While this is a time for love and laughter it is also a time for overindulging and too many sweets. With parties taking over your evenings and weekends, and the temptations of cookies and candy, it’s hard to stay on top of your health. Here are 6 tips for staying healthy during the holidays.

1. Don’t go hungry.
   This is my number one rule at all times, not just the holidays. It is a huge mistake to go to a holiday party or a work function hungry. Go with a full stomach so you can graze and enjoy the food but not overindulge.
2. Get your workout in.
   Be sure to get up and get your workout in early. It will help to kick your metabolism in to high gear and burn fat all day. This way you don’t have to worry about having a few cookies while out at night.
3. Offer to bring a healthy dish.
   If you are going to a party where you are asked to bring something, bring something healthy. You can still bring your famous pecan pie, but bring something additional to balance it out. This way you know there is at least one option that’s good for you. Get creative; it’s easy to make little tweaks to make something more nutritious.
4. Always have water.
   Water helps you feel full, but it also helps keep you hydrated to balance out any cocktails you may be indulging in. Drink lots of water with your meal, and be sure to have a glass between each alcoholic drink.
5. Pay attention to your portion sizes.
   Don’t deprive yourself of your favorite holiday dishes, but do be mindful of portions. Portions are key when it comes to being sure you don’t over eat. Keep protein to the size of your palm, veggies to the size of your fist, carbs to the size of your hand cupped and sweets and sides to the size of your thumb.
6. Don’t forget to enjoy.
   All in all, don’t forget the reason for the season. Obviously your health is important, but family and friends are important, too. Don’t beat yourself up for falling off track.

Wherever you are, whatever you are celebrating, I wish you a happy, healthy holiday season. Enjoy your time with friends and loved ones.

As you bustle about with travel or cooking or last-minute shopping, remember to find a quiet moment to breathe and put your feet up.

From my family to yours, Happy Holidays.

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Call your doctor. He or she can help you decide the best course of action and whether you need to see a physician where you are currently staying or if it can wait until you get back home and can see your own doctor.

When possible, call the doctor before or after the holiday. If Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or any other holiday is coming up and you feel the first signs of illness, go ahead and call your doctor now. It could be harder to reach a doctor on the holiday or the eve of the holiday when the office is closed but your illness is in full force. Calling your doctor early could prevent a costly holiday trip to the emergency room or urgent care.

Remember, too, that illness may begin before for you travel. Prior to leaving, assess how you are feeling and take action. Do you need to see your doctor? Do you need an antibiotic? Is your child getting an ear infection? Address any concerns before you leave so you’ll be prepared while away from home. And make sure to bring your doctor’s contact information with you.

Getting sick can ruin your holiday and while it may be unavoidable, being aware and having a plan can make handling illness on the road easier.

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Trying to figure out health insurance? Get my book Choose Your Best Health Insurance for detailed assistance on how to decide which insurance plan is right for you and your family.

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Trying to figure out health insurance? Get my book Choose Your Best Health Insurance for detailed assistance on how to decide which insurance plan is right for you and your family.

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These days, there a lot of senior living options. Most fall into the categories of assisted living facilities or nursing homes. Here is the difference between the two.

Assisted Living Facilities:

1. Bridge the gap between independent living and skilled nursing facilities or nursing homes
2. Provide a variety of services for residents who need occasional assistance with “activities of daily living” like bathing, using the bathroom, and taking medication
3. Focus on providing as much independence to your loved one as possible

Nursing Homes and Skilled Nursing Facilities:

1. Generally certified by your state and provides 24/7 nursing care.
2. Needed if your loved one is bed bound, on a respirator, requires wound care, or needs daily nursing care.
3. Best suited for individuals who require round-the-clock care for complex medical needs.

Depending on what your senior’s new needs, one of these options will be better than the other. It is important to know how each is different so you can choose the best option for your loved one.

We hope we have helped you SPIN YOUR HEALTHCARE YOUR WAY!

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Trying to figure out health insurance? Get my book Choose Your Best Health Insurance for detailed assistance on how to decide which insurance plan is right for you and your family.

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Trying to figure out health insurance? Get my book Choose Your Best Health Insurance for detailed assistance on how to decide which insurance plan is right for you and your family.

