Take Charge of Your Health Care Carnival August 20, 2008

Welcome to the August 20, 2008 edition of Take Charge of Your Health Care. I hope that everyone has had a great Summer and stayed healthy. It will soon be back to school time, and I was thinking of devoting the next issue of Take Charge of Your Health Care to family health including pet health. Of course, your other articles are welcome also.


Again, I am impressed with the quality of the submitted blog posts. As you read through these blogs, remember to Digg and Stumble Upon those that you particularly like. This helps all of us.


Alternative Medicine


Dianne M. Buxton presents Easy Learning For Middle Aged Women Who Want a Natural Approach to Health Issues posted at Ultra Omega 1200, saying, "Understanding the one factor of inflammation in your health and the nutritional prevention, can restore vitality to every cell in your body. This article is pointed at middle aged women, and the info applies to all."


Astrid Lee presents Healing Box posted at World Healing, saying, "Some powerful health care remedies do not even cost a dime. Like this potentially powerful healing box. Learn here how to remove stress from your body (prerequisite for health) by simply surrendering your dreams as well as your worries to your surrender box. How to create the life you wish for."


Dean Moyer presents Mysterious Morning Neck Pain posted at The Back Pain Blog, saying, "A response to one reader's question about Neck Pain that Radiates. In this post we attempt to define neck pain and cervical radiculopathy in a way that the average layman can understand."


Heather Johnson presents 5 Tips for Eliminating Headaches the Natural Way posted at Natural Healing and Applied Kinesiology. Editor’s note: This blog post provides some great tips for preventing headaches.


Consumer Driven Health Care


Alvaro Fernandez presents Top 10 Brain Training Future Trends posted at SharpBrains: Your Window into the Brain Fitness Revolution, saying, "In an emerging, dynamic, high growth market, like brain training, it is difficult to make precise projections. But, we can observe a number of trends tht bloggers should watch closely in the coming years, as brain fitness and training becomes mainstream, new tools appear, and an ecosystem grows around it."


Alvaro Fernandez presents Neurogenesis and Brain Plasticity in Adult Brains posted at SharpBrains: Your Window into the Brain Fitness Revolution, saying, "Adults may have a tendency to get set in their ways – I’ve been doing it this way for a long time and it works, so why change? – Turns out, though, that change can be a way to keep aging brains healthy."


Sarah Scrafford presents Online University Reviews: Top 100 Mental Health and Psychology Blogs posted at Online University Reviews. Editor’s note: “The author has compiled a list of some excellent blog resources in the mental health field.”


Kelly Sonora presents Detoxify Yourself: 101 Tips to Remove the Poison from Your Body and Your Life posted at Nursing School Search Blog. Editor’s note: Some excellent tips are presented in this blog post.


GrrlScientist presents The Handmaid's Tale: Fact or Fiction? posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, "A US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) draft document was just leaked that proposes to redefine nearly all forms of contraceptives, especially birth control pills, as a form of abortion and allows any federal grant recipient to obstruct a woman's access to contraception, including birth control pills [PDF]."


Dental Care


Helene Zemel presents Dental Discount Plans - An Affordable Alternative to Dental Insurance posted at Dental Discount Plans, saying, "Dental Discount Plans provide the consumer with an excellent choice for saving money on dental care. These discount dental plans are reasonably priced alternatives to expensive and often inadequate dental insurance coverage."


Helene Zemel presents Back-to-School Dental & Vision Checkups posted at Health Plans Plus, saying, "Along with the start of the school year will be those appointments for health, dental, and vision exams for your children. This may also be a good time to check out your family’s health and dental plans."


Family Health


Toni Graybill presents Mercury poisoning in children leads to autism posted at Maximize Health and Wealth, saying, "Autism and mercury: Truth or myth?"


:: Suzanne :: presents how to help a family with a medical emergency that lands them in I.C.U. posted at :: adventures in daily living ::. Editor’s note: This is a good reminder of how we can be of help to a friend or relative who is undergoing the stress of a family member in the ICU.


Health Insurance


Silicon Valley Blogger presents The Financial Task I Dread The Most posted at The Digerati Life. Editor’s note: This blog post accurately describes the hassle of dealing with health insurance claims.


Nursing


Fiona King presents 100 Networks and Resources for Male Nurses posted at Nursing School Search Blog. Editor’s Note: a list of 100 different networks and useful resources just for male nurses.


Heather Johnson presents Caring for the Bedridden posted at Nursepractitionerblog’s Weblog, saying, “Caring for the bedridden involves a lot of hard work, time and effort, which is why most people delegate the task to qualified nurses or nurse practitioners who come highly recommended from local hospitals or other healthcare settings.”


Diet & Fitness


Aparna presents Mango bite to save your sight posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming. Editor’s note: The perfect fruit—rich in antioxidants and potassium and they taste good too!


Kacper Wrzesniewski presents Frugal physical activities for everyone posted at KacperWrzesniewski.com, saying, "Today, I want to present different frugal activities and if you want to add some action to your lifestyle I’m pretty sure you will find there something that fits to you."


