Health Insurance

The New Heart Health Guidelines You Need To Know About

The New Heart Health Guidelines You Need To Know About

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HuffPost.com | Jillian Wilson | Nov 16, 2022, 05:45 AM EST | Health Insurance | Heart Health

You can cut your risk of cardiovascular disease by following this advice from the American Heart Association.

Maintaining a healthy heart is a challenge for many people. It requires dedication to a workout regimen, eating healthy food, and staying in touch with your doctor about your cardiovascular disease risk factors (high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, and more).

Cardiovascular disease ― which includes heart disease, heart attack, stroke, heart failure, arrhythmia, and heart valve problems ― is the No. 1 killer of Americans, according to Dr. Leslie Cho, the section head of preventive cardiology at Cleveland Clinic. Every 34 seconds, someone in the U.S. dies of cardiovascular disease.

This all may sound pretty scary, and it is. But “90% of heart disease is preventable,” Cho said. And those preventable measures are outlined in the American Heart Association’s recently updated Life’s Essential 8, which is described by AHA as “key measures for improving and maintaining cardiovascular health.”

Here’s what to know:

Sleep is now included in the heart health guidelines.

For the first time, sleep is included in the heart health guidelines because it is “vital to cardiovascular health,” according to the AHA. Adults should get seven to nine hours of sleep each night to have an optimal immune system, for cell, blood vessel, and tissue restoration, to improve brain function, and to lessen the risk of chronic disease.

“There’s lots of data about Americans not getting enough sleep or having bad sleep, and we know a lot more about if you have poor sleep, that increases your risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but also things like high blood pressure and heart failure,” Cho said.

She added that studies show sleep deprivation can also increase cardiovascular risk factors like obesity and diabetes. “It’s a vicious cycle,” she said.

And there is even more risk for people with sleep apnea, a condition in which you stop breathing in your sleep. The condition has “been linked to things like high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and heart failure,” Cho said, noting that it’s important to talk to your doctors about your quality of sleep to see if you might be suffering from sleep apnea or another sleep issue.

Secondhand smoke and vaping are now official risk factors (though they were already well-known risks).

Quitting smoking has always been an important way to cut your risk of cardiovascular disease, but now the guidelines explicitly include the dangers of secondhand smoke and vaping.

According to the AHA, “about a third of U.S. children ages 3-11 are exposed to secondhand smoke or vaping,” and both are linked to an increased risk of heart disease and certain kinds of cancer.

“In modern America, we’ve been led to believe that vaping is better than smoking, and that’s not true,” Cho said. Vaping can cause lung problems and cancer, and delivers nicotine, which is highly addictive, she said.

The heart health guidelines also underscore the importance of other healthy lifestyle habits.

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Can I get Health Insurance with Pre-existing Conditions?

Can I get Health Insurance with Pre-existing Conditions?

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Health Insurance | Over 65? Click here

Many people wouldn’t be able to afford healthcare if they had to pay for it out of pocket. This is one of the many reasons why health insurance is a wise investment. Our team of insurance experts at Shield Insurance Agency is dedicated to helping Michigan residents understand the benefits of health insurance.     

What is Health Insurance?

In short, health insurance helps you pay for your healthcare. Your health insurance will pay for a portion of your healthcare costs or all of the costs after you pay a monthly premium.

Can I get Health Insurance with Pre-existing Conditions?

As a result of the Affordable Care Act, health insurance companies can’t deny a person coverage based on their pre-existing health condition. A pre-existing condition is a health issue that was present before you got healthcare coverage. Health insurance companies aren’t allowed to deny you coverage based on a pre-existing condition.

They’re also not allowed to charge you more as a result of any prior/ pre-existing health issues. Many health insurance companies consider many common chronic ailments as pre-existing conditions. A person with cancer, diabetes, asthma, and more, would be examples of pre-existing conditions. Even pregnancy can be considered a pre-existing condition. Health insurance companies aren’t allowed to discriminate against people who have these pre-existing conditions and more. 

Conversely…

If you enrolled in your healthcare plan prior to the Affordable Health Insurance Act, you have a grandfathered plan. This means that your insurance policy can still cancel your policy or raise your rates due to a pre-existing condition. However, our team is committed to answering your healthcare questions and getting the coverage you need.

Contact Us Today

We at Shield Insurance Agency are standing by to serve Michigan residents. If you are enrolled in a plan that started before 2010, you have a “grandfathered plan”. These plans can cancel your coverage or can charge you higher rates due to a pre-existing condition.

