Author Archive

A Listening Ear: Therapy for Kids

2023 June, Lifestyle and Wellness May 7, 2023

Whether it’s helping kids process traumatic experiences or simply giving kids a space to learn good coping skills, therapy can help children improve their internal, home, and social life and become healthy, well-adjusted adults.

The stress and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic have taken their toll on everyone: a late 2022 study indicated roughly 40% of Americans experienced high psychological distress at least once during the pandemic. These effects are certainly not limited to adults. Kids are also social creatures, and the abrupt transition to remote learning on top of sudden, great uncertainty led to an overall decline in youth mental health internationally.

Kids can react to stress in many different ways, including being irritable or moody, experiencing sleep disturbances, crying frequently, or losing interest in things they usually enjoy. One of the best things you can do is listen to your child and take their concerns seriously. Even if you know that some of the things they worry about won’t matter in the long run, it’s important that your child knows you’re a safe and compassionate person to talk to.

Finding a therapist can be helpful for your child as well, whether it’s for short-term or long-term concerns (in addition to pandemic-related concerns, there is a range of therapies for kids affected by ADHD, PTSD, anxiety, depression, and a host of other issues). Coverage varies widely by medical plan, so check your plan details. You may be able to locate a provider through your carrier’s website, as well through the American Psychological Association. It’s also worth checking the details of your Employee Assistance Program – oftentimes it provides both you and your dependents access to a number of visits with a licensed professional and other mental health resources.

Sources:

Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of children and adolescents: A systematic review of survey studies – PMC (nih.gov)
Therapy to Improve Children’s Mental Health | CDC

Doc On Retainer: Concierge Medicine

2023 May, Benefit Spotlight April 27, 2023

If you’ve moved recently or had to find a new primary care physician (PCP) for any reason, it might have taken you much longer to get an appointment than expected.

Even getting a regular appointment could take weeks longer than it used to. You’re not imagining it – due to a growing shortage of PCPs, Americans are having to wait significantly longer to see doctors than we used to.

An alternative to long waits at traditional doctors’ offices is concierge medicine, or its cousin, direct primary care (DPC). To access this kind of care, you’ll pay an annual or monthly fee that gets you direct physician access. Each practice will vary, but generally you can expect to receive the following benefits:

  • Guaranteed access to care 24/7
  • Same-day or next-day appointments
  • Coverage of standard care like blood work, preventive screenings, and physicals
  • No copays or deductibles for office visits
  • More personalized care
  • On average, twice as much time with your doctor per visit

It’s crucial to note that there are drawbacks as well. DPC practices typically do not accept insurance and are entirely fee-based, while some concierge systems do accept insurance. You’ll still need regular health insurance to cover hospitalization and specialty referrals. If cash is tight, concierge medicine may not be a good choice – annual fees can run from $1,200 to $10,000. However, if your finances are in a good place, and you want guaranteed access to care, there is a growing number of concierge and DPC providers you can investigate today.

What Is Concierge Medicine? A Complete Guide – Forbes Health
Advantages and Disadvantages of Concierge Medical Care (aarp.org)
Many Doctors are Switching to Concierge Medicine, Exacerbating Physician Shortages – Scientific American

Changing Times: Menopause

2023 May, Lifestyle and Wellness April 27, 2023

Plenty consequences of aging are talked about – balding, joint stiffness, a sudden need for bifocals – but one aspect of aging isn’t talked about as often, even though it affects roughly half the population.

Menopause is a natural part of aging, marking the time in which a person with a uterus stops menstruating. It typically occurs between the ages of 45-55, but can happen earlier, for example, if someone had a hysterectomy or suffered damage to their ovaries from chemotherapy.

The menopausal transition lasts on average from 7 to 14 years. Its length depends on many factors such as smoking, current age, race, and ethnicity. Menopause involves changes in hormonal levels, specifically estrogen and progesterone. These hormones regulate one’s period and release of eggs, or ovulation. When the body stops ovulating, the levels of these hormones drop off. The reduction of these hormones can cause multiple symptoms:

  • Hot flashes
  • Changes in menstrual cycle
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Emotional changes/mood swings
  • Fatigue
  • Depression
  • Weight gain
  • Changes in libido
  • And more

These symptoms can range from mild to pretty miserable, but there are hormonal and non-hormonal ways to treat them. Hormonal treatments involve taking low doses of estrogen or estrogen-progesterone through a patch, pill, or cream, while non-hormonal treatments involve changing one’s diet, exercising, and other prescription medications. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above, have a uterus, and are over 40, you may want to talk to your doctor to see whether you are beginning menopause. They can help you figure out the best path forward to minimize your symptoms.

SOURCES:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21841-menopause
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/symptoms-causes/syc-20353397
https://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/menopause-basics

Too Bright! Blue Light Concerns

2023 May, Lifestyle and Wellness April 27, 2023

Between computers, tablets, and smart phones, we spend a lot of time looking at screens every day – almost half of every day, in fact.

The isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic boosted weekly screen times even higher. Aside from the well-documented effects that much screen time can have on your mental health, there’s a possibility it can affect your physical health too.

