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The Great American Smokeout event challenges people to quit on that day, or use the day to make a plan to quit. Did you know? Approximately 40 million American adults still smoke, and that Life expectancy for long-term smokers is approximately 14 years shorter than for nonsmokers. Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the country.. Luckily, your lung health—and your overall health—improves soon after you quit. You will start breathing better and coughing less. One of the most important actions anyone who smokes can take to improve their health is to quit smoking, regardless of their age or how long they have been smoking. There are proven treatments to help you quit: Whether you want to make your quitting journey at your own pace or with a group ,a counselor can help you make a plan to quit smoking and give you tips and support to increase your chance of success. Counseling is available in person, over the phone, or online—and texting-based support programs or smartphone apps can give extra encouragement. Seven FDA-approved medications are proven to help people quit smoking. These include pills, patches, gums, and lozenges; some are prescribed by your doctor, and others you can get over the counter at a pharmacy. If you smoke, and are thinking about quitting, make this year’s Great American Smokeout the day you commit to a smoke free future. Quitting smoking isn’t easy. It takes time. And a plan. You don’t have to stop smoking in one day. Start with day one. Let the Great American Smokeout event on the third Thursday in November be your day to start your journey toward a smoke-free life. You’ll be joining thousands of people who smoke across the country in taking an important step toward a healthier life and reducing your cancer risk. Plus, the American Cancer Society can help you access the resources and support you need to quit. Learn More:Download Your Health and Safety Matters! Contact The Benefits Store today for your health insurance needs! #Californiahealthtips #CaliforniaRealtors #QuitSmoking #GreatAmericanSmokeout #Californiahealthinsurance

Earthquake safety is something all California residents should be familiar with. If you live in Southern California, then odds are you’ve experienced a minor earthquake at some time or another. Usually, it’s not a big deal. You feel a slight shaking for a few seconds and then you move on with your day. However, California has had its share of massive, destructive earthquakes in the past, which is why it’s important to be prepared in the event of a major earthquake. It’s one of the reasons why the Great Shakeout was organized. The Great Shakeout Earthquake Safety Drill The Great Shakeout drill is held once a year. This year, it will take place at 10:21 a.m. on October 21st. The idea behind the drill is to pretend like a real earthquake is happening wherever you are. By participating in the drill, you will learn how to act when an actual earthquake occurs. As such, the drill is a great way to spread awareness of earthquake safety. You can register for the Great Shakeout online to receive email updates. Earthquake Safety Tips The following are the safety tips that you should follow in the event of an earthquake. Keep in mind that these are the steps that you will practice during the Great Shakeout: Drop to the ground – As soon as you feel an earthquake, drop to the ground. Major tremors can cause you to lose your balance, fall, and hurt yourself, which is why you should drop to the ground right away. Protect yourself – Major earthquakes can cause things to fall or collapse, so use your arm to protect your head while you find cover (such as under a desk). If there’s no cover inside, stay away from windows and stay near an interior wall. Hold on – Either continuously protect your head or hold onto your shelter until the shaking stops. To prepare for a potential earthquake, you should also put together a list of out-of-town contacts for you and your family. This ensures that everyone knows who to call or text in case of an emergency. For more earthquake safety tips or for safety advice in general, visit us at The Benefits Store today. #earthquake #earthquakesafety #earthquakesafetytips

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, a time when communities across the country team up to bring attention to diabetes. This year’s focus is on prediabetes and preventing diabetes. Prediabetes is a serious health condition where your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. According to the CDC, more than 1 in 3 U.S. adults have prediabetes—that’s 88 million people—but the majority of people don’t know they have it. The good news is that by making small healthy lifestyle changes, it is possible to prevent type 2 diabetes and even reverse your prediabetes. Here are some tips to help manage prediabetes and prevent diabetes. Take small steps. Making changes to your lifestyle and daily habits can be hard, but you don’t have to change everything at once. It is okay to start small. Remember that setbacks are normal and do not mean you have failed—the key is to get back on track as soon as you can. Move more. Limit time spent sitting and try to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity, 5 days a week. Start slowly by breaking it up throughout the day. Choose healthier foods and drinks most of the time. Pick foods that are high in fiber and low in fat and sugar. Build a plate that includes a balance of vegetables, protein, and carbohydrates. Drink water instead of sweetened drinks. Lose weight, track it, and keep it off. You may be able to prevent or delay diabetes by losing 5 to 7 percent of your starting weight. Seek support. It is possible to reverse prediabetes. Making a plan, tracking your progress, and getting support from your health care professional and loved ones can help you make the necessary lifestyle changes. Stay up to date on vaccinations. The COVID-19 (booster shot, if eligible) and flu vaccines are especially important for people who may be more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 or the flu, such as people with diabetes. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/communication-programs/ndep/partner-community-organization-information/national-diabetes-month Learn More:Download Your Health and Safety Matters! Contact The Benefits Store for you and your families health insurance needs! #Californiahealthinsurance #DiabetesAwareness #healthtips

