Since the Individual Mandate statute of the Affordable Care Act was enacted in January 2014, every American is accountable for an Individual Shared Responsibility* payment every year. Meaning, if you do not have health insurance, you will face penalties. While you may not see an actual summons, or pay a fine, the federal government enforces … Continue reading
Do you love coffee but also love red meat and dessert? If so, there’s good news and bad news. On Thursday, February 19, the Dietary Guideline Advisory Committee (DGAC) released a lengthy 571-page report of suggestions to the Department of Heath and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The report explained … Continue reading
The unfortunate truth is that all generations of Americans are experiencing high rates of stress and often feel they should be doing more to manage it. However, research shows we have made progress in increasing healthier stress management behaviors. Over the last five years, stress management behaviors like eating food and drinking alcohol have decreased … Continue reading
Slowing the biological aging process (senescence) is now a realistic goal. According to a new research study published in Health Affairs, the elimination of diseases such as cancer and heart disease would have less effect on longevity and quality of life than delaying aging itself. Although most medical research remains focused on combating individual diseases, … Continue reading
Long-term care is a real concern facing America today. Individuals live longer and are facing more chronic illnesses requiring constant care. Yet untrained and unpaid family members provide most long-term care for their loved ones. A recent article published Reuters revealed that four out of ten adults are caring for an elderly family member. It … Continue reading
Forbes has a list of 10 ‘healthy’ habits that drain your bank account. Those ten are: drinking bottled water, taking unnecessary supplements, having a gym membership and not using it, drinking soy milk, eating organic peanut butter, drinking diet soda, drinking orange juice, buying unnecessary skin treatments, colonics, and eating protein bars. These habits could … Continue reading
The New York Times reported yesterday on the increasing frequency of prescriptions for stimulants (commonly used for ADD and ADHD) being given to children who have no medical problem. These children receive medication because they have been struggling in school. According to the article, children who are struggling in school, especially those in low-income situations, can … Continue reading
Yesterday, PBS premiered a show called “Money and Medicine,” wherein two hospitals were studied (Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles and Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City) and compared according to their health spending and health outcomes. The film was not incriminating or condescending to either hospital; rather, these examples were used … Continue reading
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