Not All In Texas Understand The Nature Of Their Benefit Plans

So you have benefits. But what does that really mean?

For people living in Texas, and especially in cities like Dallas, Houston and Austin, the question deserves some attention. It’s especially the case when considering that a good number of people may not fully understand what either their employer is delivering as part of a comprehensive benefits package, or, in the case of someone who is paying at least a portion of their own benefits coverage, what they are getting for their hard-earned dollars.

Benefits aren’t cheap. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it costs an employer roughly 30% of full-time payroll to cover benefits and that’s a percentage that continues to rise with healthcare costs, which most people think about first when considering benefits.

Employees who have benefits – - including health insurance — should be aware of what they have, whether they’re paying for it or not. One key point is to not assume you have coverage. Even if the insurance plan is going to pay for a medical bill, the amount of coverage over an employee’s lifetime might be affected. Understanding the limits of coverage including the maximum coverage is important information to know.

It’s also important to know and understand what choices might be available to you as an employee. In some cases, a person may be able to choose their own doctor — with a certain amount of the costs paid for by the health insurance plan. In other cases, a plan might pay the majority of costs, even preventive costs which some plans would not cover, but there is a list of “approved” doctors from which to choose.

Benefits may also include some sort of retirement fund, so employees who have those available to them would be wise to check out exactly what’s included in their benefits package and take advantage of what the employer is already willing to pay out. In some cases, the contribution of an employer will depend on how much the employee is willing to contribute to a fund, but if the money is available, it would be wise to jump in, even if an employee has to cut back on other areas of expense in order to do so.

Even if someone can’t contribute the maximum amount that an employer would allow (and for which they are willing to match), starting somewhere is better than no contribution at all. By starting small and gradually raising the percentage of money being contributed, progress is being made.

Another option in some benefit plans is the ability of employees to make after-tax contributions to their retirement plan. Experts say the best advice is to take full advantage of pre-tax dollars, contributing to a Roth IRA, if you are eligible, before making such contributions to a retirement plan.

Those who have a pension plan in addition to a 401(k) or other retirement-savings plan should take the time to learn exactly how the employer calculates employee benefits. In many cases, that calculation will be based on years of service and average pay when an employee retires.

What happens if you become unable to work because of disability? Think the odds are in your favor? Perhaps, but the odds are you’re more likely to become disabled than you are to die while working. For that reason, having disability insurance as part of a benefits plan is a good thing.

Think about it: how long could you be out of work without having an impact on you or your family? Would you be able to pay for rent or a mortgage? Other bills?

Many employers offer disability insurance as part of a benefits package. If someone makes the choice to buy it, they’ll likely pay less than if you purchased it on your own.

Still, only 28% of employees sign up for long-term disability coverage. For those who work in an office, the percentage is higher — up to 40%. Some may think nothing will ever happen to them, but it might be surprising to know how often people need to take advantage of this benefit.

Short-term disability often covers benefits for one year or less and sometimes an employer will automatically cover any short-term disability, with long-term coverage typically replacing 50% to 70% of a salary. That coverage is not always automatic, though, so employees need to make sure to sign up if they want the benefit before they need it.

How an employee pays for disability insurance may also make a difference should they need to collect. If coverage is paid for with after-tax dollars, future benefits would be tax-free. But if premiums are paid with money before it is taxed, the benefits will be taxable. A company that pays for a disability policy with pre-tax dollars might be convinced to make a change in their policy if they know it’s a concern.

Other benefits to consider and to fully understand include life insurance, specialty health coverage such as that for eye, dental or hearing, and various stock options that a company might offer.

If an employer offers benefits to its employees, understanding the extent (and limitation) of the various components of the plan is an important undertaking. But even if benefits aren’t available, there are options to consider.

Pat Carpenter writes for Precedent Insurance Company. Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at Precedent.com

How To Defeat The Annoying Cellulite Problem

Many women are afraid of getting cellulite. However, not all of us know exactly what cellulite is, where it comes from, or what we can do about it. Don’t let cellulite be a menace that you don’t understand. Here are some basic facts about it.

