Maintaining a regular workout routine paves the way to achieving overall health, getting and staying in shape, and having a slim body. However, this routine requires devotion, persistence, and discipline. It is important that, in the first place, you have the motivation to take your workout routine to the next level and to be willing to progress. There are always newer ways to improve your workout routine and to get more satisfactory results. It is necessary to create a plan in order to implement these ways and soon you will enjoy a healthy and fit version of yourself. Guide yourself with our 6 tips to help you improve your routine and make your plan work.

Love What You Do 

You are probably acquainted with the slogan: “Do what you love, love what you do.” Believe it or not, this stands for a workout as well. In fact, one of the major reasons your previous workout routines have failed might be the fact you took workouts only as a burden or an obligation. In order to improve this healthy habit, make sure that you enjoy it the way you want to carry it out. Do some research on what type of workout suits you the best, what part of exercises you enjoy the least, and what the most, what surrounding and what company do you prefer during your workout hours and this will make it more enjoyable. Therefore, you will improve your workout habit and approach exercises as something fun and exciting to fill your day.

Take Small Steps

If you have paused for a long time with exercise, it will be rather impossible to jump into an overwhelming workout routine at once. Instead, set out a few small goals before accomplishing bigger goals. Focus on daily consistency, stick to realistic and time-bound visions. There is no benefit in overtraining, even though it might seem like a good means to improve your workout routine. Not only does it not help, but it can also cause some other unwanted problems. It can completely ruin your routine until you abandon it.

For that reason, motivate yourself by taking small steps and by not giving up on these small steps. Small, but persistent steps lead to results that never leave you disappointed. Whether you exercise at home or at the gym, start with warm-ups and as you progress, you will want to see and try out other exercises and level up your training. Make your workout habit an integral part of your day, as important as eating and sleeping. Schedule your workout and then follow your plan. Start with small, do not get exhausted and big steps will come to you naturally.

Measure Your Intensity

How hard do you exercise? What is the heaviest you can lift up? To follow your weight program as well as your level of advancement, it is a good idea to measure the intensity of your exercise. Measuring repetition maximum is helpful in improving your workout, but again, you have to take it with few precautions. Before you establish your RM and track it, prepare yourself to avoid injuries of muscles and joints.  You can calculate your 1RM at this pull up calculator and test your strength. You can also find out some more information on the downsides it carries along. You need to warm up your muscles in order to prepare them for their maximum without getting any injury. Increase the weight slightly and add episodes of rest between exercises.

Appreciate Your Workout Gear

You might not be able to go to the gym whenever you want, but that is not the reason to skip your daily exercise routine. In fact, there is so much workout gear around you may not notice. Stairs, bicycles, your carpet or bed – all these can be used as your gear, it is up to you to find appropriate exercise for them. Besides, invest in comfortable and enjoyable workout clothes. Do not hesitate on spending a bit more money on gear and clothes, since it is a long-lasting and promising investment.

You become even more responsible if you possess real training equipment at your home. This is a reason more to be conscious of their value and their power to improve your workout routine if you commit yourself as you should.

Have Your Rest Times

Your body gets tired so make sure you don’t put too much burden on it. Once you’re settled and improved your workout routine, insert resting times. Not all exercises are suitable for everyone, and you should be aware of numerous myths regarding exercising. Consider giving yourself a day off, or implementing some resting exercises like stretching, swimming, or yoga. Your body will be thankful to you and you will be able to come back stronger and thus improve your routine.

Reward Yourself 

Ask yourself: why is this routine so important to me? Remind yourself of its benefits. This will motivate you to continue and to sustain the improvement. Together with this, reward yourself from time to time for meeting your small steps and goals. Pick rewards that can be equally beneficial and healthy for you.

Move your workout status from good to great and make this routine a real enjoyment for yourself. Use your daily opportunities for a workout routine in the best way. Be smart in using your time, mindful in exercising your body, and let your motivation live until you move on from small to the greatest steps.

This article was originally published by artofhealthyliving.com. Read the original article here.

