Smart Health 9

SMARTHEALTHYOUR GUIDE TO HEALTHY LIVING

SNORENO MORE!

JANUARY 5, 2010

VIEW INFULLSCREEN

CLICK ABOVE

ZUMBAFUSING FITNESS

WITH LATIN RHYTHMS

WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT

SPECIALTYPHARMACIES

ZUMBAFUSING FITNESSWITH LATINRHYTHMS

SMARTHEALTH

The information in this publication does not constitute medical advice and is notintended to be a substitute for proper medical care provided by a physician.Entire publication © Digital Access 2009. All rights reserved. Any reference to otherorganizations or companies, including their Internet sites, is not an endorsementor warranty of the services, information or products provided by them.

6GETTING THIN ON

JAPANESEFOOD8

4 SNORE NO MORE

10 JURY IS OUTON JUICE

WHAT’S SOSPECIAL ABOUTSPECIALTYPHARMACIES

HOUSEKEEPING 101WHEN ALLERGIESATTACK

AVOIDINGBRITTLEBONES

12

1614

ZUMBAFUSING FITNESS WITH LATIN RHYTHMS

The Latin music-inspired dance

fitness class spans about one hour,

and features easy-to-learn moves

and combinations. Interval training is

a key to its effectiveness; as the hour

progresses, fast and slow rhythms

mix with resistance training to help

you build a sweat and get a solid

cardio workout. For the novice, there

are classes that teach you the moves.

For what it is worth, the Zumba

program is extremely popular. It is

currently being taught at over 40,000

locations in 75 countries, and is

spreading quickly through the U.S.

heartland. More than three million

DVDs have been sold. Recent line

extensions include ZumbAtomic, a

program on DVD for children 5 to 12;

Zumba Gold, classes for people 60

and older; and Zumba Toning, a sculp-

turing program using weighted sticks.

Fitness trainer, “Beto” Perez, developed

upon the concept in his native Colombia

in the mid-‘90s. He started teaching

classes playing traditional Latin salsa,

merengue and samba music because —

perhaps in an apocryphal story — he

had forgotten to bring his traditional

workout music to class. Perez brought

the idea to the United States, teamed

up with two young entrepreneurs,

and then partnered with the Kellogg

Company to develop a fitness cam-

paign for the Hispanic market, which

led to Zumba features on Special K

cereal boxes. Today, the program is

alive in six continents and has

spawned several DVD collections.

There is always a new exercise craze, part real and part hype, and rightnow is the moment for Zumba. Here’s the hype: Zumba “fuses hypnoticLatin rhythms and easy-to-followmoves to create a one-of-a-kind fitnessprogram that will blow you away. Our goal is simple: Wewant you to wantto work out, to love working out, to get hooked.” And here’s the reality:it can be a fun and upbeat way to burn calories through aerobic exercise,improve overall fitness and tone, and even do a little body sculpting.

SMARTHEALTH 5

CLICK HERE TO SEEZUMBA IN ACTION

FIND OUT MOREABOUT ZUMBA HERE

SNORE NO MORE

Lose WeightBulk and fat narrow critical air passages.

Stop SmokingResearch shows that smoking weakensthe throat muscles.

Avoid AlcoholDrinking causes excessive musclerelaxation.

Open Nasal PassagesAdhesive nasal tapes, clips or sprays canhelp reduce nasal obstruction.

Clothing and PillowsAnti-snore products force a change inposition or at least reorient the noseand throat.

CPAP PumpThis popular assistive device (theacronym stands for continuous positiveairway pressure) is shoebox sized andpumps controlled air through a hose.

Change Sleep PositionsTry not to sleep on your back.

Dental AppliancesThe most frequent of these is themandibular advancement splint, whichadvances the lower jaw and pulls thetongue forward.

Help For Spouse or PartnerIf these solutions don’t work, some ideasfor your spouse: earplugs, earmuffs andwhite noise machines.

SMARTHEALTH 7

Ordinary snoring does not seem to be a health risk.That according to a recent Mayo Clinic enewsletter.