Cellulite is what we call deposits of fibrous, fatty tissue. It generally looks dimpled under the skin. Women are the most prone to get this condition, generally on the hips and thighs.

It is made up of accumulated toxins and fat, and the problem may be contributed to by hormonal changes. This might also explain why this lumpy, cosmetically unattractive problems is mostly suffered by females.

Cellulite doesn’t just happen because you’re fat. Anyone, male or female, can get cellulite, at any body weight or size. As much as ninety-eight percent of women have some amount of cellulite on their bodies. This is much more prevalent in women of Caucasian descent than other groups. Asian women are particularly noted for not suffering from this problem as much.

Diet may be a factor in the accumulation of cellulite, as well as genetic background. Surprisingly, weight management isn’t a big contributor to the appearance of cellulite.

Heavier body types are susceptible to this problem. But it’s found on lighter weight women with small builds as well. Men can even get signs of cellulite.

There are several factors which can contribute to the accumulation of cellulite:

1. Genetic makeup and heredity. If your parents had cellulite, there’s a pretty good chance that you’ll develop it too, at some point in your life.

2. Inadequate hydration. Most people don’t consume enough water over the course of the day. Doctors recommend that you take in seven to eight glasses every day, to help flush out toxins and other wastes.

3. Poor diet. People who eat a lot of fatty or overly processed foods, or drink a lot of alcohol or caffeine may have more toxin accumulation than those who don’t. Although consuming caffeine can contribute to cellulite accumulation, caffeine injected directly into an affected area or topically applied has been used to treat the condition.

4. Smoking. Cigarettes can reduce the effectiveness of your blood circulation. This affects how much blood gets to your skin, and can reduce its elasticity.

5. Interference from medications. Some medications can cause problems with the body’s natural purification and waste removal systems, leading to a number of problems, including cellulite.

Visually, it is undesirable. Having it can produce other side effects too, like poor self esteems and trouble in social interaction. Because of this, many people are very frightened of getting this skin problem. Getting rid of it seems to be hopeless. However, this isn’t entirely true. It’s almost impossible to prevent cellulite from developing, but the symptoms can be reduced.

Maintaining skin elasticity helps to improve the appearance of an area with cellulite. Adequate hydration and some topical creams and lotions may help improve the elasticity of your skin.

Moisturizing daily and protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful effects can keep it firm. That means that cellulite will have less opportunity to cause dimpling.

Stay in good shape. A good muscle tone and good overall health, including a regular routine of exercise, can help to lessen the effects of cellulite. You can shape and firm problem areas. Exercise also enhances circulation, making sure that your skin has adequate blood flow to keep it healthy.

Maintain a good diet. Watching what you eat is important for all parts of your life. It can help to decrease the evidence of cellulite, as well as keeping you healthy overall. Pay good attention to fat content and ingredients, and make sure you distinguish between food that you eat as an occasional treat and food you eat all the time. Remember that Asian women don’t suffer from cellulite very often. A diet including many fresh vegetables and very little red meat could help your reduce your symptoms.

Detoxification diets can help to remove toxins from your body. They can also enhance your metabolism, speeding up your digestion. If you use one of these diets, you’ll probably have to eliminate processed and refined foods for a period of time, and concentrate on fresh, simple foods.

Try a body wrap. You can get these at many different beauty salons and day spas. A mixture of seaweed and algae, in conjunction with hydrating lotions, is used to improve your circulation and skin moisture. This is only a temporary solution, however, and should only be used in conjunction with other treatments.

Caffeine injections have been used to help reduce cellulite. These should be embarked upon with care and with the permission of your doctor. Some people even attempt to use liposuction to reduce the dilemma. However, this treatment is expensive, and not always effective. It was developed to treat deeper fat deposits, and cellulite tends to be a surface problem.

