Healthy Packed Lunch Ideas for Children

Thursday 28 February 2013 0 comments
Are you concerned about you children's health? Aware that certain fats are bad but not sure how to avoid them? Well, read on because you will find lots of tips and ideas for healthy packed lunches.

As a parent, you might have gone through the anxiety of wanting to give your child health packed lunches, but also providing something that they will actually eat. After all, a child that won't eat their packed lunch is probably just as unhealthy as one that eats a packed lunch made up of junk. It's a huge pressure - I know all too well - but there are certain things you can do to help ease the stress of it all.

The key is in the word "balance" - making sure that your child has all the essential nutrients to help them be healthy and grow, but a little bit of naughtiness so that they don't get hung up about food and see it as being a bad thing.

Lunchbox ideas:
Sandwiches - ideally, these should contain protein (cheese, meat or egg) plus either a vegetable or fruit - if your child won't eat veg, adding fruit to sandwiches gives a bit of sweetness and adds to their five a day. Using relish or salad cream/mayonnaise will also make it more flavoursome. For example: cream cheese and banana, cheddar and tomato relish, chicken and thinly sliced tomato, ham and tomato, egg mayo with sultanas, chicken and grapes (try it!).

Bread - well we all know that white bread is no good. To try and wean children off white bread if they won't eat anything else, try making sandwiches out of one slice brown and one slice white - you could even make this into a bit of fun, let them know that it's a special sandwich for a super special child!

Fruit - children are much more likely to eat fruit if it is already chopped and in its own container or Tupperware, rather than if you give them a whole piece of fruit which can be a bit daunting. Try a mixture of grapes, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries for children that "don't like fruit" or the more traditional mix of orange, grape and apple (squirt a little lemon over it to help stop it turning brown) for those that do.

Snacks - hummus with carrot sticks, cheese slices and tomato, nuts with dried fruit, homemade cake made with honey (instead of sugar) and banana, root vegetable crisps instead of potato ones (look in larger supermarkets).

If you involve your children in making snacks at the weekend, they may be more likely to eat them in their packed lunch. For example, making healthy muffins with blueberries, wholemeal flour and half honey/half sugar to sweeten. Or slice potatoes really finely, dowse in healthy olive oil and a pinch of sea salt and bake in a hot oven until golden brown, for perfect homemade crisps.

If you're really at a loss and are not sure where to start, a good place to begin is by first establishing if your child prefers sweet taste or savoury taste. If children prefer sweet taste, try and encourage fruit eating, and for savoury eaters, try and encourage them to eat veggies sticks chopped matchstick thin and eaten with something tasty such as cheese.

They key is to take small steps and to not give up. You will get there, even if you are not sure how! One small step at a time.

by Rach Eden

The Benefits of Organic Clothing For Children

Wednesday 27 February 2013 0 comments
Over the past few years a lot of attention has been given to the word organic. This applies to food, soap, beauty products, health, and even clothing. Organic products come highly recommended because organics, whether food or products, are grown without the use of ionizing radiation, pesticides, sewage sludge, synthetic fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms. Even animals used to produce meat, eggs, poultry, and dairy products are raised without antibiotics or growth hormones. While people generally understand that organic foods and products are beneficial to the body, many are yet to learn the benefits of wearing organic clothing especially as it related to children.

Organic clothing is produced through a process called organic agriculture. Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system, meaning it is a system that aims to promote and enhance biodiversity, biological activity, and biological cycles and soil, while using little off farm inputs (other ingredients, materials) and management practices that maintain ecological harmony. Only when strict deadlines are met by The National Organics Standard Board can a product be classified as Certified Organic. Everything about the product must meet guidelines from the soil that it is grown in to the the facilities that create the products.

Even in grocery stores there are sections created for organic products and foods. Manufacturers and corporations are making a switch to organic products, certified organic products, and the reason is consumer demand. Why is there such high demand for these type of products? The reason is health benefits. People choose organic products because it is healthier, not just for adults but also for children. Choosing organic has become for many a lifestyle change that is catching on quickly.

So, how does this affect children? Why is organic clothing better for children? A baby's skin absorbs things easily, meaning the skin is thinner and more porous than adult skin. In addition, a baby's skin has less melanin, which protects from sunburn. Also, baby's are easily susceptible to bacteria and harmful environmental substances. It is also harder for babies to maintain inner body temperature because they have difficulty sweating. Unlike adults, children are at a greater risk for pesticide-related health problems. Millions of children are exposed to toxins on a regular basis through food, contaminated water, and household use. Choosing organic clothing for children will help decrease toxin exposure.

In the production of organic clothing, the cotton used for clothing is farmed in unconventional ways, without pesticides and with safer methods for producing crops. The crop is rotated, removed of weeds instead of using herbicides, hand hoeing, beneficial insects, and so forth. The workers have better work conditions, the water is of best quality, and the soil is built to be healthy and strong. The end result is a product of cotton fabric that is free of toxins.

