Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Dental Health Plans Vs Dental Insurance2

Dental care is more and more expensive as time goes by, this is a reality. Most people might feel tempted to leave dental care aside and put it off, what do they need it for? Teeth are durable, who needs dental insurance or dental plans? They already have to bear with house insurance, car insurance, business equipment insurance, dental insurance can wait. But this is not how it should work. Actually, dental health insurance is not really that expensive, and people will benefit terribly from it.

What is the different between a dental health plan and dental insurance? Wait, are they not the same thing? No, they are not. They are two very different things, though many do not know that. And by not knowing, they are missing out on the great benefits these two financial products have to offer if combined.

Dental Insurance

This insurance product had been designed to cover the costs of dental care. It will partially or fully cover your dental care bills. By having dental insurance, you will eliminate the risk factor of a dental emergency arising and not having the money to pay for the dental procedure. Not only are these procedures extremely expensive, but also having to live with a cracked tooth or molar, for example, can be very painful.

It has been often said that regular dental insurance has many drawbacks. Deductibles are often high and maximum per year might be low, but it can save your neck in case of an emergency. Even if you have to make co-payments on the procedures, it will be better than having to pay them in full.

Other cons include the fact that dental insurance will often only cover routine check-ups, cleanings, x-rays and such, which is not very useful, as they might already be inexpensive. Most dental insurance companies will not cover cosmetic procedures or orthodontic procedures.

Dental Health Plan

Dental health plans or discount health plans are often thought of as an alternative to regular dental insurance. An annual fee is charged in exchange for discounted prices on quality dental care. These plans are activated on the very same day you apply for them, thus avoiding long waiting periods and hassles. Anyone can apply, an individual or a family group, there are no age limits, so even if you are 80 years old, you will be able to start getting discounts on your dental procedures. Consumers might get as much as 35% off of retail price on these procedures.

Another great advantage these plans have to offer, is that they include treatment for pre-existent conditions. Most dental insurance companies do not allow that.

Of course, not everything is bright and shiny. In case of a real accident, let us say a bicycle accident or car accident, your dental insurance would probably cover most of your medical bills. The best thing the dental plan would do for you in a situation of the sort is give you a discount on the procedures. These two financial products offer many advantages if used separately, but if you have the chance to combine them, you will be saving hundreds, and probably thousands os dollars on dental bills every year.

Can Better Nutrition Cure Prostate Cancer?

We know that a body that is well fortified and has been nourished with good nutrition and nutrients is much better prepared to fight off illness in diseases that may come about. It’s estimated that per capita, men in the United States are five times more likely to die from prostate cancer than men in Japan.

Epidemiolical research which is the study of disease patterns in diverse groups of people, suggests that the difference in diet plays a role in the increased rate of prostate cancer in the US. This research is suggested that both the difference in diet and lifestyle may be contributing factors to the increased cancer rate

Other research has estimated that as many as one third of all cancer deaths in the United States can easily be attributed to both our diet and lifestyle choices. Our fast food lifestyle simply doesn’t provide the adequate nutrition necessary to keep our bodies and immune systems operating at their best. But again, this is a guess based on a study of empirical data only. You cannot deny that there are definite patterns that tie our dietary nutrition to some illnesses

We know that some nutritional supplements such as saw Palmetto can help with prostatis, a swelling or hardening of the prostate gland. Daily use of saw Palmetto can relieve many of the symptoms of an enlarged prostate. This by itself may suggest that by providing additional nutritional supplements, our bodies are better able to regulate and correct developing problems.

The American Institute for Cancer Research has stated that as much as one third of all cancer related disease is preventable through a combination of nutrition changes, maintaining an active lifestyle and healthy weight control.

The study by the Cancer Research Institute was based on results of a review of over 4,500 scientific studies on cancer and dietary nutrition. It was this empirical evidence that form the basis of their claim that about one third of all cancer illness is preventable

A healthy goal to keep all cancer but especially that of the prostate at bay, should probably include

- Limiting the percentage of the dietary fat consumption to about 15-20% of total daily calories.

- Mom was right,you should eat a lot of fruits and vegetables every day.

