How to Cut the Cost of Your Healthcare

With the cost of health care rising four times over the rate of inflation and more and more employers placing the burden for health care on their employees and retires, American's are finding it harder to maintain coverage. By investing a little of your time you can cut the cost of your healthcare.

Shop Around Once a year investigate the different health insurance providers and what they offer, see if you can get a better deal.

Read Take the time to read your policy handbook from cover to cover know exactly what it covers before you need to use it, so you are not hit with any surprises when you lease need it. If there is anything you do not understand ask your health insurance provider to explain it. Be prepared.

FREE Take advantage of yearly check ups, most health insurance policies include these in your coverage. If your health insurance does not then take advantage of free healthcare screenings offered in your local community and area. Check around and see what is out there. Also you take advantage of free flu shots.

Prescriptions Drugs When your Doctor hands you a prescription ask them for the generic form of the same drug. Call around to the drug stores in your area ask how much it will cost for the prescription. Not all drug stores are the same on price. If your healthcare plan does not cover prescription drugs and you cannot afford the medication and you fall in to the low income or senior category there may be a solution. Many drug comes will provide patients the medication free but you need your doctor to recommend you for the program. Ask your doctor about it. Also ask them for any samples of the medication.

Medical Equipment If you need medical equipment and your health plan does not cover it or the cost goes to the lifetime limit your provider will pay, you can rent or borrow them instead of buying them. A lot of people store wheelchairs, crutches and other such equipment in their basement or garages after they no longer need them. Ask family members and friends if they have any you may borrow. If you can not borrow or rent the equipment then buy it used.

Prevention A sure way to help prevent colds, flu and infection is by washing you hands often during the day especially before you eat or drink. Do not rub or touch your eyes, mouth or nose when you are out or around anyone who is ill before washing your hands. Another way to prevent getting sick is to take supplements, more and more evidence is pointing to the lack of nutrients or minerals as the cause of diseases and illness besides genetics.

Eating to stay healthy Cut back on your daily intake of sugar, red meat and caffeine. By cutting down on these three categories especially sugar and red meat will go a long way in helping you to stay health. And fight off heart disease, diabetes, inflammation, clogged arteries, obesity. Stop and think before reaching for the junk food. Remember you are what you eat.

Excise Exercise is another important part of staying health. Exercising three to four times a week for 20-30 minutes a week will improve your health and help in the prevention of illnesses.

Freelance Writer who's work has appeared in online and offline newsletters and websites.

How Much Does Acupuncture Cost?
Pfizer Stop Smoking Pill
Tips For Giving Up Smoking
Funny Reasons To Quit Smoking
Hazards Of Smoking Weed
Non Smoking Signs
Pharmaceutical Injection To Quit Smoking
Natural Quit Smoking
Quit Smoking Benefit
Is Smoking Weed Bad For You

Resolve To Stop Smoking

It is important that smokers genuinely 'resolve to stop smoking' when they 'decide' to stop. Resolving to stop smoking properly makes a significant difference in your chances of success. By making a 'proper' decision, you increase your chances of success in overcoming the evil weed several fold.

So what do I mean by 'making a proper decision'? Well, most smokers when they decide to stop smoking don't really resolve to stop smoking; they merely decide to hope to be able to stop smoking. There are many reasons for this but the most significant one I think is the emotional attachment to smoking.

Smokers think that they enjoy smoking despite the fact that to smoke, one must inhale hot toxic gas and particulates in order to enjoy it. Because smokers are so attached to smoking as an enjoyable pass time, it is difficult to resolve to stop smoking without seeing stopping smoking as a test of will or abstinence, resulting in anxiety about stopping.

This anxiety manifests itself in the smokers mind by making them nervous at the thought of spending the rest of their lives without their beloved cigarettes. After all, the average smoker hasn't enjoyed a cup of coffee, meal or alcoholic drink in the last few years without a trusty cigarette within arms reach.

If you decide to stop smoking you must resolve to stop smoking and not merely decide to 'give it another go'. And it probably will be another go - research suggests that most smokers take 7 attempts over several years to kick the habit!

So how can you go about resolving to stop smoking? Well, firstly you must accept the rest of your life must be without cigarettes. This is an horrific proposition for most smokers because they enjoy smoking so much. But consider these facts;

Fact #1: We were all born as non-smokers. It was only after starting smoking that we became smokers and we didn't even chose to do that, we only chose to give smoking a try. (That is another story I cover in my book!)

Fact #2: 25% of the population of the United States have never smoked a cigarette and they seem to get on with life okay. These people have resolved never to smoke and they don't miss it one iota!

Fact #3: 25% of the population have tried smoking and just couldn't get into it - they don't smoke and they seem to manage just fine too.

Fact #4: 25% of the population used to smoke at one time or another for varying periods of time but they have now stopped. They don't smoke and seem to get on with life fine too.

Finally, there is the 25% of people who currently smoke and who have not managed to resolve to stop smoking. Researching how to stop smoking is a good start and the first step on a journey to a smoke free life so by reading this article you are already headed in the right direction!

At least 75% of the population can and do live happily without cigarettes. What makes you so special? Go on, don't just decide to try and quit, resolve to stop smoking.

To finish, here is a quote from Marlene von Savant: "Being defeated is a temporary condition. Giving up makes it permanent." As ever, never stop trying to quit smoking.

Why do people try to quit smoking before they know how to quit smoking? Pete Howells is the author of the EasyQuit System available only online at http://easyquitsystem.com He also blogs, post articles and videos at http://easyquitsystem.com/blog and at http://quit-smoking-motivator.blogspot.com

Stop Smoking Acupuncture
Is Smoking Weed Healthy
Easy Way To Stop Smoking By Allen Carr
Quit Smoking Chart
Quit Smoking Cds
Stop Smoking Brighton
Quit Smoking Acupuncture
Stop Smoking Birmingham
Smoking Cessation Uk
Preventing Teen Smoking