Organic cotton is toxin free, sturdier, safer, cheaper and comfortable. In comparison to cheaper cotton products, organic cotton is more expensive, but is worth every penny. Non-organic cotton products last about 10 to 20 washes before the material begins to break down but Organic cotton lasts for over 100 washes before the fibers begin to break down. Conventionally produced cotton production do not last as long because the product goes through rigorous bleaching, scouring, drying softening, spraying, flame and soil retardants before the cotton is cut into patterns and shipped.

Our society is ever-changing as information shapes our lives. Information about pesticides, farming practices, and carcinogens, has caused people to rethink food choices. Even more, information about pesticides, chemical treatments of crops, and cotton crops is changing the way we think about the type of clothing we wear. Organic clothing helps parents create a pure and natural environment that is vital for their children. Considering the increasing percentage of children exposed to pollutant in several aspects of life, choosing organic clothing or fibers is another crucial step in natural living. It is beneficial both for sensitive babies and the environment. Adding organic clothing to one's shopping list will help protect children, reduce the use of pesticides, protect farm workers, aid to prevent soil erosion, provide a sturdier fabric, overtime save money, feels comfortable inside and out, help to support the economy, and help support a healthier environment.

by Chris Tomkins

Oxford Health Plans

Wednesday 20 February 2013 0 comments
Oxford Health Plans are categorized into different categories; Oxford Benefit Management is a name category which aims to provide a one-stop purchase employers, brokers and associates of Oxford health plans.

Participants, can, through OBM manage and select benefit packages consisting of vision and dental plans, employee assistance programs, life insurance coverage, and health discount intends to boost the benefit of the complete package. This firm is especially beneficial to the employers since this service eliminates the executive labor hours for human resource employees and human resource departments by way of a good extent.

OBM and Oxford Health group are owned by theUnitedHealth Group, that's among the list of largest healthcare and auto insurer in the continent of United States. Thus, the insurance brokers and employers could use the OBM to add on specialty coverage options which exist by the UnitedHealth Group of companies or another of its vendors. So of the extremely popular insurance plan include the following.

Optum health - These are basically employee assistance programs of the Oxford Health group which are invented to offer referrals, services and beneficial resources that might be available both offline and online. Whether an employee needs caring for elderly, support and resources for their children, or coping with a chronic health complication, OBM insure its members can access the product or service offered through the Oxford Health Plans' association with Optum health.

Unimerica Workplace Benefits A.M. Best or Standard and Poor have both rated most of the Underwriters for Unimerica benefits with a into a. These Oxford Health Plans and services include life insurance coverage policies in addition to other services.

United Health Allies - these offer discounts on LASIK procedures, gyms, cosmetic dentistry, weight control and many other services which are not covered under the conventional medical health insurance policies from other health insurance providers, are included to participant in OBM though the UnitedHealth Allies. These offer discounts on over the counter medications, vitamins and other pharmaceutical products from the online marketplace.

United Well-being dental and vision plans - all the associated employers and brokers of the Oxford Health Plans program are put through the United Health insurance Vision and dental plans! These amenities are simply available to the participants and employees with 100% coverage of dental benefits as well as dental care. Similarly, vision treasure its members are covered by the other vendors of this very UnitedHealth Care's vendors like Sterling Optical, Sam's club and other vision care providers.

These programs are special coverage plans, additional programs and discount programs that may intended to improve the services which are available in the Oxford Health Plans. In addition they provide management of benefits which you ll find are excessively easy to further reduce costs to brokers and employers alike.

The Oxford Health Plans are perfect for those who are seeking out a fully covered health packages. This assures that they will be protected against virtually all the medical complications. Since, the coverage of one's other plans is not really even nearly close or effective close to that of a given Oxford Health Plans, one must not even consider them while choosing a health plan!

by James Buckle

Open Enrollment for Children's Health Insurance

Wednesday 13 February 2013 0 comments
Special for Washington State applicants!!! Children under age 19 Open Enrollment for medical insurance is September 15 through October 31st.
No child in Washington State can be turned away. This is very important for children looking for individual or family coverage who have had medical conditions. Even with perfect health no changes can be made to coverage out side of the specified open enrollment periods. It is not clear when the next option will be made available after October 31st.
There is no question one of the best parts of the Health Care Reform is the ability to enroll children for health insurance with no medical screening and all pre-existing conditions will be covered. The trade off is with only a few exceptions children can only purchase or change coverage during the special open enrollment time periods. September 15th to October 31st is the current “Open Enrollment Period” . This is the time to act. You can get rates up to and after Thursday Sept. 15. Applications themselves can not be made until the open enrollment starts September 15th and nothing is excepted after October 31st..
One of the biggest problems in the insurance industry has been the ability for companies to turn people down for coverage when they needed it the most. No longer can children be turned down because of a health condition. The key factor to allow this to happen but stop people from just not having any insurance until they get sick is to limit the time periods when a new applicant can purchase coverage or lower their deductibles. No child should be uninsured or underinsured any longer.
If you fail to unroll a child during this open enrollment time period there could be a fall back plan. Individuals under age 19 who have experienced an involuntary loss of coverage are eligible to apply for coverage in a Washington Individual plan within 31 days of their prior coverage end date, even if this timeframe does not coincide with a State-defined open enrollment period (March 15 - April 30 or September 15 - October 31). There are very limited situations that will allow for them to get coverage otherwise applications must be submitted within 31 days of the following:
A child under 19 loses employer-sponsored insurance.
A child under 19 loses insurance coverage due to a divorce.
A child under 19 loses insurance coverage under Medicaid, Washington Basic Health or other Federal or State programs. A child under 19 moves to another residence where their current health insurance company does not provide service.
Newborn or newly-adopted children can apply as a subscriber or dependent outside an open enrollment period within the first 60 days of birth or placement. Outside of the first 60 days, the criterion associated with “under the age of 19” applies as described above.
It is ever so important to act as an educated consumer when looking for insurance in today’s complex health care reform era. Get free information and quote comparisons on line at our website and blog. http://www.healthinsuranceandlifeinsurance.com Make sure you act now as this is the time you are able to be in control as a consumer.