Still, given that snoring is annoying to spouses, leads toslight embarrassments, and can cause sleep deprivation,

it may be a problem worth addressing.

Snoring is the result of obstructed air movement during breathing. Causes range from amispositioned jaw to weak throat muscles to blocked nasal pages to the tongue restingon the back of the mouth. An estimated 30% of adults snore. For ordinary snoring, conser-vative treatments apply. As a last resort, assistive devices or even surgery can help.Among the more effective but non-radical treatments are:

WATCH A VIDEO ONSNORING PREVENTION

GETTING THIN ON

JAPANESE FOODAmericans are increasingly turning to Japanesecooking because it is tasty and fun, and properlyprepared, it is one of the most healthy of cuisines.But why is it so good for you?

SMARTHEALTH 9

The essence of Japanese cooking is

about meeting the nutritional needs

of the individual and preparing in

a style that considers health first.

Whether the food is sushi, which is

largely prepared raw, or foods like

chicken, port or beef, quantities are

controlled, animal fats are minimized,

natural ingredients are emphasized,

heavy oils and salts are avoided,

cooking is quick and clean, and heavy

sauces are almost non-existent.

Rice is the essential Japanese

food and a primary reason why the

cuisine is healthy. Rice is flavorful,

provides the proper nutrients and

contributes to a feeling of fullness.

This, in turn, helps the people to

eat less and maintain a healthy

body weight.

Another healthy ingredient often

incorporated into Japanese cooking

is soy. The soybean appears

regularly in the Japanese diet, from

soy sauce to miso soup and paste,

to tofu and soymilk.

Don’t forget the cuisine’s heavy

dependence on seafoods. Fish are

rich in polyunsaturated fats, low

in calories, and seaweeds contain

high amounts of iodine and other

minerals and nutrients thought to

contribute to health and longevity.

A perfect example of a healthy

Japanese dish is the stir fry. Think

vegetables cooked quickly in light

cooking oil so few calories are

absorbed. Add tofu for protein or a

few shrimp. Flavor with a light soy

sauce and some seaweed, and

serve over rice. Perhaps serve

some edamame, baby soy beans

in a pod, on the side. Tastes great

and will not weigh you down.

That’s the story of Japanese cooking

in a nutshell. Low in calories, low in

cholesterol, free from the bad fats

that show up in red meat and dairy.

No wonder life expectancy in Japan

stands among the world’s highest.

SEE POPULAR JAPANESERICE RECIPES WITH VIDEOS

10 SMARTHEALTH

AVOIDINGBRITTLEBONESOsteoporosis is the thinning ofbone tissue and loss of bonedensity over time. The diseaseaffects 25 million Americans,mostly women, according tothe Osteoporosis Foundation.For victims, bones can be-come as fragile as eggshells,a simple bump can fracturethe leg, a slip on the ice canbreak a hip. Less extreme,but still deeply disturbing is aloss of height and stature, anda potential hump on the back.

SMARTHEALTH 11

LEARN MORE ABOUTOSTEOPOROSIS PREVENTION

Calcium CountsBefore reaching menopause, womenmay need 1,200 mg of calcium per day,and after menopause that requirementcan go up to 1,500 mg per day. Goodfood sources of calcium include low-fat dairy products, dark green leafyvegetables and calcium-fortified foodsand beverages, of which there aremany. Supplements can help and,when you add Vitamin D, calcium isabsorbed very efficiently.

Bone Building ExercisesExercise is important but someexercises are better for bone healththan others. Walking, jogging, climbingstairs or lifting weights are great. Youwant to work against gravity to buildstrength. Swimming is not a bonebuilder because gravity is minimizedin the water.

No SmokingRecent studies have shown a directrelationship between tobacco useand decreased bone density. Theresult are more fractures and longerhealing times.

Limit Caffeine and AlcoholNo one need give up caffeine, butexperts recommend that you limit yourintake to the equivalent of two or threecups of coffee a day. Chronic alcoholuse is also associated with bone loss,not to mention the propensity to slipand fall.