A loud snore can be an annoyance for the snorer and the sleep partner. Snoring happens when airflow is blocked, such as in obstructive sleep apnea, or when muscles in your airway relax during sleep and gradually collapse, narrowing the passageway. Most often, it occurs when someone sleeps on his back.

Snoring can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a potentially serious condition where breathing starts and stops during sleep.

What You Can Do To Stop Snoring

While snoring is typically harmless, it’s essential to minimize the noise and improve your sleep quality. If you’re a loud snorer, your snoring could stop you from getting the deep, restorative sleep you need. These are things you can do to stop snoring.

Lose Weight If You Are Overweight

Losing weight if you are overweight helps you sleep better. High body mass index (BMI) is linked to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA is a breathing disorder that causes snoring during sleep or shallow breathing throughout the night. OSA can also cause gasping and choking while sleeping. OSA affects many overweight people, and about 1 in 4 adults is obese.

Weight loss has multiple benefits for your health. You face high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and sleep apnea if you have excess body weight. Weight loss will help you to overcome these health problems.

Many sleep experts suggest losing weight if you are obese to help you stop snoring. If you quit smoking, it will help lower your risk of developing OSA and help you sleep better.

Sleep On Your Side

How often have you been told not to sleep on your back because it can help someone snore? Sleeping on your side is the best way to help stop you from snoring. Your throat muscles relax while you are sleeping, which can cause them to vibrate and create a sound similar to what you would hear when people snore. So what can help a person snoring, snore less? To help decrease the vibrations of your throat muscles, sleeping on your side is one of the best tips to help you stop snoring.

Use Snoring Devices Like Chin Straps Or Nasal Strips 

People who don’t deal with this condition sometimes pretend to understand what OSA sufferers go through, but it’s not something that others can easily comprehend unless they suffer from this issue themselves. There are several things that help a person stop snoring, however, one of the most effective of them is a chin strap. A chin strap is merely the name for a device that has two straps that fit over the individual’s head and help him or her sleep more easily.

The straps are often made of breathable fabric, which helps cool their skin as they’re sleeping. They help keep the individual from snoring because they help keep their mouth closed and help them to breathe through their nose.

They could be used in conjunction with other treatments as well, including nasal strips and a nasal dilator.

Treat Chronic Allergies

According to the Mayo Clinic, one of the primary causes of snoring is a stuffy or runny nose. Snoring remedies include allergy medications that help you breathe better at night. They help to reduce snoring and help you sleep better.

Quitting smoking can help you breathe better at night. Quitting reduces the inflammation in your nose and throat that leads to snoring. Doing a chin tuck can help people stop snoring by aligning their jaw correctly during sleep.

Nasal saline sprays help to reduce snoring and help you sleep better. Saline sprays help moisturize and clear your nose and sinuses. They help open up the passages in your nose and throat that may be causing you to snore.

Avoid Taking Sedatives Before Bed

Many people take sedatives to help them sleep better at night. Sedatives help by slowing down your heart rate and your breathing. The problem is that when you’re sleeping, these things slow down in their nature, and the medication can prevent you from getting enough restful sleep. If you take a sedative before bed, it’s going to help you fall asleep more quickly and help you stay asleep. However, the problem with sedatives is that they leave behind a chemical residue in your body that can end up causing or exacerbating snoring.

Snoring happens because your breathing passages are partially obstructed as you sleep. This makes it challenging to get enough oxygen into your lungs and even more challenging to expel carbon dioxide. As you try to take in oxygen, your body naturally relaxes its muscles, which further narrows the passages and makes it even more challenging to breathe. This is when snoring occurs. To reduce snoring and sleep better, the above tips are ways to guarantee to help you.

This article was originally published by artofhealthyliving.com. Read the original article here.

No bake cookies are one of the easiest cookie recipes you can make. They’re a blend of 7 simple ingredients and no flour or eggs are needed! Just boil everything in a pot, scoop it out into portions on a baking sheet, and let it cool. That’s it!

With Christmas just around the corner, dessert season is officially in full swing. In previous years, I would always bake a cake such as my flourless chocolate cake, paleo chocolate cake, or vegan caramel cheesecake. But this year, I decided to partake in the Christmas cookie tradition and whip up no bake cookies!