- Keep Read the rest of this entry »

Applebees Nutrition Information – 5 Healthy Dishes

Applebees nutrition information is wide-ranging depending on what kind of food strikes your fancy. They have a wonderful menu full of tantalizing and tasty dishes to treat any palate. Maybe that’s why Applebees is one of the countries most popular restaurants. Who doesn’t like eating at Applebees, raise your hand? No takers, huh? Below are five low fat, low carbohydrate meals. If you like to cook, you can also prepare many of these great recipes at home.

Applebees Nutrition Information on the Cajun Lime Tilapia:

Tilapia is a great tasting fish and is also heart healthy. The Cajun drenched tilapia filet is flavored with generous amounts of limejuice and has 310 calories and six grams of fat. It is served with rice pilaf and vegetables in season. This tilapia meal has two grams of protein.

This sounds like an easy dish to prepare at home. Wash fish and pat dry. Dip each filet in a beaten egg and then in Cajun seasoning. Sprinkle each filet with limejuice and bake or broil in the oven for 15 minutes. Serve with a side of brown rice pilaf and a green salad. How easy is that?

Applebees Nutrition Information on the Grilled Citrus Chicken Salad:

Citrus flavored grilled chicken served on a bed of greens. This also seems like something you could easily create in your own kitchen if you wanted to. Use boneless chicken ****** and marinate overnight in your favorite citrus juice such as lime, lemon or even orange juice.

Turn on the barbeque and grill each ****** for ten or fifteen minutes on each side. Don’t forget to salt and pepper while grilling. My mouth is watering thinking about this grilled chicken. Cut into bite sized pieces and add to your favorite greens. For the dressing be sure to use a citrus base to help bring out the chicken’s wonderful flavor of marinade.

Applebees Nutrition on the Mesquite Chicken Salad:

Applebees has such a varied menu. You can choose a quesadilla burger at 518 calories or you can choose mesquite chicken salad, which only has 200 calories. Which works best for you? This salad has the least amount of calories than any other item on the menu. You can buy mesquite flavoring in the seasoning section of most grocery markets, or mesquite chips for the barbeque and make this chicken dish at home.

Applebees Nutrition on the Southwest Cobb Salad:

The southwest cobb salad has a bit more calories than some of the other dishes but sounds so good I had to tell you about it. This is grilled chipolte chicken, shredded cheese, and corn served on a bed of mixed greens. To give this dish fewer calories you could easily substitute the cheese for a vegetable. This is a healthy dish with about 440 calories and no carbohydrates, which is a friend to those on the Atkins diet.

Applebees Nutrition Information on the Grilled Shrimp Skewer Salad:

If you like shrimp, this dish is for you. As you can see, Applebees does offer quite a selection of flavors. But if you want to stay light and healthy you will want to stick to the fish and chicken dishes. The shrimp skewer salad only has 210 calories, 8 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of protein. Very healthy and very light dish.

Keep in mind that the nutrition information listed for these meals only include the fish and chicken of that meal and not the side dishes such as rice or vegetables. If you like eating out you can find healthy eating at Applebees.

Weight Loss And Exercise

You need physical activity to lose weight. Even with diet pills and eating properly,
you will find it difficult to lose weight without increasing your physical activity.
Exercising will help burn calories that are converted into fat. It is important to find
some activity that fits your abilities and that you enjoy.

The majority of us don’t like to exercise. It either seems like too much work or it
is difficult to fit into our schedule. The fact is that it is work. It, however, does
not have to be tedious work. There are probably activities that you love to do
that qualify as exercise.

Choose an activity that you enjoy doing. Walking is a great way to burn calories,
relieve stress and soothe the mind. It is low impact and is available to almost
everyone. You can ride a bicycle. Swimming is a good, well rounded activity.
Playing golf is a good way to exercise.

When you establish what it is that you enjoy doing, pursue it at least every other
day. The minimum that you should be involved in this activity is 30 minutes. If
you can work up to an hour, that is even better. The more frequently and consistently
you exercise, the more calories you will burn. Remember, you don’t have to be
fanatical about it.

Begin slowly. Increase your level of activity as you become stronger. Get to the
level where you experience a high level of intensity. Rest at intervals to recharge.