Density TestingGet a bone mineral density test. Thisis especially true if you fall into a highrisk group such as women experiencingearly menopause, absence of men-struation or people who have takenmedication like steroids for asthmaand arthritis, thyroid drugs andepilepsy remedies.

Talk To Your DoctorIf osteoporosis is a threat or a reality,discuss the many medications that arenow available. Options run the gamutfrom estrogens, hormones, steroids,and biophosphonates, an entire classof drugs that getting lots of publicityand are used to strengthen bones.

The disease especially afflicts women with weak bones resulting

from genetics, poor nutrition and low estrogen. Indeed, dramatically

low estrogen levels after menopause account for 80% of all cases.

The good news: there are a number of tips to avoid brittle bones.

JURY IS OUT ON JUICE

SMARTHEALTH 13

Juice. It’s healthy, fresh, natural, good for you. Isn’t that right?

Not so fast. A debate has broken out over the value of this staple ofmodern life because, as it turns out, most juices deliver more caloriesand the same amount of sugar as soda. There’s also evidence that

high consumption increases the risk of obesity, especially among kids.

Your fruit juice is feeling the squeeze, as

medical and public health experts crack

down on obesity. Their point is that with

so much focus on the evils of sugar —

weight gain, sugar-related diabetes, heart

disease and cancer levels — it is time

that juice is stripped of its wholesome

image. These folks point out that a glass

of juice concentrates all the sugar from

several pieces of fruit and thus contains

more calories that soda. True enough,

according to the USDA. A cup of orange

juice has 112 calories, apple juice 114,

and grape juice 152. Coke and Pepsi

weigh in at about 100 calories for the

same size drink.

On the other side of the argument stands

the Juice Products Association, and

many doctors and dieticians. These

advocates emphasize the value of the

vitamins, minerals and nutrients in juice,

especially when so many Americans eat

so little fresh produce. This benefit, they

say, more than counterbalances the

sugar issue. They also note many studies

which have failed to find a clear connec-

tion between juice and weight gain, but

have observed one between juice and an

otherwise healthy diet.

Interestingly, juice is a relatively newcomer

to the human diet. For thousands of

years, people ate fruit and drank water.

It was the 20th century before juice con-

sumption became popular, when citrus

growers in Florida began to promote it as

a healthy and vitamin packed drink. Later

in the century, the U.S. Army adopted it

in frozen concentrate form to supply

Vitamin C to the troops. In the 1950s,

pasteurization technology made orange

juice even more consumer-friendly and

widely available since it could be served

in cartons.

So the question remains. Is juice a hallowed

healthy tradition or a companion evil to

sodas and other sugary drinks? Possibly

both. Meanwhile, the jury is still out.

SEE MORE ON THEJUICE DEBATE

WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUTSPECIALTY PHARMACIES?

SMARTHEALTH 15

With all the attention focused on healthcare reform and thecost of medications, you may have been hearing the term

specialty medications or specialty pharmaceuticals. So whatis a specialty medication or a specialty pharmacy?

A specialty medication is different from aneveryday medication. Specialty medicationstreat complex health conditions affectingpeople with diseases like multiple sclerosis,cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and hemophilia.Specialty medications treat health conditionsfor which no treatment was previously avail-able. Their development creates these drugshave very positive benefits such as a longerand higher quality life for patients in thesedisease states.

They can be injected, infused via an intra-venous line or be taken by mouth, and aremanufactured through synthetic processesor extracted from biological sources. Com-plex in nature, specialty medications requirespecial handling, expertise and monitoring.

Because of the success in new therapydevelopment, specialty drugs are now thelargest growing part of the pharmaceuticalindustry. And they are expensive. Cost ofthese special drugs can range from $10,000to $250,000 per patient per year.

Typically, these medications require pharma-cists and nurses who are specially trainedand can provide counseling to patients onhow to take the drug, manage potential side-effects and stay on treatment to get the bestpossible result. This kind of expertise is notnormally found at the local corner pharmacy.

