Take Charge of Your Health Care - October 20, 2008

Welcome to the October 20, 2008 edition of take charge of your health care. With Halloween just a few days away, it is important to give attention to safety when you send your children out trick or treating. Make sure that they only visit homes that you know to be safe. In many cities, shopping malls provide a safe place for children to trick or treat. Even better, have your children attend parties well supervised by adults. While there is nothing wrong with small amounts of candy and sweet treats, consider offering more nutritional snacks to the ghosts and goblins that ring your door bell this Halloween.

There were many good articles in this month’s carnival which I know that you will enjoy. Starting with next month’s carnival, all articles accepted must allow for comments. Also, next month we will have a special Thanksgiving issue with recipes, safety, diet, and fitness tips just for the holiday. To your continued good health!

Alternative Medicine

Dr. Jason B Richards presents Why hasn't my OB recommended chiropractic care? posted at Pregnancy and Back Pain, saying, “You don’t need anyone’s approval to seek a chiropractic opinion about health issues affecting you and your child. Consulting another health care expert is always helpful in the decision-making process.”

Shelley Duncan presents Acupuncture is Not Scary! SheSue Experience posted at SheSue Experience, saying, "Rather than using a 'band-aid' approach, acupuncture is used to locate what is wrong in the body and fix it."

Dean Moyer presents Sciatica Relapse Question posted at The Back Pain Blog, saying, "In this post we take a look at how epidural steroid injections are administered for the treatment of lower back pain in Sciatica and Epidural Injections - The Procedure. This is the final installment in a series of posts designed to answer several common questions and concerns associated with epidural injections."

Consumer Driven Health Care

Pregnancy Hut presents 1 Week Pregnant posted at Pregnancy Calendar, saying, "What to do during your first week of pregnancy" Editor’s note: This is a must read blog for any of our pregnant readers. Very informative.

Verna Morris presents 25 Awesome Virtual Worlds for Doctors, Nurses, and Patients posted at Nursing Degree Guide, saying, “The online world is full of communities, virtual playgrounds, research centers and networking corners for everyone in the medical field–including patients–to get together and swap information and support.” Editor’s note: This post is an excellent resource for both healthcare practitioners and patients.

Kristen McCarthy presents Organic is Next to Godliness posted at this-sustainable-life.com, saying, "Organic products have become the food of the bourgeois –and I’m not talking about the kind of food historically only available to the rich: calf liver pâtés, speckled Emu eggs, and ninety-nine dollar square watermelons –instead, I’m talking about the essential food groups that ensure our nutrition: vegetables, fruit, grains, and dairy."

Dental Care

NAOMI presents CHANGING FACE OF BRITISH DENTISTRY posted at Diary From England, saying, "Good luck with your next carnival. I thought you and your readers might be interested to read about the continuing saga of dental healthcare in Britain." Editor’s note: Both in Europe and the United States people are traveling to other countries to receive affordable dental care.

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

Aparna presents Bad breath posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming. Editor’s note: Here are some good tips on how to detect bad breath before you go out in public.

Diet & Fitness

Marjorie presents Potassium-Rich Foods Preserve Muscle Mass posted at Laurel on Health Food, saying, "A recent study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that plant foods high in potassium help preserve muscle mass as people age."

Kelly Sonora presents 20 Reasons You Should Stop Consuming Bottled Water posted at Web Design Schools Guide. Editor’s note: Drinking bottled water may pose some hazards to your health.

Fiona King presents 50 Surprising Causes of Weight Gain posted at Nursing Degree Guide. Editor’s note: You will want to be aware of these possible contributors to weight gain.

Victoria E presents Seeing the Sustainable Side of Getting Limber and Centered posted at Victoria Everman :: Sustainable, Creative, Enlightened Living :: San Francisco. Editor’s note: This is a review of the book Green Yoga. The author says, “The book covers the timely issues of all our major life systems - land, water, air - along with the overall concept of Mother Earth.”

