Time and again the stories are told. People who payed good money for a medical insurance policy, who are denied complete treatment when they finally are injured or become ill. Whats the deal? How could they have not known that there was some clause in their contract that precluded them in their desperate time of need?

Its All About Profits My Friend

Its actually quite simple. The terms and particulars in medical insurance contracts and agreements were all written by medical professionals and lawyers. The idea of the insurance business is to receive money, not pay it out. Its just business.

Your No Fool!

So when medical insurance carriers are crafting their contracts they are doing so with an eye toward generating profits and profits aren’t boosted by paying out on huge medical bills. OK. So you are going to read the contract carefully to make sure that they don’t bamboozle you like they do everyone else.

Amputate What?! - But I Need that to Go to the Bathroom!!

What the heck do you know about medical conditions treatments and technology?!!! It’s tough enough trying to decipher the double-speak in a car finance contract, let alone a contract that covers medical treatments!

Hey! Whats that Word Mean?

This is what is at the core of most peoples issues that the have with their medical insurance carriers when there is a dispute. The contract may have as well been written in Chinese and it wouldn’t have made any difference.

Now Your Getting Smarter

However the Internet is offering some assistance in the way of online medical insurance information websites. These websites are able to explain the particulars of medical insurance contracts in layman’s terms, which is what is really needed to fully understand them. Once you are able to better navigate a medical insurance contract your odds of getting screwed can be greatly diminished.

Are you thinking seriously about sexual health? The last thing we want to admit is that we’re not doing everything we could or should to protect ourselves from sexually transmitted diseases, sexual dysfunction or unwanted pregnancy. “I didn’t know” is never an excuse, so whether you’re 15 or 45, it’s time to give yourself a serious once-over and be sure you’re taking the right steps to live a healthy lifestyle.

Recent studies suggest that trust is a large factor in the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, and it’s not just teenagers who put too much blind faith in their partners. Adults need to take their sexual health more seriously, health experts say.

New research suggests that the number of sexually transmitted diseases has doubled in less than ten years for people over 45 years old. Approximately 45% of older adults with an STD suffered from genital warts specifically, and 1 in 5 had herpes.

Older adults are less likely to use condoms, which explains the 127% increase in incidences. Teenagers most commonly contract things like genital warts, HPV, chlamydia and gonorrhea. Some say the increased access to birth control and the ease of treatment for many STDs has led to a rise in teens having sex, while other health experts argue that our society has changed and teens will live dangerously regardless. At any rate, sexual health is contingent upon education; not just from a class at school, but from at home. Parents should heed their own advice as well.

Male and female sexual health plays a role in pregnancy. Reproductive health problems go beyond the ability to have a healthy, happy baby, and get right down to brass tacks and the sense of personal fulfillment in a relationship. Differing expectations or inability to perform can cause a partner to stray; thus, leading to divorce, or may create depression from continual disappointment.

There are many factors that influence reproductive health, such as age, lifestyle, genetics, habits, medication and environment. The good news is that many of the sexual problems adults face can be corrected.

As we age, sexual health becomes more and more important. For women, not only does the risk for cervical and breast cancer increase, but women also undergo “the change of life” with menopause in their fifties to sixties. For men, the risk of erectile dysfunction, testicular or prostate cancer and irritable bowel syndrome can increase.

“If I could highlight one significant change from over the past five years, it would be the greater willingness of midlife and older adults to discuss sex as a health issue with their health professionals,” said Linda Fisher, research director at AARP. A survey done by AARP reported that more people consult their health care professional about sexual health topics, more than twice as many men use performance enhancing drugs and more people feel that both sexual and overall health is a critical part of a good relationship.

Health insurance is on the minds of many Americans these days. Some are worried about losing their insurance benefits due to unemployment, some are concerned about how they will pay their health insurance premiums with the cost of everything rising and a third group is worried and asking the question Am I paying too much for my health insurance?.

Whatever boat you are in, there are some things that you need to be aware of when it comes to insuring yourself and your family. There are different options for you depending on your circumstances, so it is a good idea to know the options that you have available to you. Here are just a few of the possibilities for finding reasonable insurance for you and your family.

Health insurance funded or subsidized by the government - The government has many different programs which offer help to children, the elderly and low income families. Medicaid and Medicare are two plans which everyone has heard about, but not all can qualify for these. Most states offer programs for free or on a sliding scale for those who are in need of coverage.

Insurance through organizations or employers - Different groups like AARP offer health care coverage to their members. Another option is to form your own group for a group insurance policy. Some states allow you to form a group with as few as two members. In the past, the head of the household was responsible for having coverage for all family members, but in some instances it is more cost effective for certain family members to get their health coverage from their employer.

The most important thing to know when searching for health insurance is to study all the options and ask plenty of questions. There are some affordable plans available, but you will likely have to think creatively in order to find the right one for you and your family.

The specialists at GoHealthInsurance.com can provide you with multiple health insurance quotes in just minutes from leading carriers such as Aetna, Unicare, Blue Cross and dozens of others. If you are looking for Pennsylvania health insurance, let them assist you in this challenging and confusing chore.

