Health All Day

Archive for November, 2010

Are you currently searching for Kentucky health plans? What’s important to you when you think of medical coverage? Is it the inpatient side and you may worry you will not be able to cover the bills if you are admitted to the hospital? Is it the outpatient services you are looking for and the coverage for since you seem to be visiting the Urgent Care doctors which are expensive when you have to go be seen?

Do you have to pay for your own health insurance? Are you looking for something similar that your employer used to provide? If you are, you may want to look at Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield for their individual health insurance plans. They have affordable rates and various plans that will fit all needs. What is important is that you understand your benefits and with the representative’s help you will know exactly what type of care you will be able to receive. It will be outlined for you what type of providers whether they are part of an HMO or PPO that you will be able to see. It will explain if there will be a cost share for you or an additional discount because you saw a certain group of providers.

When trying to find Kentucky health plans it is helpful to understand what your deductible is and what it means. Basically, this means that you have to pay a certain amount of money before your benefits kick in. You will learn the term “premium” instead of “payment” much like our car insurance, we pay premiums, and before you leave you should have an idea of what the individual health insurance plan will cost you monthly. There is information on the website that you can review to see the various terms or lingo and their meaning that is used in the healthcare insurance world. It is nice to be able to understand what is being said in your policy if you have questions.

There will also be definitions of the different plans if you need to make a change down the road because your circumstances are different and the coverage needs to be tweaked. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield is a household name and accepted in all 50 states. Today we just happen to be speaking about Kentucky health plans.

Health Savings Plans also called Health Savings Accounts or HSAs are a special medical savings plan that is similar to an IRA. The contributions are used to pay your medical expenses. For 2008, the annual contribution limit was $2900 for an individual and $5800 for a family. The contributions are made pre-tax like a traditional IRA so the amount you put in is not taxed. For most people this allows for a higher amount of your medical expenses to be tax free and may lower you’re over all medical costs. Under normal IRS rules, you can only deduct amounts that are above 7.5% of your Gross salary. So if you made $100,000 and you had $10,000 of medical expenses, only $2500 could be deducted. Under an HSA, if you contributed $5800, that amount would not be taxed.

Health Savings Accounts have to be tied to a High Deductible Medical Plan with at least an $1,100 deductible for an individual or $2,200 for a family. What is nice about this plan is it can seriously limit your total out-of-pocket expenses and the premiums are much lower than those of an HMO. The plan that is right for you depends on how much of the cost of the plan you have to contribute versus what your employer pays.

If your employer is paying 100% of your plan costs and allows an HMO as an option that is probably the best route to go. But since HMO Plans run about $1,600 a month in premiums for a family, most employers will not cover those 100% and many won’t offer them at all. The $1,600 does not cover the office Co-Pay which runs $20 to $80 depending on the plan. They also tend to not cover much of the prescription costs. Many common prescription medicines cost over $100 per month. So an average family is probably going to spend at least $1,000 above the premiums for their medical care.

Bare with me, I’m trying to get to the meat here pretty quickly. If your employer only covers 50%, than your monthly cost given the above scenario would be $800. Most employers at least set-up your premiums to be pre-tax. So even though you are paying at least $9,600 a year that is $9,600 you don’t have to pay taxes on. That is a little better than our first example, but can we lower your overall costs?

High Deductible Medical Plans have a few nice features. First, the premiums are much lower than an HMO. The reason for this is you are responsible to pay all of the medical costs up to the deductible. So you are taking on some of the risk of the plan. The higher the deductible, the lower the premiums and I would recommend finding one in the middle. These average about $500 per month. If your employer is paying 50%, your cost would be $250.00. If you select a plan with a $4000 deductible and maximum out-of-pocket expenses, then your total costs would be $7,000. You would save yourself $2,600 a year. You would want to contribute at least an amount equal to your deductible each year. As a result, the entire $7000 is also tax deductible. On like a flexible spending account, you don’t lose what you don’t use. It can grow like an IRA.

