Welcome!

Please enjoy this complimentary issue of ACA Member Benefit Program Newsletter, as a member of the American Chiropractic Association. We’re here to be your trusted advisor for your insurance needs

Publisher's Message

You’ve worked hard throughout your life to provide for yourself and your loved ones. Applying for and being accepted for insurance that helps care for your family, in the event you are no longer able, is only part of the equation. It’s also important to maintain your own health and wellness so that you can be there for your family while making the most of your life as well.

Sincerely,
Susan Roe, Publisher

Know the Stages of Your Needs

While living a healthy lifestyle is critically important at all stages of your life, you may also need a variety of medical interventions based on your current or upcoming life stage.

• As an adult in your twenties, thirties and even forties, you may be starting a family or adding more children. Obstetrical needs may be tantamount at this time.  Alternatively, you may be more likely to participate in extreme sports at this time than during any other period of your life. Accidents on bikes, skateboards and motorcycles are more common as a result and ER or urgent care visits may be a part of this time of your life.
•  As a parent, you'll discover that your children need routine pediatric care, but they may also require emergency and accident support, which you may experience while traveling internationally as a family.
• As you enter midlife, you may find that your general medical needs increase, especially if you have missed maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Commonly at this stage, people gain weight more easily and may require medication to maintain healthy blood sugar, blood pressure and stress reduction.
• As a senior, you’ll find that your golden years present their own challenges. Joints can wear with age and other health issues arise. You may find that you depend more on medications simply to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Though all of these life stages, your individual choices can rule out any of the above, or you may experience challenges not listed. One key to moving through a healthy, active and happy life is maintaining a relationship with your physician and following through on recommendations for healthcare. You’ll find it valuable to pre-plan for these challenges by checking your insurance coverage before you reach any of these stages. ACA Member Benefit Program can help you fill gaps in your existing coverage so you’ll enjoy smooth sailing through all of life’s ups and downs.

E.A.T. To Stay Strong

We’ve all heard the old adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” That’s fine, as a basic dietary guideline, but there’s plenty you can do beyond an apple to help you live life with more gusto.

Most people know the basics, focusing on diet and exercise. But in our busy, stressful world, it’s not always easy to maintain a healthy diet over time. Fast food restaurants are popular because so many people need a quick and easy meal that fits their schedule and limits time spent on prep and cleanup. But you can have no-muss, no-fuss meals that are a lot healthier than fast food. And a good way to maintain it over time is to follow the E.A.T. formula when collecting healthy recipes. You’ll find it helpful if your recipes are:

• E – Easy to fix. Dinner shouldn’t require three pots and two pans after a long day at work. Find recipes that limit the amount of ingredients yet provide nutrition and a fast, simple method.
•  A – Accessible. Keep some good, healthy staples at home to save time, money and health issues. Find recipes that use the can of salmon in your cupboard. It’s an easier habit to form.
• T – Tasty. It’s no good to fix a fast, easy meal if the taste makes you cringe. To the contrary, it should be inviting enough to become a healthy habit.

You may be tempted to use a lot of processed foods to follow the EAT plan, but that really isn’t necessary. The secret ingredient is your spice rack. There are so many spice combinations on supermarket shelves that you can literally enjoy a meal from five different international cuisines each week, simply by varying the herbs and spice mixes sprinkled on your main protein or vegetable. You’re invited to play with your food, without having to waste hours of your time. Try some new ways to spice up your life and the EAT plan will make a healthy diet your happiest habit of all.

Jazz Up Your Workout

But maintaining a regular exercise schedule can be a hard task, especially since you need to carve out at least 150 minutes of time for moderate-intensity activity each week. You may feel like it’s depriving you of time for fun, relaxation and joy. But what if your exercise routine were to bring you all that, plus more? Would you make time for that? The answer lies in music.

The trick with music is to mix it up. Don’t listen to your usual favorites alone. And when you do explore new pieces, try not to play the same collection of music every day. You can pull together a variety of songs, with just one each, from the following musical genres to make each workout unique and sensational:

Your list could be much longer than this, of course. But if you set up a playlist so that each musical selection lasts anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes, a list of 12 genres will provide you with a world of listening entertainment during a 30- to 60-minute workout. Now, you could simply listen with ear buds while going for a walk, run or regular workout. Or, you could respond to music with dance — as humans have always done.

Dance Like Everybody’s Watching
According to the CDC, dancing is one of the top ways you can burn calories. An average-weight person can burn up to 330 calories in an hour of moderate-intensity dancing while enjoying the different moves you find to suit the mood of each song. Pump up the energy to make it more aerobic, and you can burn around 480 calories in that same timeframe.

Of course, not everyone wants to dance in public, let alone the gym or a studio. But a space you clear in your living room or even your hallway can offer plenty of room to kick up your heels. Also, you may feel that opera lacks appeal, or hip hop moves to fast.  But the benefit of trying a genre that’s new is that you will leave boredom behind. Try a piece a day for a week and see if you can find movements that express what that music means to you. It doesn’t matter if you don’t really have an audience. Because once you get in the groove, every move you make will set your own heart thumping with joy. And that’s the best audience of all.

¹Cdc.gov. (2018). Healthy Weight | CDC. [online] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/ [Accessed 14 Dec. 2018].

²Cdc.gov. (2018). Physical Activity | CDC. [online] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/index.html [Accessed 14 Dec. 2018].   

Your Keys to Health and Happiness

When you add more flavors to your food and your workout, you keep the energy alive and the habits going strong. The E.A.T. plan keeps you focused on healthy eating that's easy, accessible and tasty. And you can make your workout routine an opportunity to explore the world of music. As you move through the stages of your life, these will prove to be important. So will an understanding that your medical needs may follow some predictable age-related patterns. Follow these guidelines to enjoy the happy, healthy life that you deserve!

Why Regular Exercise and Healthy Eating Is Good For You:

✔ improves blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugars.

✔ Increases energy levels, physical mobility, general mood, and self-confidence

✔ Reduce risk for type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and several forms of cancer

Read more about exercise and healthy eating here!


With these healthy tips on living a better lifestyle, go check out the ACA Member Benefit Program website for benefits that can continue to help with your well-being and added peace of mind.