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AirNow.gov - Home of the U.S. Air Quality Index

Home of the U.S. Air Quality Index

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AirNow.org | Air Quality | Home Insurance

Put in your zip code and see your air quality

What is AirNow?

AirNow is your one-stop source for air quality data. Our recently redesigned site highlights air quality in your local area first, while still providing air quality information at state, national, and world views. A new interactive map even lets you zoom out to get the big picture or drill down to see data for a single air quality monitor.

AirNow reports air quality using the official U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI), a color-coded index designed to communicate whether air quality is healthy or unhealthy for you. When you know the AQI in your area, you can take steps to protect your health.

AirNow is a partnership of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Park Service, NASA, Centers for Disease Control, and tribal, state, and local air quality agencies. Complete list of AirNow partners. Agencies all over the country send their monitoring data to AirNow for display. The Department of State provides data from U.S. Embassies and Consulates to inform personnel and citizens overseas, and the U.S. Forest Service and NOAA provide fire and smoke data.

AirNow’s centralized data system provides quality control, national reporting consistency, and the ability to distribute data to the public, researchers, businesses, educators, and to other data systems. In AirNow, you’ll find:

  • Current and forecast air quality maps and data for more than 500 cities across the U.S. 
  • Current and historical data for U.S. Embassies and Consulates around the world
  • Current fire conditions including fire locations, smoke plumes, and air quality data from permanent and temporary air quality monitors
  • Air quality data for Canada and Mexico
  • Enviroflash emails, apps, widgets, and an API
  • Health and air quality information for
    • the public
    • healthcare professionals
    • teachers and students 
    • weathercasters

Air Quality

Air Quality Index (AQI) & Health
Millions of people live in areas where air pollution can cause serious health problems. Local air quality can affect our daily lives. Like the weather, it can change from day to day. EPA developed the Air Quality Index, or AQI, to make information available about the health effects of the five most common air pollutants, and how to avoid those effects.

Click here to find out how your air quality is!

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Simple Steps for an Extra Safe Halloween

Simple Steps for an Extra Safe Halloween

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National Safety Council | October 21, 2022 | Safe Halloween

Kids love the magic of Halloween, but costume and traffic safety are essential for trick-or-treaters. These tips can help make a safe and happy holiday for everyone.

Costume Safety for a Safe Halloween

To help ensure adults and children have a safe holiday, fda.gov has compiled a list of Halloween safety tips. Before Halloween arrives, be sure to choose a costume that won’t cause safety hazards.

● All costumes, wigs and accessories should be fire-resistant
● If children are allowed out after dark, fasten reflective tape to their costumes and bags, or give them glow sticks
● Opt for nontoxic Halloween makeup over masks, which can obscure vision; always test makeup in a small area first to see if any irritation develops
● Remove all makeup before children go to bed to prevent skin and eye irritation

When They’re on the Prowl

Here’s a scary statistic: Children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year. Lack of visibility because of low lighting at night also plays a factor in these incidents.

Keep these tips in mind when your children are out on Halloween night:

● A responsible adult should accompany young children on the neighborhood rounds
● If your older children are going alone, plan and review a route acceptable to you
● Agree on a specific time children should return home
● Teach your children never to enter a stranger’s home or car
● Instruct children to travel only in familiar, well-lit areas and stick with their friends
● Tell your children not to eat any treats until they return home, and take care to avoid any food allergies

Safe Halloween Tips for Motorists

NSC offers these additional safety tips for parents – and anyone who plans to be on the road during trick-or-treat hours:

● Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs
● Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully
● At twilight and later in the evening, watch for children in dark clothing
● Discourage new, inexperienced drivers from driving on Halloween

Visit the National Safety Council website for more great safety ideas!

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What Black Adults Need to Know About Stroke Risk

What Black Adults Need to Know About Stroke Risk

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Preventing and recognizing signs of the medical emergency are key

AARP | By  Joyce Sampson | September 21, 2022 | Black Adults

​Richard Horton, an insurance broker in Pasadena, California, walked around for at least a decade of his middle-aged years with blood pressure hovering around 178/95 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg, the unit of measurement for blood pressure), dangerously close to a hypertensive crisis and a sure candidate for stroke. For comparison, what’s considered a normal level for most adults is less than 120/80 mm Hg.

Diagnosed with high blood pressure during a routine physical exam in the late 1990s, he wasn’t worried. Per his doctor’s orders, he returned for weekly follow-up visits to monitor changes. The numbers didn’t improve. But Horton, who is Black, didn’t receive treatment.

