Health tips

Health care providers don�t anticipate the reimbursement rates they get from insurance companies or the federal government to take a giant leap any time soon. So they�re looking to collect every dollar they�re entitled to under current contracts. And Bob Stevens, CEO of Crescent Springs-based Bottom Line Systems, is helping them. His company looks for cases where providers have been underpaid. Bottom Line Systems collected more than $70 million in additional reimbursement for clients over the last year. The 14-year-old company has 200 employees and serves clients, including hospitals, physician practices and infusion companies, in 20 states. It�s recently been growing revenue by 10 percent to 20 percent per year. Stevens, who also is a partner in the Crestview Hills-based law firm Dressman Benzinger LaVelle, offers several tips for providers seeking to maximize their revenue in the new year: � Review contracts carefully. Nearly every dollar that passes through a hospital is covered by ...

New Year's resolutions have become as synonymous with failure as with self-improvement. According to a survey conducted by LIVESTRONG.COM, 76 percent of people who made a 'weight loss' resolution say they have not been successful at keeping the weight off. Resolutions revolving around getting fit can seem daunting without the proper guidance for seeing them through. LIVESTRONG.COM has a list of five small changes to help accomplish fitness and nutritional goals for the New Year. 1. Clear Out That Kitchen Toss high-calorie, high-fat foods and abstain from buying similar products. The purge will spur an instant sense of accomplishment and make it easier to maintain a healthy plan. You should dispose of all tempting foods, including sugary cereals, cake and cookie mixes, candy, ice cream and fried items. 2. Plan Your Meals Use cookbooks or online resources focused on healthy recipes to map out days and weeks of nutritious food. Selecting healthy options that taste good and ar...

�Which over-the-counter cough and cold medicine will work best for my child?� That�s a question I�m asked frequently in my practice. The answer, quite frankly, is none. There has never been good evidence that cough and cold medications work. Moreover, for children under 2, there is the added concern that we don�t have reliable information about safe and proper dosages. Two years ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about giving over-the-counter cough and cold medicine to children under 2 years old, following reports of �serious and potentially life-threatening side effects� in babies and toddlers. The warning came after a year of review prompted by reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that linked three infant deaths and hundreds of emergency-room visits to reactions from cough and cold products. Risk of adverse and potentially dangerous reactions, including convulsions, increased heart rates and altered consciousness, are particularly h...

Having a baby alters a woman's life in many ways, especially during the pregnancy. You are not only responsible for your own health, but the health of your unborn child. Proper healthcare, nutrition, exercise, and amount of rest are essential to a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. What you should be doing during your pregnancy is equally important as what you should not be doing. Prenatal Care The first step to a healthy pregnancy is to get regular prenatal care. You should schedule an appointment with your health care provider as soon as you think you might be pregnant. Your doctor will most likely do a pregnancy test to confirm your pregnancy. Next is making the calculation of how far along your pregnancy is based on a physical exam and the date of your last menstrual cycle. Often an ultrasound will be performed to better approximate your due date. Your doctor will want to see you every 4 weeks until the 28th week of pregnancy, then every 2 weeks until 36 weeks, finall...

Christmas is definitely in the cold December air, but water isn't, and this may cause problems for our skin. The holiday season here in the country may not be characterized by freezing temperatures, but the cold, less humid weather is sucking moisture from our skin, causing it to be cracked and dry. Dermatologist Diane Chan, fellow of the Philippine Association of Primary Skin Care Health Physicians Inc., noted that common skin problems in the Philippines during the 'ber months include ashy legs, chapped lips, and cracked hands and feet, which, if not treated, may lead to complications. "When the skin gets dry, it gets itchy, then we scratch it. That's when irritation happens. It's itch-scratch-itch-rash. Then the skin thickens," Chan said in an interview at Mornings@ANC . She added, "It's really more on less humidity, not cold temperature. There's a shortage of water in the air, so the air is dry." Chan gave these 8 tips to make your skin...

Losing weight is at the top of many a New Year�s resolution list. In addition to maintaining a healthy diet and getting enough exercise, what else can one do to make sure those good intentions have a lasting impact throughout the year? Below are research-based tips from investigators at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center that may help jump start one�s weight loss progress in the coming year. 1. Keep moving each day. We all know that exercise is crucial to losing weight, but sometimes it�s easier said than done. The task need not be daunting; all it takes to see a weight-loss benefit is 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic activity daily. �You don�t need to be athletic. Just brisk walking or dancing to your favorite music or using an aerobic exercise machine like a stationary bike or treadmill is all you need to do � just try to do it each day,� said Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Hutchinson Center�s Prevention Center. The exercise doesn�t have to be all at once. �You can break...

The No. 1 symptom of lung cancer is a persistent cough. If you have one, tell your doctor. Smoking accounts for 80 to 90 percent of lung cancers. HEARTBURN FACTS It is estimated that 20 percent to 40 percent of the U.S. population suffers from Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) commonly known as heartburn. Besides the pain, there is a cancer risk associated with chronic reflux. In fact, esophageal cancer has risen 600 percent since 1975! GERD is a significant disease with malignant (cancer causing) potential and often causes severe lifelong symptoms. Take it seriously, get the appropriate evaluation! For more information, call Christy at the SACMC Heartburn Center at 947-6888. CALCIUM TIP Add more calcium to your diet. Nutrition experts recommend 1,000 milligrams each day for premenopausal women and 1,200 milligrams a day for postmenopausal women. The best sources of calcium include milk and dairy products (nonfat or low-fat), so work plenty of milk, yogurt, and cheese into your di...

