VA Health Care and Medicare: Should You Enroll in Both?

VA health care is an integrated system providing care at selected facilities. It is a health care system for those who left active military service in honorable conditions.

Medicare is a U.S federal government-funded national healthcare program that gives coverage to people who are 65 years old or older but do not have health insurance. Younger persons with specified diseases or eligibility qualifications also benefit from Medicare.

Each healthcare system has doctors, facilities, and pharmacies that should serve its members to get treatment at subsidized rates. Sometimes there is an overlap between the types of health care needs that both plans cover.

There is a provision to allow those in VA Health Care to enroll in Medicare without renouncing the former. Many veterans are eligible. Is there a need to enroll in both VA health care and Medicare?

Reasons to enroll in VA Health Care and Medicare

Guarantee of coverage

It is not a guarantee the government will fund VA Health Care. The Department of Veterans Affairs submits a budget, but it guarantees that the federal government will allocate the requested amount. Beneficiaries receive a reduced coverage if government appropriates a lower budget. Some veterans in the lower priority group might lose their coverage.

Wider coverage

VA restricts coverage to care by doctors and hospitals within the veterans’ community care program. VA members widen their coverage by joining both VA health care and Medicare. It saves them from paying medical expenses from their pocket for care at a non-VA facility, even during an emergency. They also get an alternative to healthcare at a subsidized price if they live far from VA facilities.

Safeguards against penalties

VA coverage may end at some point when a veteran passes age 65 or decides to concentrate on Medicare. The veterans who lose their VA coverage before signing up for Medicare Part B wait for a period before getting coverage unless they have other insurance paid by an employer or another source. The waiting period without coverage can lead to penalties that Medicare adds permanently to Part B premiums.

VA Health Care is premium and deductible free. Nonetheless, access to care can be problematic, and there is no guarantee of coverage for every year. Veterans who enroll in VA Health Care and Medicare benefit from guaranteed coverage.

Losing Weight After 40

Slow metabolism and loss of muscle mass reduce the capacity of the body to burn calories after age 40. Losing weight after 40 is still realistic by trying these ways.

1. Create reasons for losing weight

The most successful person in losing weight after 40 always has clear reasons for getting leaner. Reasons can be medical advice, improving overall health, or dropping habits that cause a gradual gain of unhealthy weight.

2. Balance daily diet

A diet evaluation is a good starting point for weight loss. Start eating more proteins while limiting processed foods and refined carbs. The diet helps to cut weight and promote healthy blood sugar levels. A meal after food should comprise vegetables, healthy fats, lean protein, and complex carbohydrates that keep away hunger and the urge to keep snacking.

3. Eat smaller food portions.

Dietary change plays a large part in reducing weight. Weight watchers do not become leaner by limiting their diet to healthy foods if they do not reduce their portions. Calories needs vary among people, but there is a need to cut back by about 500.

4. Try intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting means eating is within an 8-hour window. A 16 hour fast follows the eating window. Studies show it helps to control diabetes in addition to losing weight after 40.

5. Increase the frequency of eating fewer calories

Age increases insulin resistance leaving people hungrier. An excellent way of controlling urges to nibble junk is to divide food into three moderate-sized meals with one or two small snacks. A plate with more low-calorie and high volume foods such as fruits and vegetables also creates fullness.

6. Reduce intake of sweet foods

A person over 40 should reduce imbibing in sweet edibles like chocolate shakes, cupcakes, and deep-fried chips. They contain high dietary sugar, yet they increase an urge to eat because they cannot control hunger for long. Those who cannot do away with such foods should eat a small serving and avoid mindless munching between mealtimes.

7. Control alcohol intake

Alcohol is a treat for special occasions. The over 40 that must drink should restrict their choice to low-calorie alcoholic drinks. They can fit 2-4 glasses of wine a week in their weight loss programs and skip chocolate dessert when taking wine after dinner. A five-ounce serving size helps to measure recommended alcohol.

8. Muscle-building exercises

A loss of muscle mass after 40 reduces calorie burning. Resistance training sessions for 4-5 days a week help maintain muscle mass and burn calories as you exercise. Starters should not jump to an intense exercise regimen as it can increase the risk of injury.

9. Stay active

Losing weight after 40 requires activity to complement strength training and diet. Aerobic activities like biking, dance classes, or walking burns calories that add weight and improves cardiovascular health.

After doing the above, avoid food that triggers an urge to eat more and more as it gets into the way of weight loss. For instance, keep off chocolate if you ate an entire bag when your intention was a small bite. A weight-loss strategy for over 40 needs constant monitoring of gains to determine a time for a change if it starts stalling.

