I teach the four Ls of parenting and fathering. The first L is Love. It is important that our children feel worthy of our love and feel that we truly love them. The second L is Like. Liking our children allows us to enjoy them as people. The third L is for Limits. Our job is to teach our children what they need to know to survive in this world. To that end, we must set limits for them. Consistent limits and consequences, not punishment, is a proven learning environment. The fourth and most powerful L is for Likeness. Our children will be a lot like us. Identification and imitation is how children learn who they are. Read the rest of this entry »

Many diabetics are unaware of the causes and risks of heart disease, the most common complication and cause of death among diabetics.  A limited understanding of heart disease and other aspects of diabetes may prevent many from taking steps to lead healthier and more enjoyable lives.

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I remember sitting with a group of men. We had just watched a video about the men’s consciousness movement. We were to discuss our thoughts and feelings about being men in this society. Many of us did not know what to say. We had never really questioned it. Read the rest of this entry »

Although we all spend a lot of time talking and thinking about Social Security, few of us know how the system works. It is a social insurance program that provides old-age benefit for retirees and their survivors, disability insurance for workers, and survivor benefits for dependents. It is called an “entitlement” because Congress has set eligibility requirements — age and years worked. Read the rest of this entry »

In fact, in 1996 the Congress passed, and President Clinton signed, legislation that made MSAs a legitimate tax-favored insurance product — if only on a limited, experimental basis. While Congress put a cap of 750,000 MSA policies into the law, to date something around 100,000 have been sold. So far, the MSA experiment has largely been a flop.

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Many Democrats are suspect of the MSA concept, believing that only the healthiest people will buy MSA plans thereby leaving other insurance plans with the burden of taking care of the sickest people. They argue that any insurance system has to be one that includes the largest pool of people possible where the sickest and the healthiest are together — the healthy offsetting the costs of the sick thereby creating a lower average cost for all.

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During his presidential campaign, Steve Forbes seemed to have a “one-answer-fits-all” health policy solution. The single answer was medical savings accounts, or MSAs.

Many Republicans, including George W. Bush, John McCain and a number of Republican congressional leaders, point to MSAs as at least a partial solution to the problems of affordable access to healthcare and giving the patient/consumer more control over the healthcare system.

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Improved fitness improves your life expectancy back to top
Prevent osteoporosis

Weight-bearing physical activity helps prevent bone loss and can encourage bone growth. People who are physically active are less likely to get osteoporosis, provided they have an adequate diet that includes calcium and vitamin D. Physical activity also can help build thicker cartilage and stronger tendons and ligaments, all keys to keeping mobile and feeling good. Read the rest of this entry »