The IAA One Minute Blog

Your sweetheart may have the key to your heart, but a proper diet and regular physical activity can be the key to a healthy heart. Not only is February the month we celebrate our loved ones, it is also American Heart Health Month.

A Romantic Day for You and Your Heart

Make a date with your heart this Valentine's Day! Just because Valentine's Day is healthier this year, does not mean it has to be any less romantic. Here are some heart healthy Valentine's Day ideas:

• Be food conscious: Consider making a healthy meal for Valentine's Day. Serve food lower in salt and fat content, provide more fruits and vegetables, and make less sugary sweets for an overall healthy day.
• Give to one another by giving back: Ask a date to volunteer with you at a local charity. Giving back is a healthy habit that will boost your mind and beat stress.
• Quality time is one of the most meaningful gifts. Bundle up and plan an active outing, such as sledding or ice skating.
• Still craving something sweet? Send a fruit basket to your loved one that has natural sugar as well as healthy nutrients, instead of sending sweets with added sugars.
• Try to spread the love with little gifts, instead if sweets and chocolates.
• Use this day as an opportunity to tell your loved one how you feel about him or her. Share ways that you can support each other's health and wellness.

Don't forget the kids! If your children are having a Valentine's Day party at their school or daycare, instead of sending candies in, consider mini-boxes of raisins, mini-bags of pretzels, pencils or stickers.

A Romantic Dinner for Two

If you decide not to have a romantic candlelight dinner at home, here are some heart healthy tips for eating out:

1. Ask for what you want: Scan the menu to create your own dinner. Fancier restaurants prepare dishes to order, so requests are usually no problem. Less fancy dinning establishments are often willing to make changes too. You can create your own healthy meal!
2. Keep it simple: When scanning the menu, keep certain prep items in mind. In terms of calories, grilled is usually better than fried; baked is better than braised.
3. Dictate your own portion: Meals these days are often served in enormous portions. Ask the waiter to divide yours before it is served, and put the other half in a take home bag.
4. Prioritize what you put in your mouth: If you think your entrée might end up being a calorie splurge, make healthier choices elsewhere in your meal.
5. Share: Consider splitting an appetizer, a salad or dessert. It's romantic to share a dish with someone you love.

Valentine's Day is prolific for its high sweet consumption and while eating some sugar is perfectly acceptable, try and make sure it is the right kind.

Heart Health Month

February is American Heart Health Month, so make sure to take care of your heart. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about 600,000 people die from heart disease in the United States each year. That is one out of every four deaths. Not sure how to begin your healthy heart journey? The CDC offers this guidance:

• Don't become overwhelmed: Every step brings you closer to a healthier heart.
• Don't go it alone: The journey is more fun when you have company.
• Don't get discouraged: You may not be able to take all of the steps at one time.
• Reward yourself: Find fun things to do to decrease your stress.

Make this American Heart Health Month count!

What IAA has to Say

Insurance Administrator of America wants you to make this Valentine's Day all about you and your loved one's hearts. Take care of your heart so you can celebrate all the Valentine's Days to come. Just think of IAA as your self-funded insurance cupid, pointing our bow and arrow to a healthy lifestyle. Remember, with IAA one call does it all.

To read more on American Heart Health Month click here. 

Are you still feeling the bite of your famous Super Bowl chili? It might be more than long-lasting heartburn; you could be suffering from GERD.

What is GERD?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a digestive disorder that affects the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the ring of muscle between the esophagus and stomach. Gastroesophageal refers to the stomach and the esophagus. Reflux means to flow back or return. Therefore, gastroesophageal reflux is the return of the stomach's contents back up into the esophagus.

In normal digestion, the LES opens to allow food to pass into the stomach and closes to prevent food and acidic stomach juices from flowing back into the esophagus. When the LES is weak or relaxes inappropriately, it allows the stomach's contents to flow up into the esophagus. This leads to GERD.

Some doctors believe that a hiatal hernia may weaken the LES and increase the risk for GERD. A hiatal hernia occurs when the upper part of the stomach moves up into the chest through a small opening in the diaphragm. Other factors that can contribute to GERD are:

• Asthma
• Certain foods and beverages: caffeinated beverages, chocolate, citrus-fruits, garlic and onions, peppermint, spicy, fatty or fried foods, and tomatoes
• Diabetes
• Dietary and lifestyle choices
• Obesity
• Pregnancy
• Smoking
  

The treatment for GERD aims at decreasing the amount of reflux or reducing damage to the lining of the esophagus from refluxed materials.

Symptoms of GERD

Do you feel that every time you sit down and eat a certain meal (like that Super Bowl chili) you feel like you have heartburn or nausea that doesn't seem to go away? Those might be signs you have GERD. Symptoms consist of:

• Coughing or wheezing
• Difficulty swallowing
• Dyspepsia: A general term for stomach discomfort. Symptoms include, burping, nausea after eating, stomach fullness or bloating, and upper abdominal pain or discomfort.
  
