Why Aren’t You On My Insurance Plan?
May 27, 2010
We have made this decision based on a few reasons:
1. When you are an in-network provider with an insurance company they get to decide what kind of care is appropriate for you. They are not sitting with you , evaluating you, making the best decisions for your health, but rather for their pocketbook!
2. We want the freedom to be able to tell you what is wrong, how much care you need based on what our 20+ years of experience is telling us, not what your insurance company will pay for.
3. We can help more people if we are not bogged down with report writing every day! Did you know that many companies require a pre-authorization report and then a report every 6 visits? Most Doctors got into health care to HELP PEOPLE not write reports all day long.
4. Insurance companies are for profit and their main concern is to report profits for their share holders. What this means for Doctors and practice members is that they will make it as difficult as possible to get paid for services with delays up to 6 months.
As a service to you, we will bill your insurance company for you if you have out of network benefits, and if not, know that we make chiropractic care accessible to those even with out insurance coverage.
*Please note, we are in network with Blue Shield- the only company where it made sense!
If you have any questions about your coverage, please call our office at 408-979-9999 and we would be happy to verify your coverage for you!
You Are What You Eat
May 25, 2010
Today I was reminded once again that what we eat plays a vital role in the condition of our bodies. MSNBC posted an article about 15 muscle-building, brain-enhancing, wrinkle-erasing, heart-strengthening, bone-protecting, immunity-boosting, and inflammation-fighting foods that should be a regular part of our diets.
Want a few suggestions on foods to integrate into your diet?
- Almonds - These energy-rich snacks lower bad cholesterol, bolster testosterone levels and muscle growth, help defend against sun damage and work to keep your arteries free of dangerous free radicals.
- Flaxseeds - Rich in protein and fiber, these little seeds offer a payload of omega-3 fatty acids, which erase spots and iron out fine lines in the skin. Try sprinkling ground flaxseed on oatmeal, yogurt, and salads.
- Dried plums – Also known as prunes, these dark shrivelers are rich in copper and boron, both of which can help prevent osteoporosis.
- Walnuts - Richer in heart-healthy omega-3s than salmon, loaded with more anti-inflammatory polyphenols than red wine, and packing half as much muscle-building protein as chicken, the walnut sounds like a Frankenfood, but it grows on trees.
- Apples - An apple a day reduces swelling of all kinds, thanks to quercetin, a flavonoid also found in the skin of red onions. Quercetin reduces the risk of allergies, heart attack, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and prostate and lung cancers.
Read more about these foods and the other 10 in the full article at http://bit.ly/cekc68.
Long Hours Are Bad News For Your Heart
May 24, 2010
Our days are getting longer and longer and the research is showing that those long days at the office are causing stress to our systems beyond what it can adapt to.
A study of British civil servants showed that those working 11 hour days showed a 60% increase in the likelihood of having an adverse cardiac event than those who clocked out after 7 hours.
Although this study was done on people working in an office environment, I believe that you can extend these finding to those also working at home! A healthy, happy life is about finding balance. On your deathbed, you won’t be saying “I wish I had worked more” – no one does- find those activities you enjoy that PULL you away from your work!
How do YOU find balance in your life??
Why go to a Chiropractor?
May 19, 2010
In this tough economy, money is tight for a lot of individuals and families. We hear a lot of people say things like, “I just don’t have the money to see a chiropractor right now” and “I eat right, exercise daily and am overall healthy, so the chiropractor isn’t really for me.” Chiropractic care is important for everyone, though. Here are three reasons why:
- Subluxation – the condition that we look for – is like a cavity in your teeth. It may be there for some time before you feel anything.
- Every adjustment allows the body’s function to be more coordinated and more balanced. It also allows the body to function more efficiently. Less energy is required to perform any given action, giving you more energy overall!
- We all have heard the saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” During these economic times this principle applies more than ever! A recent study with more than 70,000 patients across 7 years compared those with alternative practitioners (i.e. chiropractors, naturopaths, acupuncturists) with those that had M.D.s as their Primary Care Physician. Clinical and cost utilization in the group with alternative practitioners demonstrated:
- Decreases of 60.2% in-hospital admissions.
- 59.0% less hospital days.
- 62.0% less outpatient surgeries and procedures.