Teas That Can Improve Brain Health

Tea, the most consumed beverage globally, has different varieties. All types are not healthy. However, different herbs and other ingredients in tea offer health benefits. Sipping particular tea brands has many benefits for brain health, according to Vie Healing founder, an acupuncturist, and herbalist Mona Dan, and neuroscientist Julia Jones Ph.D. Read on to find their recommendation on teas that can improve brain health and lifestyle.

Blk & Bold Matcha

Dr. Jones and Dan agree that green tea has many supporting benefits, and they have backing from numerous scientific studies. Dan says, “green tea has antioxidants and powerful polyphenols that support cognitive functioning.” Green tea explicitly contains a type of polyphenol and antioxidant associated with brain health called catechins. Many scientific studies conclude that drinking green tea also improves mood. Green tea and matcha(a type of green tea) have 1-theanine that has a connection with mood elevation, so drinking one of them will benefit the brain.

Blk & Bold Peach Black Tea

According to Dr. Jones, black tea also has a combination of caffeine and l-theanine that contributes to brain-boosting. She describes the contents as the reason she loves to sip black tea as much as green tea. According to Dr. Jones, Black tea is rich in antioxidants, giving it another reason for being a good beverage for the brain.

Elements Lion′s Mane Tea

Lion′s is an adaptogenic mushroom. A recent study on lion’s mane tea showed it could suppress inflammation and toxicity in neurons within the main memory region of the brain. It fits into the type of teas that can improve brain health because of the potential to improve brain function and enhance memory making a substance of interest in dementia management. Lion’s mane tea also has short-term benefits of increasing concentration and combating fog.

Sparoza Rosemary, Sage, and Lemon Balm Tea

Rosemary, sage, and lemon balm tea link these three herbs’ benefits to promote long-term brain health. Lemon balm has a flavor that combines well with rosemary and sage to create a spicy tea with a hint of sourness from the lemon balm. Lemon balm has been a study subject for cognitive functioning in Alzheimer patients showing that even scientists recognize it has elements to improve brain health. Rosemary has carnosic acid that supports brain function, especially long-term memory. Sage is excellent in supporting cognitive and neurological functions.

SanRan Pu′er Tea

Pu′er is a fermented tea that originated in China, where it is a staple. It has neuroprotective properties that research found it causes much improvement in cognitive functioning and regulating the central nervous system. Mona Dan adds fermentation makes it great for the guts.

A habit of brewing teas that can improve brain health gives the mind time to break from a cognitive load that grapples with during hectic activities in the day.

How Eating Consistently Throughout The Day Can Improve Digestion

People know what they eat impacts their digestion, but they rarely know when they eat impacts their digestive health too. According to experts, taking meals and snacks on a regular schedule helps enhance digestive health. When people don’t eat consistently daily, their stomachs overwork leading to bloating and indigestion. On the contrary, taking meals consistently throughout the day helps keep the stomach comfortable.

Dietitians have it that eating after every 3 to 4 hours allows the stomach to digest its contents properly. By developing a schedule for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner, the body knows when to eat, which helps avoid overeating.

So, when should you take your meals?

Breakfast

Breakfast is an important meal that should be taken within the first one hour of waking up. People should eat a big meal in the morning to provide the body with adequate energy to kick off the day. Also, taking a heavy balanced breakfast sets the pace for metabolism throughout the day.

Lunch

People should prioritize eating their lunch 4 to 5 hours after their breakfast. They should schedule a long lunch break and take a relatively big lunch meal. The lunch meal should be big than supper for calories to be distributed throughout the day. They should avoid overeating since the body only uses what it requires, and the rest is stored as fats.

Dinner

There is no specific time to eat dinner. However, people should take their dinner 3 hours before retiring to bed. According to nutritionists, taking a meal close to bedtime poses a risk of increased insulin and blood sugar, making it daunting to have a better sleep.

Besides, dinner should be the lightest of the three meals and should include fruits and vegetables.

Snacks

Snacks can be taken any time of the day but not too close to other meals. They should be taken in smaller portions and 3 hours after breakfast and lunch. Dietitians have it that small meals aid in weight loss. The goal is to prevent hunger while still monitoring food portions to avoid gaining excessive weight.

People should take a big breakfast to provide the body with plenty of energy to handle daily activities. Also, they should take big lunch to boost energy for the afternoon and take their supper 3 hours before bedtime. Most importantly, people should give their stomachs enough time to digests every meal.

Foods to Eat for Stress Relief

When you’re stressed, it can easy to fill up on junk food. This really isn’t healthy for you at all, especially if it continues for a long time. Fortunately, you do have some healthier food choices that can help relieve yourself from stress.