“At that point,” he recalls, “the doctor said that in the medical field, we find that African Americans have a higher blood pressure rate than whites and others. Because of that fact, we’re not going to push medication, but we’ll keep an eye on your pressure. If it gets much higher, then we’ll prescribe medication.” (Research shows Black patients often aren’t offered the full range of appropriate treatments when it comes to blood pressure management.)

In August 2011, while preparing to close a big sale, Horton climbed out of bed and walked into the bedroom wall. He was having a stroke. During a hospital stay that lasted over two months, Horton, who was then 55, had a second stroke. He couldn’t walk, talk or use his left arm. ​

A growing gap | Black Adults

Nearly 800,000 people in the U.S. have stroke each year — this happens when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked or bursts — and Black adults bear a disproportionate burden of those cases.

In fact, the risk of stroke among Black Americans is nearly twice as high as it is for whites, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows; some studies suggest it’s even higher. Black Americans are also much more likely to die from stroke, and those who do survive are more likely to be disabled than stroke survivors in other racial groups.

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The Unique Challenges of Dementia Caregiving

The Unique Challenges of Dementia Caregiving

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Dementia Caregiving. Tips on how to manage such often-difficult care

by Selene Yeager, AARP, May 31, 2022

Dementia Caregiving: Douglas Scharre, M.D., author of Long-Term Management of Dementia and director of the division of cognitive and memory disorders at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, explains how to manage such often-difficult care.

With Alzheimer’s disease, a loved one can seem lucid one day and unrecognizable the next. Why?

Dementia Caregiving: Alzheimer’s is a slow process in which toxic proteins build up in specific areas of the brain, starting with the area where you form new memories. So if you have conversation with someone in early stages, they may not remember the lunch they had with you yesterday, but they may be able to talk about a wonderful anniversary dinner from three years ago, because they’re accessing a stored memory in the part of the brain that’s not damaged.

The disease also causes you to lose brain cells, so you have less of a reserve when something throws you off, such as a bad night’s sleep or being under the weather. So they might seem OK, but if they didn’t sleep well, they can have much more trouble because they don’t have the reserves.

What causes symptoms not related to memory, like mood swings or confusion?

In about 75 percent of people with the disease, those toxic proteins spread to other parts of the brain, like those responsible for comprehension and language, which is why you have to communicate more simply as the disease progresses. It can affect the spatial area, which is why people get turned around and lost. The area that’s responsible for executive function like problem-solving and decision-making can be affected, which is why someone might pause and ponder, How do I figure out this microwave?

In addition, it can affect the limbic lobe, or our emotional brain, so they may have mood issues like anxiety, depression, restlessness and sleep issues. One common behavior when this part of the brain is affected is delusions or false beliefs — they think something happened when it really didn’t.

What are some ways to be an effective caregiver in those circumstances?

You need to change your approach. Your loved one is not going to change even if you explain something 500 times. False beliefs get fixed. If your dad thinks he’s not in his house and needs to get home, trying to bring him back to reality by saying, “My gosh, Dad, don’t be silly. This is your house. You’ve lived here 40 years,” is only going to start a fight. Instead, empathize with them. You can say, “Thank you for telling me. It’s getting late, so why don’t we just hang out here? We’ll figure it out tomorrow.” That way, you are on their side, and they feel reassured.

Also, make them feel that you are doing things together rather than making them feel bossed around. They are constantly being told, “You better go to the bathroom. You better get dressed. You better eat now.” No one likes that. Instead, try, “I’m going to the bathroom now, but would you like to go first?” Then they don’t feel singled out.

Finally, employ redirection. If it’s time to eat, but they’re in a mood or don’t want to come to the kitchen, do not insist they come to the table. Instead say, “Can you help me?” Most often they will say, “OK, what do you need?” Then you can say, “I need help in the kitchen.” And when they get there, you can say, “Let’s sit down and have dinner now.”

Dementia Caregiving

How should a caregiver deal with outbursts of anger? And how common is it for a person with dementia to lash out physically?​

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Financial Exploitation, Scams Have Skyrocketed Since Pandemic Began

Financial Exploitation, Scams Have Skyrocketed Since Pandemic Began

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AARP | October 04, 2022 | By Christina Ianzito | Financial Exploitation

AARP report reveals that criminals are targeting older Americans at record rates. Financial Exploitation.

