you will receive the Dental Plus plan for your entire family. This plan will help you save up to 80% on dental, vision, prescription and chiropractic services. You will also receive 5 professionally designed websites, a computerized back office, full training and staff support, and a broker's kit containing brochures, DVDs, and application forms to help you make those sales. In addition you will receive two $25 certificates redeemable in our sales aids store for additional sales tools and supplies. I will personally mentor you to make sure that you get your business off to a great start.

AmeriPlan has been in business for 16 years and is a member in good standing of the Consumer Health Alliance, the National Association of Dental Plans, Dun & Bradstreet, the Direct Selling Association, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Well-known companies such as Lenscrafters, Pearle Vision, J C Penney, CVS, Walgreens, and Rite-Aid are vision and prescription providers for AmeriPlan.

Earn True Residual Income

With AmeriPlan, you have the opportunity to earn true residual income. In other words, you can keep getting paid on work that you did months or even years ago. Because our plans are so affordable and save people significant money on medical and dental care, our members tend to keep our plans for years. Each time one of your medical or dental plan members makes a payment to AmeriPlan, you will receive commission.

Visit our website for more information about the company


Great Time to Become an AmeriPlan Broker

What a time to get started with AmeriPlan. Not only will you be able to start your own AmeriPlan business for just a $20.00 start-up fee, but you will also be able to sign up new Independent Business Owners for your team for just a $20.00 start-up fee. In fact, the sooner you get started, the more new brokers you will be able to sign up and the more you will earn. Remember that the promotion ends July 31st, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. Central Time.

Get Started Today

For more information on the Ameriplan business opportunity visit my website at:

www.freedomathometeam.com/workathome. Please do not hesitate to contact me toll free at (800) 635-3394. You can also self enroll at: www.iboplus.com/hlz.

Take Charge of Your Health Care Blog Carnival- June 22, 2008

Welcome to the June 22, 2008 edition of take charge of your health care. This blog carnival is a collection of articles about saving money on health and dental care, alternative medicine, consumer directed health care, high cost of medical care, current issues in health care, diet and fitness, and health and the environment.

This is the first edition of Take Charge of Your Health Care Carnival that is being published at http://healthplansplus.blogspot.com/. Health Plans Plus blog already enjoys a readership and has a Google Page Rank of 3, so hopefully this move will benefit all of the contributors to this Carnival.

I have added a beauty and grooming category for this month’s Carnival since we do get some submissions on this topic. Check out the miscellaneous category for quality posts which may be off topic but of value to our readers.

All entries have been personally reviewed by me, and are selected based on content and value to the reader. I have recently launched a brand new blog for moms, dads, and grandparents who have a homebased business. Head over to: http://workathomemom-dad.blogspot.com/ to see my “Hello World” post.

Save Money on Health Care and Health Insurance

Vera Lang presents Using a Health Savings Account to Pay for Alternative Medicine posted at Be Safe Insure .com, saying, "Health Savings Accounts allow you to set up a tax-deductible account to pay for medical expenses that are not covered by your health insurance. These include expenses to cover your deductible, and other medical expenses like dental and eyeglasses. But many don’t realize that HSA funds can be used to pay for virtually any type of medical service, as long as it pertains to the treatment or prevention of a specific health condition."

Yi Hui Chang presents Ratings of Bay area hospitals from Consumer Reports posted at The Simple Wealth. Editor’s note: This excellent blog post addresses the issue of excessive hospital pricing and in some cases overly aggressive and unnecessary care.

Silicon Valley Blogger presents Of Black Holes And Insurance Claims posted at The Digerati Life. Editor’s note: This is a humorous but not so funny commentary on the hassle you will get when attempting to file a claim for out-of-network expenses with your health insurance company.

Dr Martin W. Russell presents Compensation Is Worse Overall posted at Dr Martin W. Russell. Editor’s note: Some facts about the compensation system that you should know.

Alternative Medicine

Neelakantha presents 101 Resources for a Holistic Healthcare Regimen posted at NursingDegree.net. Editor’s note: This is an excellent and thorough resource guide for those who would like to create a holistic regimen for their life.

Anmol Mehta presents The Key to Natural Healing posted at Mastery of Meditation, Enlightenment and Kundalini Yoga, saying, "The key to natural healing is to be positive, relaxed and at peace mentally. The concepts of you are not your body, and the body's fantastic inbuilt healing capacities greatly help facilitate this state."