Joel Gray presents The Importance Of Good Nutrition While Dieting posted at Health Tips 101, saying, “If you want quality health and fitness, then opt for healthy dieting methods and start having balanced levels of nutrients right away.”


Yongho Shin presents 8 Tips To Trim Your Waistline By Eating Smarter posted at One Crumb, saying, "Learn 8 simple tips to losing those extra few pounds!"


Fiona Lohrenz presents Going Organic…Why We Should! posted at Child Care Only. Editor’s note: The author describes how she incorporates being eco-friendly and going organic and green in her day care center.


Joshua Seth presents Hypnosis Weight Loss Teleseminar posted at Joshua Seth Blog. Editor’s note: A link to a recent teleseminar conference on hypnosis and weight loss is presented in this blog.


axel presents Health And Food posted at axel g., saying, “Caring for your health makes for happiness and wellbeing. Not only will you benefit now but in the future as well.”


Jerome Ryan presents Personal Trainers Have Fitness Struggles Too, Part 1 posted at Dating Tips, Fitness Tips, Daily Blog of the TheFitnessPersonals.com. Editor’s note: The author remembers a time when children actually came home and played outside. I remember these times as well, even in the cool Northeast U.S.A. Now children are glued to not only the TV but to the internet and don’t get exercise.


Jerome Ryan presents How to Start an Exercise Program posted at Dating Tips, Fitness Tips, Daily Blog of the TheFitnessPersonals.com. Editor’s note: The author presents some great tips for those starting an exercise program.


Victoria E presents VE on Gaiam Life: How Pilates Can Help You Lose Weight posted at Victoria Everman :: Sustainable, Creative, Enlightened Living :: San Francisco, saying, “Longing to have the lean muscles of a dancer but have about as much rhythm as Elaine on Seinfeld? Save the money you would spend on tap shoes and invest in a Pilates class instead.”


Joshua Seth presents Walking To Lose Weight posted at Joshua Seth Blog, saying, "In my book “The Weight Loss Hypnosis Solution” I show you how walking to lose weight can also help you enhance your mood, speed up your metabolism, and provide a wide range of benefits. I even show you how to"


Daryl Laws presents Exercise Pill posted at Daryl Laws. Editor’s note: The author gives information on a new drug that is currently in the testing stage that mimics some of the metabolic effects of exercise. This drug may be useful for diabetics.


Health Blogger presents My Exercise Experience With Treadmill Running vs. Outdoor Running posted at Health and Fitness Blog, saying, “both indoor treadmill running and outdoor running compliment each other’s weaknesses well. Both should be part of a savvy runner’s complete exercise plan.”


Amy S Quinn presents Top 100 Diet and Fitness Blogs - X-Ray Technician Schools posted at Comments on: Top 100 Diet and Fitness Blogs. Editor’s note: This is an excellent resource for those interested in diet and fitness.


Joshua Seth presents Healthy Snacks posted at Joshua Seth Blog, saying, "Having a snack between meals doesn't have to mean ruining your weight loss plan with a bunch of empty calories. There are alternatives to grabbing a candy bar or handful of chips" Editor’s note: As we send our children back to school, let’s remember to pack healthy snacks.


Fenny presents latest-beauty-tips.com • View topic - Nutrient that is needed daily by the body. posted at Fenny Lopez, saying, "Protein is a nutrient that is needed daily by the body. These nutrients are essential for health and must be provided in the foods eaten. We are here to give you an idea of the amount of protein you can find in certain foods, check out."


Fenny presents Latest Beauty Tips posted at Fenny Lopez, saying, "We at Latest Beauty Tips look forward to provide you the best. You will find much more info on health & beauty products & tips to help your skin and health problems."


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.

Discount Dental & Medical Plans – A Free Gas Certificate for You

If you are one of the 47 million Americans who do not have a health plan or the 7 out of 10 Americans who do not have a dental plan, our AmeriPlan team is now offering all new members to our low cost affordable benefit plans a free Gas Certificate just for signing up and trying our program.

Here is how our Free Gas Certificate Program works:

When you sign up to any of our affordable dental and health plans (see below), we will enroll you in our Free Gas Certificate program. This certificate is valid for a $300 Free Gas Voucher. This voucher allows you to get $300 in gas or merchandise at the gas station of your choice, in increments of a $25 rebate for every $100 you spend monthly.

All Top Name Gas Stations are included with this offer including but not limited to: Arco, Mobile, Chevron, Exxon, Shell, CITGO, Wal-mart, Costco, etc.

While you are saving money on your gasoline, you will be saving money on your healthcare.