Health Savings Plans can also cover other medically related expenses such as eye-glasses, contacts, dental bills, etc. Make sure you do your own math to determine which medical plan would be best for you. Then shop around to find the best premiums / deductible combo for you and your family.

Studies have shown that more and more people are having trouble to pay off hospital bills because they have not availed of any health insurance. Though the government has allotted time and money for such problem, there are still many people left with no accommodation to such circumstances.

The insurance policy given by the government has changed over the years. But there are still people who have not been updated to such changes. Such fact has left them with no insurance especially to those who live in rural areas in the country.

Suggestions have been brought up to many insurance organization on how to spread the word “insurance” to as many people as possible. With the kind of technology we have these days, there are a lot of ways to reach out to people in creating platforms that tells the importance of being insured.

In the United States alone, 20% of death toll has shown no records of having health insurance. This problem alone has awakened many non-government insurance organizations to act as the voice of those people who are, up until now, not insured.

Health insurance is very important. Without it, you could have a hard time paying off hospital bills, purchase of medications and so much more. But if you have it, most of the expenses are covered. The health insurance policy is mandatory across the country. But we cannot deny the fact that the government couldn’t handle every single person with regards to having them insured. That is why several insurance organizations are helping out to bring insurance news to different areas that are quite secluded.

Furthermore, the measure of spreading out the news has been implemented due to the different natural disaster that has occurred in the past years. Both the government and NGO’s have doubled there efforts in reaching out to as many people who have not inured themselves.

One of the many ways of providing insurance news is through the internet. The internet has truly opened the gates to many possibilities in bringing out insurance to several rural areas. Such manner has opened the eyes of many people who wants to be insured and to those who don’t know anything at all about it. But rest assured, the government I doing all with its power to make sure that every single person in the country has health insurance.

Florida small business health insurance policy is easier to qualify for than an individual health insurance policy, even if you are not in the best of health. There are different health insurance laws concerning Florida small businesses. These laws require Florida health insurance companies to sell any small business a group health insurance policy. The State of Florida defines small groups as firms with at least 2 employees but not more than 50.

In order to qualify for Florida small business health insurance, an employee must meet certain eligibility requirements. The employee should be employed under an employer who runs a legitimate company. Government rules prevent health insurance firms from denying insurance coverage to individuals within small group policies. Additionally, as a security for groups insured under Florida small business health insurance, the state health insurance rules do not permit plans to be canceled as one among the insured individual’s might require it.

A small business medical insurance policy has countless advantages. In addition to providing the best medical care for business owners and members (employees), Florida small business health insurance plan lowers the financial risk of individual members. Lower premiums and widespread coverage are some of the salient features of these types of policies.

The price of Florida small business health insurance is based on a standard rate, which is an average of the risk associated with each individual in the group. Within a small business health insurance plan, individuals can pay up to 15 % more or less the standard value, depending on their medical conditions. Healthy individuals could end up paying more in a small business health insurance scheme than on an individual health insurance scheme. This is because the composition of the whole group determines the rates.

The National Health Service (NHS) of Britain was founded after the devastation of World War II. All the nations signed the human rights consensus which includes universal health care.

The United States used to be the last enduring industrialized country that didn’t have any form of universal access to health services, partly because of debates in the congress that are motivated by false beliefs.

One of them is that the US is not capable of covering the uninsured. Yet a coordinated financing system is the secret to keeping the costs down. The following are some affordable ways to do it. Another belief is that the United States’ enormous size and diversity make it a different case from what is applicable to smaller and less diverse countries.

Many believe that there is no other option to intentional health insurance based on the market but a single-payer system backed by revenues. But in truth, there are other alternatives. Another belief, usually held by the physicians, is that they would lose more control under corporate care management. But in other universal health care systems, the medical profession is given greater institutional control.

Lastly, conventional lawmakers and insurance providers think that it would result into neglected facilities, inferior quality, low salaries, and long waiting intervals to see a physician like the British NHS. The trouble with American media is that they present the negative aspects more than the positive views.