No bake cookies are a classic and while they should be easy and foolproof, it seems many still run into issues when making them (i.e. too soft and gooey or too hard and crumbly). So today I’m not only sharing my delicious recipe, I’m sharing heaps of tips so that your cookies are NO FAIL and turn out perfectly. Let’s dive in!

What’s In These Classic No Bake Cookies?

Just 7 basic ingredients! But keep on reading for a few variations – the recipe is quite adaptable!

• Butter: I’m using unsalted butter, but you can also use ghee or vegan butter.
• Milk: I’m using my homemade almond milk, but feel free to use any type of milk, dairy or dairy-free.
• Sugar: Coconut sugar is my favorite for dessert recipes, but you could use any granulated sugar. Just don’t use honey or maple syrup.
• Cacao Powder: I always use raw cacao powder, but you can use unsweetened cocoa powder as well.
• Almond Butter: I only stock my pantry with almond butter (due to my nephew’s peanut allergy), but any nut butter will work.
• Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla extract adds that sweet depth of flavor.
• Oats: You can use old fashioned rolled oats or quick cooking oats (see more in the tips below). Just don’t use steel cuts oats.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Why Use Coconut Sugar?

While most no bake cookie recipes use white granulated sugar, I personally like to use coconut sugar (as I do in many of my dessert recipes) for a few reasons.

First, it’s an unprocessed sugar made naturally from coconut palm sap. There’s no bleaching or chemicals involved. Once the liquid sap is collected from the palm, it’s left out to dry. The result is the granulated brown coconut sugar you see in the market.

And second, coconut sugar has a butterscotch, almost caramel-like taste to it. On the sweetness scale, it actually tastes less sweet that cane sugar, but has more depth. This gives the cookies a richer, more delectable flavor.

How To Make Easy, No Bake Oatmeal Cookies

Yes, this recipe only takes 10 minutes to make. And while it’s easy, it always helps to watch a quick tutorial video. So make sure to watch the video below! 

• Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Add the butter, milk, coconut sugar, and cacao powder to a saucepan on medium heat. Stir it all together and bring to a boil. Let the mixture boil for 2 minutes then remove from the heat.
• Add in the almond butter, oats, and vanilla and stir until everything is mixed together.
• Scoop the cookies onto the baking sheets using a medium sized cookie scooper. Slightly flatten the cookies using a spoon to desired thickness.
• Let the cookies cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or you can pop them in the fridge to cool for about 20 minutes.

Get Creative With Flavors!

• Switch up the nut butters: Feel free to use any other nut-butters such as peanut, cashew, macadamia or even sunflower seed butter.
• Add shredded coconut: If you want to add extra coconut flavoring and texture, reduce the almond butter to 1/4 cup and add 1/4 cup shredded coconut.
• Add chocolate chips: If you want it extra chocolatey, add 1/4 cup chocolate chips. They’ll melt when you stir them in and help to harden the cookies when cooled.
• Add espresso powder: Espresso powder always amplifies chocolate desserts, just add 1/4 teaspoon.
• Add sea salt: For a sweet and salty combo, just sprinkle flaked sea salt on top when they’re drying.

How To Store No Bake Cookies

The best part about these cookies is that they can last for quite awhile – up to 2 weeks. If stored in the freezer, they’ll be good for 2 months (perfect for keeping a post-holiday stash).

Just make sure to store them in airtight containers or stasher bags. You can also use parchment paper to divide the layers so that the cookies don’t stick to each other.

No Bake Cookies Recipe Video

See how easy these no bake cookies are to whip up in the video below!

More Easy Cookie Recipes

Cookies are always a good idea, no matter the season. Here’s a few more delicious recipes to try next time!

These no bake cookies get devoured fast during the holidays. So if I were you, I’d make an extra batch (or two). Once you do, let me know how they turned out! I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.

No Bake Cookies Recipe (Foolproof!)

No bake cookies are one of the easiest cookie recipes you can make. They’re a blend of 7 simple ingredients and no flour or eggs are needed! Just boil everything in a pot, scoop it out onto a baking sheet, and let it cool.

• Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

• In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the milk, sugar, and cacao powder and stir until it starts to boil. Set a timer and let the mixture boil for 2 minutes. Then, turn off the heat.

• Add in the vanilla, almond butter, and oats, and stir until everything is combined.

• Using a medium sized cookie scooper, scoop the cookies onto the baking sheet. Then flatten the cookies using a spoon to desired thickness.

• Let the cookies cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes until firm.

• If you’re gluten-free, make sure to use gluten-free certified oats.
• The cookies will need the full 30 minutes to set, so be patient.
• Make sure to boil for 2 minutes so that the sugar starts to caramelize. If you don’t boil the mixture enough, the cookies will stay soft, and if you over-boil, they might turn out too crumbly.
• And if you want to make your life easy, buy these pre-cut parchment paper sheets (I’m obsessed).

Calories: 171kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 13mg, Sodium: 68mg, Potassium: 115mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 152IU, Calcium: 38mg, Iron: 1mg

©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

This article was originally published by downshiftology.com. Read the original article here.

Soaking in a hot tub provides unmatchable healing benefits for multiple reasons. It eases stress and achy muscles and can even improve your circulation. And it’s lots of fun to do in the winter if you have access to one!

However, you could get sick if you don’t take the right steps to maintain your spa. Worse, you or someone you love could get injured. Here are six hot tub health and safety tips to let you enjoy a worry-free soak that melts away your tension.

1. Test Your Waters

The water in your hot tub doesn’t swirl away down the drain the way your used bathwater does. Since you reuse it repeatedly, you need to maintain the correct chemical balance to prevent the growth of hazardous bacteria like pseudomonas and legionella. The latter germ can cause Legionnaires disease, a potentially fatal condition.

How do you keep these bad boy bacteria at bay? Chlorine has been used to treat public water supplies for over 100 years and has proven reliable for safe, broad-spectrum disinfection. Your hot tub will likely come with a startup supply, but it’s your responsibility to maintain the correct level. This substance comes in powder and tablet form, and your precise formulation will depend on the type of tub you have.

Another frequently used disinfectant is bromine. These tablets generally float in a feeder that you can use in nearly any spa. This chemical is more stable than chlorine in warm water, making it a popular hot tub choice.

2. Watch For Signs Of Trouble

Test strips are an indispensable part of hot tub ownership. However, what happens when you use a spa at a public facility, such as a gym or hotel? How can you tell the water is safe for a dip?

Cloudy and foamy water can occur when lotions, soaps and natural body oils from people’s skin build up in the tub, upsetting the chemical balance. It can also come from leaves and grass that blow into uncovered outdoor facilities. Whatever the cause, it indicates a chemical imbalance you must address before going for a dip. If this happens at home, you can shock your tub. At public locations, you’ll have to alert the property manager to the situation.

What if the water looks cloudy? You can test if it’s safe to soak by tossing a penny to the bottom. If you can read whether the coin is heads or tails when it lands, you’re safe — otherwise, you need to take corrective action.

3. Maintain Optimal Temperature

The purpose of a hot tub is to get hot — but how much heat is too much? Think about your natural body temperature of 98.6 degrees as a comfort baseline. You want your water warmer than that, or else you might feel uncomfortably chilled.

Many experts recommend setting your hot tub temperature between 100 and 102 F. This range is cozy enough to relax muscles and ease away tension without making you feel uncomfortable. The maximum temperature you should set is 104 F. Any higher, and you could incur health risks from excessive heat.

4. Shower Or Bathe Before Entering

If you have an indoor hot tub, your primary water contaminants come from the natural oils, soaps and lotions most people have on their skin. Showering or bathing before you climb in for a soak can reduce microbial levels, making it easier for you to keep your chemical balance in check.

If you have an outdoor tub, check if the facility offers a shower. Many public health clubs request that their members shower before soaking — following the rules helps keep the spa sanitary for everyone.

5. Check Your Drain Covers

You might not think about danger from below, especially if you’re a strong swimmer. However, broken or ill-fitting drain covers can pose a severe health risk that you shouldn’t ignore — especially if you have children.