Illinois public health experts are offering tips to help avoid food poisoning over the holiday season. The Illinois Department of Public Health says federal estimates show foodborne diseases cause about 76 million illnesses a year and in Illinois the figure is as many as 250,000 illnesses a year. Public health experts encourage cooks to keep everything in the kitchen clean, wash their hands often and keep hot food hot and cold food cold. Meats and poultry should be thoroughly cooked. Hot food should be served at 140 degrees and cold foods at or below 40 degrees. Experts say party guests should be cautious when eating raw oysters, egg drinks and other bacteria-prone foods. Food poisoning symptoms can appear between 30 minutes to two weeks after eating contaminated food.  Source  http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-holidayfoodsafety,0,3917511.story

From CDC.gov Give the gift of health and safety to yourself and others by following these holiday tips. You can sing along in The 12 Ways to Health Holiday Song , listen in a holiday health podcast , and send the song to your friends and family in a holiday health-e-card ! Wash hands often to keep yourself from spreading germs and getting sick. Bundle up to stay dry and warm. Manage stress. Don't over-commit yourself and prevent holiday anxiety and pressure.  Don't drink and drive or let others drink and drive. Be smoke-free. Avoid smoking and second-hand smoke. Fasten seat belts while driving or riding in a motor vehicle. Always buckle your child in the car using a child safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt according to his/her height, weight, and age. Get exams and screenings. Ask what exams you need and when to get them. Get your vaccinations, which help prevent diseases and save lives. Monitor the children. Keep potentially dangerous toys, food, drinks, household items,...

December is here, and the holidays are in full swing. During this busy time of year, nutrition and fitness routines often are the first things to go. Avoid the dreaded weight gain and stay happy, healthy and fit with tips from LiveStrong.com . Become a healthy grazer. Severely restricting calories or skipping meals can dampen your mood, increase your appetite and ultimately lead to weight gain. Eating smaller, balanced meals and snacks at regular intervals throughout the day can enhance your blood sugar and energy level while preventing excessive hunger. Manage your stress. If your food cravings increase along with your stress load, seek alternate means of comfort and relief. This might mean going for a walk, practicing yoga, having coffee with a friend, getting weekly massages or taking a warm bubble bath. Stay active. If you find treadmills and sweaty gyms unappealing, fear not. You can make fitness fun by finding daily activities that engage your body, mind and sou...

It's Christmas time again and meeting up with family on the Holidays means you will be eating and drinking more and the extra pounds can creep up if you're not mindful. Every time you consume an extra 3500 calories without exercise you gain one pound of FAT!! More than 10 extra pounds of FAT on your body frame can be detrimental to your health so this holiday season I have some tips that you can use when you get busy and get a head start on the New Year rush. 1. Get up early or stay up late - 20 minutes of structured physical activity is required for optimal heart health and getting up early or staying up late after everybody has gone to bed will give you plenty of time to do what you need to do. My favorite short workout is 25 push ups, 25 crunches and 25 squats three times apiece. 2. Join your kids - spend that 20 minutes with your kids doing �kid stuff�. Normal kids heart rates are about 110-150bpm and they never want to sit still. Get down and dirty with them, play o...

It's getting closer to that time of year when hearts beat rapidly, sweat pours profusely and brains study intently. Finals Week can mean seven days of high stress for students. The Counseling Center provides stress relief for those who need a little extra help managing the fiasco. "School becomes much more of a priority for students to hammer out and get the grade they want," said Dr. Shana Markle, a therapist at the Counseling Center. "It is important for them to know themselves and not overbook themselves, knowing how to delegate their tasks, when to say yes, when to say no." For students who want to manage stress on their own, Markle suggests relaxation exercises. "Learning how to breathe. Breathing is very important to calm yourself and slow your body," she said. Another stress reliever is progressive muscle relaxation � intentionally tensing muscle groups and releasing them in a systematic way. Markle also suggests guided imagery, where someone in...

1. Reduce Stress, Laugh More and Think Positive Start with at least 30 minutes a day, then gradually build your positive thinking time. Evade difficult people and try not to be difficult yourself. Get a massage, a manicure, facial or a haircut. Meditate or listen to soothing music. 2. Avoid Pollution Keep plants in your home and office. If you can't live in a pollution-free environment, take regular trips to the countryside. Avoid smoke-filled rooms and high traffic areas. Schedule outdoors activities for low smog periods. 3. Smile Wide Brush and floss after each meal to maintain good oral and dental hygiene. Be confident with your smile when talking. 4. Make Something Boost your creative energy. Cook with new recipes, paint, write, recycle something, or put a photo album together. Planting seeds is rewarding - just don't forget to water them! 5. Drink Smoothies Veggie and fruit smoothies have great health benefits, and they taste good, too. They're packed with an...

According to the National Mental Health Association, the holidays and post-holidays may be a time of depression for some individuals. The reasons for this increased unhappiness can stem from limited financial resources and family tensions to fatigue and unrealistic expectations.  Women may be particularly vulnerable to sadness this season. A survey by the National Women�s Health Resource Center found that two-thirds of women report depression during the holidays. Article continues beneath advertisement �The pressure of creating the perfect holiday can leave many people feeling drained and anxious,� reports William Annitto, MD, Psychiatrist with the Behavioral Health Network at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center (NBIMC). �Women have been found to have rates of serious depression that are twice those of men, and the holidays may exacerbate the stress of those prone to depression. Lack of sleep, overspending, and overloaded schedules can all contribute to stress and depressed mood.� S...