Actually, the bleak features of the NHS described above-neglected facilities, inferior quality, low salaries, etc. -are the results of lack of funds and supplies of equipment as well as personnel. Many other systems for universal health care have resolved these problems. The NHS is not a problem of design but a problem of funding. On the other hand, the US health care system has proper funding but there are many flaws in the design.

Looking at the history of the NHS, we can draw applicable aspects for universal health care in the US. Two fundamental approaches to reform typified proposals in the 1920s & 1930s. One was to broaden the limitations of the 1911 act into wide-ranging national health insurance. Another approach was to make existing health services accessible to everyone. The first proposal is founded on every person’s right to health care. The second proposal is founded on the concept that society has a responsibility to tend to the health of its citizens.

Some Try Keeping Low-cost Health Care Off Internet

Are you one of those lucky ones with good quality, low-cost health care? If you are, do not bother reading this. Chances are however, that you are not one of those lucky few. In fact, studies show that most people do not think they have good quality low-cost health care and more than 40 million have no health insurance at all.

Now, advances in technology and the Internet can turn the dream of low-cost health care into reality. Advances in technology always drive advances in medicine and health care. In almost every other industry, advances in technology also help drive costs down except health care. Why should health care be the exception? Who or what is stopping it?

Most are familiar with some of the consequences of a lack of low-cost health care:

1.Borrowing prescriptions when you do not have the money to buy your own.

2.Getting fewer tests and doctors visits than you need due to lack of money.

3.Using the emergency room when your health gets urgent rather than preventative care.

4.Getting fake doctors excuse notes to miss school or work when you do not have the time or money for a doctor’s visit.

Companies are increasingly beginning to offer some of these services on the Internet. Right now, the most controversial of these is buying fake doctors excuse notes on the Internet. Perhaps that is part of the reason thousands of workers and students buy a doctors excuse online everyday. With millions uninsured and the cost of health care rising; access to doctors for a visit is growing more difficult. As more and more products and services move online it may not be long before many things done in a traditional doctors office are done on line. Now I am not saying that fake doctors excuses is the cure for all of health cares ills. But, could fake doctors notes be more of a symptom of the problems with health care than a problem themselves? Are consumers telling us with their thousands of purchases a day that we need to do a better job? Consumers may be telling companies that if we cannot get real doctors excuses online, then we will take fake ones.

What of those that seem to oppose fake doctors notes or find them unethical? Although opinion varies, the fact is that thousands of people each day buy fake doctors notes to miss work or delay a test at school. This is not surprising when you think that most of us have told a “little white lie” at one time in our lives. Many would say that small lies are so common from politicians to used car salesmen that we often take them for granted. Clearly, we all have our own set of ethics we follow and the buying of doctor’s excuses is an individual choice that is not for some to judge.

Health

Your health should be the number one priority in your life. Health is the general condition of a person in all aspects. It is also a level of functional and/or metabolic efficiency of an organism, often implicitly human. The physical environment is perhaps the most important factor that should be considered when classifying the health status of an individual. This includes factors such as clean water and air, safe houses, communities and roads all contribute to good health.

Jogging:

For heart health, the benefits of jogging is no need to be doubted. However, to reduce fat and weight, it is not effective. Why is hard to loose weight by jogging?

Here is an explanation of why a body remain fat despite jogging every day.

Constant movement during jogging including aerobic activity can strengthen the heart and respiratory muscles. The impact on health is that breathing becomes more healthy and cardiac pressure will go down so that the risk of hypertension decreases.

However, to burn fat, jogging is less effective. The body will only process the fat into energy if the calories needs obtained from sugar and carbohydrates are not sufficient.

One way to reduce fat is through exercise. Jogging is an exercise which requires lots of energy, so many people do it with the expectation of energy reserves in the form of fat will burned more efficiently. In fact, some people fail to lose weight despite jogging every day.

“The body is like the best machine that constantly adapts to anything. The more often you jog, the body will be more prepared for the next jog.”