CorporateFlyer presents Food Safety Starts At Home posted at Flight Attendant, saying, "A bit of information on food safety."

The Push Up Coach presents Pros And Cons Of A Personal Trainer posted at The 1000 Push Ups Club, saying, "Some reasons for and against a personal trainer."

Fenny presents Latest Beauty Tips posted at Fenny Lopez, saying, "We at Latest Beauty Tips look forward to provide you the best. Latest-Beauty-Tips.com is a platform to discuss about beauty tips, fashion, health care, weight loss, cosmetic surgery, makeup trick and lot of similar issues. Please feel free to post all feedback, concerns, comments & suggestions here."

Dr Martin W. Russell presents Exercise For Weight Loss posted at Dr Martin W. Russell, saying, “There is so much misinformation around about the benefits of exercise, particularly in regard to weight loss.”

Tonya presents Am I Pregnant? posted at My Pregnancy Blog, saying, "Discusses the signs that you may be pregnant."

Alan H. Wayler, PhD presents Healthy Eating - Who Says Deprivation Leads to Overeating? posted at A Weight Lifted. Editor’s note: Some good common sense about forming health eating habits.

Carol Solomon presents EFT Tips: THE 60-SECOND TECHNIQUE THAT STOPS CRAVINGS posted at EFT Tips, saying, "This 60-second technique stops food cravings and the emotions that drive them."

Health Insurance

Alvaro Fernandez presents Allstate: Can we improve Driver Safety using Posit Science InSight? posted at SharpBrains: Your Window into the Brain Fitness Revolution, saying, "Where insurance meets brain health, aging and driving skills."

Michelle McFarland-McDaniels presents Funding Autism Treatment with Health Insurance posted at Autism Assistance Resources and Information, saying, “Despite the well-publicized difficulties and frustrations some families have encountered while attempting to fund autism treatment through health insurance policies, it is very much worth your effort to find out which autism treatments your insurance will cover and to proactively seek payment of any eligible covered expenses by your health insurance carrier.”

Alexander presents 4 Tips For Preparing for Medical Expenses posted at Wealth Junkies, saying, "The 4 tips for preparing for medical expenses are: Get insurance; Get preventive care; Build a rainy day fund; and Know your rights!"

Visitors Insurance presents Visitors Medical & Health Insurance posted at Visitors Medical Insurance, saying, "Get quotes and the best rates for USA visitor travel, international and medical insurance for visitors."

Save Money on Health Care

Fiona King presents Obama vs McCain on Healthcare: Top 10 Issues posted at US PharmD. Editor’s note: “This is a very timely article for those of us in the U.S.”

Helene Zemel presents Discount Dental & Medical Plans – A Free Gas Certificate for You posted at Health Plans Plus, saying, "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."

Michelle McFarland-McDaniels presents Autism Assistance Resources and Information: Funding Autism Treatment with Supplemental Security Income (SSI) posted at Autism Assistance Resources and Information. Editor’s note: The author provides some helpful information on how to apply for SSI benefits for your disabled child.

Silicon Valley Blogger presents Smart Moves To Lower Your Health Care Costs posted at The Digerati Life, saying, "Thank you!"

The Smarter Wallet presents How To Save Money On Generic Drugs posted at The Smarter Wallet. Editor’s note: To save money, always ask your health care provider for the generic version of a drug.

Pregnancy Hut presents How to Improve Your Chances of Conceiving posted at Pregnancy Calendar, saying, "Tips to help you conceive."

Linda W. presents Getting a Fertility Test posted at The Eclectic Female, saying, "How can you tell if you are having fertility problems?"

Joe Hayes presents Abdominal Hernia Symptoms & Treatment posted at Comments on: Abdominal Hernia Symptoms & Treatment, saying, "An abdominal hernia occurs when there is a tear or bulge in the inside layer of the abdominal wall. Surgery is the only treatment that will cure an abdominal hernia. It will not heal or "go away" on its own."