Lung Cancer Awareness Lung cancer may not cause any symptoms, especially in the early stages of disease. Therefore, it may first be detected on X-rays, CT scans, or other kinds of tests being done to check on another condition. The following signs and symptoms of lung cancer may also be caused by many other conditions and are not specific to lung cancer. Talk to your doctor if you have any of the following: Coughing symptoms A cough that gets worse or does not go away Coughing up blood Chest symptoms Breathing trouble, such as shortness of breath New wheezing when you breathe Ache or pain in your chest, upper back, or shoulder that doesn’t go away and may get worse with deep breathing A hoarse voice Frequent respiratory tract infections, such as pneumonia or bronchitis General physical symptoms Feeling unusually tired all the time Weight loss with no known cause and loss of appetite Trouble swallowing Swelling in the face and/or veins in the neck Lung cancer that spreads may cause other symptoms, like pain in the back or other bones or weakness in the arms or legs. If it spreads to the brain, it may cause headaches, seizures, or vision changes. Did you know? Over 2.2 million people worldwide will get lung cancer annually Lung cancer kills more people each year than any other cancer Lung cancer screening saves lives More research = more treatments = better outcomes Cutting-Edge research helps us attack lung cancer head on NFCR-funded scientists are working around-the-clock on projects that can help us attack lung cancer. For example, in July, the FDA approved the drug Iressa® as front-line treatment for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The approval is extended to only those patients whose tumors contain specific mutations, which were originally identified by NFCR scientist Dr. Daniel Haber. Also, thanks to NFCR-funded research by Dr. Alice Shaw, a new and better way to treat resistant cancers is emerging. By successfully identifying drug combinations that halted the growth of resistant cells in tumor models, her research will hopefully lead to the development of effective therapeutic strategies for patients with ALK-positive NSCLC (mutations in the ALK gene), which could be clinically tested within one to two years. Learn more:Download Your Health and Safety Matters! Contact The Benefits Store today for you and your families health insurance needs! #CaliforniaHealthInsruance #CaliforniaRealtors #HealthNews #LungCancerAwareness

Anyone who experiences symptoms of breast cancer should visit their primary care physician right away. Behind skin cancer, breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer in women. It’s estimated that one in eight women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. Fortunately, survival rates are climbing. The most important factor in surviving breast cancer is catching it early, which is why October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Symptoms of Breast Cancer Understanding the symptoms associated with breast cancer is vital to catch it in time. By doing self-checks and getting regular screenings, you may be able to identify breast cancer in its initial stages, making it easier to treat and survive. With that in mind, the following are some of the common symptoms of breast cancer: A lump that has formed near the breast or the underarm. A lump that can be as small as a pea on the breast. The skin around the breast or nipple turns a reddish color. The skin on the breast or nipple becomes inflamed, scaly, puckered, or dimpled. An area under the skin of the breast becomes hardened. An area of the breast becomes different in color, texture, or feel than the rest of the breast. There’s a discharge from the nipple that’s either clear or blood-stained. Facts About Breast Cancer The following are a few breast cancer facts you should know: When breast cancer is diagnosed in the localized stage (beginning stage), there is a 5-year survival rate of 99%. 63% of all breast cancer cases in the U.S. are identified during the localized stage. There are more than 3.8 million U.S. breast cancer survivors. A woman is diagnosed with breast cancer an average of every two minutes in the U.S. Schedule a Breast Cancer Screening Today If you notice any potential symptoms of breast cancer, then make sure to schedule an appointment with your doctor in California as soon as possible. For more information about breast cancer awareness or about cancer in general, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store today. #breastcancer #breastcancerawareness #breastcancerawarenessmonth #breastcancersymptoms