- 85% less pharmaceutical costs.
A chiropractor can be a valuable asset in keeping your body energized and medical costs low. For more information about how we can help, give our office a call at 408.979.9999.
Thanks To All Who Signed!!
May 17, 2010
A huge thanks to all of you who signed the no phone zone pledge in the last couple of weeks in our office. We have uploaded our video to Oprah so we could show her how you are all committed in the San Jose area!
Thanks to all of you for helping to make our community a safer place to drive!
Choose You Day
May 12, 2010
Today is national “Choose You Day,” designed to inspire women to take action and put their health first in order to stay well and help prevent cancer. The movement challenges women to make healthier choices, and supports them in their commitment to eat right, stay active, quit smoking and get regular health checks.
Earlier this year, the American Cancer Society conducted a national online survey to examine women’s health behaviors and need. According to the survey:
- 95 percent of women feel the need to improve their health, yet approximately three out of five women put others’ health before their own.
- 90 percent say they fall short of eating a healthy diet.
- 85 percent don’t get the minimum daily exercise of 30 minutes a day, five days a week recommended by the U.S. government.
- 76 percent don’t always protect their skin from the sun.
Knowing the constant struggle of balancing work, family and oneself, the American Cancer Society developed the Choose You Commitment, an online program to provide tools and support to help women achieve their personal health and wellness goals. Visit www.chooseyou.com for more information.
Iron Man 2- Did You Catch This?
May 11, 2010
I saw it on the weekend and was dazzled by all the Hollywood special effects and loud explosions and rocket boots! Cool stuff!
A few minutes into the movie I was touched by the thought of Robert Downey Jr.’s incredible acting gift. It struck me that he would have been the next on the list of celebrities dying from drug addiction. It is so awesome to watch someone working in their gifts and having moved past a surely trying time in his life.
Toward the end of the movie there is a party scene where DJ AM is spinning records. If you don’t know him , he was Adam Goldstein who had 11 years of sobriety from drug addiction under his belt when he survived a small plane crash. Because of that event he was prescribed prescription drugs to cope with post traumatic stress the accident caused. He was resistant according to family because he knew what could possibly happen- a relapse.
How could his outcome have been different?
DJ AM died in August of last year from an accidental overdose of a mix of prescription medication including Oxycodone, Vicodin, Ativan, Klonopin, Xanax, Benadryl and Levamisole and cocaine.
It was sad to watch two amazingly talented young people with such different outcomes.
What do you think the difference was? How can we begin changing our culture’s mindset that the answers to our pain come in a pill, powder or potion?
Summer Travel Tips
May 5, 2010
With summer coming up, travel season is quickly approaching. Before you head out to your fabulous destination, here are three tips to keep pain-free as you travel:
- Get up and MOVE. Whether you are on the plane, train or in a car, it is vital that you get up and move your body. There is no perfect posture, pillow or chair to be in for hours at a time.
- Drink lots of water! That will for sure get you up and moving around, and staying hydrated while on-the-go will help your body stay comfortable.
- In your new location, be sure to pencil in your exercise, whether it’s walking around a new city, going for a hike in the nearby forest or finding the gym at the hotel.
Whatever summer plans you have, enjoy them – and bon voyage!
Lovaza- New Drug or Sneaky Big Pharma?
May 4, 2010
Has anyone noticed the newest drug ad on TV? There is a new drug called Lovaza that is actually a Omega 3 supplement! Glaxo Smith Kline has taken a very effective supplement and has begun advertising that it has an FDA approved “drug” for lowering cholesterol. If you read our prior posts about the FDA , you’ll know that FDA approved means nothing really!
The doctor in the white coat also mentions that their supplement is pharmaceutical grade and molecularly distilled. High quality Omega 3 supplements that you buy from your health care provider are also. I know for sure that drug store brands and large grocery store brands you do need to check for both of these criteria.
What I did appreciate is that there was not a long laundry list of side effects as there normally is with medications! ( i.e. do not take if you are male, female, overweight, underweight or you may experience dizziness, headache, runny nose, sneezing or death….)
Let’s be clear- Omega 3 supplementation is excellent for optimal function of many systems in the body- I am sure that I don’t want big pharma having their hands in my supplement and calling it a new drug!
Thank You Silicon Valley