• Feeling that food is stuck in the breastbone
• Heartburn or a burning pain in the chest (under the breastbone)
• Hiccups
• Hoarseness or change in voice
• Nausea at night
• Relieved by antacids: Antacids can help neutralize acid in the esophagus and stomach and stop heartburn.
• Regurgitation: Sensation of acid backing up into your throat or mouth. Regurgitation can produce a sour or bitter taste,and you may experience a "wet burp" or even vomit some contents of your stomach.
• Sore throat
  

Decreasing the size of portions at mealtimes may help to control symptoms. Eating meals at least two to three hours before bedtime may also lessen reflux by allowing the acid in the stomach to partially empty.

What IAA has to Say

While you may have enjoyed all those Super Bowl goodies, it may not have been the best thing for your stomach. Insurance Administrator of America wants you to mind what you eat, so you can feel good watching whatever game is on. Think of IAA as your insurance game day helper, reminding you to pick smart choices. Remember, with IAA one call does it all.

Interested in reading a similar blog post? Click here.

During any given year there are more than 44 million Americans who provide unpaid care to an elderly or disabled person. While being a caregiver to a loved one can have numerous rewards, it can also be stressful.

What is Caregiver Stress?

A caregiver is anyone who provides help to another person in need. Caregivers help with many things:

• Bathing
• Cooking
• Dressing
• Eating
• Giving medicine
• Grocery shopping
• House cleaning
• Paying bills
• Using the toilet

Altogether informal caregivers provide 80% of the long-term care in the United States.

Being a loved one's caregiver can be stressful. Caregiver stress is the emotional and physical strain of caregiving. It can take many forms. Caregivers may feel:

• Exhausted when going to bed at night
• Frustrated and angry
• Guilty because they think that they should be able to provide better care, despite all the other things they have to do.
• Lonely because all the time they spend caregiving has hurt their social life.

There are rewards to caregiving. It can make you feel needed and can lead to a stronger relationship with the person receiving care.

Signs of Caregiver Stress

Your body sends out physical and behavioral warning signs of caregiver stress:

• Behavioral warning signs:
  

-Acting on impulse

-Changing jobs often

-Overreacting

-Using alcohol or drugs

-Withdrawing from friendships

• Emotional warning signs:
  

-Anger

-Frequent mood swings

-Sadness or periodic crying

-Unproductive worry

• Physical warning signs:
  

-Chronic back pain

-Chronic fatigue

-Neck pain

-Problems with sleep

-Stooped posture

-Sweaty palms

-Tension headaches

-Weight gain or loss

Being a caregiver can be a challenge.Take time for yourself every day, even if it is just for a few minutes.

Relieve Caregiver Stress

Finding ways to reduce caregiver stress will help lessen the long-term emotional and physical toll. Tips for managing stress include:

• Accept help: Be prepared with a list of ways that others can help you.
• Be assertive, instead of aggressive: Assert your feelings, opinions or beliefs instead of becoming angry, combative or passive.
• Exercise regularly
• Focus on what you can provide: Feeling guilty is normal, but understand that no one is the "perfect" caregiver.
• Get enough rest and sleep: Your body needs time to recover from stressful events.
• Join a support group: A support group can be a great source of encouragement and advice from others in similar situations.
• Keeping a positive attitude: Believe in yourself.
• Learn to use stress management techniques and coping mechanisms.
• Limit yourself to moderate alcohol and caffeine intake.
• Seek social support: Make an effort to stay emotionally connected to family and friends.
• Set realistic goals and expectations.
  

Don't let caregiving get the best of you! Empower yourself with information and surround yourself with those who love you. Also, remember to celebrate the important milestones--celebrations help us to remember the important things in life.

What IAA has to Say

Insurance Administrator of America knows that being a caregiver has its ups and downs. What's important is that you make your health a priority so you can continue caring for your loved one. Could you benefit from a  wellness program? IAA would be happy to discuss wellness program options with your employer or broker. Remember, with IAA one call does it all.

Like this blog post? Let IAA know by going to our Facebook page and clicking the Like button.

Last fall, when millions of health insurance plans were canceled, the Obama administration stated that it would only affect a small minority of Americans who bought individual policies. According to industry analysts, insurers and state regulators, it could have a far greater reach.

Reasons Behind the Cancellations

Potential upcoming plan cancellations could affect millions of people who receive insurance through small employers, by the end of 2014. An estimated 18 million to 24 million people in the United States have insurance through employers with fewer than 50 workers.

There is a substantial turnover in individual and small-group policies every year, even without the health law. But insurers say the change that's starting to occur is significantly larger than before.

Some of the small business cancellations are occurring because the policies don't meet the health care law's basic coverage requirements. Many cancellations are related only indirectly to the law; insurers are trying to move customers to new plans designed to offset the financial and administrative risks associated with the healthcare overhaul. As part of that, they are consolidating their plan offerings to maximize profits and streamline how they manage them.

The impact of cancellations in the small-group market is expected to be less dramatic than in the individual market, partly because a higher percentage of small-business policies provide more generous benefits.