The Living Will Process – Through the Eyes of a Nurse

Audrey Friedman RN, OCN, CLNC

No one ever thinks that they will be unprepared for an emergency… we all have very important things to do, like get the kids ready for school, grocery shopping, work in the garden, or watch the movie on television that we’ve been waiting to see all weekend.

You may have even thought about putting an Advanced Directive together, or discussed it with your spouse or your doctor. Maybe you don’t know how to get started, or how to get the proper forms. Maybe you want to talk about it, but your spouse or family doesn’t. Those papers keep getting farther and farther away from being completed.

A 56 year old man is having trouble breathing after a heart attack. He lays in bed, with an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth, to help him breath better. He is so weak; he can only moan words but not move his body. His granddaughter and the nurse sit on the bed next to him to get close to him and hold him. He keeps saying over and over again, “I’m falling, I’m falling…” They know he is safe in bed, and they know what he is really saying… he is dying. His wife is having difficulty seeing her husband in this condition. He has been sick with heart problems for a long time. She cannot bring herself to even come in the room to see him, touch him, or whisper to him that she loves him. She pushes away conversations from the nurses and doctors about hospice care, or whether or not to resuscitate him if his heart stops beating. The patient never had a chance to talk to her about his wishes. He never had the chance to tell her he didn’t want chest compressions, or that he only wanted to be pain free, and not have any more treatment, even if that meant he would die a little sooner.

During the night, the patient stops breathing, and the doctors put him on a ventilator to breathe for him. He is transferred to the intensive care unit, and by the morning he is covered in wires and tubes. He doesn’t look like himself anymore. His color is pale, his face is swollen. His wife can’t reach over him to kiss him because there are tubes in his mouth. His hands are cold when she touches him. The nurse explains that his hands are cold because medicine that he is receiving is keeping all his circulation going to his heart, to keep it beating, instead of his arms and legs. His wife asks for a warm blanket to cover him. She looks at him, and tries to see the man she knows under all those wire and tubes. Over the next few days, nothing gets better. He still feels cold to her hands. He is still on the ventilator, with intravenous medications keeping his heart going. Her family is with her, at his bedside, and the nurses keep talking to her, but she can’t hear what they are saying. She is trying to look past the swollen face, the red and swollen eyes that are closed and won’t talk to her.

When the doctor comes to talk with her today, he tells her that her husband is not improving. He says that his heart will not recover and that he will not wake up. He sits with her and talks over options of treatment or to allow him to die naturally. This time she listens, and understands what the doctors and nurses are telling her.

When it comes to making decisions about your life,

Who should be in charge?

Mrs. Brown was only forty-nine years old. This was her seventh treatment for cancer. She knew that her cancer wasn’t curable. That meant that she would have to keep having some kind of treatment forever. It meant coming to the doctor’s office every week. Having her blood drawn and spending hours every week in the clinic getting some kind of treatment. Whether it was chemotherapy, or medicine and intravenous fluids because she was nauseated and didn’t want to eat. She used to love to cook, even if it was only for a few people. She could whip up special dishes in the blink of an eye, and without a recipe. Now she couldn’t even stand the smells in the kitchen. She decided to have a talk with her husband about a Living Will form that she saw in the clinic yesterday. They had never talked about it before. They had always assumed that she would get all the treatment they could offer her, because she had been determined to fight the cancer with all her strength. Now it wasn’t working. And, the doctor told them yesterday that she could try other treatments if she wanted to, but that it was becoming clear that the cancer was not curable. He sent them home to think about it and return next week with their decision.

Mrs. Brown sat with her husband in the living room after dinner that night, and showed her husband the Five Wishes, Living Will. They looked through the sections and talked and cried together while they listened to each other say how scared they were about her dying. Mrs. Brown talked with her husband through each of the issues discussed in the Five Wishes. When they were finished, she sighed with relief. She looked at the document and what she had written about being on life-saving machines, having pain medication, whether she wanted to die at home, or in the hospital, and ideas she had been thinking about for her funeral. Now, it was all down on paper. Her husband knew exactly what she wanted. She had even put special requests on the document about wanting to start hospice so she could always be at home, and ideas about her funeral. Her husband understood and agreed with her wishes. The next week at their visit with her doctor they brought in a copy of the Five Wishes document and discussed it with him. His staff helped them arrange home hospice and made sure that her medical wishes were followed. Mrs. Brown died peacefully, at home, in the place she loved the most, with the people she loved around her.

What Is The Process?

You decide to determine, in writing, what medical treatment you want, and what treatment you want to refuse.

If you are taking high doses of pain medication, are on a ventilator or have severe psychiatric conditions that may affect your ability to make decision, your doctor may recommend that another physician or psychiatrist talk with you to make sure you understand your options, decisions and consequences of these decisions.

You will review with your physician or your healthcare agent, your diagnosis, your options, and your decisions, and document your choices on a CPR Directive, and/or Living Will.