Jogging which is done frequently will only cause energy metabolism becomes more efficient. Adaptation which is performed by the body reduce the energy needed so not a lot of calories are burned.

Besides not being effective in loosing weight, jogging is also not good for your joints. When you jog, the joints will have to take 2.5 times the weight so vulnerable to injury.

The joints which are most prone to acute pain attack due to jogging, are the ankles and the knees. If often experience repeated pressure, these joints wear out faster.

Jogging is always considered as an exercise that can increase your metabolism and effective for weight loss.

5 Signs of a Healthy Heart:

If your heart stops beating for just a few minutes, followed by the stop of blood circulation, than your valuable life will end. That is why the prevention of heart disease and blood vessels are very important and highly stressed. Generally there are five vital signs of a healthy heart, which are:

1. Cholesterol

Pretend that the LDL or bad cholesterol is a fire and HDL or good cholesterol as a fireman. “A good firefighter is usually able to prevent long term damage.”

The higher the HDL cholesterol level, the lower the risk of ateroklerosis occurrence. For healthy heart, the bad cholesterol’s target is no more than 130 mg / dl and HDL should be higher than 40 mg / dl. HDL cholesterol levels tend to increase with exercise, lose weight, and eating lots of fiber

2. Blood pressure

If left unchecked in recent years, high blood pressure can damage arteries throughout the body so that the blood vessel wall will be thickened and rigid and clogged so blood flow to vital organs are blocked. Optimal blood pressure are lower than 120/80 mmHg.

Variation of various foods with different combination’s of the right nutrients will be beneficial to blood pressure. Various studies have also shown an effective stress reduction also lowers blood pressure. Spanish researchers say, the consumption of aspirin every day also decreased the systolic pressure of 6.8 mmHg and 4.6 mmHg diastolic pressure.

3. Heartbeat

Life is not in your hands, but in your heart. Knowing the number of heartbeats per minute (resting heart rate) is one way to predict the age. In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine stated, a man who has a resting heart rate above 75 beats per minute (bpm) have three times greater risk of heart attack. Normal pulse is 65 bpm.

“When you do a cardio workout with low intensity and add a high intensity every two weeks, the heart rate per minute will be reduced.” Do exercise at least 30 minutes with 60-80 percent of the maximum amount of heart rate.

4. Fasting blood sugar

Fasting blood sugar levels is a sign of whether there is any risk of diabetes. The higher your blood sugar levels, the greater the risk of developing diabetes. “People with diabetes have a greater risk of heart disease, kidney, and eye disorders.”

To reduce levels of fasting blood sugar, we need to increase the body’s ability to use blood sugar, or in other words to increase insulin sensitivity. The best way to achieve this is to reduce weight.

5. C-reactive protein

C-reactive proteins or CRP is a plasma protein produced by the liver in response to infection, injury, and inflammatory processes. High levels of CRP indicate inflammation in the body. Because heart disease is due to inflammation in the arterial wall, CRP can be used as a common marker of heart disease risk.

Elevated levels of CRP are usually accompanied by increased cholesterol. A high CRP level, more than 1 milligram per liter, also associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. CRP measurement is done by taking blood from the elbow or the back of your palms.

To Improve Sleep:

1. Sprinkle just-washed sheets and pillowcases with lavender water. The scent has been shown in studies to promote relaxation, which can lead to better sleep.

2. Buy a new pillow. Katz says that studies show that pillows with an indent in the center can enhance sleep quality and reduce neck pain. Also, try a “cool” pillow — one containing either all-natural fibers or a combination of sodium sulfate and ceramic fibers that help keep your head cool.

3. Eat a handful of walnuts before bed. You’ll be giving yourself a boost of fiber and essential fatty acids along with the amino acid tryptophan — a natural sleep-inducer.

To Improve Stress Control:

1. Give your partner a hug every day before work. Studies show this simple act can help you remain calm when chaos ensues during your day, Katz says.

