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Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Posted on: July 1, 2013Categories: LiveWell 24/7Inflammation is part of the body’s immune response; without it, we can't heal. But when it's out of control—as in rheumatoid arthritis—it can damage the body. Plus, it's thought to play a role in obesity, heart disease, and cancer. Foods high in sugar and saturated fat can spur inflammation. Other foods may curb inflammation. Add these items to your plate today. Fatty Fish Oily fish, like salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines, are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help ...
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Greenwood Chamber Meeting
Posted on: June 18, 2013Categories: HR & ComplianceClarke & Company Benefits has posted the PowerPoint for the June 18th Greenwood Chamber Meeting, “The Path to Compliance”. You can access the PowerPoint here and also the Clarke & Company webinars & materials on “Pay or Play, The Employers Mandate” , “The Individual Mandate”, and “What We Know Today as We Race to 2014”. This page is password protected and please use the password you were given in the meeting. Click here to view the Health Care Reform presentations If ...
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Chiggers
Posted on: June 10, 2013Categories: LiveWell 24/7If you have ever been out in the woods or an open field in spring, summer or fall, you may have gotten chiggers around your waistband or on your ankles. They leave red, itchy bumps on your skin. Chiggers are the larvae of mites. After a parasitic chigger hatches, it finds a good position on tall grass or other vegetation so it can spring onto a passing animal. When it finds an animal, it attaches to the animal to gather the protein it needs to grow into the nymph stage. Chiggers do n ...
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June 2013 Health Care Reform
Posted on: June 4, 2013Categories: HR & ComplianceFinal Rules on Workplace Wellness Programs Released The Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes provisions to encourage appropriately designed, consumer-protective wellness programs in group health coverage. Effective for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2014, ACA essentially codifies the existing HIPAA nondiscrimination requirements for health-contingent wellness programs, while also increasing the maximum reward that can be offered under these programs. On May 29, 2013, the Departments of ...
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Avoid Weekend Warrior Syndrome
Posted on: May 31, 2013Categories: LiveWell 24/7For some people, the weekend is the only time they have to (or want to) exercise and, once warm weather hits, spending all day at an amusement park, hiking up mountains or going on long bike rides can cause unexpected overload injuries. Sprained ankles, shin splints, tennis elbow and foot pain are just a few injuries that can happen when you go from the couch to the golf course or mountain without any preparation. To avoid weekend warrior injuries: Start Slowly: Instead of going straigh ...
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Healthiest cities in the United States
Posted on: May 29, 2013Categories: LiveWell 24/7The Twin Cities — Minneapolis-St.Paul — are the healthiest, fittest cities in the USA for the third year in a row, according to an analysis of the 50 most populous metropolitan areas in the USA. Other top fit cities: Washington, D.C., Portland, San Francisco and Denver. The annual American Fitness Index, out today from the American College of Sports Medicine, is based on a number of health behaviors including smoking, exercise, obesity rates, chronic health problems and access to health ca ...
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Gluten-Free Myths
Posted on: May 17, 2013Categories: LiveWell 24/7With gluten-free delivery pizza, cookies and cakes and even dog food on the market, it's clear that the interest in gluten-free eating isn't slowing down. This May, in honor of Celiac Awareness Month, we're looking at some of the most common misconceptions about celiac disease and a gluten-free diet. 1. A Gluten-Free Diet Can Benefit Anyone People who suffer from celiac disease struggle with digestive problems, malnutrition and more. That's because gluten -- a protein found in wheat, rye ...
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More Teens Texting and Driving
Posted on: May 15, 2013Categories: LiveWell 24/7If your teen is a texting addict and a driver, you need to know about a scary study from the Centers for Disease Control. CDC researchers found that nearly half of all teens who responded to a national survey admitted that they texted while driving. The texters were also more likely to drink and drive. Older teens were more likely to text and drive than younger teens, the researchers said; 33 percent of 16-year-olds and 58 percent of 18-year-olds said they texted while driving. The results ar ...
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Choosing the Best Sunscreen
Posted on: May 13, 2013Categories: LiveWell 24/7Choosing a sunscreen isn't as simple as it used to be. While choosing the best sunscreen is important, perhaps even more crucial is using it correctly -- something a lot of us don't do, says Henry W. Lim, MD. So before you plop down on the lawn chair -- or take the kids to the beach -- here are the sunscreen facts. Finding the Best Sunscreen Sunscreens help shield you from the sun's dangerous ultraviolet (UV) rays in two ways. Some work by scattering the light, reflecting it away from your body ...
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Hepatitis C: Testing Baby Boomers Saves Lives
Posted on: May 10, 2013Categories: LiveWell 24/7About 3 million Americans have hepatitis C, most are baby boomers or people born from 1945-1965. Baby boomers are 5 times more likely to have hepatitis C. If you were born during these years, talk to your doctor about getting tested. Hepatitis C is a liver disease that results from infection with the hepatitis C virus. Once infected with the hepatitis C virus, nearly 8 in 10 people remain infected for life. People with hepatitis C often have no symptoms and can live for decades without feeling ...