You may have read about or seen ads for blue light glasses or blue light filters, which are supposed to help protect your eyes from the harmful effects of a certain kind of blue light. This spectrum of blue light is created primarily by the sun, but also by fluorescent lights, LED TVs, and most device screens. Our eyes are not good at filtering blue light naturally, so most of it passes through the front of the eye to the retina (the part of the eye that helps the brain process what we see).

Some studies indicate that constant, ongoing exposure to blue light could eventually damage the retina, causing problems such as macular degeneration. However, these studies are ongoing and not conclusive. There is some evidence that blue-light blocking lenses do not actually protect your retinal health, despite what some advertisers may claim. Blue light lenses may help reduce eye strain from prolonged screen time, but that is unrelated to retina damage.

While blue light might not damage your retinas, it can still be harmful to you in other ways. Too much blue light can reduce your body’s production of melatonin and throw off your circadian rhythm, which disrupts your sleep cycle. A simple fix is to limit your screen time before bed so your body knows it’s time to go to sleep.

SOURCES:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29044670/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/will-blue-light-from-electronic-devices-increase-my-risk-of-macular-degeneration-and-blindness-2019040816365

Practical Self-Care

2023 May, Lifestyle and Wellness April 27, 2023

It’s a phrase prominent in recent ads, whether for ice cream, golf clubs, or even soap – “self-care” is everywhere, convincing you that you could make yourself happy with a new exfoliant or take a much-earned break with a glass of wine. While there’s nothing wrong with treating yourself now and then, that’s not actually what self-care is – it’s far more important.

Self-care, simply put, means setting aside time to do things that bolster both your physical and mental health. While this could certainly involve a special snack or a bubble bath, there are multiple, daily acts of self-care you can take that will help you take care of your emotional and physical health.

Take care of your body. This could be as simple as taking twenty minutes to walk up and down the block. It might mean making sure you drink enough water. It could look like making sure you get enough sleep, getting enough protein in your diet, or taking up yoga.

Take care of your mind. Self-care in this arena can look like eliminating sources of unnecessary stress from your life. Cutting back on social media time might be a good self-care practice. Making sure you see friends and family who help you be your best self, doing a relaxing, creative hobby, or even meditation are just a few examples of mental and social self-care practices.

Not every practice works for every person. Set some time aside to experiment with different practices. Maybe yoga isn’t for you, but you want to pick up tennis instead. Meditation is not everyone’s cup of tea, but walking in nature might be just as effective in helping you move your body and relax your mind (see HERE and HERE for more suggestions.) It might take some time to find your best individual self-care practices, but they’ll be invaluable to your overall health and happiness.

SOURCES:
What is Self-Care? – ISF (isfglobal.org)
Self-Care: 12 Ways to Take Better Care of Yourself | Psychology Today
NIMH » Caring for Your Mental Health (nih.gov)

Broadening Benefits for Your Health: Lifestyle Spending Accounts

2023 April, Benefit Spotlight March 30, 2023

While your medical insurance covers much of your bodily health, and many companies have Employee Assistance Programs to help you out with mental health, there’s more to your overall wellbeing.

Employers realize this, which is why more and more companies are adding a new acronym to the fold – the LSA, or the Lifestyle Spending Account.

Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts help cover specific IRS-approved expenses such as copays, glasses, or dental care, Lifestyle Spending Accounts have fewer restrictions. They can be used to pay for a broad variety of services and products that promote your own physical, mental, or financial wellness. Below are just a few examples:

  • Exercise equipment and nutritional supplements
  • Personal trainer
  • Entry fees for races or sports leagues; sports lessons
  • Spiritual retreats
  • State or national park passes
  • Camping equipment
  • Spa treatments
  • Estate planning costs
  • Financial planning services

The crucial difference between LSAs and other health-related spending accounts is that expenses submitted for reimbursement through a Lifestyle Spending Account are taxable to you. The reimbursed amount is considered income and is subject to the same taxes as your normal wages. If you’re looking to further your health and wellness, see whether your employer offers an LSA. It can be a helpful tool in taking care of yourself.

Down the Rabbit Hole: Dangers of Doomscrolling

2023 April, Lifestyle and Wellness March 30, 2023

Many of us experienced quarantines during 2020, which abruptly left us home for much longer periods than normal. During this time of social isolation, there was a collective uptick in time spent online.

Boredom, readily accessible social media, and bad news joined forces to create a new term: doomscrolling. Loosely defined as habitually reading bad news or disturbing content for extended periods of time, doomscrolling is a hot topic right now due to its societal prevalence and impact.

Going down depressing internet rabbit holes on your mobile device or computer didn’t start with COVID-19, but the social isolation of the pandemic made it a new or worse habit for many people. It can have multiple negative effects on your mental and emotional health, including the following:

  • Emotional burnout from unrelenting bad news
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Loneliness
  • Tiredness
  • Depression
  • Feelings of helplessness

Constant consumption of negative news is proven to be bad for you, but doomscrolling can be a hard habit to break. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to help limit your intake of heavy content. You can localize the behavior by only getting on social media or scrolling the news at certain times and places in your day (not in bed at night, for example). Practice mindfulness when you pick up your phone – think about why you’re picking it up instead of doing it compulsively. Think about what you’re feeling when you’re online and why you feel that way. Most importantly, make a habit of disconnecting. Set your phone down and take a walk outside. If you’re feeling the itch to read something, pick up a hard-copy book or magazine.