Ellen Landauer presents EDTA Chelation for Detoxification, Immune System Healing and More posted at Health Freedom Coaching, saying, "In addition to the essential foundation of healthy diet, exercise, sound sleep and emotional health, what if there was an easy way to take your vitality to a much higher level? What if you could reduce your chances of being diagnosed with cancer or heart disease, speed recovery from fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue, look and feel younger and even increase sexual health? There is a time tested (over 50 years of safety and effectiveness), proven (by medical research) method to accomplish these goals, known as EDTA chelation that is convenient, safe and economical."

Bob Morgan presents Finding Acupuncture Pain Relief for Your Back Acupuncture For Pain, Weight Loss, Depression, Cancer, Allergy and Infertility posted at Acupuncture For Pain, Weight Loss, Depression, Cancer, Allergy and Infertility. Editor’s note: Acupuncture can be an excellent alternative to prescription painkillers and their side effects.

axel presents Stress Management posted at axel g. Editor’s note: This post provides some good relaxation and stress management techniques.

Barbara Y presents Garlic: The Miracle Cure posted at All Natural Blog. Editor’s note: Good blog post on the benefits of garlic.

Roshan presents Asthma posted at Nature Cure. Editor’s note: You will find some great natural health remedies on this site.

Murphy S presents Practical Tips to Prevent Acne posted at All Natural Acne. Editor’s note: You will find some good advice for the acne prone in this post.

Dental Care

Helene Zemel presents AmeriPlan Dental - An Affordable Dental Plan posted at Affordable Dental Plans, saying, "As a Senior Regional Sales Director for Ameriplan, a discount dental and medical provider access organization, I speak to many people each day who are among the 7 in 10 Americans without an affordable dental plan. A dental discount plan can be an affordable alternative to costly dental insurance. Here are some questions to ask when searching for an affordable dental plan for your family."

Helene Zemel presents Silver Amalgam Dental Fillings - Are They a Risk to your Health? posted at Health Plans Plus, saying, "The use of mercury in amalgam dental fillings has come under some controversy. This post discusses the pros and cons of amalgam "silver" fillings vs. composite fillings including differences in cost. The U.S. FDA, as well as other countries, is considering labeling restrictions on amalgam fillings."

Heather Johnson presents MedHeadlines - Pregnancy Linked to Tooth Loss posted at MedHeadlines, saying, “No one ever said having children was easy or cheap. In fact, giving birth could cost a mother more than money — it could cost her some teeth.”

Alfred L presents Natural Cure for Bad Breath posted at Only Natural Blog. Editor’s note: Some tips on keeping your breath fresh.

Consumer Driven Health Care

TherapyDoc presents Definition: ADHD posted at Everyone Needs Therapy, saying, "Before jumping to meds, take a closer look."

D. Singh presents Google Health Launched. Can We Entrust our Health to Google? posted at Internet Marketing Blog, saying, "Google has entered into the fray of online health record service via a simply branded service, Google Health. Google Health aims to empower us in managing our health information. Google Health proposes to store all this information in a secure and private environment. It even promises that it won’t sell our data."

Tip Diva presents Tip Diva Top Ten Tips - Managing The Side Effects Of Chemotherapy posted at Tip Diva, saying, "According to the World Health Organization, cancer cases are increasing globally, with new cases expected to jump from 11.3 million in 2007 to 15.5 million 2030. With these increases mean more people on chemotherapy. Here are ways to manage these side effects that come with undergoing a chemo regimen"

Tonya presents Natural Labor - Some Suggestions For A More Comfortable Labor And Delivery posted at My Pregnancy Blog, saying, "Natural labor followed by childbirth without any intervention from doctors or medical procedures is safe and most common."

Alanna presents How to Be Your Own Prescription Advocate BBB Consumer Education Blog posted at BBB Consumer Education. Editor’s note: Many people do not check their prescriptions before leaving the doctor's office or pharmacy. This article is a good reminder.

Joanne presents I Think I Poisoned My Cat posted at Open Mind Required, saying, "It's hard to classify this. While the story is about my cat, it's more about trusting our innate ability to heal without interference, and that treating symptoms does not address cause."

Cancerkitty presents Vaccinations: Good or Bad? posted at DelSquacho, saying, "Are vaccinations dangerous?" Editor’s note: Vaccines have come under some controversy in recent years, but the author makes the point the benefits of vaccinating our children far outweigh the small percentage of problems that could occur.

Alvaro Fernandez presents Brain Health Business Grows With Research and Demand posted at SharpBrains, saying, "An in-depth look into the "brain training" field and future directions."