You can assign a person as your healthcare agent to make medical decisions for you if you are not able to make them yourself. .

Make copies of all the documents, and keep them in a convenient place that is accessible to people who take care of you. Keep the original copy in a safe place, such as a safety deposit box, or file at home. Bring a new copy with you to the hospital, or medical center, each time you are admitted. They are added to the medical record, and may not be retrievable quickly enough, in an emergency. You may not get these copies back, since they become part of the hospital medical record. Keep a copy convenient in your home, and a BIG note in a place that emergency personnel would see, if needed.

What Will We Talk About?

You should talk with your physician and your healthcare agent about your attitudes, beliefs, religious beliefs, preferences, values and ethical ideas about your medical care, pain management goals, end of life issues, treatment decisions, your treatment environment, financial and funeral issues. This is valuable information for you to think about, and share with the person who will be making your healthcare decisions, as you create your advanced directives.

Review which of the advanced directive documents you need, or desire to prepare in advance. Complete the documents and have them signed by two witnesses (that are not involved in your care.)

Do not assume that people will know your wishes. Discuss your plan and as much of your value statements as you desire, with your family, so they understand your health goals and plan.

Do not make your decisions based on what you have viewed on television medical programs. The facts about resuscitation on TV entertainment programs are not real. In research about terminal or emergency situations seen on television, 67% of cardiac or respiratory arrests that were given CPR and resuscitated, completely recovered, and were able to go home. In reality, according to medical research, only 2-15% of cardiac arrests and resuscitations survive to be able to go home.

When Do I Need a Medical Power of Attorney?

Think carefully about whom you want to be making medical decisions for you. Family members love you, and may have difficulty understanding the medical outcomes or keeping to your wishes if they are fearful, distraught and grieving.

Your Medical Power of Attorney would make your medical decisions for you if you were unable to make these decisions yourself. Situations where this would occur could include: being unconscious, in a coma, or if pain medication or other medication was affecting your thinking and decision making (and this was documented by a physician or psychiatrist).

A Medical Power of Attorney cannot override you as long as you are medically competent.

Be assured that you have total control over this plan, and can revoke it at anytime. This can be done by destroying the document or writing your changes on paper. Remember to notify your physician and your healthcare agent about your changes.

When Does the Living Will/CPR Directive/DNR Order Take Effect?

Once a terminal illness is acknowledged and documented in your medical record by your physician, and the appropriate advanced directive forms are completed, and signed by witnesses.

Remember, that if your physician, healthcare provider, emergency room medical team, 911 emergency or safety personnel, homecare providers, or family and friends do not know these documents exist, they are obligated by law, to perform CPR if they are physically able to do this.

In the hospital a DNR order needs to be officially ordered on your chart from a physician. Even if you have a Living Will, it will be acknowledged, but it is not officially recognized as a physician’s order, until the physician writes it in your medical chart.

Be aware that if you arrive at an emergency room with a medically unrelated problem, than what is written in your advanced directive, the medical team will still provide you with the appropriate medical care.

If you need resuscitation, and your family disagrees with your advanced directives, they may instruct your physician to continue resuscitation efforts. Rarely, it does happen that the physician will comply with your family’s wishes.

Open the door… start the communication… use a tool that is comfortable for you, and legal in your state… discuss your wishes and your reasons… make sure you have the paperwork in a place where your family or emergency personnel can find it…

… Before the decision is not yours to make.

Resources and References

“The Five Wishes” by Aging with Dignity. www.agingwthdignity.com

AARP Bulletin: Where To Learn More About Advanced Directives.

www.aarp.org/bulletin/yourhealth/livingwill_enough.html

Annas, George R., “The Rights of Patients”

Consumers Tool Kit for Health Car Advance Planning by the Commission on Law and Aging.

www.abanet.org/aging/toolkit/

Colorado Advanced Directive: Planning for Important Healthcare Decisions.

Caring Connections. www.caringinfo.org

Colby, William H., “Unplugged: Reclaiming Our Right To Die In America”

Diem, MD, MPH, Susan J; Lantos, MD, John D; Tulsky, MD, James A; “Cardiopulmonary

Resuscitation on Television – Miracle and Misinformation. The New England Journal

Of Medicine. June 13, 1996. Vol 334:1578-1582.

Farber MD, Stuart; et al; “Withholding Resuscitation: A New Approach to Prehospital

End-of-Life Decisions”. Letter To The Editor: Annals of Internal Medicine.

Nov 21, 2006. Vol 145, Issue 10. Pg 788.

Fins, Dr. Joseph J., “A Palliative Ethic of Care: Clinical Wisdom at Life’s End”

GoWish Game/Decide What’s Important, Together. www.codaalliance.org

High PhD, Dallas M.; “Why are Elderly People Not Using Advanced Directives?”.

Journal of Aging and Health, 1993. Vol 5, No 4, 497-515.