You activity should be some form of aerobic exercise. It should be sustained for
at least 30 minutes. This will increase your heart’s activity so that your body can
burn calories and oxygenate your blood.

What is the optimum time to exercise? There are some times that are better than
others to obtain the best results. Of course, the most important part of any exercise
regimen it to simply do it. The truth is that no matter when you exercise you will
burn fat, assuming it is a good workout. In order to obtain the most benefit you
should consider exercising in the morning. As a matter of fact, you should exercise
before breakfast.

There a three benefits to working out early in the morning before breakfast.

The first is that your levels of stored carbohydrates and muscle are at a low when you
first get up (it helps to not eat before bed). You’ll wake up with lower carb levels which
the best environment for burning fat instead of carbs. The reason for this is that
carbohydrates are your body’s primary energy source. When this is in short supply your
system taps into its secondary resource, which is body fat.

On the other hand, when you workout after eating, the only thing that you accomplish is
burning the carbohydrates that you have just consumed. It will take longer to get to the
fat that you desire to burn.

The second benefit is the afterburn effect. Not only will you be burning fat during your
workout, that fat will continue to burn when the workout is through. What happens is
that an intense workout will keep your metabolism elevated for hours.

The third reason for early morning exercise is biochemical. You will release endorphins
when you workout. It will elevate you mood and will likely stay with you all day.

Exercise can be an unwelcome chore. Most of us tend to procrastinate and try to put
if off until later in the day. Choosing an activity that we enjoy, such a walking or riding
a bicycle, is different. When you commit to this morning activity, you will gotten it out
of the way. At the same time you free your mind from having to perform this activity
later in the day. It is also true that by putting it off until later that you will feel to
tired and blow it off altogether.

It goes with saying that many of us do not like to get up in the morning. Not everyone
is a morning person. What is it that you have to do to get up early and motivate yourself
to get going.

Well, keep in mind that you are changing your habits and that your goal is to lose weight.
This should be in the front of your mind. Simply stay focused on your goal. This goal
of losing weight and thus improving your health is a challenge. Completing this challenge
will give you a sense of satisfaction.

This satisfaction is both psychological and physiological. Psychological due to the sense
of accomplishment. Physical because your body releases endorphins into your system.
Endorphins create a natural high that create a genuine sense of well being.

You’ll find that endorphins will reduce stress, improve your mood and your outlook on life.
By getting up early and get your exercise done you’ll feel a sense of completion and
accomplishment that will stay with you throughout the entire day. Remember, exercise is
essential to any weight loss program.

List of Vitamins and Uses

Vitamins recognized by legislative definitions in the United States include:

Vitamin A

Promotes healthy bone growth, vision, reproduction, cell division and specialization and helps regulate the immune system.

Sources include whole milk, liver, eggs, some fortified breakfast cereals, carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach and most darkly colored fruit and vegetables.

Vitamin B1 -

Also known as thiamine is essential in converting foods into energy, helps supports the normal function of the nervous system, muscles and heart and promotes normal growth and development.

It is also thought to help regulate appetite. Present in moderate amounts in all foods, the best sources are whole grains and fortified cereals.

VitaminB2 -

Also known as riboflavin, it is allied to vitamin B1, and supports energy production, is necessary for red blood cell and antibody production, respiration and regulating human growth and reproduction.

It is essential for healthy skin, nails hair growth, thyroid activity, healing of wounds and general good health. Sources include liver, kidney, whole grains, green leaf vegetables, milk, yeast, cheese, oily fish, eggs, enriched cereals, almonds and mushrooms.

VitaminB3 -

Also known as niacin is also part of the vitamin B complex that is primarily involved into converting food into energy.

Regulates circulation, hormone production, the digestive and nervous systems, promotes healthy skin.

Regular alcohol drinkers and vegetarians should consider taking a B3 (Niacin) supplement as alcohol inhibits niacin absorption and diets lacking protein are likely to be B3 deficient.

Effective in lowering levels of (bad) cholesterol. Best sources are beef liver and kidney, pork, turkey, chicken, veal, oily fish, beets, peanuts and strawberries.