Technology Editor presents Computer Vision Syndrome and How to Avoid it posted at Physician Entrepreneur, saying, “If you spend hours of each day looking at a computer monitor, you are at risk for Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).”

Alex Blackwell presents 30 True Things You Need to Know Now posted at The Next 45 Years, saying, “It is never too late to bring about lasting change for your life. No matter your present circumstances, not matter what has happened in your past; no matter your age, gender, or socioeconomic status, you are the creator of the life you want to live.”

James Brausch presents The Problem With Exercise posted at Weight Loss Dude, saying, “By definition, exercising is a waste of time. Instead of taking time out of your life to go to the gym and “exercise”, why not actually live life and actually do the real activities that exercising is meant to simulate?.”

Sagar presents 101 Wellness Tips You?ve Never Heard Before posted at Nursing Degree Guide. Editor’s note: This is a must read. You will find some great information on a variety of health topics.

Shaheen Lakhan presents Medicine and the Law - Part 4: Informed Consent posted at GNIF Brain Blogger, saying, "Informed consent essentially is documented written or verbal permission from a patient to receive treatment or undergo a procedure. But when a patient is uncooperative or cannot understand what's happening, things can get tricky."

William Peeters presents Fraudulent Study Discredits Herbal Remedy posted at EmbracingHealthBlog Alternative Health and Lifestyle Views, saying, “It is very common that studies done on natural medicine seem to be designed with an end result in mind, which shows herbs and nutrients in a negative light.”

Aparna presents Sleeping for long hours is not good for health posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming. Editor’s note: We all know the importance of a good night’s sleep, but is it a problem if we sleep for more than 9 hours every night?
.
Diet & Fitness

Carol Solomon presents EFT Tips: WHY EFT WORKS FOR WEIGHT LOSS posted at EFT Tips, saying, "This article is about using Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) for weight loss. You can stop food cravings, neutralize the emotions that lead to overeating and stop sabotaging yourself."

Lovelyn presents 10 Simple Ways to Increase the Amount of Exercise You Get Everyday posted at The Art of Balanced Living, saying, “Most of us want to get more exercise, but we never think we have the time to do it. Doing a few simple things differently can help you get more exercise and be more physically fit.”

Dianne M. Buxton presents Professional Footwork, Muscle Memory For Ballet, and Neural Pathways posted at Ballet Shoes and Pointe Shoes, saying, "This article targets ballet and tennis as subjects and the required nutrition for brain/reflex development, and applies generally as well." Editor’s note: Ballet is such a great exercise and it is fun too, and you get to practice to some beautiful music.

Joshua Seth presents Individuals Fighting Obesity posted at Joshua Seth Blog, saying, "If you think it's hard to lose those last 7 pounds, imagine if you had to lose 700! That's what Manuel Urib is attempting to do and he's well on his way to succeeding

Randy Powell presents Alkaline Misconceptions posted at Eating-Veggies.com: Alkaline Diet blog, saying, "Boost your immune system with a diet high in alkaline foods! Eat a diet high in veggies and fruit every single day."
Davexplorer presents What is natural cooking? posted at Natural Cooking Blog. Editor’s note: Some tips on getting started with natural cooking.

Davexplorer presents Vegan cooking to improve your health. posted at Natural Cooking Blog. Editor’s note: These natural cooking tips should add flavor to your favorite dishes.

Health and the Environment

Sheamus presents 7 Ways To Turn Distress Into Eustress posted at i am shéamus. Editor’s note: Some great suggestions on how to relieve stress in your daily life.

Roderick Fabre presents Seniors Safe and Independent Living posted at Cats Love Plastic Bags, saying, "Safety tips for senior citizens."

Aparna presents When exercise can be harmful posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming, saying, “People living in cities with high pollution levels should be extra cautious about exercising outdoors as the possible damage to health far outweighs the benefits from exercise.

Beauty and Grooming

Save Money presents How to Lighten Dark Underarms posted at My Beauty And Fashion. Editor’s note: If you suffer from this problem, here are some tips for lightening this skin area.

Barbara Y presents Homemade Facial Masks posted at All Natural Blog. Editor’s note: Some facial masks that you can try.

Mike Ramsey presents Hyperhidrosis Causes posted at Hyperhidrosis. Editor’s note: Some good advice for those who suffer from this condition.

Murphy S presents Everyday Tips to Prevent Acne posted at All Natural Acne. Editor’s note: Some simple steps you can follow to prevent acne.