Hoffman, Jan. “The Last Word on the Last Breath”. The New York Times, Oct 10, 2006.

Jewish Law – Halachic Living Will. www.jlaw.com/forms/

Kaufman, Sharon R., “And A Time To Die: How American Hospitals Shape the End of Life”

Phillips, RN, Wenger, NS, Teno J, Oye, Rk, et al; “Choices of seriously ill patients about

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation: correlates and outcomes. SUPPORT Investigators,

Study to Understand Prognoses and Preferences for Outcomes and Risks of Treatments.”

Am J Med. 1996 Feb; 100(2): 128-137

Sculier JP, Markiewicz E.; “Cardiopulmonary resuscitation in cancer patients: experience of an

Intensive care unit in a cancer center”. Bulletin Cancer, 1996 Aug; 83(8): 677-81.

The Values History. www.hospicefed.org/hospice_pages/values.htm

US Living Will Registry – Healthcare Proxy & Advance Directives.

www.uslivingwillregistry.com

Your Living Will on a Portable Drive – Essential Medical.

www.ess.med.com/mp_andyourlivingwill.php

Varon J, Fromm RE Jr; “In-hospital resuscitation among the elderly: substantial survival to

Hospital discharge”. Am J Emerg Med, 1996 Mar; 14(2): 130-2.

Important Terms to Understand:

Advanced Directives: Describes two legal documents:

Living Will – gives instructions about your wishes about your future medical care.

Medical Power of Attorney – assigns a designated healthcare agent to make medical

decisions for you if you are not able to make these decisions yourself.

CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation): a group of treatments used when a persons’ heart and/or breathing stops. It is used to restart the heartbeat and/or breathing. It is intended for sudden, unexpected heart attacks or severe respiratory distress. It can include chest compressions, breathing for the patient, electric shocks to the heart and medications.

CPR Directive: a Do Not Resuscitate order from a physician written for individuals who are at home and do not want to receive CPR in case of an emergency at home if their heart or breathing stops.

DNR (Do Not resuscitate): a medical order, used in a hospital, rehab center, or nursing home. It is written by a physician, and instructs healthcare providers not to do CPR if your heart or breathing stops. DNR can be considered as, “allowing a natural death”. It is NOT euthanasia.

It may be as simple as:

No CPR, No cardiac compressions, No ventilator.

Or, it may also be very complex, including options of:

No compressions, No cardiac medications, No ventilator

No blood products, No antibiotics, No nutrition

Even if you decide on a DNR order, you will be given appropriate medical treatment

other than CPR.

A patient or family member may be told they have the option to pick one, some, or all of

these options. Patients and/or families often do not understand that to do only one or two

of these options may not work because they do not work alone, but only when done all

together. For example, giving cardiac medications, without cardiac compressions and

oxygen/ventilation, may not be successful in restarting a stopped heartbeat, because the

medications are not being circulated.

Living Will: a type of advanced directive. Also called, “directive to physicians”, “medical directive”. This document describes the kind of care you decided you do or do not want, in the event your healthcare agent has to make these decisions for you. A Living Will only applies if you have a terminal illness.

6/3/2007 Friedman Certified Legal Nurse Consultants * Tel 720-535-9598 * www.FriedmanCLNC.com

Copyright January 2008. All rights reserved. No copy or distribution without consent of author

Health Maintenance Through Positive Thinking

Paper presented in National Seminar on Positive Perspectives of Health and Behaviour, Department of Psychology, M.D. University, Rohtak, February, 1&2, 2008.

 

M. FAIM A. ANSARI (RESEARCH SCHOLAR)       

ASIYA AIJAZ (READER)

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY             

THE ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY                                     

ALIGARH

            



Health:

Psychological resources such as hope, optimism, personal control, sense of meaning, and subjective well-being are known to exercise a protective influence on health. The Greek physician Hippocrates anticipated that positive emotions and health outcomes may be linked through multiple pathways. In the developed and developing countries, health is seen as the most valuable asset for a good quality of life, particularly in later years of life. Good health of the citizen is key facilitator to contribute to society. Smith (1990) said, “In the past, good health meant the absence of disease.” Today the definition of health is high level wellness that goes beyond the absence of disease toward one’s maximum potential which includes mind, body and sprit. High level wellness is the integration of health component, i.e. emotional, physical, social, spiritual and mental.

The common origin of the word health from “hoelth”, an English word meaning safe or sound and whole of body (Dolfman, 1973). There is no one contemporary meaning for the term. A nursing oriented definition of health consistent with the theme that the health is a subjective phenomenon that is operationalizable has been proposed by the Lynn. Lynn, 1990 defined health as a subjective representation of a person’s composite evaluation of somatic sense of self (how one is feeling) and functional ability (how one is doing).As such, health is manifested in the subjective judgment that one is experiencing wellness or illness. These subjective experiences are dynamic and are an outgrowth of person and environment interactions. As long as a person is capable of evaluating how he/she is feeling and doing at some level, the person has health.

