Healthier Lifestyles: There’s a nap for that!

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Unplanned and entirely indulgent, the summer nap may be the ultimate luxury nowadays. Before you start asking, “who has the time to nap?” let me make my case for grabbing a quick snooze.

Comedian Carrie Snow once said, “No day is so bad it can’t be fixed with a nap.” I think she’s right. Not only does napping elevate your mood, make you more alert and enhance your physical performance (ever tried to run without sleep?), a daily nap may help save your life. Midday sleep or napping is associated with lower 24-hour blood pressure and supports a healthier lifestyle, according to a recent study published in the European Society of Cardiology. So, why do we think napping is only for kids, grandparents, and the sick? Read more

Help! I don’t understand my bill or insurance! (Part 1)

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Don’t understand your medical bill or your insurance? You are not alone! Even doctors like me have a hard time making sense of it. Actually, according to an article in The Washington Post (August 8, 2013), a healthcare economist asked 200 people with health coverage to define four insurance terms. Only 14 percent answered four questions about the four most basic insurance features and got the right answer.

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