Search Results

Greek yogurt is healthier than all other types of yogurt. Greek yogurt has roughly twice the amount of protein as regular yogurt. However, it also has more saturated fat than regular yogurt – not to mention that it lacks the calcium that regular yogurt has. Greek yogurt loses its calcium during the process in which whey and lactose are strained out. Anyone that’s lactose intolerant should avoid eating yogurt. Actually, the good bacteria found in both Greek and regular yogurt helps predigest some of the lactose, thereby reducing the symptoms of lactose intolerance. Low-fat yogurt is the best option. Many consumers avoid full-fat yogurt in favor of low-fat yogurt. However, full-fat yogurt doesn’t just have the saturated fat most people are trying to avoid – it also has conjugated linoleic acid, which is actually linked to protecting against type 2 diabetes. Not to mention that full-fat yogurt makes one feel fuller for a longer period of time as the fat takes longer to digest, thereby staving off hunger. Out of all available dairy products, yogurt is the most rich in probiotics. Probiotics are a friendly bacteria that can enhance digestion and improve the function of the immune system. As previously stated, Greek yogurt is known for being packed with probiotics. However, there are other dairy products that also contain probiotics. For example, kefir has way more probiotics than Greek yogurt. While yogurt is an incredibly healthy food that shouldn’t be ignored, there are a lot of myths surrounding yogurt, such as these, that should be dismissed. At The Benefits Store, we strive to keep California residents up to date on all health related news and information, including dietary advice.

Under its new plan, Aetna will be providing healthcare options to only 242 of the 778 counties that they previously operated in through the public exchanges. Whereas they had previously offered plans in 15 states, they will now only be available through the public exchange in Delaware, Iowa, Nebraska, and Virginia. According to the CEO of Aetna, Mark Bertolini, it has become impossible to provide affordable and high quality healthcare options without a balanced risk pool. Bertolini stated that 55 percent of their individual on-exchange membership was new in 2016 and that in the second quarter of this year, they saw individuals in need of high-cost healthcare take up an even bigger part of their on-exchange population. The company believes that coupled with the inadequate risk adjustment mechanism that’s currently in place, serious pressure is put on increasing premiums, which creates concerns over sustainability. Aetna’s concerns over the exchanges created under the Affordable Care Act are shared by two of the other five largest insurance providers in the U.S. – Humana and United Healthcare. Both companies have stated that they are planning to greatly reduce their presence in the exchanges. One of the arguments made by these insurers is that most of the patients that are coming to the exchanges are older, which means that they are more expensive to cover – and that not enough young people are coming on to help offset those costs. This could be a real issue for customers since the affordability of the plans on the exchange depends greatly on the number of insurers that are competing through it. Some believe Aetna’s actions may be linked to the U.S. Department of Justice blocking a proposed merger between Aetna and Humana. Stay up to date with all the newest health insurance news by visiting The Benefits Store today. Image courtesy of Katherine Welles / Shutterstock.com.

Computer vision syndrome. Computer vision syndrome refers symptoms caused by staring at digital screens, which includes computers, tablets, cellphones, TVs, and more. The symptoms range from mild to disabling and include eyestrain, headaches, double vision, itchy eyes, blurred vision, light sensitivity, and difficulty focusing, to name a few. These symptoms are a result of blinking less when focusing on a screen, staring at a screen at an angle that exposes more of the eye to dry air and – that’s right – staring too close to the screen. Cataracts. Although there’s yet to be definite proof, there have been links made between the exposure to blue light and the development of cataracts — especially now that many patients are developing cataracts in their mid-30’s. Retina damage. Many people don’t just use their digital screens constantly during the day, they take one to bed with them at night. Around 60 percent of Americans use digital technology for their alarm clocks. Staring at blue light at night can lead to retinal damage, which could result in macular degeneration and damage to the central vision. Headaches. Out of all the negative effects that the over exposure to digital devices can cause, headaches are the third most common. The eyestrain caused by staring at a screen for too long can cause tension headaches. This is because the eyes have to focus harder to see the contrast between the darkness of the text and the brightness of the screen. The overuse of digital technology could have a negative impact on healthy vision. To stay up to date on all the newest health related news and information, visit us at The Benefits Store today.