Miscellaneous

AdmirableIndia.com presents Hogenakkal Falls: Part 1 posted at AdmirableIndia.com. Editor’s note: Watching the beautiful videos of the Hogenakkal Falls had a very calming and relaxing effect on me.

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.

Welcome to the October 6, 2008, edition of the Carnival of Family Life! I am honored to have been asked to be the host for this week’s Carnival. I was impressed with the quality and variety of the posted articles on a wide range of topics including education, family meals, crafts and activities the whole family can enjoy, family finance, parenting tips, family health and wellness, family spirituality, and family travel.


As you read through these excellent articles, you will find helpful tips and ideas which will definitely benefit your family life. Remember that a strong family life is essential to your health and well being.


Education

Laureen presents Geography in the School of the World posted at Life Without School. Editor's note: These are lessons about geography that your children will always remember.

Donald Latumahina presents 7 Essential Tips for Developing Skills posted at Life Optimizer, saying, "These tips will help you develop your skills and make your career more fulfilling."


Family Cooking & Recipes

Kelly from Almost Frugal presents Food and Stress: Cooking as a Working Mom posted at Almost Frugal Food. Editor's note: The author presents some great meal management tips for working moms.

SeaBirdChronicles presents Pumpkin bread in muffin form posted at SeaBird Chronicles, saying, "Pumpkin bread in muffin form!"


Family Crafts and Activities

Jocelyn presents Summer '08 Memoirs posted at A Pondering Heart. Editor's note: You'll enjoy these summer photos.

Stephanie presents The Annual Toy Clean Out posted at Stop the Ride!, reminding us that : "Cleaning out the toys is a worthwhile task."

Jen presents Get Spooked This Halloween (A Bit Like Secret Santa) posted at Jen's Genuine Life. "Secretly deliver Halloween treats to and 'spook' your neighbors, starting a fun chain reaction that will end up all over town!" writes Jen.

Katey Magill presents Wedding Tea Party posted at Having Fun at Home, describing "an inexpensive, unique and creative idea for a wedding."

Stephanie presents Make Personalized Glasses posted at Stop the Ride! Editor's note: This is a great crafts idea that your kids will enjoy.


Family Finance

The Smarter Wallet presents Freshman Fund: Save For College With A 529 Plan Registry posted at The Smarter Wallet, discussing a "novel savings tool" that you can use to save for your child's college education.

Silicon Valley Blogger presents How Stressed Are You? Rating The Most Stressful Financial Events posted at The Digerati Life, emphasizing "how financial stresses affect the family."

Michael presents Consumer Debt Worst Offenders: Banks, Advertisers, and Advisors posted at Michael Emilio, saying, "There’s never been a time like the one we’re in right now when families have such a financial burden hanging over their heads."

Raymond presents Where Is The Safest Place To Save Or Invest Your Money? posted at Money Blue Book. Editor's note: The author provides a list of safe places to invest your money for today's economic climate.

Alex Blackwell presents The Price of Fueling Our Lives: 15 Abundantly Free Ideas posted at The BridgeMaker, saying, "Even though our lifestyle is changing, it’s good to know our approach to life doesn’t have to change. Yes, the cost of gas is just plain stupid right now. But, we can continue to move forward and find ways to live the life we want."

Super Saver presents A Birthday Party for Our Daughter posted at My Wealth Builder. Editor's note: The extra money involved in having a party at a children's center is worth the savings in time, stress, and cleanup, and most important of all, everyone will have a great time, even the parents.


Family Health and Wellness

Aparna presents Common cold is so very common in winter posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming. Editor's note: These tips should keep you healthy and help you prevent colds.

Helene Zemel presents Silver Amalgam Dental Fillings - Are They a Risk to your Health? posted at Health Plans Plus. "The use of mercury in amalgam dental fillings has come under some controversy," Helene reports. Read about the "pros and cons of amalgam 'silver' fillings vs. composite fillings, including cost differences. The United States Food and Drug Admnistration is, like agencies in other countries, considering labeling restrictions on amalgam fillings."