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Then one of my daughters was born with a life-threatening condition. Later, their father and I decided to divorce and I began to care for the children on my own. At that point, I had some hard decisions to make, one of which was how to make sure I was properly insured for my daughter’s health needs.

This is how life is. You often must make tough choices when you are least prepared. Here is what I did.

First, I recognized the importance of health insurance. My daughter was in and out of the hospital a lot. As a single mom, there was no way for me to pay for all of our medical bills or for the supplies we needed.

After reviewing my employer’s health insurance, I changed jobs so that we could have better health coverage. I was lucky to get a job at the hospital where many of my daughter’s doctors were located. Now there is the option of signing up for healthcare under the Affordable Care Act, but at the time, the only way for me to change health insurance was to change jobs.

At that time, I also had to take the risk that my new employer would refuse to pay for my daughter’s care because her condition might be considered pre-existing. Under the Affordable Care Act, you can change jobs and your new employer can’t refuse to cover care due to pre-existing conditions.

Next, I made sure that the doctors and hospitals taking care of my daughter participated in my new insurance plan. It was very important to me that she continue to receive the expert care that she needed with the providers who were already familiar with her case. By making sure those doctors and hospitals participated in my plan, I avoided overwhelming medical bills.

When I first started looking at new insurance plans, I was tempted to just look at the monthly premium cost. I was single mom with a new job, and that monthly cost represented a huge chunk of my paycheck. But my first priority was to keep my daughter’s doctors who had taken such good care of her. If I had gone with a cheaper insurance, I would have had to  to pick new doctors or pay huge bills because those doctors weren’t part of my health plan. By saving $100 a month, I might have been signing up for $1,000s in uncovered expenses.

I’m happy to report that we received amazing care, and both of my daughters are healthy and grown. It was a tough time, but we made it through with great insurance and didn’t get saddled with a ton of medical bills.

When you have tough choices, it can be overwhelming. I know, I’ve been there. But with the right information, you can be have the peace of mind that you’ve made the right decisions for you and your family.

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Trying to figure out health insurance? Get my book Choose Your Best Health Insurance for detailed assistance on how to decide which insurance plan is right for you and your family.

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My dad took very good care of himself for his whole life, so we were unprepared when he had emergency back surgery at the age of 88 years.

This was tough for me, but even more so for him. After all, as a proud, strong minister, he took care of other people. He didn’t need people to care for him. After so many years of independence, we decided the best plan was to move him into an assisted living facility.

We approached the move directly by taking time to do a few things: 

1. Tour the local facilities.
2. Make a list of costs and services.
3. Talk to staff to find out how they interact with residents.
4. Eat at the facility to see how the food was and to get a sense of community at meal times.

We learned a lot during a journey. We made some good choices along the way and also some mistakes. Our most important lesson was that communication is the key.

When preparing to move a loved one to an assisted living facility, you and your loved one have to be prepared to communicate with your family and the facility about your priorities. There is no one right answer. You have to decide what will work best for your loved one.

To help guide your decision about assisted living, I have written Easy Healthcare: Choosing an Assisted Living Facility, available in book and ebook format. It tells you what conversations to have, what to consider as you research facilities and how to make the experience as smooth as possible for you and your loved one.

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Insurance costs vary.

Costs are determined by your current health, age and income. If you are young and healthy, you will pay less than someone who is middle aged and has some health issues.

Check the premium costs vs. out-of-pocket costs.

It is important to not only look at the cost of the insurance premiums each month but also the overall costs of care. A $250 per month premium may sound expensive; it totals $3,000 per year. However, if you get sick or break a bone, your out-of-pocket costs associated with the plan or cash fees and penalties for not having insurance could exceed $3,000 cost with one hospital visit.

Compare prices.

The Affordable Care Act made it possible to compare the costs of the various health insurance plans being offered. Prior to the health exchanges, there was no easy way to know what the insurance plans cost and what was included. You had to be a PhD in healthcare in order to compare the various plans. Now, all the plans have to include the same basic services, and the prices for the various plans are listed on the health exchange.

Although, I can’t quote you an exact dollar amount, this information should make it easier for you to assess insurance costs to determine which plan is right for you and your family.

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Trying to figure out health insurance? Get my book Choose Your Best Health Insurance for detailed assistance on how to decide which insurance plan is right for you and your family.

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