2. Have a good cry. It can boost your immune system, reduce levels of stress hormones, eliminate depression, and help you think more clearly.

3. Twice a day, breathe deeply for three to five minutes

To Improve Nutrition:

1. Buy whole foods — whether canned, frozen, or fresh from the farm — and use them in place of processed foods whenever possible.

2. Reject foods and drinks made with corn syrup, a calorie-dense, nutritionally empty sweetener that many believe is worse for the body than sugar, says Katz.

3. Start each dinner with a mixed green salad. Not only will it help reduce your appetite for more caloric foods, but it also will automatically add veggies to your meal.

To Improve Physical Fitness:

1. Do a squat every time you pick something up. Instead of bending over in the usual way, which stresses the lower back, bend your knees and squat. This forces you to use your leg muscles and will build strength.

2. Every time you stop at a traffic light (or the bus does), tighten your thighs and butt muscles and release as many times as you can. (Don’t worry, no one will see it!) This will firm leg and buttock muscles, improve blood flow — and keep you mildly amused!

3. Whenever you’re standing on a line, lift one foot a half-inch off the ground. The extra stress on your opposite foot, ankle, calf and thigh, plus your buttocks, will help firm and tone muscles. Switch feet every few minutes.

As a physician, I sincerely appreciate all that nurses go through. You put up with cranky patients and arrogant doctors day in and day out. You are on your feet running the halls all day which turns into foot problems years later. Hours are long yet hardly boring. Then you go home and likely prepare meals, prepare your kids for school and, if you’re lucky, you can go for a walk with your partner or get some exercise in. That isn’t even the half of it.

Nurses are exposed to radiation, cleaning chemicals, sterilizing chemicals, infectious agents, insane patients (and doctors), sharp needles, noxious gases, latex, formaldehyde, heavy metals, dangerous medications and emotional roller coasters – the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. You love your job. You’re passionate about what you do and wouldn’t trade it for the world. There are few jobs like it and you kick ass at it. Let’s keep you healthy. Your question asks ‘tips for us nurses to stay healthy’ because you’re ‘exposed to so many illnesses.’ You forgot to mention that nurses are also exposed to so many chemicals. As a naturopathic physician, I always aim for prevention and education.

That said, there are the core nutrients which are needed by all, especially nurses and other people who are exposed to chemicals and other hazards in the workplace. Beneficial supplement choices for nurses to prevent getting sick:

* Vitamin D3: If I had to pick one nutrient for a nurse, it would be vitamin D3. Why? Because it supports mood, bone health, immunity, cardiovascular to name a few.

- Get your blood levels of vitamin D3 tested.

- If they are below 60, you need to load up on vitamin D3. Consider taking 10,000 IU of Vitamin D3 per day and then measuring again at 3 months time.

- If your levels are near 80, then you need to supplement with 5,000 IU per day and measure your vitamin D3 blood levels every 3 months.

- According to John Cannell of Vitamin D3 Council, 5,000 IU of Vitamin D3 is the suggested daily maintenance dose during the low sun exposure months.

- For daily maintenance during summer months or if you do not feel comfortable taking 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily, then take 2,000 IU of Vitamin D3 daily.

* Adrenal Support: Given the amount of stress nurses are under, nurses should support their adrenals. Nurses can feel calm in the most intense moments if their adrenals are balanced. Nurses can feel consistently energized without having to resort to 10 cups of coffee a shift or drinking corn syrup laden energy drinks. Sleep is also deeper and waking refreshed is possible.

- I recommend nurses take 2 capsules of Adrenal Support Plus in the morning on waking and 2 more in the afternoon.

- Do not take Adrenal Support of any type within 5 hours of going to sleep as it will keep you awake.