Make sure you try out all of these food choices, as you might find out that one food relieves more stress for you than the other. Eventually, you should be able to find the perfect food that will help relieve your stress.

Dark Chocolate

It’s long been known that antioxidants can help relieve any stress you have in your body. You might be having trouble, though, finding foods that contain all of the antioxidants you need. In this case, you should consider eating dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate is known for having a lot of antioxidants, helping you with stress. Just make sure you look around to find dark chocolate that isn’t too high in sugar, as you can easily end up getting addicted to chocolate if it’s too high in sugar. Make sure you think about eating dark chocolate if you want to relieve some stress.

Whole Grains

Sometimes, you might just want to look for an entire group of food that will help you with your stress. In this case, you should consider eating whole grain food. With whole grains, you’re getting serotonin that can help positively boost your mood.

Examples of whole-grain food can include certain types of bread, oatmeal, rice, and more. Shop around to find the right whole grain food that can help boost your mood.

Fish

If you’re stressed way too often, you can end up developing issues with your heart. These issues can often cause injures or even death if not taken care of. Fortunately, you can start eating fish to help relieve yourself of any possible health issues. The reason for this is that fish is full of Omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients that work with mood-related molecules in your brain.

Whether you’re not interested in fish or you’re just allergic, you can also try other foods that contain a lot of Omega-3 fatty acids. These foods include walnuts, chia seeds, seaweed, nut milk, and more. Make sure you eat fish or anything else that contains Omega-3 fatty acids to help prevent any stress-related health issues.

DIY Home Projects for the New Year

There are many things that a homeowner can do to create a new look for 2021. Creating a new look in their homes can help them to feel better about their homes and add value. The more improvements that they do, the better the home will look and feel.

Lighting

Having warm light in any room can help make it better. There are many different lighting options that homeowners can install to help their rooms look better. Adding fairy lights to the bedroom can create a magical appearance. Adding cabinet lighting in the kitchen can help improve the kitchen aesthetic and help to allow you to see better when preparing food on your countertops.

Adding a Bookshelf

Adding a bookshelf can create a place for the homeowner to display their favorite books, pictures and can create an added storage space. For example, if the homeowner has artwork that needs to stand up, a bookshelf is a great idea.

Adding a Corkboard Wall

A corkboard wall is easy to install and can create a unique look. A corkboard wall can be used to display fun photographs of family and travels. This can be done in a small area of the wall or the entire wall itself.

Accent Wall with Removable Wallpaper

Accent walls are very popular and can add to the color of the room. However, a homeowner may not want to paint the wall. A good idea is to use removable wallpaper. This can create a unique look on the wall without having to do any painting.

Make A Headboard for the Bedroom

Adding some things to the bedroom can make a real difference in the aesthetic of the home. If there is no headboard, one can be created easily out of wood and fabric. There are many ideas online about making a headboard.

Create New Window Coverings

Adding a pop of color to the windows can help brighten a room greatly. Window coverings can be changed out to better fit the home’s aesthetic. For example, if the homeowner is going for a light and bright feeling, sheer window coverings that allow the light in will help.

There are many things that a homeowner can do themselves in their home for 2021. These things will help make the home brighter and feel more like home to the homeowner.

Originally published to chuckschmalzried.com.

COVID Vaccination Information for Veterans

The COVID-19 pandemic affected everyone, including the Veterans. Due to this, the US Department of Veteran Affairs is continually working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Federal partners, and healthcare personnel to reach out and avail the vaccine to all veterans. Two pharmaceutical enterprises have won the Food and Drug Administration’s consent to offer COVID-19 Vaccines. Administration of the vaccines will be in phases due to their high demand.
According to the Veteran Affairs, the first phase of the vaccination is available to all Veteran Affairs health personnel as they are essential services providers. The vaccine is also available to veterans who reside within the designated long-term care institutions. According to the CDC and VA risk criteria assessment, the third group that qualifies for VA vaccination are members at high risk of contracting COVID-19, veterans above 75 years. If circumstances allow, designated family caregivers under the Comprehensive Assistance Program for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) will be eligible for the vaccine to qualify their veteran patients for the vaccine. Apart from the limited dose available, the strict handling and storage of the vaccine have made the Veteran Affair make tough decisions on who to get the vaccine first and who to get it last. The availability of vaccines and local needs will determine the decision made on those to receive the vaccine. The individuals’ chances of getting the virus, the risk of spreading COVID-19 to others, the existence of chronic illness, and harm to society if infected and unable to work are the data used in deriving the COVID-19 vaccination plan.
The Veteran Affairs has requested members to wait in their homes unless they get a call for the vaccination. Upon eligibility, veterans will receive the vaccination in their respective local Veteran Healthcare Facilities. Since some members are likely to visit their local facilities requesting a dose or reservation, the department asks veterans not to visit the facilities but wait for their appointment.
However, if veterans get contacted to visit their facilities to schedule the vaccination, they should avail themselves. The eventuality may arise since some Veteran Affair Healthcare Facilities serve many veterans, hence a bigger vaccination event. For more information on COVID-19 vaccination, veterans may visit their respective facilities’ website or send a secure message.

