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

Congress has proclaimed September “National Life Insurance Awareness Month,” and most states are making similar proclamations. More than 100 insurance companies and industry trade groups are expected to participate in the National Life Insurance Awareness Month campaign. While many Americans recognize that it is important to protect loved ones with life insurance, far too many lack adequate coverage. National Life Insurance Awareness Month is intended to prompt Americans to assess their life insurance needs. This is a great time to learn more about how life insurance can benefit you and your family. Your life insurance needs will depend on a number of factors, including the size of your family, the nature of your financial obligations, your career stage, and your goals. According to the 2019 Barometer study by Life Happens and LIMRA: 66% of people recognize a need for life insurance yet many do not have adequate coverage. Over 50% of Americans overestimate the cost of a term life insurance policy by 3 times or more than its actual cost. 40% of American families without life insurance would experience significant financial issues if the primary wage earner passed on. Term life insurance Term Life Insurance allows you to buy life insurance protection during the years you need it most (i.e. your “term”). Once the term ends, so does your coverage. Depending on your unique situation, you may be able to get a term life insurance policy at an affordable rate for less than you thought. Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance (AD&D Insurance) To get approved for a term or universal life insurance policy, you generally need to take a medical exam and complete a health questionnaire. If you’re looking for an option that doesn’t require either one, you might consider Accidental Death Insurance (AD&D Insurance). It’s designed to help protect you and your family if you are seriously injured or killed in a covered accident. Although it’s not a life insurance policy, it does provide some level of coverage for those who might otherwise have none. Some people even opt to buy it in addition to a traditional life insurance policy. Learn More:Download Your Health Matters! Contact The Benefits Store today for your insurance needs! www.BenefitsStore.com

High cholesterol is something most Americans recognize as being a bad thing. However, not enough Americans monitor their cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, it’s known as a silent killer because there are no symptoms associated with high cholesterol. Because of this, September has been named National Cholesterol Education Month. Facts About Cholesterol The following are a few facts about cholesterol that everybody should know about: High cholesterol is a condition that over 102 million American adults suffer from. Of that 102 million, roughly 35 million have dangerously high levels of cholesterol that put them at risk of heart disease — a condition that causes 600,000 deaths a year in the U.S. alone. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. High cholesterol can also lead to a stroke, the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. Not all cholesterol is bad for you. LDL cholesterol is what’s bad for you; HDL cholesterol is actually good for you and can lower your risk of heart disease. LDL cholesterol is bad for you because it causes plaque to develop on the walls of your blood vessels, thereby causing them to narrow. Eventually, blood flow to your organs can be restricted, causing a stroke. Smoking makes high cholesterol worse because it damages your blood vessels, thereby increasing the risk of heart disease as a result of high cholesterol. A healthy diet can help you maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Avoid foods that are high in saturated fats and eat foods that are high in fiber and unsaturated fats instead. Although a healthy lifestyle can help, genetic conditions, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes can also cause high cholesterol levels. In these cases, you may need medication, such as statins, to lower your bad cholesterol levels. It’s important that you understand the effects that high cholesterol can have on your health. Be sure to monitor your cholesterol levels by scheduling routine check-ups with your primary physician in California and adopting a healthier lifestyle to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. For more health tips, visit us at The Benefits Store today. #CholesterolAwareness #cholesterollevels #highcholesterol