As our dependence on the Internet has grown, so have the cybersecurity risks that come along with such dependence. California businesses, government institutions, schools, and, of course, people, all depend on the Internet as a resource for information and an avenue of communication. It’s so omnipresent in our everyday lives at this point that children have grown accustomed to using it at a very early age. To help raise awareness on how to avoid online security risks, October was designated as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, making this a good time to talk to your children about safe online practices. General Cybersecurity Tips The following are a few tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of a cyber attack (which can lead to the theft of personal data and more): Download software updates as soon as they are available. These updates often provide security patches that address security vulnerabilities found in the software. Do not open emails or attachments that are unsolicited from addresses you do not recognize. If you receive an unsolicited email or text asking for any personal information, be very wary. There’s a good chance it’s a scam. If you’re buying something online, make sure the website is legitimate. It should have an “HTTPS” address instead of an “HTTP” address. Don’t use the same password for everything and be sure to update your passwords routinely. Use a two-factor authentication process when possible. Teaching Your Children How to Safely Use the Internet Children use the Internet for everything from schoolwork to gaming to communicating with their friends. As such, it’s important that you sit down with your children and speak to them about online safety. The following are a few tips for doing so: Make sure that your kids use strong passwords. Make sure they understand how important it is to download updates. Set limits and boundaries concerning the sites that they go to. Warn them about opening anything that they don’t recognize. Teach them that nothing they post online is anonymous. Ask them to let you know if they are cyberbullied at any time. Use these tips to talk to your kids about cybersecurity. For more safety awareness tips, visit us at The Benefits Store today. #childrenandtheInternet #childrenonline #cybersecurity #onlinesecurity #onlinesafety

Because more eye injuries occur in and around the home, Prevent Blindness America has declared October as Home Eye Safety Awareness Month to help educate the public on steps that can be taken to avoid painful and costly injuries. Find information for your patients on the organization’s dedicated Web page: PreventBlindness.org/eye-safety-home. Each year in the United States, more than 2.5 million eye injuries occur, and 50,000 people permanently lose part or all of their vision, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. A recent report from Prevent Blindness America shows that the annual costs related to eye injuries are more than $1.3 billion. Eye injuries can occur from a variety of common sources, such as flying debris from lawn mowers or trimmers or splashes from household cleaners, paints, or solvents. Prevent Blindness America urges everyone to wear protective eyewear approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) when performing household activities. The eyewear should have the “Z-87” logo stamped on the frames. Knowing what to do for an eye emergency can save valuable time and possibly prevent vision loss. Prevent Blindness America offers a free First Aid for Eye Emergencies sticker in both English and Spanish that can be placed on the inside of a medicine cabinet. Basic eye injury first aid instructions Chemical burns Immediately flush the eye with water or any other drinkable liquid. Hold the eye under a faucet or shower, or pour water into the eye using a clean container. Keep the eye open and as wide as possible while flushing. Continue flushing for at least 15 minutes. DO NOT use an eyecup. DO NOT bandage the eye. If a contact lens is in the eye, begin flushing over the lens immediately. This may wash away the lens. Seek immediate medical treatment after flushing. Specks in the eye DO NOT rub the eye. Allow tears wash the speck out or use an eyewash. Try lifting the upper eyelid outward and down over the lower lid. If the speck does not wash out, keep the eye closed, bandage it lightly, and see a doctor. Blows to the eye Apply a cold compress without putting pressure on the eye. Crushed ice in a plastic bag can be taped to the forehead to rest gently on the injured eye. In cases of pain, reduced vision, or discoloration (black eye), seek emergency medical care. Any of these symptoms could mean internal eye damage. Cuts and punctures DO NOT wash out the eye with water or any other liquid. DO NOT try to remove an object that is stuck in the eye. Cover the eye with a rigid shield without applying pressure. The bottom half of a paper cup can be used. See a doctor at once. Learn More:Download Your Health and Safety Matters! Contact The Benefits Store today for you and your families insurance needs today! #HomeEyeSafety #healthawareness #Californiahealthtips #EyeSafetyAwareness #Californiahealthinsurance

