Tag: ushealthcare

Stay HealthEE all spring long

Healthy habits are important to maintain all year long but if you’re anything like me, I tend to get a little lackadaisical in the winter months and could use a refresher come spring. If you’re looking to revamp your routine for the warmer weather look no further, we have CDC recommended tips and tricks to get you healthy and ready for the summer.

The CDC recommends you get 150 minutes of moderate intensity leveled activity every week. While 150 may sound like a lot this can work out to 30 minutes a day 5 days a week. Walking can be a great way to get your physical activity in while also going about your everyday routine. Alternatively physical activity can also be a nice break from the norm and an opportunity to try something new. You can join a local gym or take a virtual work out class on demand from the comfort of your backyard through Wellbeats. Sources such as the American College of Sports Medicine advocate that adults engage in resistance training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two days per week. Working out three times per week allows for a more balanced and consistent exercise routine, with adequate rest and recovery time between workouts. 

While you are getting your body moving don’t forget to hydrate! Rethink any sugary sports drinks and sodas instead opt for classic H20 or for a little extra elect a electrolyte infused water. Electrolytes help replace the minerals you naturally lose when sweating as well as improve brain, muscle and heart functions. As spring is a time of rebirth and regrowth, what better time to try new fruits and veggies? 

Of course you need sleep all year long but with longer days and the sun rising earlier now is the time to get your sleep schedule in order to take full advantage of warmer weather and Vitamin D (don’t forget sunblock).

Sources 

https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/infographic/healthy-spring.htmhttps://www.businessinsider.com/we-asked-an-exercise-scientist-how-many-days-a-week-you-need-to-work-out-to-actually-make-a-difference-2015-6

Industry leaders are catching our drift, do you?

Benefits are not one size fits all. Instead, benefits are a purchase to be considered, researched, and compared. We are not alone in these beliefs; a recent article on employer benefit news interviewed the CEO and founder of advising firm Next Impact, Lester Morales, regarding his views on employee healthcare. He spoke of his experience with his father having multiple myeloma cancer. Despite his father having employer-sponsored health insurance, the cost of the treatments forced him into bankruptcy. His experience has led him to believe employers should look beyond the traditional to find more employee options.
We couldn’t agree more. We created HealthEE by HBG to be that other option. HealthEE by HBG gives employees the power to browse coverage options. While traditional insurance is known for being a complicated and confusing process, it does not have the reputation of being one with various options. When asked what the most prominent misconception people have about healthcare is, Morales compared the process to purchasing a car, “You wouldn’t just drive to the local auto dealership, get in the first car and drive off without asking questions and negotiating the price. But that’s exactly what we do with healthcare.” Morale’s analogy is reminiscent of HealthEE by HBG’s co-founder Christian Stearns, who has repeatedly said no one wakes up in the morning with the thought of buying insurance. Car owners take great care in deciding which car they will purchase, and employees should be able to take the same care when buying benefits as it isn’t a purchase to be taken lightly or on a whim. Giving employees a sense of ownership and control of their health can be a powerful gift, especially now that inflation has taken hold and employees are trying to cut spending wherever possible.
The question becomes, however, is, who does the responsibility fall upon? Is it up to employers to seek various options for their employees? No, we don’t think so. With HealthEE by HBG, we have done the shopping around and created a one-stop marketplace of benefits ranging from healthcare to vision to additional benefits like life insurance and pet insurance. With a wide selection of plan types, we also offer these benefits at no cost to the employer. So give your employees the power to choose the coverage right for them and leave the administrative headaches to us.

Read the full interview here

Achoo!

After all this time, it is easy to forget that there are other reasons for coughing and sneezing than Covid. Still, as we continue to acclimate back to public life in a seemingly post covid dominated era, it’s becoming evident that this allergy season stands out from the rest. 

Earlier this fall ABC News hit the nail on its head in Detroit reporting researchers have found that “climate change is leading to more pollen in the air we breathe and tough seasons like this one,” yet another reason we need to make efforts to become a more eco-conscious society. But more to the point, how can you set yourself up for less runny allergy season, well we have some tips to boost that immune system of yours; 

Get moving

Implementing physical activity into your fall routine boosts your health and lessens your susceptibility to sickness. Now I know it’s common to throw exercise in to solve many health concerns. Still, the proof is in the pudding with this tip, a professor at Appalachian State University known for his research in exercise, nutrition, and immunology, David Nieman, told the New York Times about a study he conducted in 2011 following more than 1,000 adults living in North Carolina for three months in 2008. In this study, many aspects of the subjects’ lives were logged, such as diet and exercise and how often they were sick, but the number one lifestyle factor was physical activity.    

Listen to your body 

Now in that same breath, there is such a thing as over-doing it. While there is no measure for what is considered too much exercise, taxing your body can suppress the immune system making you susceptible to infection. Everyone is different, what is manageable for you may not be the same for your loved ones, so it is essential to listen to your own body and not measure or compare yourself to those around you. Stress and a lack of sleep can also reduce the body’s response to infection. Stay in touch with yourself physically and mentally. 

Follow a healthy diet. 

Now, diet is another easy ‘cure-all’ for health concerns for a reason. Brightly colored fruits, vegetables, citrus, fruits, red cabbage, and kale are all excellent sources of “flavonoids,” the chemical compound found in plants that help the body fight inflammation and illness. Additionally, items probably already in your daily routines, such as tea, coffee, dark chocolate, and specific grains such as buckwheat, are also considered flavonoids.

Keep those covid precautions in mind. 

Washing your hands often, getting your flu shot as well as the most up-to-date covid booster, and even wearing a mask may feel oh so 2020 but will continue to lessen your chances of getting sick. Consider testing before big social gatherings, and asking others to do so can minimize the risk of infection to everyone in your orbit. While this is one of the worst allergy seasons, Covid-19 is still in the air, and it is still a consideration we must all be wary of.

Be prepared 

Colds and allergies can aggravate respiratory conditions such as asthma. Ensure your inhaler and medications are recent and on hand when needed. Additionally, take your allergy medication every day of the season to fend off any sniffles in the future, regardless if you feel any symptoms. Implementing vitamins into your daily routine if you have not already done so is another way to prepare your body to fight infection. 

Unfortunately, allergies are a seemingly unavoidable part of life, the CDC clocks as many as 60 million Americans suffering from seasonal allergies. All we can do is try to boost our immune systems and carry tissues in our bags during this time.

 

For more tips read this NYT article here