Alfred L presents Natural Cures for Hair Loss posted at Only Natural Blog. Editor’s note: If you suffer from hair loss, you might want to try these remedies.

Phil B. presents Clean Ears with Cotton Swabs? « Phil for Humanity posted at Phil for Humanity, saying, "Should we clean our ears with Q-Tips?"

Miscellaneous

Fuel Efficient Driver presents Better Gas Mileage With A Moped posted at I Want Better Gas Mileage, saying, "If high gas prices are really busting your budget- consider buying a moped for your day-to-day trips."

Mohamed Bhimji presents 10 Best Ways To Enhance Your Creativity posted at Internet Business Opportunities. Editor’s note: The author provides 10 helpful tips to help boost your creativity.

Mohamed Bhimji presents 8 Strategies To Handle Negative People In Your Life Or On Your Blog Internet Business Opportunities oibo dot org posted at Internet Business Opportunities. Editor’s note: The author present 8 great tips for handling those negative people in your life.

Jose DeJesus MD presents How to Prevent Identity Theft posted at Physician Entrepreneur. Editor’s note: Theft Identity has become a growing problem, especially in the computer age.

Jose DeJesus MD presents How to Send Emails that get Delivered and Read posted at Physician Entrepreneur. Editor’s note: 7 great tips for those of us who do e-mail marketing.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of take charge of your health care using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: take charge of your health care, blog carnival.

Silver Amalgam Dental Fillings - Are They a Risk to your Health?

When I was a child receiving a “silver” filling in the dental office, I believed that the dentist was putting pure silver in the cavity in my tooth. Who would have thought that instead, I was receiving an amalgam filling composed of 50% liquid mercury and the remaining 50% a powder containing silver, tin, copper, zinc and other metals. This amalgam material has been used by dentists for well over 100 years.

In recent years, the mercury used in amalgam fillings, as well as other products, has come under much controversy. We all know, by now, that there has been much discussion of the possibility of the mercury in thimerosol, which has been used as a vaccine preservative, as a possible cause of childhood autism. There has also been a discussion that the mercury vapor released by amalgam dental fillings could also be a health danger. According to the FDA website: “Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses. When amalgam fillings are placed in teeth or removed from teeth, they release mercury vapor.”

Mercury is one of the most dangerous, non-radioactive, metals known to man. It can cause neurological damage and well as damage to the kidneys. Especially vulnerable are children under 6, pregnant and lactating women, and people who are especially sensitive to mercury. Some people believe that the mercury in amalgam fillings may be a factor in such conditions as Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and possibly even Alzheimer’s Disease. In fact, some people report an improvement in their health after they have had their amalgam fillings removed and replaced by composite fillings.

Although the American Dental Association (ADA) acknowledges the controversy over amalgam fillings, they are of the belief that these fillings remain safe. According to the ADA website: amalgam fillings have been “used by dentists for more than a century, dental amalgam is the most thoroughly researched and tested restorative material among all those in use. It is durable, easy to use, highly resistant to wear and relatively inexpensive in comparison to other materials. For those reasons, it remains a valued treatment option for dentists and their patients.”

Besides the mercury in the amalgam material, some disadvantages of an amalgam filling include the need for more of the tooth to be removed before placing a filling, unnatural look of amalgam, and sensitivity of the filled tooth to hot and cold. In addition, a “silver” filling does not bond to the tooth and over time might cause breakage of the tooth and a more costly repair down the line.

Composite fillings are a combination of quartz or glass material in a resin base. Composite materials do not contain mercury. Usually much less tooth structure needs to be removed for a successful composite filling. A major advantage is that it is tooth colored and can be used for restorations in front teeth. Some dentists are concerned that it is not quite as durable as an amalgam filling for back teeth that would receive a lot of chewing trauma.

A major factor in the continued use of amalgam fillings is that they cost much less than composite fillings. (It's always about cost, isn't it.) Most insurance companies will only pay up to the cost of an amalgam filling.

According to CBS News, Norway and Sweden have already issued restrictions on amalgam fillings, and it looks like the U.S. FDA now recognizes some of the health risks associated with these fillings. CBS news states: “As part of a legal settlement, the federal agency has agreed to release a new ruling on the safety of dental amalgams in July 2009, and alert consumers about potential related hazards.” This is good news for U.S. citizens. The FDA will be studying the safety and efficacy of amalgam fillings and may be making recommendations as to labeling controls.

If you are worried about the mercury in amalgam fillings but are also concerned about the high cost of composite fillings, the AmeriPlan Dental Plus program offers a significant discount on all dental treatment including composite fillings.