Vaccines for Adults Doctors in California are making a greater effort to get adults to schedule the shots that they need. In fact, the California Medical Association Foundation published a schedule specifically concerning vaccines for adults and when they should be taken. The foundation continued to raise awareness this year by releasing a public service announcement in both English and Spanish. Many of the vaccines that adults were given when they were children, such as diphtheria and tetanus shots, wear off over time and need to be taken again as adults. There are many factors that determine what vaccines an adult needs to take, which include the age of the adult, their current health, and any travel plans they might have. Vaccine Coverage There are limited federal and state funds for the California Department of Public Health to use on providing vaccinations to children and adults at local health departments and community health centers. In fact, federal funding for the vaccination program decreased by $24 million from 2010 to 2014. This vaccination program was aimed at uninsured residents. Fortunately, many of the vaccines recommended for adults can be obtained without having to pay a copay or other out-of-pocket costs under the Affordable Care Act. These vaccines generally include shots for flu, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, measles, meningococcal disease and tetanus, amongst others. According to state public health officials, there are many adult Californians that neglect to get the vaccinations they need against diseases, many of which are dangerous. Californians should check with their primary care physicians to find out what vaccines for adults they need. To stay up to date with the latest health and health insurance related news in California, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store today.

New Statement Regarding the Recommendation of Skin Cancer Screenings According to an independent panel made up of 17 members, they could not determine whether the benefits of a skin cancer screening would outweigh the possibility of harm if a performed procedure was unnecessary or excessive. This harm can include: Cosmetic damage Scarring Unnecessary treatment They came to this conclusion after reviewing thousands of studies and research papers. One of these studies concluded that full-body skin cancer screenings only reduced the deaths caused by melanoma by a single death per 100,000 individuals that were screened. This new statement regarding skin cancer screenings was recently published in the journal JAMA. However, it’s pretty much the same as the last statement they issued regarding the matter, which was announced back in 2009. What is the Preventative Services Task Force? The Preventative Services Task Force was appointed by the Department of Health and Human Services and consists of experts in the field of preventative medicine and epidemiology. They work independently from the federal agency and are tasked with advising medical professionals on screenings for certain medical conditions. Who is at risk for skin cancer? People who are at high risk of skin cancer should consider skin cancer screenings. The following are some of the risk factors: A family history of the disease Anyone with more than a hundred moles on their body White men over the age of 65 Anyone who is at risk for skin cancer may want to ask their doctor about a skin cancer screening. At The Benefits Store, we strive to provide California residents with up-to-date health news and information.

Get rid of standing water. Mosquitoes are attracted to standing water since that’s where they lay their eggs. Anyone that does not wish to have a mosquito breeding ground in their backyard should remove or cover up all standing water. Use mosquitofish. Homeowners that have water features in their backyard, like ornamental fountains or ponds, should consider adding mosquitofish. Mosquitofish will assist in eliminating mosquitoes by preying on them when they attempt to breed in standing water. However, in order to use mosquitofish, a Californian resident will need to obtain a permit. Plant citronella plants. Mosquitoes hate the scent of citronella, so adding citronella plants around a property is an effective way to keep mosquitoes away. Use citronella candles. Instead of adding citronella plants to their property, residents can also use citronella candles. The smoke from a citronella candle will also be very effective in keeping mosquitoes away from the area. Use soapy water. One of the best ways to trap and eliminate mosquitoes is by using a bowl or bucket of soapy water. Place it in an area where there is a mosquito problem. The mosquitoes will be attracted to the standing water, but the soap bubbles will end up trapping them as they attempt to breed there, which will cause them to drown. Use a mosquito repellent. There are many types of mosquito repellents that residents can use to keep mosquitoes away, including creams and sprays. Mosquitoes can not only carry potentially dangerous diseases, but they can be an incredible nuisance as well. Use these six tips to keep mosquitoes away and visit us at The Benefits Store today for additional health related advice.