* Potent Multivitamin/Mineral: Obtaining nutrients from food is next to impossible due to corporate farming methods, pesticides, herbicides, lengthy improper handling and transportation and depleted soils. Then one adds the fact that grocery stores and restaurants no longer serve ‘food’. Food is now all conveniently stored on shelves for long duration and not requiring refrigeration. The amount of processing has destroyed our foods. Monsanto needs to simply vanish from our planet. I wish they would genetically alter themselves and screw up. I digress…

- Nutrient 950 with NAC is a complete multivitamin with extra antioxidant support. NAC is essential for lung health and detoxification.

- For optimum effect, take 3 capsules of Nutrient 950 in the AM with breakfast and 3 more capsules at lunch time. There is no reason to take all 8 capsules.

* Probiotic: Given that nurses are exposed to so many chemicals and infectious agents, it is essential that nurses have protection on board. Probiotics assist and act as key players in the enteric immune system. Did you know that most of our immune function stems from our innate immunity which is located in our digestive system. When I say most, I mean 70%. If your gut associated lymphatic tissue is not functioning properly due to pathogenic bacteria, chemical exposure or radiation, nurses become ill.

- Help protect 70% of your immune system by taking 1 capsule of ProBiota 12 Maximum Strength every night at dinner.

* Detox Support: To help bind all the toxins that you are exposed to from the cleaners and sanitizers, I highly recommend you supplement with nutrients.

- BioCleanse capsules is a phase 2 liver support product which helps mobilize toxins that are already circulating in your blood and helps gets them out via the urine and stool.

- Consider taking 2 capsules anytime and then 2 capsules again about 5 hours later. Anytime is fine.

* Calming Support: Take the edge off at work, improve sleep, maintain energy in a calm and collected fashion with Ashwagandha.

- Stress stops detoxification and actually creates more load on your liver. By remaining more stable and calm, you are able to detox more effectively.

- Improved sleep allows for decreased stress and anxiety thereby improving immunity and effective detoxification.

- Consider taking 2 capsules of Ashwagandha each evening before sleep and 2 capsules before going to work. You won’t notice any difference but your co-workers will. They will ask, “You are so much calmer. What’s up?” The power of subtle changes in mood with Ashwagandha is incredible. I would not have survived medical school without it – nor my extremely fast growing company. Ashwagandha is my favorite herb by far.

Protect your Feet and Knees You are on your feet all day. I highly recommend you look at the MBT shoes. Sauna There is no better way to detox quickly than using a sauna a few times a week. Ensure that you have electrolytes and some detox nutrients on board like BioCleanse capsules. If one gets into a sauna without electrolytes and phase 2 liver support, you will simply be moving toxins around and into your brain. Make sure you get the toxins out and the phase 2 nutrients found in BioCleanse and the electrolytes will both help with this. Having an infrared sauna myself and being a specialist in Environmental Medicine, I have tried numerous protocols for effective sauna therapy. Weigh yourself before getting into the sauna. Make note of it. When done, you should weigh the same. If not, drink more filtered water.

At the first sign of feeling ‘odd’ or ‘ill’, get out. Toxins are affecting you and you need to stop the sauna treatment. Do the sauna again tomorrow or a few hours later in the day. It is not a competition of how hot you can get the sauna. Lower heat such as 115 degrees F is a good temperature. This lower temperature allows you to stay in the sauna longer which means you’ll be able to sweat out toxins more effectively. Further questions about sauna therapy, please do schedule a consult or submit a health question – or a comment below.

Effective Sleep If you find it difficult to fall asleep, take 2 Ashwagandha 30 minutes before sleep along with 2 capsules of Magnesium Plus. You’ll fall asleep. Magnesium is a key deficient mineral which is often low in individuals who cannot fall asleep.

Vitamin B6 is found in Magnesium Plus and vitamin B6 plays a role in neurotransmitter creation. Balanced neurotransmitters allow for balanced thought processes and getting relaxed and calm before bed is part of this. If you find it difficult to stay asleep, then you need to have a protein snack before bed. Almond butter on celery, bowl of low sugar granola, hummus and veggies, something with protein in it. Low protein is the most common cause in patients that cannot stay asleep. The reason? Simple physiology. If one lacks protein before bed, blood sugar tanks in about 3-4 hours. Tanked blood sugar triggers the sympathetic nervous system which is the fight-or-fight response. BAM. You’re awake.