The World Health Organization (WHO, 1948) defines health as a “state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Thus, the World Health Organization (WHO) has very clearly indicated that the absence of disease is not enough for health. This, definition emphasizes on positive and negative dimensions of health. Negative health or ill health has a subjective component expressed in the concept of illness and discomforts and an objective component express in concept of disease, injury, handicap or deformity. Positive health has two components: wellbeing and fitness. This state entails an appropriate balance of the physical, mental, social ingredients. Fitness can be considered as the objective physical components, where as, wellbeing can indicate the psychosocial component of positive health.

Lau (1995) found that when young healthy adults were asked to describe in their own words “what being healthy means to you?” their beliefs about health could be understood within the following dimensions:-

Ø     Physiological/Physical- good condition, having energy.

 

Ø     Pathological-happy, energetic, feels good psychologically.

 

Ø     Behavioural-eat and sleep properly.

 

Ø     Future consequence-live longer.

 

Ø     The absence of, e.g., sickness, disease &symptoms.

Kasl and Cobb (1966) states that health behaviour is any activity undertaken by a person believing himself to be healthy for the purpose of preventing disease or detecting it at an asymptomatic stage. Therefore, positive health can be defined as activities that may prevent disease, detect disease and disability at an early stage, promote and enhance health, or protect from risk of injury. Thus, “positive health can be defined as any activity undertaken by individual with a frequency or intensity that increases health or reduces disease”

As, we all know that the good health is a gift of God, but having good health is not sufficient but to maintain it also equally important. For this reason one should also focus on healthy lifestyle and positive thinking.

 

  ADOPT A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

 



Exercise regularly. Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Make time for at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times per week. Nothing beats aerobic exercise for releasing pent-up stress and tension.

Eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what you eat. Start your day right with breakfast, and keep your energy up and your mind clear with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day.

Reduce caffeine and sugar. The temporary “highs” caffeine and sugar provide often end in with a crash in mood and energy. By reducing the amount of coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, and sugar snacks in your diet, you’ll feel more relaxed and you’ll sleep better.

Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs may provide an easy escape from stress, but the relief is only temporary. Don’t avoid or mask the issue at hand; deal with problems head on and with a clear mind.

Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep fuels your mind, as well as your body. Feeling tired will increase your stress because it may cause you to think irrationally.



 

The positive aspect of health is reflected in the Arabian proverb, “A man, who is healthy, has an optimistic view and who has an optimistic view, has everything” (Husain, 2005).

 

POSITIVE THINKING FOR GOOD HEALTH:

Happy people are always focusing on good events and worthy quality of life; they have optimistic view of life. Positive thinking can help people to gain peace of mind, obtain better health and attain an unceasing stream of energy. Positive thinking can have a beneficial effect on people’s health by increasing a person’s intellectual, physical, psychological, and social resources. Positive thinking leads to opportunity, Positive thinking is healthy. By practicing positive thinking one can enhance positive emotions, feeling and positive mental attitude which improve the quality of peoples lives and heal their bodies from illness and stresses.

According to Frederickson (2001) Positive emotions increase people’s physical, cognitive and social resources, which in turn help them cope more effectively with stressful experiences and live healthier.

   According to Nudel and Nudel, positive thinking is an effective way to achieve mastery of bio-energy healing. Maintenance of a positive energy level in a healer’s own bio-energy field reduces stress and emotional tension in the healer and in others positive emotions and feelings and a positive mental attitude can improve the quality of people’s lives and heal their bodies of illnesses and stresses.

 On the other hand, negative emotions and feelings bring poisonous toxins to the organism. Strong negative emotions such as anger, spite, envy, jealousy, and fear make the endocrine system accumulate poisons in the blood. Anxiety, depression, and doubt can also cause poisoning of the blood. Passive and lengthy negative emotions are even more dangerous for health than for active, sudden and momentary negative emotions. Negative emotions shorten the span of life. Treatment of physical symptoms with positive thoughts and statements was popularized in France a century ago, and it still has the power to overcome unwanted states (stress, tension, and unhappiness). Thoughts and feelings make up reality and add color to it. So, unhappiness brings a gray world and reality. To change a gray world and to overcome the feeling of unhappiness, anxiety, or tension, one needs to refocus the mind on positive, healing thoughts. When people predict that something wrong is going to happen to them, it is more likely to happen because negative thoughts will be reflected in their unconscious. Moreover, the person may develop psychosomatic illnesses (about 70% of all illnesses are psychosomatic, or caused by mental stress). Psychosomatic illnesses worsen when given special attention. Instead of paying direct attention to pain or illness, every time a negative thought occurs, say something like, “It will be better than I think.” When a wish of any desired condition is established in the mind, somehow the unconscious mind leads the wish to realization-not magically, but through mental programming. Besides healing illnesses, positive attitudes help one to withstand troubles and problems, make correct decisions, and overcome obstacles. Do not focus on negative events; try to discover a positive perspective. For example, individuals should understand that they need to read more or think more of others in order to find the ways of perfect communications. Because the thoughts of individuals are either positive or negative, they are reflected in their social or asocial behaviors. People should observe and conceive the world around them, as well as their inner worlds, with positive perceptions. Healers should have “a positive mind state” before they begin practicing bio-energy healing. Healers communicate with other people giving them energy. “Negative” energy cannot bring healing; only damage and it is destructive for both a healer and a healee. Healing energy is “a positive energy” sent by “a positive mind.” Your thoughts are in your control, and they can be very powerful.