Massage therapy may be effective, particularly a technique called endermologie. In this case, a system of rollers and a vacuum device are used to manipulate the skin. This promotes circulation and smooths the skin for a time.

Creams are available to help reduce the appearance of this skin problem. They may use such ingredients as green tea extract to increase the rate at which your body breaks down fat, Retinol A to target and rejuvenate the tissues of your skin, and extract of algae, which is intended to help break down epidermal fat.

Left untreated, this tissue phenomena will not cause any health problems, but it will also not go away or get better. It tends to increase as we age. People have been looking for ways to put an end to this annoying condition for centuries.

There’s still no cure, but there are many different options available to the person interested in reducing cellulite. Which treatment will be effective for you will of course vary.

Ken Black is the owner of Skin Care Reviews, a website about skin care. Visit us to learn the latest about Cellulite Treatments.

Tamiflu: Our Last Line Of Defense?

Tamiflu, whose common scientific name is oseltamivir, is part of a family of flu fighting medicines called neuraminidase inhibitors. Tamilflu is used in the treatment of infections caused by both the influenza A and influenza B viruses. Tamiflu, which requires a prescription, can be used both to treat the flu if taken soon after symptoms appear, or to prevent the flu.

The difference between Tamiflu and a vaccine is that Tamiflu helps your immune system be in a position to fight off the advance of the viral infection, whereas a vaccine is just a straight injection of dead influenza that causes your immune system to produce antibodies to fight off the virus itself.

Tamiflu demand has skyrocketed over the past year for several reasons. There was a shortage of available flu vaccine during flu season 2005, with in some cases only enough for senior citizens or those with more vulnerable immune conditions being able to get vaccinated.

Also, the U.S. government was concerned that an outbreak of bird flu in the United States could leave the U.S. short on flu vaccines, causing them to hold back supplies just in case of an outbreak. However, the bird flu is different form human influenza.

Bird Flu is much harder to transmit than human influenza, requiring very close physical contact to spread the disease. Bird flu has been observed in countries where humans and animals are in close contact. There have been roughly 70 deaths worldwide and approximately 130 infections since 2005.

It is possible that bird flu will infect someone who is already carrying the human influenza strain, and that the two viruses will swap genetic material, causing the bird flu to spread like a deadlier version of human influenza. A highly virulent straight of bird flu could create a pandemic for the world, as did the Spanish Flu virus of the early 1900’s that killed 20 to 50 million people worldwide.

The bird flu is associated with the influenza A strain H5N1 flu virus. Although not the same as the Spanish flu virus, the current avian flu strain does share many similarities with the Spanish flu strain. Initial studies have shown that Tamiflu may be effective in helping to fight the effects of this flu virus if the medication is taken very early after flu symptoms appear. As a result, the demand for Tamiflu has skyrocketed.

A Swiss drug maker, F. Hoffman La-Roche Ltd., currently has a tight hold on the manufacturing of Tamiflu. Biolyse Pharma Corp., when turned down in its bid to try to enter the Tamiflu marketplace, had decided as of December of 2005 to attempt to mass produce several tons of shikimic acid, which is the main ingredient in Tamiflu, from the needles of discarded Christmas trees, as well as other pine, fir, and spruce trees. Such trees are the main source of shikimic acid.

Oseltamivir, sold under the brand name Tamiflu, is one of several medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment and prevention of influenza. Flu shots are still the best way to prevent someone from developing the flu, but as of right now there is no known vaccine for the bird flu. The CDC has announced that development of a vaccine has begun.

Jim Pretin is the owner of http://www.forms4free.com, a service that helps programmers make an HTML form

The Return of Sci-Fi: Texas Hospital Patients May Soon Be Talking To Robots

Your doctor may soon be a robot, or so the whispers warn. Sound like something out of a bad science-fiction movie? Well, maybe you should ask whichever physician shows up on-screen of the RP-7 Remote Presence Robotic System by InTouch Technologies, a maneuverable robotic system designed to allow physicians to videoconference with their patients from remote locations.