Here are a few testimonials:

“ My wife was admitted to the hospital for sixteen days. By the time she was discharged she had incurred over $33,000 in bills from six different medical providers. Still unable to return to her job as a dance instructor, she had no way of paying any of the medical providers she was receiving bills from. The Karis Group was able to help her apply for an assistance program that covered the entire $27,000 hospital bill. The Karis Group then contacted the other medical providers that were involved. Several of the other providers agreed to write off the bills entirely. When the Karis Group was done the total outstanding charges were less than $2,300. My wife was set up on a long-term payment plan on the remaining balance. Total saving - over $30,000. ”
Robert H. – Houston, TX

“ In 2004, I was quoted 945.00 for a root canal that I desperately needed. My husband was between jobs and I was a full-time mom, so I really could not afford that! I "google-searched" discounted dental plans and found Ameriplan®! I signed up, got my card and went in to my dentist to see what the discount would be! Instead of 945.00, I paid 375.00!!!!! I was thrilled! I wound up needing two more root canals, had some cavities filled and ended up saving 2,200.00 on my dental work in 2004!!! Thank you, Ameriplan®! I now have a great smile with healthy teeth and it didn't break our bank account! Because I experienced first hand how good our benefits are, I joined the company as an IBO and am now a full time mom and ESD with Ameriplan®, who hit the $25,000 Presidents Club this past November! Life is good and we now have additional income as well as affordable health care! ”
Theresa D. – Point Pleasant Beach, NJ

“ I went to a Lens Crafters for my eye exam and saved $20.00 on the exam alone. I then purchased some new glasses that are name brand. I am about blind as a bat and need to have my lenses thinned so I don't look like I'm wearing coke bottles! My lenses normally run $240.00 for the lenses ONLY and my new frames normally cost $162.00. My new glasses came out to $402.00 and then I handed them my AmeriPlan® Card through Coast to Coast Vision. She gave me my new total of ONLY $219.00. My frames went from $162.00 down to $96.00 and my lenses went from $240.00 to $123.00. I saved a total of $183.00 on my frames and lenses by using AmeriPlan®. That came out to be a 45% savings on my new glasses. ”
Susan G. – Peyton, CO

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 $14.95 to $59.95 per month. 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. This plan can literally cut your dental bill by more than half.
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 including hospital advocacy.
   
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.
   

Should you become hospitalized, AmeriPlan’s hospital advocacy plan will send a professional advocate who will negotiate your bill with the hospital and work out a payment plan for the balance based on your ability to pay. This allows the patient to avoid bankruptcy proceedings which is the last thing that you need when recovering from a serious illness. We have testimonials on dramatic reductions in hospital bills. In addition, we have a prescription advocacy program which allows income eligible patients, who cannot afford their medications, to receive their prescriptions for free.

For more information on our discount benefits call 1-888-357-1768 or visit: www.healthplansplus.net.

Back-to-School Dental & Vision Checkups

After the slow, lazy days of Summer vacation, it is back to school time. For me back to school was always a favorite time of the year for me. I loved the smell of brand new books, the excitement of new classes before the work got too hard or I was pressured by exams and paper deadlines, and here in the U.S. Northeast--a touch of Fall in the air. Along with the start of the school year will be those appointments for health, dental, and vision exams for your children. This may also be a good time to check out your family’s health and dental plans.

Along with making sure that your children have all of their school supplies, schedule those physical, dental, and vision exams before the actual start of school. Dental Checkups are increasingly becoming mandatory in many states and should become an important part of back-to-school preparations. Tooth decay is one of the most common diseases in children and can interfere with learning and lead to more serious complications. A child who is in pain from tooth decay will have trouble focusing in school. Especially with young children, find a good pediatric dentist or a general dentist who is known for his ability to work with children. This will help encourage life long good dental habits.

In addition to treating tooth decay, the back-to-school dental visit can focus on dental hygiene and prevention. The parents and school must also play a role in good dental health by making sure that healthy and nutritious drinks and snacks are available both at home and at school. According to Dr. Cindy Harms, consumer advisor for the American Dental Association, "When teeth come in frequent contact with sweetened soft drinks and other sugar-containing substances, the risk of tooth decay…is increased as is the potential for erosion of tooth enamel.”

Equally important is the vision exam. A child needs to be able to see the words clearly on the blackboard or on the printed page in order to learn effectively. According to the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD), “This year alone, 10 million children will return to school with a vision problem that could interfere with their learning ability, contribute to disciplinary problems and put them at risk for permanent vision loss.” These problems can easily be corrected with good vision care. If your child shows any delays in language development, a hearing test with an audiologist is also in order.

Back-to-school season may also be a good time to check out your family health and dental plans. Hopefully your child will not need anything beyond a dental exam and cleaning. However, if tooth decay is found or orthodontic treatment is necessary, you will want a good dental plan to reduce your costs. A good dental plan will offer substantial discounts on all dental services with no limits on age, visits, or treatment costs. Coverage should be provided for orthodontia and cosmetic dentistry. After all, an attractive smile is very important to your child’s confidence and orthodontic treatment can prevent more serious conditions caused by misalignment of the teeth. All ongoing conditions should be covered by the plan.

Many dental plans also offer discounts on vision care with significant discounts on eye exams and eyewear. If your child must wear eyeglasses, being able to purchase attractive eyewear will make her feel very special.

Check out the AmeriPlan Dental Plus program for an affordable dental plan with significant savings on all dental procedures plus substantial discounts on ophthalmology eye exams, contact lenses, frames, lenses, LASIK eye surgery, and even non-prescription sunglasses. The plan also includes a prescription drug card as well as discounts on chiropractic treatment. Feel confident with a 16 year old company that is a member in good standing of the Consumer Health Alliance, the National Association of Dental Plans, and the National Association of Health Underwriters.