VitaminB6 -

Also known as pyridoxine is necessary to balance the hormonal changes in women, assists in the growth of new cells and the functioning of the immune system, converting food into energy, and in controlling moods, behavior and *** drive.

It is involved in cancer immunity, red blood cell production, preventing skin problems and in fighting certain heart difficulties. Good sources of B6 are similar to other B vitamins and include eggs, chicken, yeast, carrots, fish, liver, kidneys, peas and walnuts.

VitaminB12 -

Contains cobalt and is also known as cobalamin. The primary functions are to maintain a healthy nervous system and to produce red blood cells. Sources include meat, dairy products and eggs but no reliable plant sources.

Sufferers from B12 deficiency, which can have mild to severe symptoms, may be unable to absorb the vitamin through normal food intake and will have to take ongoing regular injections to alleviate the problem.

The B vitamins are interconnected with many associated functions and sources.

Vitamin C -

Absorbic Acid. The human body is unable to store Vitamin C and unless replenished constantly, symptoms, the most commonly known of which is scurvy that can become fatal, will quickly occur.

It is important in forming collagen that gives structure to bones, cartilage, muscle and blood vessels and in maintaining bones and teeth, and in the absorption of iron.

Sources are most fruits and vegetables served raw if possible, Vitamin C dissolves in water so if the food must be cooked use the minimal amount of water by steaming or microwaving for as short a time as possible.

Most breakfast cereals and many fruit juices are fortified with Vitamin C. The British are known as

How ****** Cancer Research Treatment Saves My Sister

It seems that there are so many charitable causes that you cannot begin to give to all of them. My husband and I give to our church and the charities that it sponsors. That is the bulk of our cash donations. We also give to the food shelf and donate clothing and house hold items to the homeless and needy. It was not until my sister developed cancer that I thought about donating to medical research.

Eighteen months ago my sister called me to let me know that she had been diagnosed with ****** cancer. This came as a huge surprise to both of us because there is no history in our family. She is an x-ray technician so she is very aware of the importance of getting mammograms and she has been getting one every year since she was forty years old. It was during her annual mammogram that the lump showed up on the test. The doctors told her all of her options and shared with her that they thought she would be a good candidate for a new treatment. There have been many advancements in ****** cancer research and they wanted to try a new chemotherapy on her. Since my sister is in the medical field she has always had an interest in new research. She was willing to try the treatments. If they did not work they would remove her ******. They explained that she would not be risking the cancer spreading because the type she had was slow to develop, and they felt that it was at a very early stage. The ****** cancer research that developed the treatments they were to use on her was done at the Mayo Clinic.

I called our nephew who is a pharmaceutical researcher at the Mayo and asked him if he could find additional information about this particular ****** cancer research. He told me that a friend of his was working on the ****** cancer research team and he could find out what type of results they are getting with the patients that have been taking the treatments. He called me a few days later and shared that the results have been very good. He also thought that it was a plus for my sister that she was chosen for the treatments, because they are only taking candidates that have a good chance of responding to the treatments. The ****** cancer research project has been working on this cure for over ten years, so they need to show great results to keep the project going.

My sister had her first treatment seventeen months ago and the lump and all signs of cancer are gone. She is in a long term follow up group so they are checking her often for any changes. She did not have to have the surgery and she is back to doing all the activities that she had done previously.

Aerobic Vs Anaerobic – What’s All the Controversy About?

There seems to be a great deal of debate as to which type of metabolic training is the best… Aerobic vs Anaerobic.

Ok, what is metabolic training?

What is all this aerobic vs anaerobic talk?

Metabolic training is conditioning exercises performed with the intention of increasing the capacity and efficiency of the energy pathways to store and deliver energy for activity.

Most people commonly refer to this as… cardio.

There are three energy pathways used to provide energy for activity… one aerobic and two anaerobic.

Which of these energy pathways you should train is the source of much controversy… Thus the Aerobic vs Anaerobic dilemma.

Aerobic Activity

Aerobic means in the presence of oxygen… and any activity that is performed at a low to moderate intensity for more than 90 seconds, allowing oxygen to release energy through metabolism, is usually called an aerobic activity.