by James

Open Enrollment for Children's Health Insurance

Wednesday 6 February 2013 0 comments
Special for Washington State applicants!!! Children under age 19 Open Enrollment for medical insurance is September 15 through October 31st.
No child in Washington State can be turned away. This is very important for children looking for individual or family coverage who have had medical conditions. Even with perfect health no changes can be made to coverage out side of the specified open enrollment periods. It is not clear when the next option will be made available after October 31st.
There is no question one of the best parts of the Health Care Reform is the ability to enroll children for health insurance with no medical screening and all pre-existing conditions will be covered. The trade off is with only a few exceptions children can only purchase or change coverage during the special open enrollment time periods. September 15th to October 31st is the current “Open Enrollment Period” . This is the time to act. You can get rates up to and after Thursday Sept. 15. Applications themselves can not be made until the open enrollment starts September 15th and nothing is excepted after October 31st..
One of the biggest problems in the insurance industry has been the ability for companies to turn people down for coverage when they needed it the most. No longer can children be turned down because of a health condition. The key factor to allow this to happen but stop people from just not having any insurance until they get sick is to limit the time periods when a new applicant can purchase coverage or lower their deductibles. No child should be uninsured or underinsured any longer.
If you fail to unroll a child during this open enrollment time period there could be a fall back plan. Individuals under age 19 who have experienced an involuntary loss of coverage are eligible to apply for coverage in a Washington Individual plan within 31 days of their prior coverage end date, even if this timeframe does not coincide with a State-defined open enrollment period (March 15 - April 30 or September 15 - October 31). There are very limited situations that will allow for them to get coverage otherwise applications must be submitted within 31 days of the following:
A child under 19 loses employer-sponsored insurance.
A child under 19 loses insurance coverage due to a divorce.
A child under 19 loses insurance coverage under Medicaid, Washington Basic Health or other Federal or State programs. A child under 19 moves to another residence where their current health insurance company does not provide service.
Newborn or newly-adopted children can apply as a subscriber or dependent outside an open enrollment period within the first 60 days of birth or placement. Outside of the first 60 days, the criterion associated with “under the age of 19” applies as described above.
It is ever so important to act as an educated consumer when looking for insurance in today’s complex health care reform era. Get free information and quote comparisons on line at our website and blog. http://www.healthinsuranceandlifeinsurance.com Make sure you act now as this is the time you are able to be in control as a consumer.

by louishammer

Insuring Children's Health

0 comments
For any family member the most important thing is making sure that their children's health is in perfect shape so that they grow to be healthy adults. Which is why finding the absolutely correct health insurance plan is vital at this point of time, the health insurance policy will not only save money from costly medical check- ups, it will also look after your child's well being in the best possible way. Parents who take up a children's health insurance rest easy knowing that every routine check up and the frequent visits to the doctor are being taken care of perfectly.

A major obstacle in getting any health insurance is choosing the best plan out of the innumerable ones which are offered to you by the various insurance companies. However in a children's plan it is even tougher choosing as the parents have to choose something which will be beneficial, be flexible enough and suited to their child's requirements. In addition to this they will have to see if the plan is within their budget and will it provide for a good health insurance for their child. It can get quite confusing at times as parents find it difficult to find the perfect blend of all their interests.

One of the most appealing and much better options for a child's health insurance is taking an individual child insurance plan. This would undoubtedly provide well for every medical need for the child but however the individual health insurance plans for children are much more expensive than group plans such as a family health insurance plans. So you should explore your options carefully before choosing an individual health insurance. If your employer is one the nicer ones who provide group health coverage then you will just have to add your dependent child to that already existing group health insurance plan.

If your employer unfortunately is not providing for the group health insurance facility then several private companies like Preferred Provider Organisation and High Maintenance Organisation, which would provide a good group or family insurance plans. If you cannot afford a private organisation then you can qualify for the many of the government aid organisations such as Medicaid. Always remember to be sure of which plan you wish to commit to and if you are sure that the attention and medical assistance it would provide your child is the best to your knowledge.

by alien