Why? Your body wants you to eat. So go eat some protein. Do not get sugar even though your body says to. Having protein before bed will solve this. Chemical Exposure to Nurses The Environmental Working Group has published a report about Nurses’ Health and it is on going. If you are a nurse, I encourage you to read the EWG’s Nurses’ Health and Workplaces Exposures Report. Should you have any specific questions, please do schedule a 15 minute phone consult with me. I wish you well. Comments are highly welcomed and encouraged. What helps you cope and stay healthy as a nurse? In health, Dr Ben

The health of your eye muscles ultimately govern the health of your vision.Each eye has six muscles surrounding the eyeball. The eyes can move up, down, left, right, inward, and outward, always paralleling each other. The muscles are attached to the sclera (the white of the eye). Your ability to coordinate the movement of these muscles greatly determines your level of vision-fitness.

In order to preserve the fitness of these muscles, you must exercise them just as you would any other muscle group, starting with a warm-up. Seat yourself comfortably, with your hands supported and both feet firmly on the ground. Your eyes may be either open or closed. Take a few deep breaths. When you are ready, stretch your eyes as high as they can go without straining while you inhale. Hold the breath, and when you are ready to exhale, stretch the muscles into the extreme downward position and breathe out. Repeat the up-and-down movement for three breaths.

Next, stretch to the right. Then stretch up to the right and down to the left, and finally, up to the left and down to the right. If you feel any residual tension in the muscles, extend the breath slightly and reduce the degree of stretching. Avoid straining or extreme stretching.

Remember, vision-fitness develops while exercising in a relaxed way. As with any fitness procedure, do a “cooling-off” exercise. Rub your hands together until your palms are warm, then gently cover your closed eyes with the palms of your hands. Overlap the fingers above the bridge of your nose to create as much darkness as possible. Keep your eyes covered for a minute or two, counting between twenty and fifty breaths.

Not only will you relax your eyes, but you’ll probably experience quietness of the mind as well. This is like a meditation for the eyes.

When you remove your palms, you’ll observe that colors are much brighter, you’ll see more contrast, and you’ll enjoy a wonderful, relaxed feeling in your eyes and brow muscles.

Here’s another useful exercise: Turn your eyes in, crossing them. (No, they won’t get stuck, regardless of what your mother told you.)

Attempt to look at the bridge of your nose. If you can’t focus on your nose, try focusing on your thumb a few inches away from your face. Then slowly bring the thumb toward your nose and feel the eye muscles pulling in. These inner recti muscles are the turning-in muscles. This turning-in is vitally important for efficient and prolonged reading. If the inner recti don’t coordinate well, the eyes will rely on the ciliary (focusing) muscles instead, which could result in a focusing-muscle spasm and blurring. There is a connection between the turning-in of the eyes and the ability to focus. Have someone check that your eyes are turning in equally. Breathe in as you move your thumb toward your nose. Breathe out as you zoom your focus to a far-away object. Make sure your shoulders and body muscles are relaxed.

Practice this fitness exercise for ten to twenty breaths every day. You can remove your eyeglasses for these fitness routines. If you’re a contact lens wearer and can remove them, do so; otherwise, leave them in.

One further suggestion: Spend time studying the diagrams of the eye, and try to become familiar enough with them that you can visualize the eye structures with your eyes closed. When you stretch the eye muscles, or zoom back and forth, or do other eye exercises, blink and breathe, and visualize the particular portion of your eye’s anatomy that’s being stimulated. Picturing the part that is being trained will improve your performance and further enhance your overall vision-fitness.

It doesn’t take much time out of your day to do these exercises, and your eyes are worth it. Your eyes serve you well. Love them, exercise them, and maintain their vision-fitness.