Matthew presents HIV Management posted at Fast Medical Information, explaining that "HIV management is very important for anyone with the virus. With proper precautions, there is no reason people suffering from HIV can not live a long life."

Alvaro Fernandez presents Allstate: Can we improve Driver Safety using Posit Science InSight? posted at SharpBrains: Your Window into the Brain Fitness Revolution, discussing "where brain health meets driving safety."

Amy Vernon presents The trouble with greens posted at ice cream is not for breakfast.
"We're going to let our four-year-old start choosing his greens at the supermarket," Amy says. "Here's hoping that works." She'll keep readers updated.


Family Humor

Laura Scarborough presents spit bath posted at Adventures in Juggling, Faced with the prospect of mom washing his face," Laura's son takes matters into his own, er, hands.

Jenna684 presents A Pumpkin Patch, a Corn Silo, and a Sliced Finger posted at Beautifying The World One Clippie at a Time. Editor's note: Visiting a pumpkin patch can provide some great family time, but be careful about playing on old farm equipment.


Family Relationships and Self-Improvement

Vanessa presents A home of our Very own. And the start of a Journey posted at Our way to Happily Ever After . . ., saying, "I'll be using this blog to keep track of our life and journey to Happily Ever After...."

luvmy4sons presents The Great Communicator posted at Do You Weary Like I Do? Editor's note: Some reflections on the need for communication.

Charles H. Green presents The Guts of Trust posted at Trust Matters, describing what he has learned over the years"about being trusted and trusting."

Terence Gillespie presents Why I Live With My In-Laws! posted at Your Optimal Blog. "I can’t claim credit for the idea that my father and mother-in-law move in with us. Or that we move my mom from her nursing home into my office," Terence writes. "My wife saw the mounting nursing home bills, knew a baby was coming, and swung into action. By the time she was finished laying it all out, one night after work, she had a way to upgrade all of our lives. She was proposing we live like a family. A multi-generational family. It was outrageous!"


Family Spirituality/Belief/Worship

Minister Mamie L. Pack presents It's Football Time posted at The Life I Now Live. Editor's note: You will enjoy reading this inspirational post.

Shaun Connell presents Life Purpose 101 posted at Personal Development, opining that "the crux of a happy family is happy individual members." Shaun argues that happiness is achieved when each family member understands "their life purpose, and how they can achieve it."


Family Travel

Hilary Green presents How To Choose a Family Car posted at Cars for Girls, saying, Choosing the right vehicle for your new family or growing brood doesn’t need to be difficult if you have a good idea of what you want and a check-list to get you started off in the right direction.

Bridget Smith presents Don’t Forget Your Shoes! posted at Family Adventure Guidebooks. "This inaugural post for the Family Adventure Guidebooks blog reminds readers that, for parenting and traveling, flexibility and a sense of humor are always required," according to Bridget.

Sheila Scarborough presents Travel budget squished? How to find the best hotel deals posted at Family Travel Guide, offering "some of my best tips for saving on the checkout bill."


Parenting Tips and Advice

Suzanne presents mean mama confessions posted at adventures in daily living. Author's note: These are some good habits to teach your children.

Abel Cheng presents Parenting A Teenager: Tips On Personalizing Your Approach posted at Parent Wonder, reminding us that when dealing with teens, "remember who your child is at his core and use that information to find a way to communicate with him."

Kevin presents Long Distance/Virtual Parenting posted at More4kids, saying, "Thanks to technology it is also possible for the parent that is away to send email messages, instant message and even do a video conference online."

Thank you all for participating in the Carnival this week!

Submit a blog article for the October 13, 2008, Edition of the Carnival, hosted at On the Horizon, by clicking here!

The Carnival archive can be viewed here.

Interested in hosting a future edition? Review the schedule here and then drop a line indicating the week you would like to have the Carnival visit your site!