Good oral health is critical to preventing all sorts of health issues in the future that can be both expensive and painful. It’s why the ADHA (American Dental Hygienists Association) designated the month of October as National Dental Hygiene Month. The following is a brief overview of the importance of oral preventative maintenance and a few tips on how to maintain your health. The Importance of Oral Health Studies show that people in California – and the United States as a whole – don’t take good enough care of their teeth. An estimated 25% of adults in the United States have cavities that need to be treated, while almost 50% of United States adults 30 and over have signs of gum disease. When issues like these are left untreated, they can result in tooth loss, infection, and chronic disease. It’s important to mention that your oral health can also be linked to things like diabetes and heart disease. These oral issues can be avoided with preventative maintenance. Oral Health Maintenance Tips An estimated 40% of children experience tooth decay by the time they turn five. It’s crucial that you teach children good oral habits that they should practice every day. The following are a few tips to share with your children and which you should follow yourself: Brush your teeth more – As simple as this is, many people don’t brush enough. You should brush your teeth two times a day for at least two minutes each time. Brush your teeth properly – You should use your brush at a 45-degree angle for maximum coverage. Be gentle when moving the toothbrush and cover every surface of your teeth. Don’t forget to brush your tongue as well. Floss every day – Flossing helps ensure that you remove food particles stuck between your teeth. Doing so daily can help remove plaque, thereby preventing gum disease and cavities. Rinse with mouthwash – Mouthwash helps kill bad bacteria in areas that your brush couldn’t reach or cover. Maintain Your Oral Health You can prevent cavities, disease, and other issues via preventative oral maintenance. For more health advice, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store in California. #Californiadentalhealth #dentalcare #healthysmile #oralhealth

How to Observe National Dental Hygiene Month (NDHM) This year, NDHM is centered around the four components of good oral health maintenance. Why is preventative oral health maintenance so important? Because if we all absorb the message of a diligent daily dental hygiene health regimen we can reduce things like kids tooth decay – about 40% of children have tooth decay by age 5, which causes more than 51 million school hours to be lost each year due to dental-related illnesses. Tooth decay & gum disease are 100% preventable!! Good Oral Health = Good Overall Health! Here’s how to do it…by making sure we all Do The Daily 4… The Four Components of Good Oral Health Maintenance: Brush Twice a Day for Two Minutes Brushing your teeth twice a day doesn’t only help battle morning breath and that lingering gross taste in your mouth, it also helps reduce the chances that you will develop gum disease. So every morning and every night, squeeze that toothpaste onto your toothbrush and get brushing, for two solid minutes. Floss Every Day Much controversy exists around flossing, but we are here to tell you (with the advice of dentists backing us) that flossing is something you should be doing every day. There are things that brushing just can’t take care of, and that’s where flossing comes i Rinse With Mouthwash Another thing that people think is optional with oral hygiene is mouthwash. But, according to dental hygienists, it shouldn’t be. Aim to make rinsing with mouthwash a regular occurrence after you brush and floss. This antimicrobial rinse will help keep your mouth clean and will do wonders for your breath. Chew Sugar Free Gum Chewing Sugar-Free Gum, especially after eating and drinking, has a positive impact on oral health. The action of chewing sugar-free gum stimulates the most important natural defense against tooth decay — saliva — which in turn helps fight cavities, neutralizes plaque acids, re-mineralizes enamel to strengthen teeth and washes away food particles. Learn More:Download Your Health Matters! Contact The Benefits Store today for your Dental Needs! #Californiahealthinsurance #Californiahealthtips #dentalhygiene