The benefits of aerobic activity are…

Increased Cardiovascular Function Decrease in Body Fat

The negatives of aerobic activity are…

Decreased Muscle Mass

Decreased Strength

Decreased Power

Decreased Speed

Decreased Anaerobic Capacity

Most people in favor of aerobics in the Aerobic vs Anaerobic Controversy rely heavily on the ability of aerobic activity to reduce body fat… but fail to mention that you are also losing muscle, strength, power, speed and anaerobic capacity along with fat reduction.

And here is the really shocking news… Low Intensity Exercise = Greater Fat Loss is a myth!

OK… let me clarify.

Low Intensity Exercise burns about 50% fat for fuel while High Intensity Exercise burns about 40% fat for fuel… so you could say that Low Intensity Exercise burns more fat for fuel than High Intensity Exercise.

But, let’s say you burn 100 calories in 20 minutes of Low Intensity Exercise (50 fat calories), and you burn 160 calories in 10 minutes of High Intensity Exercise (64 fat calories)… you still burn more over-all fat with high intensity exercise than with low intensity exercise.

There is also another advantage of High Intensity Exercise… it increases your metabolism long after the exercise is completed.

More fat burned in less time and an increased metabolism for hours after the workout… sounds pretty good to me.

Anaerobic Activity

Anaerobic means in the absence of oxygen… and any activity that is performed at a medium to high intensity for less than 2 minutes, where energy is derived without oxygen, is usually called an anaerobic activity.

There are two anaerobic energy pathways…

The Anaerobic System (ATP-CP) is where energy is derived from the re-synthesis of Adenosine Tri-Phosphate (ATP) from Creatine/Phosphate (CP) until the stores are depleted… about 5-7 seconds.

The Anaerobic Lactate System (Glycolytic) happens after the (CP) stores have been depleted where the body resorts to the breakdown of glucose for energy.

This results in the production of lactate and hydrogen ions… ultimately leading to fatigue.

The benefits of anaerobic activity are…

Increased Cardiovascular Function

Decrease in Body Fat

Increased Muscle Mass

Improved Strength

Improved Power

Improved Speed

Increased Aerobic Capacity

The negatives of anaerobic activity are…

Anaerobic activity requires an aerobic foundation

When I look at the differences between the benefits of Aerobic and Anaerobic metabolic training I often wonder why there is a Aerobic vs Anaerobic Controversy… the choice seems obvious.

What’s all the aerobic vs anaerobic controversy about?

I think the Aerobic vs Anaerobic Controversy comes about due to an improper understanding of fitness and the use of a bad fitness definition.

Physical fitness is a compromise of cardiorespiratory endurance, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, accuracy and toughness.

To pursue fitness excellence you must physically train to “optimize” your performance in all of the physical abilities… and not “maximize” your performance in one ability at the expense of all others.

For people that do not understand that fitness is a compromise, the idea that more, longer aerobic training is indicative of a higher level of fitness is predominate.

However, what they fail to realize is that by focusing on extended aerobic training they are doing little or nothing to improve the other physical abilities needed for fitness excellence… and are actually decreasing their over-all fitness level.

And no, mixing extended aerobic training with body building “isolation” exercises is not the answer.

So what is the answer?

Simple… train ALL of the energy pathways by varying low intensity, long duration – medium intensity, medium duration and – high intensity, short duration metabolic training.

End the Aerobic vs Anaerobic Controversy by making a compromise between the two.

Let’s be honest… unless you are training to be an endurance athlete, there is no need to train like one.

The truth is, most activities encountered in sport, work and life are a combination of all the energy pathways seamlessly flowing from one to another.

Instead of aerobic vs anaerobic it should be aerobic and anaerobic!

To exclude the training of any one energy pathway will greatly diminish the performance improvements from your metabolic training.

My advice… Put an end to the Aerobic vs Anaerobic Controversy!

Add high intensity, short duration metabolic training to your fitness workout plan and vary the intensities by changing methods of training and periodically switching from high intensity, short duration to medium intensity, medium duration and low intensity, long duration.

Body Solid Exercise Machine

What makes a Body Solid Machine different? Whether you are in the market for a complete home gym, a cardio training machine, or an ab workout machine, Body Solid makes them all, and they come with a lifetime warranty on everything.

