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.

Back in 2010, Amanda’s parents Pam and Doug were informed that their daughter was being held at a psychiatric crisis center. Amanda had attempted to throw herself in front of a moving car while attending college. Her parents were told that she had fallen into a state of psychosis—she was selling off her belongings and falling under the belief that she was being followed by cameras. It wasn’t until then that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Amanda exhibited signs of her mental illness as far back as middle school. She would experience extreme mood swings and would often get into huge arguments with her parents. Pam realized her daughter needed help and went to their family doctor. Their doctor provided a list of nearby therapists. Unfortunately, the list was not only out of date, but therapy was extremely expensive. They couldn’t afford the number of sessions she needed, even though she was diagnosed with depression. After being held in the psychiatric crisis center, Amanda was moved to a hospital, which focused on treating her medically. The family were worried about expenses. Fortunately, a federal law was passed in 2008 that required mental illness to be covered without limitations. Mental illness affects millions of people, and it’s important that a correct diagnosis is given in order to get proper treatment. For legal advice and protection in regards to receiving such treatments, consider the LegalShield plan at the Benefits Store.

How Does Tax-Related Identity Theft Occur? If your social security number is stolen by someone, then that person can use the number to file a fraudulent tax return in order to claim a refund. Your social security number can be stolen in several different ways, such as via a computer hack, a data breach or even through the physical theft of your social security card. Identity theft only affects a small percentage of tax returns, but if it occurs, it can cause a significant delay in your rightful tax refund. How Can You Prevent Tax-Related Identity Theft? The following are steps that you can take in order to prevent your social security number from being stolen and used for tax-related identity theft: Never carry your social security card or any documents that contain your social security number on your person—even if it’s in your wallet. Leave it at home in a safe place and only bring it with you if it is needed for a specific reason. The same goes for your Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. Be very careful about giving out your social security number or your Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. Just because a business asks for it doesn’t always mean you need to give it out. Go over your credit report every year to make sure there are no discrepancies. Use firewalls and anti-virus software to protect your computer against hacks. If more than one tax return was filed on your behalf, if you owe additional tax, or if IRS records state you received more wages than you earned, you may be a victim of tax-related identity theft. Be sure to protect yourself against identity theft with our ID Shield, available at our Benefits Store.

Yolo County Zika Case The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced that an individual recently tested positive for the Zika virus after returning to Yolo County from another country. Many health professionals have recommended that pregnant women avoid traveling to areas where the Zika virus has been found; however, people are now beginning to worry about the virus spreading from Latin America into parts of California. Adding to that particular worry is the fact that the Los Angeles Daily News recently reported that the Southern California mosquitoes, which are small black and white striped mosquitoes, can carry the Zika virus as well. Even though these mosquitoes are found across the state and despite the fact that a Zika virus case was recently reported, health officials still believe that an outbreak of the Zika virus throughout the state of California is highly unlikely. Safety Precautions Even though a Zika virus outbreak is reported to be highly unlikely, it is still a good idea to take precautions. Women who are pregnant should reconsider traveling to areas where Zika outbreaks have been reported. Zika outbreaks have occurred throughout South America as well as Mexico. Anyone that has traveled to these locations and has shown symptoms of the Zika virus, which include mild fever, joint pain, rash, headaches and conjunctivitis, should be tested as the Zika virus can be sexually transmitted as well. Here at the Benefits Store, we aim to provide California residents with up-to-date information about important health news in addition to providing health insurance advice.

The way the eTNS works is that it sends a weak electrical current through the patch while the patient is sleeping. The current helps to stimulate the cranial nerves running through the forehead. This, in turn, results in signals being sent to the parts of the brain that control thinking, behavior and mood. These parts of the brain also include the amygdala, the autonomic nervous system and the medial prefrontal cortex, all of which display abnormal activity in patients suffering from PTSD. Promising Trial Results The trial consisted of 12 patients with the average age of 53 suffering from PTSD. These patients were survivors of domestic abuse, car accidents, rape and other traumatic events. They underwent eight weeks of eTNS outpatient treatment by wearing the patch for eight hours every night as they slept. These patients continued previous treatments of their PTSD as they underwent the trial—treatments that included medication, psychotherapy or both. The patients completed a questionnaire before and after the trial that the researchers could use in order to assess how severe their symptoms were prior to the eTNS treatment and compare them to their symptoms following the treatment. They found that, on average, their symptoms were reduced by more than 30 percent, and the severity of their depression was reduced by more than 50 percent. Following the success of the first trial, researchers are planning to collaborate with the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System to conduct a trial consisting of 74 veterans. Results of the trial to treat patients suffering from PTSD using eTNS proved successful and could provide a new way to help PTSD patients. Be sure to visit us at the Benefits Store today to keep yourself informed about new medical news and healthcare information.