Positive thoughts can motivate healthy behaviors, such as eating healthy food and being active. It’s simple really. If you believe you can take 10,000 steps a day, you will be more likely to take an extra walk to meet your goal. If you know you can avoid holiday weight gain, you’ll feel great when you pass the tempting dessert buffet, and fit comfortably in your winter clothes. If you set your mind to do something, you can do it. Positive thinking can also help you achieve and maintain healthy behaviors, such as becoming more physically active or limiting your sugar intake.

Peale (1996) has measured the success of positive-thinkers and found that those who think positively they can lose weight, or increase their physical activity, these people are more successful than people with less faith in themselves. The confidence you have in performing a certain behavior is called self-efficacy; and self-efficacy is a key in successful behavior change.

A “can-do” attitude may be just what it takes to jumpstart a healthier lifestyle. Best of all, your attitude is something you can control. You have the choice to have a positive outlook. Chances are when you choose to think positively, you’ll feel better about yourself and be able to perform better in whatever you do.

 HOW TO STAY POSITIVE:

Positive thinkers admit when they feel frustrated or depressed. They don’t ignore it. But they also don’t blame themselves. Instead, they try to understand the negative thoughts and feelings and counter them with more positive ones. So how do you stay positive, maintain momentum and sustain healthy behaviors? Here are few tips given by Peale (1996):-

 Ø     Look for a good role model. There is always someone who seems to be doing just what you want to be doing. Maybe they’ve scheduled exercise into their workday and switched from coffee to herbal tea. Learn from a successful friend, family member or colleague. Ask them how they keep healthy and follow in their footsteps.

 Ø     Try some positive self-talk and avoid negative-talk. Take a minute to give yourself an ego boost. Repeat some motivational words out loud or to yourself. Negative talk, “I can’t do it,” “I’m fat,” is dangerous for your well-being and healthy goals. Try to avoid the negative self-talk before it harms you. Remind yourself that you deserve happiness and can make positive changes.

 Ø     Get support. Tell your friends and family about your healthy habits. It helps to have an encouraging network.

 Ø     Reward yourself. Give yourself a pat on the back for your healthy efforts. Take a nice bath, get a massage, and enjoy a new DVD or CD.

 Ø     Have a plan. Making a plan to exercise or eat healthy lunches with a friend can mean the difference of sticking with your goals or falling off track. If you’ve planned for an activity, you’ll likely stick with it. You may even find that writing down your goals and steps to achieve them can help you stay on track. Take it day by day or week by week. The process of writing down your personal action plan is a good way to keep you honest and watch your progress or pitfalls.

Positive thinking is mental attitude that enters into the mind through words and images that are conducive to growth, expansion and success. It is mental attitude that expects good and favorable results. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every situation and action, whatever the mind expects, it finds.

The power of positive thinking can change and improve your life. Maintaining positive thinking and attitude will drive you to success, healthy life and happiness. Positive thinking is a habit that is right practice. Positive thinking is something you have to do everyday as often as possible and whenever you can. By practicing positive thinking everyday, you create a state of mind where you are constantly positive- it becomes a state of being positive. By doing this at last you will find an amount of positive energy that will create a positive situation for you everyday. Positive emotions and feelings and a positive mental attitude can improve the quality of people’s lives and heal their bodies of illnesses and help to regain health.

One approach to positive thinking given by Martin (1991) is called the three C’s: Commitment, Control and Challenge.

 Commitment: Make a positive commitment to yourself, to learning, work, family, friends, nature, and other worthwhile causes. Praise yourself and others, Always dream of success, Be enthusiastic.

Control: Keep your mind focused on important things. Set goals and priorities for what you think and do. Visualize practicing your actions. Develop a strategy for dealing with problems. Learn to relax. Enjoy successes. Be honest with yourself.

Challenge: Be courageous. Change and improve each day. Do your best and don’t look back. See learning and change as opportunities. Try new things. Consider several options. Meet new people. Ask lots of questions. Keep track of your mental and physical health. Be optimistic.

Martin (1991) has shown that people with these characteristics are winners in good times and survivors in hard times. “……People who begin consciously to modify their inner conversations and assumptions report an almost immediate improvement in their performance. Their energy increases and things seem to go better…”

Commitment, control and challenge help build self-esteem, reduce stress, live healthier and promote positive thinking.

Mental and emotional expectations can influence medical outcomes. The effectiveness of any medical treatment depends in part on how useful you expect it to be. As we know that our feeling of ineffectiveness of recourses lead us to stressful situation, we can overcome this situation by maximizing our efforts and our positive thoughts like “I can do it, even with limited resources” “So what, if I am running short of recourses, I can manage this.” This thinking can only be developed through positive thinking.