Dr. Alex Gandsas, of Baltimore’s Sinai Hospital and holder of stock options with InTouch Technologies, introduced the machine to hospital administrators as a way to closely monitor patients after the weight loss surgeries in which he specializes. Since its introduction, the length of his patients’ stays has been shorter. In Gandsas’ study published earlier this month in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 92 of 376 patients had additional robotic visits, and all 92 of them were medically cleared to return home faster than those who did not receive check-ins with the teleconferencing system. Shorter patient stays would be a welcome change for hospitals, health insurance companies, and patients alike — all of which have a vested interested in sending patients home faster.

While further studies should, without a doubt, be performed by physicians who do not hold a financial interest in the technology, these preliminary results do show promise. The robotic visits were not used by Gandsas to replace his personal check-ins with patients — only to add to them. Neither InTouch Technologies, nor Dr. Gandsas envisions the “Bari” or so it’s nicknamed, as completely replacing personal visits with healthcare professionals. Instead, the joystick-controlled system, which employs cameras, a video screen, and microphone, is intended to supplement physicians’ traditional visits, and to allow patients and healthcare workers to receive advice from qualified physicians and specialists when it may otherwise be impossible. Doctors may soon be able to provide their patients with additional daily check-ins and answer questions much faster, all while sitting in their own homes or while away from the area.

Sinai Hospital isn’t the only one with this technology, however. In fact, robots have been in use for some time to assist with patient care, including guiding stroke patients through therapy, and helping them play video games. Many prosthetic devices are now at least partially robotic, and if it weren’t for a certain amount of robotic technology, the public would not be able to communicate with such great minds as Steven Hawkins.

Johns Hopkins also has a robotic teleconferencing system to help communicate with patients who need a translator when one is not available at the hospital itself. Use of such technology could have tremendously positive effects on Texas’ healthcare system — particularly in Dallas, Houston, and Austin — which handles a high volume of patients who do not speak English. Lack of adequate communication is a major obstacle to receiving quality healthcare for many immigrants in Texas. Lack of quality healthcare, in turn, can lead to serious public health issues, including the transmission of communicable diseases.

Approximately 120 RP-7 Remote Presence Robotic Systems are currently in use around the world, with plans to implement many more in the coming years. China is already using similar systems to help deal with the lack of medical care in rural, inaccessible areas.

Dr. Louis Kavoussi, chairman of the urology department at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, took a special interest in this new trend and conducted a study monitoring the effect of the technology on patient care. The study showed no decrease in patient satisfaction, and no increase in complications due to teleconferencing visits. The technology, Kavoussi said, is rudimentary, really, in comparison to other developing systems. The need for fear is minimal.

There are relatively few of InTouch Technologies systems available, and further studies have yet to be conducted. If robotic teleconferencing is used as a supplement to personal physicians’ visits, however, it has the potential of dramatically improving many aspects of healthcare — from how quickly patients’ questions are answered, to how many visits, in total, they receive, to whether or not rural residents receive proper care, to how well (or even if) they are provided with a translator to explain their symptoms. States like Texas, in particular, with shortages of doctors and high volumes of patients who do not speak English, stand to benefit. So maybe robots in hospitals aren’t something one needs to fear. In fact, they may even get your unpleasant stay over with a few days faster.

Being aware of medical technology is an important part of taking care of your health. How you take care of yourself will certainly affect you as you age, and eventually your wallet, as well.

Pat Carpenter writes for Precedent Insurance Company. Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at Precedent.com

In Texas, Lack Of Healthcare Coverage Affects Parents And Families

Health coverage for the family helps to assist those families in obtaining more affordable healthcare services, says a report by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. The Foundation, which based the report on its 2005 Low-Income Coverage and Access Survey, makes the argument that not having health insurance affects not just a parent’s health, but also the well-being of the entire family.

The vast majority of low-income uninsured parents, according to the report, are without access to health coverage. At the same time, their children are also much more likely to be without health insurance. Indeed, four out of 10 low-income parents, defined as those with income below 200% of the federal poverty level (about $40,000 for a family of four in 2007) do not have health insurance coverage.