Does this describe you: You walk into the living room to get
something, only to get there and forget what you needed? You
often hear “Yes, you already told me about that” or maybe you
thought you told someone, but you never actually verbalized it.
Someone tells you their name and then ninety seconds later you
say, “Ok, tell me your name again.”

Perhaps you’re not as young as you used to be, you have more on
your plate to keep track of or you have a diagnosed or even
undiagnosed medical condition. Whatever the reason, you seem to
be plagued with a bad case CRS – Can’t Remember Squat. First and
foremost if you haven’t had a physical exam in a while, go see
your doctor. You’ll want to rule out anything serious that may
be causing your CRS. Barring any serious findings, you can take
some herbs, vitamins and other supplements to help regain some of
your memory. The vitamins, herbs and supplements listed below
may help.

Essential Fatty Acids, otherwise known as fish oils or EPA-DHA
are well known for their anti-inflammatory activity. Furthermore,
DHA is required for normal brain function in adults. Decreases in
brain DHA content are associated with age-related cognitive
decline, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Studies suggest that Polyphenol found in the skins of red grapes
and various other plants may protect against inflammation and
cognitive disorders.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) is also an excellent antioxidant agent in
neurodegenerative diseases due to the fact that it can interrupt
free radical damage at several points. It has been shown to
elevate antioxidants in various brain regions and improves
memory. Further, ALA supports healthy blood glucose levels and
insulin activity.

Coenzyme Q10 is an antioxidant cofactor that has been shown to
protect the brain. In addition to being a potent free radical
scavenger, CoQ10 has proven to be effective in a wide variety of
age-related conditions.

Vitamin E is the primary antioxidant found in all tissues. Low
vitamin E levels are consistently associated with an increased
risk and occurrence of neurological diseases, including
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. In a study of patients with
Alzheimer’s, treatment with 2000 IU of vitamin E per day for 2
years was beneficial in delaying the primary outcome (time to the
occurrence of death, institutionalization, loss of ability to
perform activities of daily living, and severe dementia) of
disease progression.

Ginkgo biloba extract is an approved treatment for dementia in
Germany, and it is the only nonprescription substance considered
a treatment for dementia in Canada. Ginkgo biloba is one extract
readily available. It enhances mental efficiency in elderly
patients with mild to moderate memory impairment. It is also
shown to improve cognitive function in patients with dementia, to
enhance blood flow to the brain, enhances cognitive performance
in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Further it is said to
enhance memory in young individuals.

Adaptogenic herbs have been shown to reduce the negative effects
of stress. Due to the decreased ability to handle stress and the
increased levels of glucocorticoids associated with aging and
neurodegeneration, herbs with adaptogenic properties may be
beneficial. Ayurvedic herbs such as ashwagandha, holy basil, and
brahmi have a positive influence on stress response, mental
function, and cognition.

Carotenoids are a class of naturally occurring plant pigments
that provide the bright red, orange, and yellow colors of fruits
and vegetables. A balanced intake of mixed carotenoids, as found
in a healthy diet, provides the best protection against oxidative
damage.

Folate and vitamins B6 and B12 are needed for proper brain
function. Insufficiencies of these nutrients may result in
forgetfulness, memory loss, confusion, depression, dementia, and
mood and sensory changes. One study stated that age-related
impairment of cognitive function is likely related to vitamin
deficiencies, and is “preventable or reversible with improved
vitamins, especially vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and folate.”

Additionally, scientists searching for a cure for Alzheimer’s
disease have found a potential ally in the herb sage. Checking
the writings of herbalists working four centuries ago, scientists
in England found a marked improvement in the memory capabilities
of Alzheimer’s patients who took sage oil extract. The finding
was consistent with a discovery by researchers at the
Universities’ Medicinal Plant Research Center that sage protects
a key chemical destroyed in Alzheimer’s.

This list is not all inclusive and there could be a number of
other factors (environment, diet, disease) that could be the root
cause of your CRS. However, starting with a few supplements may
help you remember where you left your car keys!

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes
only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any
disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any
health care program.