Positive affirmations are created through positive thinking to counter negative thoughts. These affirmations neutralize negative thoughts and build your self confidence. Positive affirmations give ways to the opportunities that are always present to some degree in a difficult situation.

Positive thinking help one to withstand troubles and problems, make correct decisions and overcome obstacles, stresses, and remains healthy. People should observe and conceive the world around them, as well as their inner worlds, with positive perceptions.

Spiritual strength promotes positive thinking, positive ideas, positive habits, positive attitudes, and positive efforts. There are qualities that promote wisdom, physical and mental well-being. Positive emotions stimulate the nervous system that protects the heart and reduces blood pressure. A realistic assessment of one’s limitations, the development of autonomy, and an ability to cope effectively with stress enable individuals to boost their positive thinking. The ability to recognize, accept and manage our feelings plays an integral role in our emotional development.

Meaning in life is very important for developing positive thinking. Those who are having meaning in their life are more likely to develop positive thinking. It has been observed that people who have meaning in their lives are keener to reduce stress for healthy life.

To develop positive thinking the person should be open to new ideas, activities and doing new things and new innovations, so that they can be more positive in their thinking.

The positive thinking can be developed by positive self talk, healthy attitudes, following effective fitness programmes (healthy diet), financially sound, hopefulness, new ideas, sense of responsibility etc. we can also develop positive thinking by acquiring new knowledge through stimulating mental activities that allows us to create environment in which useful and productive lives can be enjoyed.

Practicing positive self-talk will improve your outlook. When your state of mind is generally optimistic, you’re able to handle everyday stress in a constructive way. That ability may contribute to the widely observed health benefits of positive thinking. Positive thinking decreased negative stress. As it is very much clear that the people who think positively are more optimistic than the people who don’t.

 CONCLUSION:

It is very much clear from the above discussion that the people who think positively enjoy better and healthy life. Positive thoughts can motivate healthy behaviors, such as eating healthy food and being active. Positive thinking is the process of creating thoughts, that creates and focus energy into reality, to bring into creation a positive outcome, which you see as a benefit to yourself or others. This is a powerful gift that we all have but a lot of people are not aware of it.

Thus, we can say positive events are even sweeter when you see them as evidence of more to come, and see yourself as the master of your own fate.  Therefore, we can say those who habitually practice positive thinking tend to experience more success, which can add up to a less stressful and healthier life. The power of positive thinking can change and improve your life. Maintaining positive thinking and attitude will drive you to success, healthy life and happiness.

REFERENCES:

 

1.      Dolfman, M.L. (1973). The concept of health: A historic and Analytic examination. Journal of School Health, 43 (8), 491-497.

 

2.      Frederickson, B.L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56, 218-226.

 

3.      Husain, A. (2005). Islamic life styles: The right path for the maintenance of health. In R. Singh, A. Yadava and N.R. Sharma (Eds.) Health Psychology (pp. 329-339). New Delhi: Global Vision.

 

4.      Kasl, S. V. &Cobb, S. (1966). Health behaviour, illness behaviour and sick role behaviour I: Health &illness behaviour. Archives of Environmental Health, 12, 246-266.

 

5.      Lau, R.R. (1995). Cognitive representation of health and illness. In D. Gockman (Ed.), Handbook of Health Behaviour Research, Vol.I

 

6.      Lynn, B. (1990). Getting back on Track: Nursing’s autonomous Scope of Practice. In N. Chaska (Ed.), the nursing profession: Turning points (267-274). St. Louis, MO: C.V. Mosby.

 

7.      Martin, D (1991). How to be a Successful Student. http://www.suddenlyseparated.com/sub_menu.php?id=12

 

8.      Nudel, M. &Nudel, E. Positive Thinking for Your Health. http://www.bioenergy-services.com

 

9.      Peale, N.V. (1996). The Power of Positive Thinking. {Books available online at Barnes &Noble.com}, Random House Publications. http://www.aarp.org/health/fitness/get_motivated/positive_thinking.html

 

10.  Smith, S. (1990). Personal Health Choices. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

11.  World Health Organization (1948). World Health Organization Constitution. In Basic documents, Geneva: Author.

 

 

       

What is Long Term Health Care and is Long Term Health Care Insurance Right for You?

Many think that if they require long term health care, the insurance they already have will then pay for it. The truth is, the vast majority of insurance plans do not offer benefits for long term care in the home, or in a care facility. If you’ve got a medical condition, like insulin-dependent diabetes or heart disease, that makes it a lot more likely that you’ll need Long term care, and it may be a good idea to explore means of paying. Care can be expensive, and even though Medicaid will grant benefits, they’re fairly limited. It would be a good idea to explore a LTC insurance policy if you don’t qualify for Medicare or Medicaid. Discuss it with your family members, and determine the best solution for your situation.