There’s no reason to trap yourself down a well of negative feelings. These simple steps, practiced daily, can help you feel better about the world and yourself.

Turning Up the Volume

2023 April, Lifestyle and Wellness March 30, 2023

Hearing loss is more common than you might think, and it has many different degrees and causes of hearing loss. Roughly one in every eight Americans have hearing loss in both ears.

In the hearing process, sound waves enter our ears and create vibrations that are carried to the brain by the middle and inner ear and translated into sounds. Hearing loss can occur when any of these parts suffer damage.

Aging is probably the best-known cause of hearing loss. Generally age-related hearing loss occurs when tiny hairs that help process sound in the inner ear suffer damage over the years and cannot regrow.

Damage is another common cause of hearing loss. This damage can be from hearing one too-loud sound or cumulative damage over time from frequent exposure to sounds over 70 decibels (see HERE for a helpful decibel chart). It can also be caused by chronic ear infections, meningitis, or trauma to the ear or head (such as experiencing a blow to the head or a punctured ear drum).

Additionally, some people are born with varying degrees of hearing loss due to genetic factors or problems during gestation. Others suffer temporary hearing difficulties due to a buildup of earwax. Some of these factors are unavoidable, but others can be reduced by wearing proper ear protection around noises over 70 decibels.

Hearing loss can have a profound effect on one’s life. If you are experiencing difficulty hearing, talk to your doctor. Hearing aids are not generally covered by medical insurance, so it’s important to check whether your vision or dental plan includes coverage for hearing aid fitting and purchase – if not, hearing aids are eligible purchases for Health Savings Accounts, Flexible Spending Accounts, and Health Reimbursement Accounts.

Can’t Catch a Breath

2023 April, Lifestyle and Wellness March 30, 2023

There are plenty things in life that take our breath away – a proposal, a beautiful sunset, a child’s first steps – but it’s not fun when the cause is asthma.

It’s estimated that about 25 million people in the US have asthma, a lung condition that occurs when the airways between the nose and mouth and the lungs get inflamed. This swelling makes the passage of air to the lungs more difficult, which results in breathing trouble ranging from mild to deadly serious. There are many potential asthma triggers — pollen, dust mites, tobacco smoke, pets, exercise, mold, and even stress can set off an attack.

While asthma is not a curable condition, there are multiple ways to reduce one’s exposure and reactions to triggers. A combination of medication and prevention is often most effective. These are a few everyday things you can do to reduce your contact with asthma triggers:

  • Avoid tobacco smoke
  • Routinely dust and vacuum your home, especially if you have carpet
  • Wash your sheets regularly to avoid dust mites
  • Use an air cleaner with a HEPA filter
  • Wear a mask when using disinfectants to clean
  • Use an indoor dehumidifier to reduce chances of mold

On the pharmaceutical side, there are many different kinds of asthma medications. The inhaler is probably the most iconic asthma medication. Inhalers come in two types: a quick-acting inhaler for emergency use or a long-term control medication. Additionally, there are other medications that help reduce the body’s inflammatory responses, and if allergies play a significant part in your asthma, allergy medications or allergy shots may help control your symptoms.

If you routinely have trouble breathing, it’s important that you talk to your doctor to figure out what’s going on. If asthma is the problem, rest assured that there are plenty of ways to help you breathe easy again.

Qualifying Life Events

2023 March, Benefit Spotlight February 24, 2023

Signing up for benefits usually only occurs during your company’s open enrollment period, or when starting a new job at a new company. But did you know that these are not necessarily the only times you can elect or change your benefits?

Sometimes there are changes in your life, planned or unplanned, called Qualifying Life Events (QLEs), that allow you to add or change benefits. These QLEs are determined by the IRS, and when they occur, QLEs can allow you to enroll in health insurance or make changes to your benefits outside of the regular windows

When a qualifying life event occurs, you typically have 30 to 31 days to request changes to your coverage. Common QLEs include:

  • A change in the number of dependents (through birth or adoption or if a child is no longer an eligible dependent)
  • A change in a spouse’s employment status (resulting in a loss or gain of coverage)
  • A change in your legal marital status (marriage, divorce, or legal separation)
  • A change in employment status from full time to part time, or part time to full time, resulting in a gain or loss of eligibility
  • Eligibility for coverage through the Marketplace
  • Changes in address or location that may affect coverage
  • Entitlement to Medicare or Medicaid

Some lesser-known QLEs are:

  • Turning 26 and losing coverage through a parent’s plan
  • Death in the family (leading to change in dependents or loss of coverage)
  • Changes that make you no longer eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

If you have recently experienced a QLE or expect to in the near future, reach out to your company’s Human Resources for questions regarding specific life events and your ability to request changes.

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