The financial exploitation of older adults was a serious problem before the pandemic, but it’s ballooned in the years since COVID-19 began its rapid spread in March 2020. A new report from AARP finds that the rate of such exploitation between then and now has more than doubled.

That includes a huge uptick in losses from romance scams, with perpetrators stealing more than $547 million in 2021, five times greater than the amount stolen in 2019.

And these figures probably understate the number of financial fraud incidents, which are woefully underreported: Only 1 in 44 older adult victims tell the authorities when they’ve been financially exploited, according to the report. And they’re least likely to notify authorities when they’ve been victimized by someone they know and trust — something that happens more commonly than many people may realize.

“We need more consumers to report these crimes so we can better quantify how large and impactful they are, but equally important is that we help the industry spot and stop financial exploitation before the money leaves the account,” says Jilenne Gunther, national director of AARP’s BankSafe Initiative™ and lead author on the report.

Some data suggests that family members and trusted others steal more money than strangers do, with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau estimating that family members steal more than twice as much money as strangers.

Victims are often too embarrassed to come forward, blaming themselves for the financial loss. Yet “they need to understand that these crimes can happen to anyone,” notes Kathy Stokes, AARP director of fraud prevention programs.“It’s not their fault.”

The report, which AARP developed in collaboration with NORC (an independent research and data analysis organization) at the University of Chicago, examines how criminals’ tactics have evolved over the past few years, and urges the financial industry to work even harder to thwart them.

Other increasingly common crimes include

  • Thefts from users of peer-to-peer (P2P) payment apps — the increasingly popular electronic money transfer apps such as Zelle and Venmo. P2P fraud complaints doubled during the pandemic. Your funds in these accounts are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and if you transmit money to the wrong person (easy to do if they have an @username handle similar to that of a legitimate person or entity) you have no way to get it back. A criminal might pose as someone’s bank, for instance, and request payment through a P2P app.
  • Smishing — phishing by text where criminals pretend to be legitimate businesses, such as banks, in order to find out personal information to perpetrate fraud or extract money directly. Smishing attempts increased 58 percent in the U.S. in 2021 (meanwhile, in the United Kingdom they increased a stunning 700 percent in the first six months of 2021 compared with the previous six months).

Why financial exploitation has flourished

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22 Kid-Friendly Pasta Recipes to Tempt Even the Pickiest Eaters

22 Kid-Friendly Pasta Recipes to Tempt Even the Pickiest Eaters

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22 Kid-Friendly Pasta Recipes to Tempt Even the Pickiest Eaters

MarthaStewart.com | By Kelly Vaughan | Updated August 20, 2020

If you have little kids, getting them to expand their horizons at dinnertime can be a challenge. It may seem like they won’t ever want to eat anything that isn’t macaroni and cheese or chicken nuggets, but give these kid-friendly pasta recipes a try and they’re sure to be asking for more. From hearty meat sauces to plenty of colorful, seasonal vegetables served with pasta and a cheesy, creamy sauce, these recipes are sure to please.

Start with Pasta with Zucchini, Mint, and Pecorino, pictured here. It’s a delicious dish for summer and a great way to encourage eating zucchini. One of our favorite ways to convince kids to try new vegetables is by serving them with something familiar that they know and love. Take our recipe for Cheesy Asparagus Pasta, for example. The base of the dish resembles a perfect bowl of macaroni and cheese. Short pasta such as penne is tossed in a rich sauce made from whole milk, cream cheese, sharp cheddar, and grated Gruyere. But we managed to sneak in an entire bunch of asparagus, making this the perfect kid-friendly vegetable-heavy pasta dish.

Another healthy green sneaks its way into our rich Prosciutto Carbonara—spinach! Five ounces of baby spinach is mixed with warm, cooked pasta and a silky sauce until it wilts slightly. Plenty of grated Pecorino Romano cheese and salty strips of prosciutto will surely give kids good reason to dig in.

Of course, we’re also serving up classics that everyone loves like Lasagna with Meat Sauce and our Test Kitchen’s Favorite Spaghetti and Meatballs. Next time you’re wondering what to make for dinner, consider one of these kid-friendly pasta recipes.

Pasta Recipes

Prosciutto Carbonara with Spinach

2 of 22

Prosciutto Carbonara with Spinach

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Enjoy this easy, cream-free version of pasta carbonara—your little ones will love it, too. Instead of spaghetti, we’re using hearty rigatoni pasta, which is the perfect vessel for holding the creamy sauce made from Pecorino Romano, eggs, and pasta water.