Throughout Texas, and especially in cities such as Dallas, Houston and Austin, the percentage of uninsured residents is higher than any other state — more than 24% according to most observers, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The Kaiser Family Foundation report also states that most low-income uninsured parents are in working families but with employment in areas of the economy that do not typically offer health coverage. Those sectors include construction, service and agricultural jobs, areas with the lowest levels of employer-sponsored insurance. The U.S. Census Bureau indicates that only about 25% of low-income workers in these industries were covered through an employer-sponsored plan in 2005.

Workers without health insurance are also more likely to work for firms with fewer than 25 employees, those companies being least likely to provide employer coverage.

More than half of uninsured low-income parents in employed families work for companies that do not offer coverage to any employees. Further, they do not have coverage through a spouse. Also, an additional 35% of low-income uninsured parents are not eligible for coverage through either their employer or their spouse’s employer, either because they have not been employed long enough or they do not work enough hours to be covered.

Only 13% of low-income uninsured parents have access to employer coverage, the Kaiser report says. At the same time, the coverage that is available is too expensive for most parents to afford.

Although many children are in families where they would be eligible for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, concerns exist over widespread knowledge of the programs — only 47% say they have heard of SCHIP.

Research, the Kaiser report says, has documented the importance of family coverage as a tool to reach uninsured children and to improve access to healthcare.

Low-income uninsured parents often have serious health problems, says the Kaiser report. Unfortunately, financial barriers block access to care.

More than one quarter of uninsured parents in low-income families say they have fair or poor health, with 14% saying they experience pain almost every day and 8% reporting they have a disability that prevents them from participating fully in work or other activities. Nearly half of uninsured parents, the Kaiser report says, say they have a chronic condition, leading to the likelihood of their receiving less care with worse health outcomes than for those with similar health conditions who do have health insurance.

While low-income uninsured parents have serious healthcare problems, the Kaiser report states that their conditions are far worse than those with insured parents. Low-income uninsured parents, for example, are half as likely to have visited a doctor for preventive care in the past 12 months. Further, those without a medical home or regular preventive care may delay treatment in the early stages of a condition, allowing the condition to worsen and possibly leading to more expensive treatment later on.

The Kaiser report also states that lack of care causes serious health and financial consequences for low-income uninsured parents, with 60% saying they saw their condition get worse as a result of not getting timely care and 30% reporting a loss of time at work or other activities.

As the Kaiser report summarizes, health insurance for low-income parents influences not only their own health and access to care but also the well-being of their families. When parents have health insurance, their children are more likely to be covered as well, giving them access to healthcare.

Pat Carpenter writes for Precedent Insurance Company. Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at Precedent.com

White Noise And A Good Nights Sleep

White noise is basically a type of noise that is developed by combining the sounds of different frequencies. If you were to take all the imaginable sounds that a human can hear and mix them together, then you would have created white noise. The term white is used in defining this sound because white light is created by the combination of all of the different colors.

Studies have showed that white noise is effective for many different situations and because of this, white noise machines were invented and found to be a marketable solution for many of life’s displeasures. They aid in distracting the mind from annoying situations or creating a calming effect on ones’ body or mind. These sound machines create a consistent stream of white noise which can be controlled by a series of buttons or knobs.

Some of these machines are equipped with different types of white noise so an individual can adapt the machine to their individual needs. These machines can be used in a variety of situations such as masking the sounds of traffic, barking dogs, or disruptive neighbors. They have also been proven to work well with colicky babies. They also can be used to mask your own conversations so you can communicate privately.

These machines aren’t limited to home use. They work effectively in an office or dorm. They enhance concentration which will greatly improve study skills and aid office personnel in being able to focus on their individual task without disturbance. White noise machines are also adapted to situations of dead silence. Many people are uncomfortable when no noise is evident. These machines can often play sounds that are soothing such as those found on relaxation tapes or disks.