Once you’ve got the body of your dreams, you’ll need to maintain it, which means that you’ll want something that will be around for a long time. Your equipment should be viewed as a long term investment. You are going to have it for many years, and you will expect it to perform well and look good all that time.

While cost can be a factor, you should be equally concerned with the quality of the product, the reputation of the brand, extended warranty offers, and what other purchasers have to say about their experience.

Find out if you can pay in installments. Prices range from a few hundred dollars to many thousands. Know how much you need before you buy.

A Body Solid unit comes with a lifetime warranty on everything, which can be a factor when considering price.

According to users, Body Solid products offer:
* Value – Average
* Performance – Excellent
* Ease of Use – Easy
* Features – Many

Body Solid says that the primary advantage of their equipment is state of the art fitness technology. According to their site: “When you use the Body Solid EXM 2750S Home Gym, you’re experiencing one of the most significant advances in exercise in the last 20 years…Bi-Angular Technology. This precision built multi-directional resistance system produces 25% more muscle interaction by replicating free weight dumbbell exercises. All in a guided, safe, full range of motion.”

Their home gyms let you perform a full range of exercises, including:
* bench press
* incline press
* shoulder press
* pec flys
* lat pull downs
* triceps extensions
* ab crunches
* leg extensions
* leg curls
* seated rows
* bicep curls

Obviously, the options are numerous. But, do you need one? That depends.

The primary benefits to purchasing an at-home machine are:
1. Motivation
2. Form

If having a machine will motivate you to follow through with your fitness plan, then purchasing one is a good investment. If it won’t, then it may not be.

Form is important. If you do not have good form, you are not exercising properly. This not only defeats the purpose of working out, but puts you at risk for injury. An exercise machine cannot give you good form. However, once you know you are exercising properly, the machine can reinforce your good form until it becomes second nature to you.

Before purchasing a machine, ask your friends for recommendations and check popular review sites on the Web.

Is a Body Solid exercise machine a good choice for you?

Negatives:
* High Prices for some models

Positives:
* Everything else

If you’re in the market for a workout machine, a Body Solid is a great choice. Many companies offer short warranties, or only warranty the frame. When Body Solid says they warranty everything, they mean it. No other company’s warranty comes close.

Should businesses be required to pay for health care insurance?

The only way to sensibly, logically and fairly provide health care insurance is for the individual to take responsibility for their own health, and pay for their own health care. Business may elect to offer insurance as a part of a benefits package, but just as wages shouldn’t be established by law, neither should health care.

It’s primarily an issue of responsibility.

When you give someone something for free, they tend to take it for granted – as most Americans take the right to vote or personal freedoms for granted. We know there are pills and procedures to cure every ailment without any effort on our part, so our diets are poor to deplorable, we don’t exercise, we drink and smoke without regards to the consequences and take foolish risks with our personal safety.

We know someone else will take care of us if we don’t take care of ourselves. And the medical profession loves us for it, inventing new diseases to go with the new drugs, procedures and treatments they invent, when they aren’t pushing for more ‘free’ health care insurance.

When health care is ‘free’ people forget to show up for appointments, insist on being treated for things that could be dealt with at home or with over the counter medicines and insist on procedures that are unnecessary or non-essential. The result is that people who really need treatment suffer – “you have six months to live unless you have this surgery, but we don’t have a doctor available for nine months”.

And if health care is available to all, at least to everyone with a job, who is to say what is ‘necessary’ or ‘essential’? Who will control your health care choices? And who pays the cost for people who can’t, don’t or won’t work, due to disability, illegal alien status or just plain laziness?

The other reason business shouldn’t be required to pay for health insurance is that the lack of generally available care is only indirectly their fault. The real issue is the cost of health care, which has increased exponentially since companies started providing health insurance as a benefit. In mid-Michigan, when the unions forced the auto companies to provide health insurance, health care doubled and tippled, as what was covered was expanded in the contracts, leaving those without union jobs, without insurance, to suffer.

And no, the ‘government’ shouldn’t be responsible for health care either, for many of Read the rest of this entry »