Some small businesses are eligible for new tax credits to partially offset the costs of insurance. Also, firms no longer have to worry about the possibility of large premium increases if too many of their workers fall ill.

New Provisions of ACA Compliant Plans

New provisions that ACA compliant insurance plans will have starting January 1 are:

• Essential health benefits: All plans will have to cover
  

-Maternity and newborn care

-Prescription drugs

-Services at ambulatory facilities

-Hospitalization

-Mental health and substance use disorder services

-Rehabilitative services

-Lab work

-Preventative and wellness care

-Chronic disease management

-Pediatric dental and vision care

• Fully covered preventative care
• Pre-existing conditions: Insurers cannot deny an employee health insurance due to a pre-existing condition.
  

The Department of Health and Human Services has estimated that 62% of those with individual insurance policies don't have maternity coverage, and nearly 20% lack mental health services coverage. Though individuals beyond childbearing years do not typically purchase maternity coverage, the administration wishes to have everyone enrolled pay for coverage for those who are planning families. While some of these new provisions have the ability to help lower those numbers, it does not come without added cost.

What IAA has to Say

Insurance Administrator of America wants you to receive and keep the best possible health plan. That is why IAA recommends using our services or that of a trusted insurance broker or agent.

IAA is here to help you create a unique plan that is best suited to the life of your business. Wouldn't it be nice to have someone sit and discuss the best possible health plan for your business, rather than just be told the options? IAA is proud of its past 20 years of experience and is happy to help businesses in any way possible. Remember, with IAA one call does it all.

Interested in reading more blog posts on the PPACA? Click here and here.

The ongoing debate over whether taking a multivitamin plays a part in keeping a person healthy is still being argued. While scientists and doctors may still not have formed a consensus, Insurance Administrator of America is here to give you information, so you can make your own decision.

The Job of Vitamins

Vitamins carry out chemical reactions not just in our own bodies, but in all living things. However, aside from vitamins D and K, humans can't make any of the vitamins we need to stay healthy. That is why in this day and age, a huge amount of research goes into understanding vitamins.

Experts say that vitamin and mineral supplement's primary function is to fill small nutrition gaps. Vitamins and minerals can help prevent deficiencies that can contribute to chronic conditions. Here are some tips to guide your supplement selection:

• Are you a fast food junkie? If your diet pretty much consists of low-nutrition food and drinks, then supplements are not the answer. A healthy diet makeover is in order.
• Respect the limits: Supplements can fill in where your diet leaves off, but they can also build up and potentially cause toxicities if you take more than 100% of the recommended daily value (DV).
• Take stock of your diet habits: Evaluate what is missing from your diet. Are there entire food groups you avoid? Is iceberg lettuce the only vegetable you eat? If so, learn about key nutrients in missing food groups, and choose a supplement to help meet those needs.
  
• Think nutrition first, and then supplements to fill the gaps: Fill your grocery cart with a wide variety of nourishing, nutrient-rich food. We can get important vitamins from the food we consume.
• When in doubt, a daily multivitamin is a safer bet than a cocktail of individual supplements that can exceed the safe upper limits of the recommended intake for any nutrient. Choose a multivitamin that provides 100% or less of the DV to plug up the small nutrient holes in your diet.
  

More than 110 million Americans forked over a collective $28 billion in 2010 for vitamins and supplements.

Your Essential Vitamins

While humans may have lost the ability to generate their own vitamins--there are still essential vitamins that our species needs in order to maintain good health:

• Vitamin A: Helps form and maintain healthy skin, teeth, bones, and soft tissue.
• Vitamin C: Is needed for the growth and repair of tissues throughout the body.
• Vitamin D: Helps the body absorb calcium, and is made when the skin is exposed to the sun.
• Vitamin E: Helps with the formation of red blood cells and is an antioxidant.
• Vitamin K: Also known as the clotting vitamin, allows blood to coagulate.
• B vitamins: There are numerous B vitamins that help aid with a person's red blood cells and metabolism.
  

Please note: Vitamins are not FDA approved. This means there is no official governing body regulating the products released. This in turn means that lower quality supplements can slip through the cracks.

The New Importance of Vitamin E

Researchers are now saying that vitamin E might slow the progression of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. The high doses of vitamin E delayed the decline in daily living skills. The benefit was the equivalent of keeping one major skill that otherwise would have been lost. For some people that could mean living independently rather than needing a nursing home.

Vitamin E did not preserve thinking abilities though, and it did not help patients who took it with another Alzheimer's medication. But those taking vitamin E alone required less help from caregivers.

The study appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

What IAA has to Say

To take vitamins or not to take vitamins, that is the question. IAA wants everyone to think about their diet (and what might be missing from it) so they can make a well informed decision. IAA has partnered with the FSA Store, so you can see the discounts on supplements if you choose to take them. Don't have a FSA and would like one for your employees or broker clients? Call IAA to discuss setting up a FSA account. Remember, with IAA one call does it all.