7 Steps to Cure Medical Debt

Medical Bills. A horrible enemy that attacks the family budget. They just don’t stop coming. One surgery, one accident, one runny nose; the bills just keep flooding in the mailbox. You’re not prepared, and bills have got to be paid. What is your defense mechanism?

Rather than letting the bills pile up, there is a temporary solution to consolidate all of your medical bills with no interest financing. “CareCredit is a personal line of credit for healthcare treatments and procedures for your entire family, including your pets. Simply pay your minimum monthly payment and pay off the entire balance by the end of your promotional period* and you pay No Interest.”

Reflections From Nan: Six Months To Sixty

Even though my 60th birthday is a little over 6 months away, I am planning now for better health, mental acuity, energy, and sense of well-being! My goal is to improve all of the test results that I have previously had at Forum Health Knoxville. You may remember that I did a Telomere test several months ago – a fascinating test revealing how rapidly one ages relative to a normal population. Those results showed that I was above average for my age range; however, there was definitely room for improvement!

 

For my birthday countdown, I have chosen to begin with a detailed cardiac evaluation measuring specific markers in my blood. My total cholesterol has always been slightly elevated; however, over 50 percent of patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarctions had normal lipid levels as defined by the traditional blood tests. Functional medicine has identified over 400 risk factors, but they are all exacerbated with inflammation, oxidative stress, and immune dysfunction (chronic infections).

 

Cholesterol is not the villain portrayed in the statin commercials! It is a biological necessity for creating vitamin D, our steroid hormones, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, as well as other tasks. High levels are not a sure sign of cardiac disease, nor are low levels a promise of heart health. Our bodies manufacture most of our cholesterol with a smaller amount coming from the food we eat.

 

Since cholesterol has to travel through the blood which is watery, the body packages it in various “containers” called lipoproteins. Lipoproteins vary according to the amount of protein, fat, and cholesterol they contain. Those with more protein and less fat/cholesterol are called high density lipoproteins or HDL. Those with less protein and more fat/cholesterol are called low density lipoproteins or LDL. A third type carries even more cholesterol and fat with less protein and it is called very low density lipoprotein or VLDL.

Meal Planning Made Easy with Online Recipe Resources!

“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail,” said Benjamin Franklin. This statement holds true in many areas of life, including meal planning. Here are some great online resources for planning meals in advance.

Detoxing for YOUR Health!

If you have not been committed to healthy eating, a lifestyle change is needed and foundational in improving your body’s ability to remove toxins. You can start today by making healthier decisions about what you eat.

The Flexible Spending Account: Health, Happiness, & Financial Peace Of Mind

Budgeting, saving, and investing are essential pieces to our financial puzzle, but could you be missing out on important programs designed to help you save and be healthier? Employer-provided benefits such as the Flexible Spending Account (FSA) are a prime example of expense-saving programs that often go unused.

Nibble on This! It’s All In The Color

This is the season to add lots of beta carotene to your diet. The fall is full of color and many of the fruits and vegetables are chock full of this super antioxidant. Remember, the richer the color, the more nutrients!