Previous researchers linked chronic inflammation, which is caused by an overactive immune system, to Alzheimer’s. The new findings show that inflammation is not actually a result of Alzheimer’s, but is actually a key driver of the disease. Researchers conducted an experiment in which they compared the tissues of healthy brains with those of Alzheimer’s patients. They found that the brains of Alzheimer’s patients contained higher levels of microglia, which suggests brain inflammation. The molecules that regulate these levels of microglia within the brain became more active as the severity of the patient’s Alzheimer’s increased. In a second experiment, the chemical GW2580 was given to mice that had a condition similar to Alzheimer’s. Researchers found that the chemical helped to reduce memory loss as well as reduce behavioral problems in these mice. Researchers then provided these mice with inhibitors that prevented the microglia from multiplying. Once the microglia levels stabilized, the progression of the disease stalled. The inhibitor helped to prevent the breakdown in communication between the brain’s nerve cells, which is what Alzheimer’s patients usually experience. The tests that were conducted on mice have shown a particular pathway that is active in the development of Alzheimer’s. Researchers are now planning on using the results of these experiments in order to develop a safe and suitable drug that can be tested on humans. The findings have also shown that both diet and lifestyle may play an active part in preventing Alzheimer’s since they could possibly help to fight inflammation. Alzheimer’s disease continues to be a serious problem for millions of Americans. Fortunately, new research could result in the development of drugs that may prevent the disease. To keep up to date with medical news, or for information about healthcare, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store.

Younger individuals aren’t as worried about their health as older adults, which makes them more susceptible to trying and becoming addicted to tobacco use. Tobacco companies recognize this and have targeted younger Californians with their advertising. The younger an age that they turn a person into a smoker, the more business they’ll have from that individual over their lifetime. Among the reasons for the initiative to increase the age restriction on tobacco purchases from 18 to 21 are that it will help reduce the number of Californians that become addicted to tobacco use at an early age, and that it will save California money on healthcare costs, since sustained tobacco use is directly linked to a variety of chronic illnesses. However, there are a number of people opposing the proposition. These people believe that since the age of 18 is considered an adult age, people that are 18 years old should retain the right to make their own decision regarding whether to smoke cigarettes or not. Additionally, opponents to the proposed law point out that the state could end up losing money. This is because the state taxes cigarette sales, and if sales go down, so will the money coming from taxes. There are both pros and cons to raising the age restriction on tobacco purchase, but one thing is certain—tobacco is harmful to the health of those that use it. For more information about proposed health laws and health insurance in general, visit the Benefits Store today.

For the most part, applicants should provide their gross income, which is their total income before taxes and other deductions are applied. Applicants may have the option to provide their income estimate as either monthly or yearly. Household income doesn’t just include the estimated income of the person filling out the application. It also consists of the income of their spouse (if they have a spouse) as well as their tax dependents—even tax dependents that aren’t in need of coverage. The Types of Income Used The following are the types of income that applicants will have to include in their estimate: Federal taxable wages—If the applicant’s pay stub includes federal taxable wages, they should use that number. If it doesn’t, then they should use the gross income number and subtract the amount taken out by the employer for health insurance, retirement plans and child care. Self-employment income—Applicants should include their net self-employment income, which is what they made minus their business expenses—they will be asked what type of work they do. Social security—The full amount of both taxable and non-taxable social security income needs to be included before any deductions. Social security disability income should be included as well; however, supplemental security income should not be included. Retirement income—IRA and 401(k) withdrawals should be included. Other forms of income that have to be included include tips, unemployment compensation, alimony, capital gains, investment income, rental and royalty income, and excluded foreign income. For additional information and advice regarding a marketplace application or about health insurance in general, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store today.