If you are thinking about getting long term health care insurance, there are many places to look. You can get in contact with an insurance agent, who will propose particular policies. You could go to insurance agencies in person and request information and receive LTC quotes. A different way is to purchase long term care insurance from your job or a different group, like the AARP. No matter which approach you select, conducting a little research can make certain that you are receiving the coverage you require from a quality insurance company.

Long term care is often stressful. Moving from a home for an assisted-living facility or a nursing home is especially hard. That’s the reason more are in the market for home health care. There are many services now available to help the people that wish to remain living in their homes. For those that only need a bit of assistance, there are grocery and meal delivery as well as chore services available. Individuals that would require more care can find more qualified home nursing, often even 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All of this insures that you will get the health care you need to have in a more relaxed and comfortable setting.

LTC insurance commonly includes some unusual benefits that you might wish to utilize. When your insurance policy offers coverage for health care from an aquaintence or a member of the family, it could also have respite care. That means that if your caregiver should need a break, you’ll receive short term care. Other health insurance plans will let you invest your insurance benefits on modifications and changes to your house so that it is more livable. With the approval of a physician, you can make your home accessible for a wheelchair, or you might want to remodel particular areas in the house so that they are more comfortable. When considering a LTC plan, make sure you know the type of benefits you would be offered.

When purchasing a long term care insurance policy, you’ll want all of the information you can get. An insurance advocacy group might be able to prepare counseling about it. This can be a great way to find out about agencies near you. The web is another good resource. You could check out insurance company websites and get a primary long term care insurance rate or ask for information. A financial advisor or insurance agency could also be of assistance, however not everyone will specialize in LTC insurance. Regardless, doing some research can assure that you’ll be happy with both your insurance policy and your insurance company.

Did you know that dental problems are the ones that affect more number of people in the world than any body else. If you didn’t, then you better be on your toes and make sure you don’t lose your precious teeth. Ever heard about the best dental insurance in town? No, then here’s the answer - AARP. The best of benefits and the greatest of advantages. No bodies knows dental insurance better than AARP because they have been in business for that many years and exactly know what’s best for the patients.

The best part about AARP is you don’t even have to change your dentist! Not many policies allow you to keep them, do they? Nobody likes to change their dentist and there couldn’t be any other bigger benefit than that.

We all know that saving money as well as receiving the best of benefits is our criteria and AARP just helps us do that. What more - AARP covers you for a full two years! In simple words your coverage will never change for these full two years. People have been searching for this and you have already found it. Welcome to AARP…

Having your own dentist, getting the best benefits and good coverage are the vital points in any coverage. AARP has all of this for you. You and your family are so totally protected. The most needed benefits are the ones you will find with AARP. Other insurance companies load their policies with features you don’t use or don’t know but with AARP you get what you want and what you know.

Easy to sigh up and easier to use! Don’t miss this not to miss offer. Just for you from AARP. After all we can’t afford to ignore our good old set of teeth. For dental care is as important as health care.

The AARP used to be the American Association of Retired Persons. The AARP is known for representing and speaking on behalf of aging populations based in the United States.

It is involved in all kinds of activities such as: negotiating reduced rates for prescriptions, housing, tourist attractions, automobile rentals motels and hotels. It is at present involved politically with the Medicare Prescription Drug Program.

The AARP was founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus and hopes to have 70 million members in the next ten years due to the increasing age of the US population.

It is interesting that the AARP is fighting the proposed changes to Social Security.

The AARP has changed its role over the last few decades so as to reflect current living standards and the way in which we now approach age with dignity and purpose.

On its website discounted trips to Hawaii and Alaska are advertised as well as news specifically geared to seniors, such as employment news, legal advice, health and fitness information and other interesting items.

At present some of the hot button items the AARP is working with are: Prescription Drugs.

Prescription Drugs over the last 5 years have increased much more rapidly in costs than the rate of inflation and as such are a heavy burden on Seniors.

The AARP makes available the results of studies of changes in manufacturers’ prescription drug list prices for 200 brand name and 75 generic drugs most widely used by Americans age 50 and over.

Social Security; President Bush seems to think that there will not be enough money in the future to pay for Social Security benefits for Seniors at today’s level.

His private accounts plan would allow workers to invest up to one third of their payroll contributions in the Stoc Market.

Based on Stock Market results for the time President Bush has been in office this would have resulted in a loss for the average Senior taking inflation into account.

And the indexing plan that Bush embraced at his April 28 press conference would preserve the present defined-benefit approach only for low-wage workers—those currently earning less than about $20,000.

For everyone else, 70 percent of workers, the system would be flipped upside down—so that the more you earn and pay in, the more your benefits are cut.

Consumer alerts; Last year Americans spent more than $20 billion on anti-aging products of which a sizeable amount was for so called “snake oil” products such as “human growth hormone ” pills which sold for $80 per bottle per month and promised to cure anything that ails you. The US Food and Drug Administration does’nt regulate over-the-counter products so it is buyer beware.