Take Charge of Your Health Care Carnival September 20, 2008

Welcome to the September 20, 2008 edition of take charge of your health care. It is now the start of the Fall season and Back-to-School. This is always a busy time of the year, but be sure to follow good health guidelines to make sure that you are ready for this busy season.

I am really impressed with the quality of the articles that have been submitted this month. Welcome also to the new authors submitting articles to Take Charge of Your Health Blog Carnival.

Alternative Medicine

GrrlScientist presents The Bi Polar Puzzle posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, "This is a summary of Jennifer Egan's piece that will be published tomorrow in the NY Times Magazine. The article focuses on three main questions; whether bipolar disorder exists in children, what it looks like and whether children with undiagnosed/untreated bipolar disorder will grow up to be bipolar adults. I've summarized it here, along with a few of my own comments, for those of you who cannot access it."

Joel Gray presents Herbal Cancer Treatments A Boost To Your Cancer Fighting System posted at Health Tips 101, saying, Cancer is a dreaded diagnosis, but not the deadly one that it used to be. Today, alternative methods of alleviating the ravaging symptoms of a disease that was once always a fatal diagnosis are available at varied places around the world. There are many Holistic Medical Practitioners who believe that there are herbs and roots that will assist in removing cancerous cells from the body.

Piotr Stepien presents Try It On Everything - EFT movie review posted at we overstep, saying, "There is a little technique that can heal almost everything."
Dean Moyer presents Microdiscectomy and Herniated Discs posted at The Back Pain Blog, saying, "Back pain goes back to class where we learn what really causes herniated discs. This is part four in the series on herniated discs and covers the two main causes of bulging and ruptured discs. We then examine some useful tips your family can use in planning a rehabilitation program."

Consumer Driven Health Care

Stephen presents Are You a Victim of the Great Cholesterol Con? posted at Balanced Existence, saying, "The state of affairs has reached a rather horrifying place. Recently cholesterol-lowering drugs in the United States have been urged for children with heart risks. This comes off the back of the release of a study showing that certain cholesterol lowering drugs are ineffective. The results of the study represented a big hit to the bottom line of large pharmaceutical companies. The subsequent response by the pharmaceutical companies was to go after a new market. Your children."

Kristen McCarthy presents Menstrual Suppression is the New White posted at this-sustainable-life.com, saying, "This season menstrual suppression is the new white. Designer oral contraceptives like Seasonale are the latest in cute pink pills to target the Western woman. No more mood swings, cramps, or unexpected whoopsies during your weekend getaways."

Janelle Fisher presents This is going to get brutal… posted at Not Gently. Editor’s note: This is a must read if you suffer from PCOS or polycystic ovary syndrome.

Alvaro Fernandez presents Your Brain At Work, by the Dana Alliance and the Conference Board posted at SharpBrains, saying, "Simple, practical strategies for incorporating brain-friendly practices into day-to-day life."

Raymond presents My Experience With Lasik Eye Surgery - Thoughts About Laser Vision Correction - Is It Worth The Cost and Risks? posted at Money Blue Book. Editor’s note: Very informative post about Lasik eye surgery. This is certainly a viable and safe alternative for people who want freedom from contact lenses and thick eyeglasses.

Dental Care

Helene Zemel presents Get Started for $25 with the AmeriPlan Opportunity posted at Work at Home Mom and Dad, saying, "If you have ever dreamed of owning your own healthcare company, now you can start your own business as a benefits consultant with a 16 year old company for just $25.00."

Aparna presents Benefits of chewing gum posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming. Editor’s note: Who would have thought? Chewing gum can have health benefits.

ChristianPF presents How to make natural toothpaste posted at Money in the Bible Christian Personal Finance Blog, saying, "I never knew how easy and cheap it was to make your own!!"

Health Insurance and Save Money on Health Care

Helene Zemel presents Big Brother Is Watching Your Health Care posted at Health Plans Plus, saying, "Health insurance companies are increasingly making use of prescription use databases in an effort to exclude people from health insurance. This blog post explains why you should be concerned about this invasion of your health care privacy."