O’Grey was suffering from Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. He also weighed 320 pounds and was spending over $1,000 a month on medication to treat his conditions. In 2010, he was in such bad physical shape that his doctor told him that he was likely to die within five years—he was 51 at the time. So he scheduled an appointment with a naturopathic doctor in the hopes of losing weight. The doctor told him to get a shelter dog. O’Grey took his doctor’s advice and adopted an overweight, middle-aged dog—he wanted a dog that was like him. The dog, named Peety, needed to be walked on a daily basis. O’Grey began taking Peety on half-hour walks on a daily basis, while also adjusting his diet to a plant-based diet. Over just a single year, he lost 140 pounds and Peety lost 25 pounds. While the diet was an important factor in losing so much weight, so was the exercise that he was getting. More importantly, having a dog gave him an excuse to exercise—and it kept him from backsliding into unhealthy ways. It’s easy to stop going to a gym—but it’s hard to stop walking one’s dog. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, O’Grey’s story isn’t an outlier. They have stated that having a pet can help the owner to not only decrease feelings of loneliness, but also to decrease high cholesterol, high blood pressure and triglycerides. Not to mention that adopting a pet from a shelter benefits the pet as well!  Here at The Benefits Store, we strive to keep Californians up-to-date with all the latest medical news.

Diabetes Statistics UCLA researchers had access to the health data of over 6,400 people from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey as well as the health data from another 40,000 people that was provided by the California Health Interview Survey. Research revealed that around 33 percent of all Californians between the ages of 18 and 39 had the elevated blood glucose levels that are characteristic of prediabetes. Prediabetes results in a much higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, which is an endocrine disease in which the body can’t properly use insulin— it’s more often seen in older adults. Diabetes Prevention One of the problems with prediabetes is that experts are still divided as to how often prediabetes actually develops into full-blown diabetes. Many medical experts believe that medicalizing large populations based on specific health indicators is a mistake. Either way, public health advocates are trying to increase awareness of the condition in an attempt to improve access to medical screenings as well as encourage lifestyle changes to prevent the disease. Unfortunately, California spends less on diabetes prevention than any other state—and according to a 2015 state auditor’s report, it relies on federal grants instead of state money for its programs. However, a bill was recently introduced that would require the Department of Public Health to improve its reporting on the effect of diabetes on the state as well as its efforts to prevent diabetes. Diabetes is a serious concern for California residents. Keep up to date with the latest health news in California by visiting us at The Benefits Store.

The NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) has reported that anxiety disorders, which include everything from social anxiety disorder to PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), affect roughly 18.1 percent of the American population. Recent research performed by Bita Moghaddam and a team of colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania’s Department of Neuroscience has revealed that anxiety doesn’t just affect individuals emotionally, but can also impact decision-making, which in turn can negatively affect everyday life. These results were recently published in The Journal of Neuroscience. Moghaddam and her team analyzed the brain cells in the prefrontal cortex of two different groups of rats as they performed decision-making tasks. The decision made by the rats affected whether they would receive a reward. One of the groups of rats was given a low dosage of an anxiety-inducing drug, while the other group was given a placebo injection. It was revealed that the anxiety-induced rats made many more mistakes in their decision-making than the non-anxious rats. It’s important to note that the choices the rats had in the decision-making process involved information that allowed for a logical choice to be made in order to receive the reward. The research revealed that the decision-making mistakes were caused by the effect that anxiety has on the neurons that have the specific task of making choices. Basically, anxiety does not over-engage brain circuits like it was originally believed— instead, it disengages brain cells in a specialized manner. Here at The Benefits Store, we make sure that California residents are kept up to date with all health related news.

What is Cystic Fibrosis? Cystic fibrosis is a condition that causes mucus to build up in the lungs and pancreas as well as in other organs. This leads to frequent lung infections and often results in the need for lifetime treatment. Cystic fibrosis affects one in every 3,900 American babies, and the average lifespan of someone living with cystic fibrosis is 37. Screening For Cystic Fibrosis Newborns are screened for cystic fibrosis in every state, but screenings aren’t always accurate, which means that missed cases do occur. A baby that is misdiagnosed as not having cystic fibrosis won’t be treated, which means that the baby is at risk of dying because they weren’t properly diagnosed. According to researchers, the new method of screening for cystic fibrosis will not only be more efficient, but also more cost-effective. There’s also a chance that this new method will help improve screening for non-white babies, who are typically much more difficult to diagnose. The disease is caused by a defect in the CFTR gene. The CFTR gene is what regulates the movement of water and salt from the cells of the body. Current genetic screens in the state of California look for 40 of the most common CFTR gene mutations in newborns, but there are at least 2,000 known mutations that could result in the development of cystic fibrosis. The new screening method looks at the entire CFTR gene instead of just selected mutations. The test can be done by using a small amount of blood drawn from the newborn heel stick test that is already used for other disease screenings, thereby helping to reduce testing times and costs. New screening methods could help cut down on missed cases of cystic fibrosis. Visit us at the Benefits Store today for more health news and for health insurance advice.