Prostate cancer is not only the most common type of non-skin cancer in men, it’s also one of the most deadly forms of cancer. It’s estimated that one out of eight men is diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be around 248,530 new prostate cancer cases and 34,130 prostate cancer deaths in the U.S. this year alone. Because of how deadly it is, September has been designated as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Who Is At Risk Of Prostate Cancer? The majority of men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer are over the age of 50. In fact, it’s estimated that only one percent of all prostate cancer patients are under 50. On the other hand, 80 percent of all prostate cancer patients are over 65. As such, the risk increases the older you get. It’s also been noted that those who are African American and those who have a family history of prostate cancer are at a greater risk. Can Prostate Cancer Be Prevented? Although nobody knows exactly what causes tumors to grow, it is known that diet does contribute to the risk. Studies have indicated that the condition is more common in countries where men eat more meat and dairy products compared to countries where they eat mostly rice, vegetables, and soybean products. Additionally, those who eat a lot of red meat are at a higher risk. By reducing the consumption of red meat, you may be able to reduce your risk of prostate cancer. You should also add foods to your diet that are high in antioxidants, such as fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants help protect your cell’s DNA from being damaged. Schedule a Prostate Health Screening Although prostate cancer can be deadly, most men who are diagnosed with the condition won’t die. The key to being able to treat prostate cancer, however, is to catch it in the early stages, which is why it’s so important that men over the age of 50 schedule prostate health screenings with their California physician on a regular basis. For more health information, visit us at The Benefits Store today. #ProstateCancer #ProstateCancerAwareness #prostatehealth

September is National Food Safety Education Month. Learn how to be a food safety superhero! Take steps to help prevent food poisoning, and show others how to keep food safe. Be a Produce Pro: • Keep fresh fruits and vegetables separate from raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs. Use Separate Cutting Boards: • One for fresh produce • Another one for raw meat, poultry and seafood Use Separate Plates and Utensils: • For cooked foods • For raw foods Never place cooked food back on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs. Wash the plate with hot water and soap before using with other foods. For more information on safely handling produce, check out the Produce Pro fact sheet at www.fightbac.org. Causes of Food Poisoning Many different disease-causing germs can contaminate foods, so there are many different food borne infections (also called food borne disease or food poisoning). Researchers have identified more than 250 food borne diseases. Most of them are infections, caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Harmful toxins and chemicals also can contaminate foods and cause food borne illness. CDC estimates that each year 48 million people get sick from a food borne illness, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die. Do I have Food Poisoning? Common symptoms of food borne diseases are nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. However, symptoms may differ among the different types of food borne diseases. Symptoms can sometimes be severe, and some food borne illnesses can even be life-threatening. Although anyone can get a food borne illness, some people are more likely to develop one. Some Common Food borne Germs The top five germs that cause illnesses from food eaten in the United States are: Norovirus Salmonella Clostridium perfringens Campylobacter Staphylococcus aureus (Staph) Learn More:Download Your Health Matters! Contact The Benefits Store Today for Your Health Insurance Needs! www.BenefitsStore.com (800)446-2663 CA Insurance License #0680704 #FoodSafety #FoodSafetyEducation

Realtor safety is surprisingly not something a lot of real estate agents are often concerned about. However, realtors spend a lot of time showing empty homes to strangers that they do not know, thereby potentially putting themselves at risk. In a Member Safety Report published by the National Association of Realtors, it was revealed that 33 percent of realtors have been in situations in which they were worried about their safety while on the job. To help spread awareness about the importance of being prepared and staying safe while showing homes in California, September was designated as Realtor Safety Month. Safety Tips for Realtor Safety Month The following are a few tips that realtors should follow in order to stay safe while showing homes to prospective buyers: Be alert during showings. Realtors should be aware of their surroundings at all times, and if something feels off to them, then they should immediately leave the premises. Let someone know where you are. You should notify a friend or family member of the address where you will be, even if you’re not showing a property to anyone. For instance, if you’re just double-checking an empty house for something, you should still let someone know where you’re going. Carry a phone at all times. Realtors should have a phone with them at all times. Not only will you be able to call for help in the case of an emergency, but your phone also has GPS on it, which means that your location can be identified if needed. Use an emergency POM tool. POM (personal safety opportunity monitor) tools are small devices that you can click on if you find yourself in an emergency situation and need to request help right away. Trust your instincts. If something doesn’t feel right, then you should listen to your intuition. For example, if someone comes to the door that you do not know while you’re in an empty house by yourself, don’t answer if something feels amiss. Be sure to share these safety tips during Realtor Safety Month. For more safety awareness tips, visit us at The Benefits Store today. #realtorsafety #realtorsafetyawareness #realtorsafetymonth