Baked Rigatoni with Mini Meatballs

3 of 22

Baked Rigatoni with Mini Meatballs

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Here’s a genius take on pasta with meatballs that’s sure to entice your kids. Turn the meat of spicy Italian sausage into mini meatballs. Toss them with cooked rigatoni and cubed mozzarella, then bake until bubbling and golden brown.

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Shield Insurance Blog How Long You May Need To Walk Outside To See A Boost In Your Mental Health

See A Boost In Your Mental Health

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A new study underscores just how important it is for your mental health to spend time in nature or green spaces.

HuffPost.com | By Jillian Wilson | Sep 14, 2022, 05:45 AM EDT | Updated Sep 15, 2022

Mental Health

There’s a reason why the sounds of nature — chirping birds, flowing streams, falling rain — are often sound options for white noise machines and meditation apps: They’re calming.

A new small study published in Molecular Psychiatry further underscores this. The study found that a one-hour nature walk reduces mental health stress when compared to a one-hour walk in a bustling city environment.

The study followed 63 people who were randomly assigned a nature walk or an urban walk. The nature walk took place in a forest in Berlin and the urban walk took place on a busy street in the city.

Participants were instructed not to check their phones or stop in stores while on their walk. They were given a bagged lunch and a phone with a 30-minute timer that instructed them to turn around.

Before the walk, participants filled out a questionnaire and then underwent an fMRI scan that measured two tasks.

The first task measured brain activity during a “fearful faces task,” in which participants were shown 15 female and 15 male faces that either had a neutral or scared expression. The second task measured was brain activity during an “Montreal Imaging Stress Task,” which is designed to create a level of stress in participants. During the task, participants had a set amount of time to solve challenging arithmetic problems.

After the walk, participants filled out another questionnaire and underwent another fMRI scan that measured the same tasks they conducted before their walk.

The results showed that nature significantly improved people’s mental health.

The study found that those who took part in the 60-minute nature walk experienced lower stress levels following their time outside.

“The results of our study show that after only [a] one-hour walk in nature, activity in brain regions involved in stress processing decreases,” Sonja Sudimac, the lead author of the study, told Medical News Today.

Particularly, the researchers found the brain’s amygdala activity (which is responsible for our stress and fear response) decreased in those who were in the nature walk group.

This decrease was not seen in people who completed the city walk. According to the study, urban environments can negatively impact one’s mental health, leading to increased rates of anxiety, depression and mood disorders. (Just think about the stress that comes with frequently honking horns, running to catch a bus or dealing with long lines just to get some groceries.)

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Shield Insurance Blog - 100th Anniversary of Fire Prevention Week

100th Anniversary of Fire Prevention Week

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NFPA.org | 2022 Campaign | Fire Prevention Week

Join NFPA® in celebrating the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week™ (FPW). This year’s FPW campaign, “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape™”, works to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe from home fires.

Today’s homes burn faster than ever. You may have as little as two minutes (or even less time) to safely escape a home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Your ability to get out of a home during a fire depends on early warning from smoke alarms and advance planning.

Home fire escape planning and practicing

It is important for everyone to plan and practice a home fire escape. Everyone needs to be prepared in advance, so that they know what to do when the smoke alarm sounds. Given that every home is different, every home fire escape plan will also be different.

Have a plan for everyone in the home. Children, older adults, and people with disabilities may need assistance to wake up and get out. Make sure that someone will help them!

Smoke alarms

Smoke alarms sense smoke well before you can, alerting you to danger. Smoke alarms need to be in every bedroom, outside of the sleeping areas (like a hallway), and on each level (including the basement) of your home. Do not put smoke alarms in your kitchen or bathrooms.

Choose an alarm that is listed with a testing laboratory, meaning it has met certain standards for protection.

For the best protection, use combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms that are interconnected throughout the home. These can be installed by a qualified electrician, so that when one sounds, they all sound. This ensures you can hear the alarm no matter where in your home the alarm originates.

Importance of fire prevention

In a fire, mere seconds can mean the difference between a safe escape and a tragedy. Fire safety education isn’t just for school children. Teenagers, adults, and the elderly are also at risk in fires, making it important for every member of the community to take some time every October during Fire Prevention Week to make sure they understand how to stay safe in case of a fire.

On this site, you’ll find loads of educational resources to make sure that every person knows what to do in case of a fire. We have everything from apps to videos to printables and much more, to make sure you have the resources you need to keep your family, your community, and your city safe.

Learn more about Fire Prevention at this great website!

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