NAOMI presents OAPS RULE IN BRITAIN posted at Diary From England. Editor’s note: The author makes the comment that the health care system should serve all of the people regardless of age or condition.

Jose DeJesus MD presents Medicare Pilot Personal Health Record Program posted at Physician Entrepreneur, saying, "A pilot Personal Health Record (PHR) program will be rolled out next year in Arizona and Utah for Medicare patients."

fightingfatigue presents » Economic Impact of CFS posted at Fighting Fatigue, reporting that, “A study was published in Dynamic Medicine in April revealing that CFS imposes a substantial economic burden on the United States”.

Diet & Fitness

Sandra Ahten presents The Reasonable Diet posted at Sandra Ahten, saying, "Learn How can we make healthier dieting and weight control a source of pleasure instead of duty? How can we, as Thoreau suggests, take it upon ourselves and bring happiness to this area of our lives?"

Kelly Sonora presents Measured Success: 50 Online Fitness and Nutrition Calculators posted at Nursing Colleges & Training Schools, saying, “Whether you are trying to lose weight or just want to improve your overall health and fitness, there are plenty of online calculators that can help you achieve your goals. Find tools to assist with packing the most nutritious lunch, creating a overall health picture, eating the healthiest fast food, creating a great running plan, or telling you how strong a swimmer you are.”

Neelakantha presents 100 Killer Free eBooks to Improve Your Health, Wealth and Happiness posted at Nursing School Search Blog. Editor’s note: The author has presented an excellent list of free e-books to help you with your health, wealth, and well being.

Joshua Seth presents Paul McKenna Owes Courtney Love An Apology posted at Joshua Seth Blog, saying, "Yes, it is possible to lose too much weight. There is such a thing as a healthy range. And unfortunately singer Courtney Love seems to have taken weight loss hypnosis a bit too far."

James J. Gormley presents So what's the big (low-fat) deal? posted at The Gormley Files, saying, "James Gormley gives us the skinny on fat."
Stephen presents The Best Diet for You posted at Balanced Existence, saying, "There are thousands upon thousands of books on the subject of diet. Browse through the internet and there is a staggering array of conflicting advice. This plethora of information has lead to confusion and frustration for those seeking the path to physical health and wellbeing. To make matters worse it has been shown that those who diet and fail regain more weight then they actually lost. The effect on health of a wildly fluctuating body weight and dietary intake is not good to say the least. Can there possibly be a solution to this problem that is plaguing so many?"

Chris presents How Fast Can You Lose Fat ? posted at searchformeto.com, saying, "Alwyn Cosgrove, M.S., C.S.C.S. is a nationally renown fat loss expert whose work has appeared in magazines such as Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Muscle & Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Men's Journal, Self, Oxygen, and Muscle & Fitness HERS. His Warp Speed Fat Loss system is a complete Done-for-You A-Z Fat Loss Blueprint that gives you exactly everything you need to eat and exactly what to do for exercise to lose weight in record time."

Piotr Stepien presents Raw Vegan Food posted at we overstep, saying, "What seemed to be an extreme diet is easier and more efficient than a regular diet."
Leeman presents 3 Great Life Philosophies to Remove Sadness and Anxiety posted at Be Happy, saying, "Use great life philosophies to remove sadness and anxiety in daily life, and to work and live happily"

Silicon Valley Blogger presents 12 Cheap Ways To Keep Fit And Stay Healthy posted at The Digerati Life. Editor’s note: These 12 health tips should be helpful to readers.

Alex Smith presents Jiu Jitsu as Self Defense posted at TBO-TECH, saying, “jiu jitsu is not only a way to get in shape, but it’s also a fun way of learning self-defense.”

Alex Smith presents Self-Defense Courses or Lessons posted at TBO-TECH, saying, “Many types of self-defense courses are offered today, designed to teach people of all shapes and sizes to defend themselves properly. All you need to do is find one that appeals to you and fits your schedule.”

