Tag: health

So far, it is not all bad news. Well at least not for everyone. Medicare Part B premiums will not increase this year. However, for some California residents it may as well because the state will no longer pick up the bill for their Medicare Part B premiums. Social Security benefits recipient will receive the largest cost of living increase granted in 26 years…5.8%. So all is not totally loss…but these small gains will be offset by another Senior Citizen health care increase. A very important one! Medicare Part D premium and co-payments will increase for many of them. Medicare Part D covers prescription drugs.

Medicare and its various programs provide health care coverage for over 50% of the senior citizen population in the U.S. This is the only affordable health care option available to many of them. With the great majority of them living on a fixed income, even the slightest increase in one of their monthly expenses can result in cataclysmic ripples thru their economic well being. With 48 of the 54 available Medicare Part D plans expecting to raise premiums anywhere from 8% to 63%, it is not difficult to understand the anxiety and scary scenarios concerning basic survival that is plaguing some of the seniors.

Add to this, a decrease in the number of no premium due Extra Help plans, beneficiaries increased co-pay responsibilities and a move to encourage enrollment in generic drugs programs even though many brand name drugs have no generic alternative, and it …

The health benefits of chocolate have been debated for years. There is little doubt that cocoa does offer some antioxidant effect. According to Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. from Mayo Clinic, cocoa beans contain flavanols, which can assist in repairing cell damage from heart disease. Eating chocolate may also help lower blood pressure. It all sounds real good, but don't jump on the chocolate band wagon just yet.

Dark Chocolate

Of all forms of chocolate, dark chocolate has the most health benefits because it contains the most cocoa. When you walk down the candy aisle at the local store, you may see bars displaying the percentage of cacao. This is the amount of cocoa in the product. The more cacaos the bar has, the more antioxidants it contains. Overall, one square of dark chocolate has more benefits that some fruits, such as strawberries. In fact, dark chocolate contains 8 times as many antioxidants as strawberries.

Xocai

At least one corporation has turned healthy chocolate into a business. Xocai is marketed by MXI Corp. for its antioxidant properties. According to the manufacturer, Xocai improves oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Now I don't know what that means exactly, but it sounds nifty. Brunswick Laboratories tested the Xocai products and did support the reports coming from MXI Corp. The problem is Bruswick doesn't know what ORAC means either or how much is a good thing.

Weight Loss

One strategy that MXI Corp. uses for the Xocai products is weight loss that focuses on meal …

With the price of food skyrocketing at an alarming rate, it is becoming difficult for families to stretch their budgets. Everybody has seen articles online and in magazines on how to save money at the grocery store. Some of these tips may sound similar to those articles and some might be something new to think about.

Eliminate junk food

Do your shopping without the distraction of kids or spouses. Taking these people along on a shopping trip will make junk food magically appear in the cart that was not on the list. This is an old tip but one worth repeating. It is very important.

Water or milk instead of soft drinks

If people would only use colas and sodas as a treat, so much money could be saved. A healthy diet requires water and a lot of it. This is something you can get right from your tap at home. If you are concerned about the quality of your tap water, purchasing a filter to improve the quality of that water is still going to be cheaper that the amount of money spent on soft drinks. Milk is something that children should be drinking. Having milk in the house that is competing with soft drinks only makes that milk go bad because nobody drank it. That is a waste of money.

Purchasing fresh fruits in quantity

When fruit is in season, it is so much cheaper to purchase. This can be purchased in such quantities some of it can …

Fertility herbs for healthy sperm are popular and relatively inexpensive. These are some facts about Horny Goat Weed and other common fertility herbs along with shopping information.

Fertility Herbs for Healthy Sperm: Overview

The Mayo Clinic and other medical authorities cite the scarcity of research conducted in relation to most fertility herbs and the lack of compelling evidence for any herbal supplements in promoting healthy sperm and treating fertility. However, people have been using them for centuries and many of these herbs have not been associated with any major negative side effects for most people. So these are some facts if you want to experiment with Horny Goat Weed and some other fertility herbs with less colorful names.

Fertility Herbs for Healthy Sperm: Horny Goat Weed and Other Herbs

Horny goat weed is a herb that grows in Japan, Korea, and China with the scientific name Epimedium grandiflorum. It's often used in Chinese herbal medicine where it may be called Chien-Hsieh or Yin-Yang-Hua. Horny Goat Weed is believed to improve sexual performance by increasing testosterone production, and helping to cure impotence, spermatorrhea, and premature ejaculation. It's also widely used in China and Japan as an aphrodisiac. There are no major safety concerns except contraindications for pregnant women and people who are hypersensitive to Epimedium. Other fertility herbs used to promote healthy sperm include including ginseng, maca root, and yohimbe bark extract. Speak with your doctor before trying these herbs as you may not be able to take them if …