The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month of October is a chance to raise awareness about the importance of early detection of breast cancer. Make a difference! Spread the word about mammograms and encourage communities, organizations, families, and individuals to get involved. When considering your breast cancer risk, it is important to remember that the overwhelming majority of women who develop breast cancer have no obvious risk factors and no family history of breast cancer. Multiple risk factors influence the development of breast cancer. This means that all women need to be aware of changes in their breasts. They also need to talk with their doctor about receiving regular breast examinations by a doctor as well as mammograms. A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast that can often detect a tumor that is too small to be felt. The following factors may raise a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer: Age. The risk of developing breast cancer increases as a woman ages, with most cancers developing in women older than 50. Personal history. A woman who has had breast cancer in 1 breast has a higher risk of developing a new cancer in either breast. Family history. Breast cancer may run in the family in any of these situations: 1 or more women are diagnosed with breast cancer at age 45 or younger 1 or more women are diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50 with an additional family history of cancer, such as ovarian cancer, metastatic prostate cancer, and pancreatic cancer There are breast and/or ovarian cancers in multiple generations on one side of the family, such as having both a grandmother and an aunt on the father’s side of the family who were both diagnosed with 1 of these cancers A woman in the family is diagnosed with a second breast cancer in the same or the other breast or has both breast and ovarian cancer A male relative is diagnosed with breast cancer There is at least 1 close relative who was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 50 or younger, or ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, and/or pancreatic cancer Having Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry It is important to talk with your doctor if your family has experienced any of the above situations. Learn More:Download Your Health Matters! Contact The Benefits Store for yours and your families needs, Today!

A REALTOR® Safety Report, conducted by AGBeat, Moby, and S.A.F.E. (Safety Awareness Firearms Education), analyzed 16 attacks against real estate professionals to determine if any similarities or trends emerged from the attacks. While the situations of the crimes fluctuated greatly, a few minor commonalities emerged from the attacks, such as: 1. Most of the attacks on real estate professionals occurred in the afternoon, with Thursdays being the most common day. 2. Men are vulnerable too: Nearly one in three victims were men. 3. Most attacks occurred when the victim was alone; the most common way to get agents alone was by perpetrators requesting a showing of a home. 4. The majority of the attacks did not occur inside major metro areas but in the suburbs or a few rural areas, such as in Iowa and Tennessee. If you have to be a little paranoid, if we have to take the time to research before rushing out and showing properties to people we don’t know, then so be it. Safety is no accident. Preventing even one violent crime is worth taking a few minutes to think about what we’re doing before acting. As a REALTOR®, the risks you face seem to grow more frequent and more complicated. The strategies to being safer on the job remain simple: Know how to react appropriately to a dangerous situation; Be aware of your surroundings; Empower yourself with careful precautions. Bottom line: Agents should be vigilant & intentional about personal safety. Safety will be an issue for real estate agents as long as you’re regularly meeting strangers in empty houses. While there’s no way to guarantee that malicious people will stop targeting agents, you can reduce the chances of having dangerous encounters with an intentional approach to personal safety, by staying alert at all times, using the tools and safety devices available to you, and making self-defense training a priority. Learn More:Download Your Health Matters! Contact The Benefits Store for yours and your families needs today!

Life insurance is a type of insurance that most Americans are familiar with. If someone has it, their family will receive a certain amount of compensation (based on the policy) if that person passes away. Of course, every policy has certain terms and conditions; however, insurance can provide essential financial relief to families who have lost significant income as a result of someone’s death. Unfortunately, not nearly enough people have insurance — or even think that they need it, which is why September has been designated as National Life Insurance Awareness Month. Insurance Statistics The following are a few insurance statistics that you should be familiar with: On average, most Americans who do have insurance are only covered for 3.5 times their annual income. Experts believe that you need at least 10 times your annual income in insurance coverage. 40 percent of Americans do not have life insurance. Most Americans with life insurance receive it through their employer. As little as 35 percent of American adults have individual insurance. 600,000 Americans die prematurely every year. Why Get Insured? The biggest mistake American adults make is thinking that they do not need insurance because they are healthy and young. However, being healthy and young is the best time to get insurance because your rates will be at their lowest. Not to mention that there’s no guarantee that you’ll live until old age. It’s estimated that there’s around a 20 percent chance that 25-year-old males will die before they reach retirement age. For women, the odds are slimmer but still there at around 11 percent. Without insurance, your family won’t receive any benefits if you were to pass. If you are the primary (or even one of the primary) earners in your family, they may find themselves in significant financial distress without your income. Insurance can help ensure that they do not have to deal with financial hardship on top of mourning your loss. If you don’t have life insurance coverage in California, you should strongly consider getting it. For more information about life insurance or health insurance in general, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store today. #doyouneedlifeinsurance #getinsured #lifeinsurance #lifeinsurancecoverage