The Dangers of Raw Cookie Dough The FDA recently released a warning against the consumption of raw cookie dough. There are a number of ingredients within raw cookie dough that are not safe to eat, including raw eggs and raw dough, both of which carry food poisoning dangers. In fact, any type of raw dough, from tortilla dough to bread dough, is dangerous to eat. It’s not even safe to play with raw dough or batter containing flour. Kids that play with raw dough – even if they do not eat it – could get germs onto their hands. If they don’t wash their hands immediately afterwards and put their hands into their mouths, they could develop an infection. The Reason Why Raw Cookie Dough Could Cause Food Poisoning Flour is derived from grains that come directly from the field. These grains are not usually treated to kill bacteria. Because of this, animal waste could contaminate the grains with bacteria before they are harvested and turned into flour. This bacteria can be killed by baking, frying, roasting, boiling, or even microwaving the flour, but raw dough can still contain germs. Infections Caused by Raw Dough Poisoning An investigation into infections caused by raw dough ingestion was recently launched by U.S. health officials. A strain of bacteria known as Shiga toxin-producing E.coli has infected dozens of people throughout the country. Symptoms of the Shiga toxin-producing E.coli infection can include abdominal cramps as well as diarrhea. The infection typically only lasts a week, but more severe cases can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrom, which is a type of kidney failure and is more common in children that are under five, adults with weak immune systems, and older people. Avoid eating raw cookie dough as it can result in food poisoning. For more health safety advice, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store.

Crossing the Blood-Brain Barrier According to the research, the newly developed liquid aspirin could cross the blood-brain barrier, which is the coating that prevents foreign substances in the bloodstream from getting into the brain while at the same time allowing essential molecules to pass back and forth from the bloodstream into the brain and vice versa. This blood-brain barrier makes it extremely difficult to develop a drug to treat brain tumors that could pass through to the brain. Some of the drugs that have been developed in recent years that can destroy tumors in other parts of the body are unable to attack brain tumors because they are unable to get through the blood-brain barrier. How Liquid Aspirin Can Help Fight Brain Tumors The liquid aspirin’s name is IP1867B and it combines aspirin with two other ingredients. This is the first time a liquid aspirin has been developed. Previous drugs known as liquid aspirin were not fully soluble – they actually contained small particles of solid aspirin. Because of this, they often caused gastric side effects. All three ingredients in the new liquid aspirin have been shown to kill tumor cells without damaging healthy brain tissue. Research has shown that it could be extremely effective against glioblastoma, which is one of the most common and devastating types of brain tumors. The drug was tested on cancer cells taken from both adults and children with brain cancer. The ingredients were discovered to be 10 times as effective as any other drug, both individually and in combination, than any currently used drugs. The new liquid aspirin has already been approved for clinical use. Stay up to date with all the newest health related news by visiting The Benefits Store.

Beta-Amyloid Proteins and Their Role in Alzheimer’s Disease The marijuana study was recently published in the Aging and Mechanisms of Disease journal. According to the study, marijuana contains a compound that helps reduce beta-amyloid protein levels. Beta-amyloid is a protein commonly linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Basically, it clumps together within the brain of patients affected by the disease, causing a plaque to form. Several studies have shown that the plaque caused by the beta-amyloid protein causes a disruption in the communication between the brain’s neurons. This disruption is what’s said to cause the symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease, such as memory loss. The problem with attempting to prevent beta-amyloid proteins from accumulating is that researches are still unfamiliar with the exact process that the protein has in the development of Alzheimer’s. How Marijuana Can Help Treat Alzheimer’s Disease The research team at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California, found that an increase in beta-amyloid production led to the increased expression of pro-inflammatory proteins in the nerve cells. This, in turn, would cause both inflammation and nerve cell death. Inflammation is something that has always been associated with Alzheimer’s, but most researchers believed that this was being caused by immune-like cells within the brain and not the actual nerve cells. How does marijuana fit into all of this? Marijuana contains THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which are similar to endocannabinoids, which are naturally produced by nerve cells to help aid nerve cell signaling. Basically, researchers figured out that marijuana could reduce the levels of beta-amyloid and eliminate the inflammation caused by the protein. It turns out that marijuana could be extremely useful in helping treat Alzheimer’s disease. For more health-related news, visit us at The Benefits Store today.