Even in the virtual world outside sources cause distractions from what you’re attempting to accomplish at the computer. For this reason, you can get a white noise player for your computer. This player allows you to play any WAV file in a continuous loop from your system tray. There is certainly no difficulty in finding a wide variety of suitable sounds to accommodate your player but if you want a unique appeal, you can create your own sound files by using a sound generator or audio toolbox.

The world isn’t composed of serenity in our day to day lives. For many of us it can seem overwhelming, creating tenseness within us that only appears to fester the wound. White noise gives us the opportunity to provide the healing our body needs and take advantage of precious moments of sleep.

Sleep like a baby with Marpac White Noise Sleep Sound Machines from http://www.soundmachinesdirect.com/

How You Can Use Chemistry To Improve Your Health: H2O2

Ever wonder if there was a practical application to chemistry? There are actually many, and here is just one: H2O2.

Since the early part of the 1800’s the chemical combination that is found naturally in spring water and snow, called hydrogen peroxide or H2O2, has been used for its excellent healing properties. Many of us know that hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent and will burn the skin when you come into contact with it, which is why many of you will be interested and maybe even shocked to know that you can bathe in it, drink it, and inhale it.

You must make sure that you use the correct form of H2O2 for ingestion purposes otherwise you will have severe reactions like vomiting and headaches. The only form hat is allowed for drinking is the 35 % food grade which must be then diluted in water or Aloe Vera juice until it reaches 3 %. It is recommended however that you start by using 1 drop in a glass of water. It is used to cure illnesses such as reflux, and because it supplies extra oxygen to the body, it can kill cancer cells and the HIV that causes AIDS.

The drug industry is a multi billion dollar one and obviously they do not want it to leak that they can actually cure these terrible diseases with a natural, inexpensive product hat every one can buy at their local health food store or pharmacy. The other type of H2O2 that you find is 3 %, which is used to also diluted to bathe in or to apply to skin infections like pimples, to clear earwax, and to gargle with. It makes an excellent tooth whitener and will clear up any mouth ulcers and cold sores.

If you have a cold or sinusitis, the 3 % can also be diluted and used as an inhalant. It will probably burn, but will clear your nostrils immediately of any excess mucous. There are many other uses for hydrogen peroxide such as a skin conditioner. It can be mixed with a base cream and is said to provide anti aging benefits. Many athletes use a combination of Aloe Vera gel and hydrogen peroxide to apply to their feet to prevent infections and sores.

It is amazing to know that something you can combine from natural molecules found on the periodic table can cure you of so many illnesses and prevent you from aging. Another form of oxygen that has similar effects and is being used in cancer studies is O3, which is a stronger form of pure oxygen. It counteracts the negative effect that excessive inhalation of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide gases have on the body.

Get help with general chemistry at http://www.mychemistrytutor.com/

Discount Contact Lenses – Tips To Help You Buy Right

The sales of contact lenses are regulated by the Food And Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission. Now it’s easy to order the perfect contact lenses online at a great discount. Ophthalmologists are eye surgeons who study and treat eye diseases and can also perform the duties of optometrists. Optometrists examine eyes, diagnose and treat vision problems, and prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses. In most states they can also prescribe medicine. Opticians grind and dispense eyeglasses and in some states dispense contact lenses.

You’ll want to take some simple precautions to make any lens purchase safe and effective. And all correcting contact lenses must have a valid prescription from an ophthalmologist or optometrist.

If you plan to wear contact lenses for more than 18 hours for the purpose of changing your eye color then buy colored soft lenses. You can mark rigid lenses in a way to show which lens is for which eye. They don’t rip or tear, so they are easy to handle. Soft lenses are much easier to adjust and are much more comfortable than rigid lenses because they conform to the eye and absorb and hold water.

Soft lenses also come as disposables, used once and discarded, or as planned-replacement lenses. Rigid gas permeable contact lenses are durable, resistant to deposit buildup, and generally give a clearer, crisper vision. In some model lenses, each lens corrects for near and distance vision and in others, one lens is for near vision, and the other for distance.