Miscellaneous

AdmirableIndia.com presents Lalbagh Botanical Garden, Bangalore: Part 1: Ancient Watch Tower and Organic Cultivation posted at AdmirableIndia.com. Editor’s note: The author shares some beautiful photographs of this fascinating place as well as some recipes for organic horticulture.

Sarah Scrafford presents Consumer Beware: Online Education Scams and the U.S. Government?s Recommendations posted at Online Universities.com. Editor’s note: This article gives some good advice on how to tell whether an online college is accredited or a scam. A must read if you are considering an online college degree.

WordPress Hacker presents Auto Create Navigation Tabs for New WordPress Pages posted at WordPress Hacker, saying, "In this article I explain how you can setup your blog to automatically create main navigation links/tabs when new pages are published by using custom fields to mark those pages you want to appear in the navigation menu."

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.

Big Brother Is Watching Your Health Care

We all know that the big insurance companies are in the business solely to make a profit. They are not in the business to help people access and receive quality, affordable health care. At times it seems that the insurance companies don’t want to insure people who need it the most, but only those individuals that will use health care services the least.

We already know that if you have had a serious illness such as cancer or heart disease, even if successfully treated, you will find it nearly impossible to purchase health insurance if you are either self employed or are uninsured because you work for a small company which cannot afford the constantly rising health insurance premiums. This elimination of people with health risks from the pool of insured patients extends even to people with easily treatable chronic illnesses such as asthma, hypertension, diabetes, or mental illness. People have even been turned down for excess weight or prescription drug use. Eliminating these people from the ranks of the insured helps insurance companies make huge profits each year but unfortunately at the expense of the American consumer. There are now over 47 million people in the United States with no health insurance, and many others are underinsured.

I recently read an article, in the Washington Post by Ellen Nakashima entitled Prescription Data Used to Assess Consumers, which explained how in an effort to weed out people who may have had a serious illness or have a chronic health condition, health insurance companies collect and analyze personal health information on consumers through such companies as Ingenix, Milliman Intelliscript, and others. These companies maintain large prescription use databases and provide health insurance companies with consumer drug profiles. Traditionally the health insurance industry has gathered this information from doctors' offices, but with the advent of computer databases, health insurance companies are now gathering information from prescription drug records and clinical and pathological laboratories. You as a healthcare consumer are usually unaware that this is going on. It is certainly an invasion of your privacy. Consumers should find this very frightening.

As Joy Pritts, a research professor at Georgetown University’s Health Policy states: “As health care moves into the digital age, there are more and more companies holding vast amounts of patient’s health information. Most people don’t even know these organizations exist. Unfortunately the Federal health privacy rule does not cover many of them.”

These companies mine the huge prescription history databases kept by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Every time that you have a prescription filled using your insurance card; this information goes into the PBMs database. Consumers are assigned a “pharmacy risk score” with the highest scores being assigned to AIDS and cancer medications.

While Congress did pass the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1996, whose purpose is to protect the confidentiality of patient health records, unfortunately, according to the article, companies like Ingenix and Milliman are not regulated by the HIPAA act. There is concern that this breach in the confidentiality of patient prescription data will be extended to other types of patient electronic medical data as well. Before long, people will not only be turned down for health and life insurance but for employment as well. This is surely a case of “big brother” overseeing your most intimate health records. There have been calls for further legislation on health privacy issues, so do let your local and Federal officials know where you stand on the issue.

If you find yourself uninsured or underinsured due to a pre-existing condition or a past serious illness, a

discount health plan is an affordable alternative. With discounts on doctor visits, laboratory tests, imaging studies, and more, these plans can help you save money on your healthcare needs. Many discount health plans offer a hospital advocacy program which will not only slash the cost of your hospital, but will also work out an affordable payment plan which will help you avoid a bankruptcy due to high medical costs. For more information on discount health plans visit: www.healthplansplus.net.

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.