The following are a number of tips for selecting and using sunscreen: Throw away old sunscreen – Sunscreen typically has a shelf life of three years, but this doesn’t take into consideration its exposure to extreme heat. If someone has taken the same sunscreen to the beach every day over the course of a single summer, then it’s better to throw the rest of it away and purchase a new bottle next year. Look for high SPF values – The higher the SPF is, the more protection is provided against sunburn. There’s generally no point in purchasing a sunscreen with an SPF of over 50 for a child – at that point, they’re better off wearing a hat or loose-fitting clothing. No sunscreen is waterproof – In fact, the FDA banned the use of the term waterproof on sunscreen bottles. Now, sunscreen is labeled as water resistant. These sunscreens will state how long they will work after exposure to water. Once that time is up, sunscreen will need to be reapplied. Look for a broad spectrum sunscreen – Broad spectrum means that the sunscreen has passed tests protecting against both UVA and UVB rays. One causes sunburn, the other ages the skin, and both cause skin cancer. Always get a broad spectrum sunscreen. Avoid sunscreen and insect repellent combinations – Sunscreen is something that needs to be reapplied frequently, while insect repellent should not. Instead of using combined sunscreen and insect repellent, use two separate products. Use lotions instead of sprays – Sprays don’t cover the skin as well as lotion, and there are some concerns over inhaling the spray by accident. Keep these sunscreen tips in mind and visit us at The Benefits Store for more helpful health-related advice today.

UnitedHealth will most likely continue to offer coverage to California employers as well as to government workers and their families via the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. Stephen Hemsley, the Chief Executive of UnitedHealth, released a statement back in April announcing that the company was no longer willing to keep losing money on the health insurance exchange business. He claimed that UnitedHealth would not be able to serve the market on an effective and sustained basis because of the smaller size and the short-term, high-risk profile of the market segment. UnitedHealth had only joined the California exchange this year. This means that their withdrawal will not have too big of an impact considering that they only had 1,200 enrollees. According to the California Department of Managed Health Care, as of April 27th, UnitedHealth did not have any individual policyholders that existed outside of the exchange. However, critics of the Affordable Care Act are using the insurer’s exit from California, which is a high-profile state, as evidence that health-law insurance exchanges are not financially sustainable. This claim has been rebuked by the President’s administration, who have pointed out that the number of health plans that offer exchange policies have actually increased since they launched back in 2014. There are around 1.4 million people enrolled in the state’s insurance exchange — and unlike other states, large insurance companies have reported profits from selling on California’s marketplace in part because they have one of the healthiest risk pools in the nation. For additional information about the state of the health insurance industry in California or for all health insurance–related news, be sure to visit us at the Benefits Store today. Image credited to  Katherine Welles / Shutterstock.com

According to the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Thomas Frieden, there is a risk of living in a post-antibiotic world. The case concerned that of a 49-year old woman from Pennsylvania dealing with a urinary tract infection. The last chance antibiotic that was used was “colistin,” which is generally reserved for use against what is considered nightmare bacteria. According to a study, the superbug was infected by a small piece of DNA known as “plasmid”. The plasmid passed along a gene called “mcr-1,” which transmits a resistance to colistin. This instance was the first report of mcr-1 in the United States. The patient first reported symptoms of a urinary tract infection on April 26th, when she visited a clinic. Her current condition was not described. According to the study, the true frequency of the mcr-1 gene needs to be determined and therefore continued surveillance is required. The potential speed of the gene’s spread cannot be known until more information is collected, such as how the patient was infected in the first place as well as what kind of presence the colistin-resistant superbug has — not just in the U.S. but throughout the world. Antibiotic resistance has been the cause of roughly two million illnesses and 23,000 deaths every year in the U.S. The mcr-1 gene was discovered last year in China as well, where it was found in both people and pigs. The possibility that the superbug could spread from animals to people is a huge concern to health officials. As of now, the best way to protect against the superbug and other antibiotic-resistant bacteria is by washing one’s hands thoroughly and preparing food appropriately. For more health-related news and advice, visit the Benefits Store today.