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May Health Care Reform Update
Posted on: May 9, 2013Categories: HR & Compliance(May 9, 2013) On May 8, 2013, the Department of Labor (DOL) released guidance on the Exchange notice requirement. This notice was supposed to have been provided to employees on March 1, 2013 but the DOL postponed this on January 24, 2013. Under the new guidance released, the notice has to be supplied by October 1, 2013 to all current employees. For new hires, beginning October 1, 2013, the DOL will consider a notice to be provided at the time of of hiring if the notice is provided within 14 d ...
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Asthma Awareness
Posted on: May 1, 2013Categories: LiveWell 24/7Asthma is one of the most common lifelong chronic diseases. There are 26 million people in the United States living with asthma, a disease affecting the lungs, causing repeated episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. Although asthma cannot be cured, it is possible to manage asthma successfully to reduce and prevent asthma attacks, also called episodes. Successful asthma management includes knowing the warning signs of an attack, avoiding things that may trigger an ...
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HCR Update-Early Renewals
Posted on: May 1, 2013Categories: HR & Compliance(April 29, 2013) Over the past two weeks, we have seen many carriers send out information for small employers regarding an early renewal. This option allows small employers the option to renew their coverage in late 2013 instead of waiting to renew their 2014 policy anniversary dates. For example, if you renewed on February 1 of 2013, you could renew your coverage again on Dec. 1, 2013 and have your first renewal after ACA on Dec. 1, 2014. What are the advantages of renewing early: Premium ...
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May 2013 Health Care Reform
Posted on: April 30, 2013Categories: HR & ComplianceSeveral key reforms under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) measure the affordability of employer-sponsored health insurance coverage. Effective January 1, 2014, the affordability of an employer’s health plan may be assessed in the following three contexts: the shared responsibility penalty for large employers, the premium tax credit for low-income individuals to purchase health coverage through an Affordable Care Act exchange, and the tax penalty imposed on individuals who fail to obtain health i ...
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Health Care Reform Update-CMS Application
Posted on: April 30, 2013Categories: HR & ComplianceIf you would like to take a look at how simple it will be to qualify for a subsidy and secure coverage in the new marketplace (Exchange), click on the link below to preview the 21 page application that will have to filled out or completed online, or as HHS calls it, the streamlined application. We have also included a link to a video that highlights "An Individual Using the Online Single Streamlined Application". Click here to view the application ...
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Gluten Intolerance Symptoms
Posted on: April 26, 2013Categories: LiveWell 24/7What are gluten intolerance symptoms? Are people with gluten intolerance just fussy eaters with a new excuse for their picky food habits? Research shows that gluten sensitivity in some form, including celiac disease and mild gluten intolerance, affects approximately 15% of the US population. These statistics are likely to be similar in Western countries with similar health issues and dietary patterns. Are you one of these people? How do you recognize gluten intolerance symptoms? First of all ...
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Dangers of Sleep Apnea
Posted on: April 22, 2013Categories: LiveWell 24/7Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. Breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. They may occur 30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound. Sleep apnea usually is a chronic (ongoing) condition that disrupts your sleep. When your breathing pauses or becomes shallow, you’ll often move out of deep sleep and into light sleep. ...
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10 Ways To Make A Workout Fly By
Posted on: April 17, 2013Categories: LiveWell 24/71. Grab A Buddy Life is full of great solo activities, but exercise isn't always one of them. Working out with a buddy isn't just a fun way to squeeze in some face time; it provides extra accountability along an added push to go that extra mile. Friends all booked up? Check out local running clubs, grassroots fitness groups (like the November Project) and local meetups. 2. Join A Class Group fitness has come a long way since we were Sweatin' to the Oldies. There really is something for eve ...
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The Health Benefits of Volunteering
Posted on: April 15, 2013Categories: LiveWell 24/7It’s no surprise that lending a hand makes us feel good— after all, a smile on someone else’s face can be contagious. Yet studies suggest volunteering provides more than just emotional benefits; it can make us healthier, and even tack on some extra birthdays. Volunteering can also be a mental pick-me-up, since it helps reduce anxiety and depression in some people. (Plus, it’s a better solution than drowning sorrows in a six-pack.) And altruism—unselfish acts of kindness— can also ...
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Healthy Gardening
Posted on: April 11, 2013Categories: LiveWell 24/7Gardening can be a great hobby that allows you to enjoy the outdoors while getting physical activity. Whether you are a beginner or expert, remember these health and safety tips for gardeners, and enjoy the beauty and bounty gardening can bring: Dress to protect. Prevent exposure to sun, insects, and harmful chemicals by wearing proper clothing and safety equipment. Use an insect repellent and sunscreen with an SPF 15 or higher that protects against both A and B ultraviolet rays. Remembe ...
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