Originally published to chuckschmalzried.net.

Seven Foods That are Detrimental to the Heart Health

The number of people developing heart diseases is constantly increasing. As a matter of fact, heart disease is the leading cause of deaths in both women and men. In order to keep the heart healthy for a long period of time, it is imperative to avoid some foods and keep them out of the daily diet. On that premise, the following article presents a list of foods that are considered to be detrimental to the health of the heart and the cardiovascular system.

Processed meats
Processed meats, such as deli, bacon and sausages, are foods that are high in saturated fats and salt. The latter may augment internal inflammation that could eventually lead to a narrowing or stiffening of the heart arteries.

Candy
Contrary to what a lot of people think, fat is not the main cause of heart disease; it is any form of added sugar. Added sugar contributes to inflammation, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, which can all eventually increase the risk of heart disease.

Deep fried foods
Another type of food that should be avoided to have a healthy heart is deep fried food. Studies have shown time and time again that these foods increase the risk of having coronary artery disease.

Margarine
Although margarine is usually portrayed as a healthier option compared to butter, it is actually high in trans fats that are known to increase an individual’s risk of having heart disease.

Soda and diet soda
Soda is a drink that is packed with sugar and that leads to an increased risk of both stroke and heart disease. Diet soda, on the other hand, is not the healthier alternative whatsoever. As a matter of fact, diet soda is just as detrimental for heart health as soda. Research shows that the chemicals in diet soda make individuals more prone to weight gain and diabetes.

Pizza
The high level of saturated fats and sodium in pizza makes it a very unhealthy type of food that is also harmful for the heart.

Cookies and pastries
Commercially produced baked goods, such as cookies and pastries, also contain high levels of saturated fats, trans fats and sugar, which can also have deleterious effects on the health of the heart.

Originally published to chuckschmalzried.org.

Military Family Support Organizations to Support

Military is known as armed forces and heavily guarded, highly systematic force generally meant for warfare. It is usually officially recognized and supported by a sovereign state. Following are some of the organizations that support military families.

ARMED SERVICES YMCA (ASYMCA)

Formed in 1861 during the civil war in the United States, ASYMCA has 12 branches, 200 program centers, and 93 military installations nationally. Programs and services are at a minimal cost or free for junior military troops and families’. No membership is required. The troops are in different armed services such as Coast Guard, Air Force, Army, and Marine Corps. YMCA is the oldest organization working with the Department of Defense. The programs offered include hospital assistance, food services, childcare, holiday meals, computer training classes, and much more.

BLUE STAR FAMILIES

Blue Star has been in existence since 2009. Formed by military spouses, the primary objective was to empower military families to survive as they serve. Their dedication is to unify military families by associating them with the general public to effectuate spirited citizens of mutual support. They raise awareness to the public through innovative research about different quandaries of military family life. Blue Star Families help troops triumph over the separation and detachment of constant moves, disposition, and diminished support from the government with the neighbors’ assistance nationwide. It supports over 1.5 million families by providing free services, resources, and opportunities making life more endurable.

FREEDOM ALLIANCE SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Freedom Alliance was formed in 1990 by two Vietnam veterans. In July 1990, a war took place, and the organization instated Operation Homefront. It organized volunteers to fabricate and consign care packages to the troops. Each box had unique items to palliate boredom and resist desert heat. It provides services to wounded members, military families, and veterans. The organization supports children-troops with college scholarships. The purpose of the organization is to make the nation experience enthusiasm by supporting troops.

MILITARY FAMILIES UNITED

Military Families United is a non-profit organization founded in 2005. Their mission is to support troops and their families as well as Honor the fallen. It collaborates with Blue Star, Gold Star, Veterans, Patriotic American, and Next of Kin families who apprehend military troops. It provides different services, events, and programs to prove that Americans will not forget troops’ sacrifices.

These are a few of the organizations that support military troops. Please support the organizations as the troops ensure that the nation is safe.

Originally published to chuckschmalzried.net.