There are several types of lenses in the marketplace today including soft contact lenses, rigid gas permeable lenses, extended wear lenses and disposables. Keep in mind contact lenses are often more complex than appears. The expiration date for your prescription is currently set by your state requiring a one-year or two-year renewal. If your state hasn’t set a minimum expiration date, government regulation sets a one-year date unless your eye doctor determines there’s a medical reason for an expiration date of less than one year.

Disposable lenses don’t come with instructions for cleaning and disinfecting. But those lenses labeled specifically for planned replacement do. Extended wear lenses are usually soft contact lenses made of flexible plastics that allow oxygen to pass through to the cornea.

Check out any rebates that may be available from the seller, from the manufacturer, for first-time contact lens wearers and for individuals who buy lenses and get an eye exam. Beware of attempts to substitute a brand that is different from the one you want when buying contacts. Ask about discount prices at your doctor’s office when you have your eye examination, or during a follow-up visit after you get your prescription.

Always buy from a reputable company. You can buy contact lenses without a prescription, but the company would be selling you a prescription device as if it were an over-the-counter device violating FTC regulations – selling you contact lenses without actually having your prescription. And when you receive your order, if you think you’ve received an incorrect contact lens, check with your doctor or eye care professional right away; don’t accept any substitution unless your eye care professional approves it. There are many good contact lens retailers now on the Internet making their lenses available at a discount for both prescription and non-prescription lenses.

If you have an insurance plan, the insurance plan’s seller’s prices may or may not be better than what you can find elsewhere. This should be just one option when you’re shopping for contacts. Check to see if your health insurance plan includes vision coverage. Compare prices and get quotes from two or three online and offline suppliers.

To be sure your eyes remain healthy you shouldn’t order lenses with a prescription that’s expired or stock up on lenses just before the prescription is about to expire. It’s much safer to be re-checked by your eye doctor. Interesting note: when the eyes are open, tears carry adequate oxygen to the cornea to keep it healthy, but during sleep, the eye produces fewer tears, causing the cornea to swell. And the risk of corneal ulcers for people who keep extended-wear lenses in overnight is 10 to 15 times greater than for those who use daily-wear lenses only while they’re awake.

A basic rule: never swap your contact lenses with anyone else. And the most serious safety concern with any contact lens is from overnight use. Replace your contacts as recommended by your eye care doctor because they wear out as time goes by.

If you’re looking for cheap contact lenses, you may find that cheap materials or other ways of cutting costs will affect the quality you want. Remember to use only contact lenses that are FDA-approved and only if prescribed by a licensed eye care professional. Ordering discount contact lenses online has never been simpler with, and sometimes without, a credit card.

For more information on color contact lenses and where to buy discount contact lenses visit http://www.VisionNurse.com Helen Hecker R.N.’s popular website which offers tips, advice and resources, including information on LASIK eye surgery, sunglasses, eyeglasses and affordable quality contact lenses

Stress at Work – How to Deal with It

We all know about stress at work. Do these examples look familiar?

1. Your boss has moved the deadline for your report up a few days
2. you have an annoying co-worker
3. you have an in-basket that reaches the ceiling
4. your paycheck is too small to cover your needed expenses

Work stress comes in all flavors (people, events, deadlines, environment)–coping with them can be a real juggling act. There are ways to minimize work stress, here are a few things you can do right now.

People:

You can’t always choose your boss or your co-workers. You have to live with their idiosyncrasies, or idiocies, depending on your point of view. Unless you decide to quit, you have to deal with the over-bearing boss or the pesky co-worker. This can be challenging and not dealing with them can add stress to your life.

One way to deal is to keep your work life separate from your home life. Try to keep your home life private. This will make it easier to leave work behind when you exit the building. Be in your “work mode” during working hours and then as you exit the building shake off those work bugs and physically relax your muscles for the ride home. Turn on your favorite music station on the radio or tune into your MP3 player and listen to some fun or relaxing music.

