Maddie's Matters

Three facts about the health care bill

alrlifestyle — Tue, 25 May 2010 02:34:43 +0000

In 2008 (before the health care bill), the comptroller general of the United States, David Walker, reported that it would take every American $175,000 to cover the promises of the federal governments entitlement programs (Source: Liberty and Tyranny, author Mark Levin, publisher Threshold Editions 2009, pg. 95)
“Under the new law, seniors are going to pay higher taxes. The higher taxes on drugs (effective in 2011) and medical devices (effective in 2013) will affect seniors especially, as they are more heavily dependent on those very products.” (Source: Heritage.org, Obamacare Impact on Seniors)
“No class of American professionals will be more negatively impacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act than physicians. Third-party payment arrangements already compromise the independence and integrity of the medical profession; Obamacare will reinforce the worst of these features.” (Source: Heritage.org, Obamacare Impact on Doctors).

Mental Health Awareness Month

alrlifestyle — Tue, 11 May 2010 18:01:17 +0000

This month, ALR Association promotes Mental Health Awareness Month. To that end, please check out the link on the home page to Mental Health America where there are resources for those in need–or if you are of the mind to donate to a charity this month.

We also feature an informational video on depression on our Health News page as well as an article about antidepressants on our Healthy Living page.

Stay healthy and help those in need!

Maddie.

Time to Relax!

alrlifestyle — Tue, 04 May 2010 18:30:34 +0000

It’s May and it’s warming up — time to work on maintaining your mental health. We feature three articles that help you get into a comfortable zone.

Let’s start with the back yard.”Easy ways to create fast, functional, fun outdoor ‘land-escapes’” suggest using less-expensive interlocking composite decking and complementing your new deck with a pergola. (I might extend this idea with planting a vine to climb on your pergola to add beauty and shade.)

When your deck is complete, take your family on a “trip” to Italy’s Tuscany area by crafting a meal from the recipes provided by, “Tasting Tuscany: A lesson in Italian cuisine.”

And, last but not least, don’t forget to relax in your new backyard escape with your four-legged friends. Pets offer amazing therapy for people under stress or suffering from other health ailments. Take a little gander at “Therapy animals prove ‘man’s best friends’ hold healing power.”

Autism Awareness Month

alrlifestyle — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 17:36:45 +0000

I once worked with someone who had a child with autism. I cannot imagine how different my life would be if I had a child with autism. The emotions that parents must run through upon learning of their child’s condition, then, the exhaustion they experience caring for their afflicted child.

April is Autism Awareness Month; there are many resources for families dealing with autism. One source, Autism Speaks, has a wealth of information. This month, ALR features informational articles and videos; visit www.ALRAssociation.org for details.

Maddie

Get Creative and Healthy

alrlifestyle — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:01:56 +0000

This past month, our most popular stories involved creativity and eating healthy.

“Rock your walls with some creativity,” offers some ideas on decorating your home’s walls using maps, murals or recycled materials to express your green side.

“Pack your breakfast with the power of protein,” suggests that protein jump starts your metabolism. Personally, I found that I can get through the day much easier if I have a couple of eggs scrambled and cooked with mozzarella cheese in olive oil. So, this article rang true to me.

And, “Enjoy a frugal ‘family night in’ without sacrificing fun,” offers fantastic ideas for having fun with the kids without spending a ton of money!

In April, ALR will promote awareness about Autism. Be sure to check our home page for information about resources.

Maddie

The House passes health care bill

alrlifestyle — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 17:39:54 +0000

Last night, the House of Representatives passed the Senate’s health care bill. Although it has been a long and tedious road for the Democrats pushing the bill, there are entities, aside from the Republicans, that promise a hard fight yet. See FoxNews.com’s predictions, “Health Care Reform Fight Shifts from Congress to the Courts.”

The Great Health Care Summit Debate of 2010

alrlifestyle — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:36:45 +0000

Well, it finally happened. The Obama administration held a broadcasted bipartisan ”debate” on the health care reform bill, but did they get any closer to resolving the differences between the Republicans and the Democrats ?

No. After hours of condescending talk and accusations of misinformation from both sides, it seems they are no closer to coming to a mutual agreement on how reform should take place.

Google “health care summit opinion” to see what other’s think of the great debate.

Maddie

Decorating on a budget and beauty tips

alrlifestyle — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:12:57 +0000

This month, ALR’s most-read articles offer tips for decorating your child’s room on a tight budget and beauty tips from 2010 Olympic atheletes.

In “The land of make-believe: Creating playful kids’ rooms on a budget,” Dutch Boy offers tips on paint selection, color selection, ways to increase storage and what accessories will give a big bang for your buck!

“Female Winter Olympic athletes share medal-winning winter beauty tips” offers tips from 2010 Olympic atheletes on everything from dry skin to hair.

Stay Healthy!

Maddie

Protect Your Heart and the Scoop on Therapy Animals

alrlifestyle — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:22:31 +0000

In January, ALR published two articles designed to help our members keep their heart healthy.

“What a heart failure diagnosis really means for you,” discusses what the diagnosis “heart failure” means, the symptoms and what you can do to help protect the health of your heart. February is American Heart Month; it is a good time to take advantage of the educational resources during this month on how to take care of yourself and those you love.

Another article you might enjoy is, “Therapy animals prove ‘man’s best friends’ hold healing power,” which discusses the role of therapy animals in the lives of people with disabilities or healthcare problems. But, you don’t have to have a disability or a healthcare problem to realize the benefits a pet can have on your health.

For example, my cats and dogs both act as natural stress relievers. The bassett hound is quite the affectionate guy as well as my cat, Ewok. And, as for the other family animals, they are always nearby to provide a laugh or some other form of antics providing a stress reliever.

Protect your heart!

Maddie

What will the Senate do about healthcare?

alrlifestyle — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:39:31 +0000

That was the question I raised last month and it still needs to be asked. With Scott Brown’s election in Massachusetts, the Democratic party no longer has a 60-seat majority in the Senate. What will they do now?

I would suggest that they take a break and think this over. Before the election last week in Massachusetts, the Democrats were working hard to push this legislation through before the end of the year. The legislation was a 2,000 page document that most legislators had not even read. Now is the time to reflect and listen to the people. Start over, give it a lot of thought and then try to pass something worthwhile. Hey, it’s just an idea!

Here is a link to an article that I thought you might find interesting on this subject:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35010114/ns/politics-health_care_reform/

By guest blogger, Jeff DeGrandpre