Specialty PharmacyDifferent from your local pharmacy, a specialtypharmacy focuses on handling the complex-ities associated with these injected, infusedor oral medications. A specialty pharmacycan be in your local community, provide themedications and support from a centrallocation and deliver infused medications toyour home and provide or arrange for thenursing support for the infusion.

The pharmacists and nurses are trained toeffectively manage the distribution of thesedrugs to patients, help administer complex careplans, provide disease specific education, sup-port medication adherence and work directlywith the physician to ensure that the patientreceives the right care. Since these drugs canbe quite expensive, specialty pharmacieswork with pharmaceutical drug assistanceprograms and community-based assistanceprogram to help individuals pay for the drug.

Healthcare payers utilize specialty pharmaciesto assure specialized drugs are administeredproperly while ensuring that patients adhereto their prescribed regimens to achieve anoverall cost saving.

As people live longer and new complex life-saving drugs are developed, specialty phar-macies will play an increasing role in helpingpeople with complex health conditions livelonger and enjoy a higher quality of life.

WHEN ALLERGIES ATTACKHOUSEKEEPING 101

It is heartbreaking to see your children suffer with allergies or asthma.It is worse if those symptoms show up in your home, and you could bedoing something about it. Though medications and changes in lifestyleare the keys to helping your kids lead a relatively normal life, here are a

few simple housekeeping tips worth remembering.

Drive Out DustKeep the house as dust-free as possible.Vacuuming with a first-rate filter-equippedvacuum cleaner can reduce dust in theair. When dusting don’t use an instru-ment which throws dust right back intothe air, such as a feather duster. Adamp, lint-free rag or a similar productuses static to trap the particles.

Drapes And FurnitureMore on the dust front. Drapes and fur-niture are infamous for dust collecting,so make sure drapes are professionallycleaned annually. Use your vacuumattachment to suck the dust out offurniture surfaces. If a child’s symptomsare severe, non-upholstered furnitureis best. Or, cover existing furniturewith plastic or textile covers that caneasily be removed and washed on aregular basis.

Beware The BeddingComforters, pillows, sheets, and mattressare all sources of dust and dust mites.Seal pillows and mattresses with mite-resistant, hypoallergenic covers. Washsheets and comforters regularly. Fabric

softeners? No. They can attract deadskin cells and dust, a big problem foryour little sufferers.

Carpet CautionCarpets hold and hide lots of foreignmatter that can be kicked up into theair simply by walking on it. Vacuumingregularly will help, but it is a good ideaonce in a while to have the carpet pro-fessionally cleaned.

Air PurifiersInstall a central or in-room air purifier.These do a good job of circulating theair in the home or area, and passing itthrough a filter which removes parti-cles. As the particles are trapped, cleanair shoots back out through the ductsinto the home.

Humidifiers HelpSimilarly, humidifier products reduceshumidity in the home to comfortablelevels for breathing while reducing themoisture in the air. This stops moldand mildew.

SMARTHEALTH 17

WATCH A VIDEO ABOUTALLERGY-PROOFING YOUR HOUSE

Upgrade Your LifeUpgrade Your LifeWith Smart Circle Cards

Live better. Live smart.

Let’s face it. Most of us, even if we haven’t lost a job or seen our retirement savings shrink, have taken a hard look at how we spend our money. That is smart thinking.

Many people have cut back on things they really enjoy likevacations, recreation, entertainment, and dining out. Golfers play fewer rounds, massage enthusiasts don’t spend quite as much time at the spa, fans are catching fewer games. That smarts!

You can still enjoy vacationing at a resort, playing golf at great courses, spending a day at the spa, dining out, and other activities you love without busting your new budget. How?

By spending smarter with Smart Circle Cards.

Visit us at www.smartcirclecards.netor call us at 1-800-775-1975 to see how you can get four rounds of golf for the price of one, three spa services for less than the price of a massage, 50% off dining, and more.