Events:

Work meetings, seminars, work-teams and work travel can all add to the stress level. Learn how to organize, plan for tasks in advance, delegate your other responsibilities and ask for help when needed. Reward yourself when an event is over, successful or not. Find ways to relax during the event like, for example, doing yoga or going for a walk at lunch. Make friends at the event so that you can share experiences and pass the time.

Deadlines:

The best way to beat stress that comes with deadlines is to plan for success. Keep your workstation and tools clean and neat. Know what tasks need to be done first; which ones will be the most time consuming and how to accomplish them with accuracy and efficiency. Ask for guidelines during the planning stage of the task. The best way to reduce stress is to not experience any surprises. Make sure you understand the assignment before it begins. Use organizational tools like calendars, day planners and software when applicable to automate repetitive tasks.

Environment:

The work environment can contain many stress triggers, from pollutants like cigarette smoke to dust or clutter. Address these issues with the people you work with. By brainstorming with your co-workers, you may find ways to reduce stress by controlling pollutants, removing dust and de-cluttering the workstations.

Evaluating the people, events, deadlines, and environment at your place of work can help you to come up with creative ways to cope in advance with the stress. Keep in mind that your work is but a portion of your total life and then go out and have some fun when work is done.

Scott Meyers is a staff writer for Its Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Stress Management.

Shiatsu and the Beneficial Effect in Menopause

Do you suffer from the symptoms of menopause? In addition to herbal and pharmaceutical remedies, there are massage methodologies which can help. This article deals with shiatsu’s beneficial effect on women in menopause.

The origins of the practice of shiatsu derive from the full oriental medical system which looks at the human body as a network or series of meridians. These networks allow the positive energy or vital life force (or chi) to flow through it. According to shiatsu practitioners, an individual becomes sick due to the flow of chi or energy becoming sluggish or disrupted in one way or another. This however can be easily remedied. The energy imbalance can be corrected by way of applying pressure to particular points on the body that correspond to a given meridian. This is all good news for women going through menopause, as the practice of shiatsu is an excellent one to try to help relieve your symptoms.

Treating Menopause Symptoms

In order for shiatsu to work at treating the symptoms of menopause, first an accurate diagnosis of the symptoms must be done by the qualified practitioner. When patient with menopause symptoms experiences ringing in the ears, pain in the shoulder and/or dizziness, shiatsu can address the meridian of the small intestine, which can aid in the health of the ovaries.

Ask the shiatsu specialist to apply pressure to the stomach and spleen meridians if you find yourself suffering from any type of nervous or stomach disorders or if you have a tendency to eat too much because of anxiety and frustration. The meridians for the heart, bladder and kidneys need to have pressure applied to them if as a menopause patient you suffer from any type of nervous disorders or heart palpitations.

If constant fatigue is a problem or if you suffer from headaches, then you need to look to the triple heater meridian. If you suffer from constant weight gain or obesity and/or hormonal imbalance then you need to look to the gall bladder meridian for the help you need for relief.

In order for shiatsu to work at treating the symptoms of menopause, first an accurate diagnosis of the symptoms must be done by the qualified practitioner. If you suffer from anxiety and a great deal of tension on a regular basis then look to the shiatsu technique described below to bring relief:

First you must find the middle point that exists between the eyebrows and to make it easier for you, this point is to be found directly above where the bridge of the nose is found. Apply a circular type of massage technique to this area and count slowly from one to 30 and while so doing make sure to exhale as well as inhale as deeply as you can for maximum benefits. Do this once and then repeat the process again. To get as much relief as possible from this technique, shut your eyes and then take the time to pay close attention to both your steady breathing and your heartbeat.

Do these techniques as many times as you feel it is necessary. Choose the type of massage that works best for you whether it be smooth, pulsating or a stroking type of massage. Always go with what works best for you as not everyone will respond well to the same kind.

Scott Meyers is a staff writer for Its Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Massage Therapy or Menopause.