Even adults can get their hair entangled in the drain, posing a drowning risk. A new law passed in 2008 requiring all public pools and spas to install anti-entanglement drain covers, but you are responsible for caring for your home model.

6. Know When To Say No

As glorious as it is to soak, there’s also a time to say no. One occurs when you’re pregnant. Although you may use a hot tub with a baby on board, you should limit your exposure to less than 10 minutes at a time. It’s best to avoid them altogether during the earliest stages to avoid potential harm to the fetus from the heat.

Another time to gently demur is when you have had one too many. It’s tempting to double down on your relaxation. However, combining heat with alcohol can make you feel dizzy, leading to falls and even drowning.

Hot Tub Health And Safety Tips

Few things rival the luxurious sensation of soaking in a heated spa. Follow these hot tub health and safety tips to maximize your fun.

This article was originally published by artofhealthyliving.com. Read the original article here.

Feeling less than our best or insecure is something that we all experience from time to time. However, we don’t have to let these feelings prevent us from leading our lives or becoming the type of person we want to be. If you’re looking for ways to build yourself up, here are 10 quick tips for boosting your confidence so you’re ready to transform into your best self.

1. Look The Part

Whether or not we feel confident can often be associated with what we’re wearing. Clothes that we feel and look great in are naturally going to promote a positive response. If you haven’t updated your wardrobe in a while, consider looking for some new items like dresses that you can wear to the office or out with friends. Bonus if you can make it work for both by swapping your accessories!

2. Take Good Care Of Yourself

Taking good care of yourself is crucial to your physical and mental health. When you’re staying on top of your health, you’re going to feel much better and look your best. You can start doing this by exercising daily, eating healthy, and incorporating supplements into your routine.

3. Try Out Positive Affirmations

Positive affirmations are an exercise in which you repeat a specific phrase in order to help you focus on positive aspects of yourself or what you wish to achieve. For example, look at yourself in the mirror and repeat, “I am beautiful and confident” a few times to yourself to get into the right headspace before you go forth and conquer the day.

4. Talk It Out

When you’re lacking confidence, sometimes talking about it can make all the difference. Start with some friends or family you trust. If you’re really struggling with confidence, reaching out to a professional who can help you gain some more insight and provide you with the tools you need can be the best way to cope with feelings of inadequacy and move forward. Whether your therapist employs talk therapy or exposure therapy, you can get the help you need to reclaim your positive self-image.

5. Give Yourself A Makeover

Switching up our look and trying out new things can help us discover a new appreciation for ourselves or even transform ourselves into the person we wish to be. Take some time to figure out how you can unlock a new you, no matter how little change or how much change is involved along the way.

6. Find Positive People

We shouldn’t rely solely on external validation to feel good about ourselves. However, hearing about how stunning we look or how awesome we are can feel great coming from another person. Surround yourself with positive people who aren’t afraid to give you a compliment. If you’re single and haven’t dated in a while, dust off your phone and see if you can find someone to connect with who will do exactly this.

7. Change What You Can (And Accept What You Can’t)

Everyone has things that they wish they could change about themselves. That being said, there are things we can change and things we can’t. If you’re experiencing something like hair loss, for example, there are solutions out there that could restore your hair or even make it look like you never lost your hair. However, things like the color of your eyes are permanent. If you can change something, change it. If you can’t, embrace it as one of the things that make you unique!

8. Do Something That Makes You Feel Powerful

When we do something that we’re passionate about, it kicks up our positivity and confidence to the next level. Whether you like helping others, kicking butt in your favorite video game, or hitting that high note, find something that you’re great at and do it to give you that sense of power you’re looking for.

9. Stop Comparing Yourself To Others

The comparison game can be easy to fall into. However, both you and your journey are unique and can’t be compared to anything else. Celebrate your victories and the things that make you special. After all, there’s only one of you!

10. Set Small Goals And Achieve Them

If you’re feeling like you’re just not getting any wins lately, try finding some smaller goals to tackle. This could be something as simple as clearing out a whole room or reorganizing your books by color. When you set these small goals and achieve them, you’ll feel happier and more accomplished. This will then set you up to tackle bigger goals and give you the confidence you need to crush them over time.

You’re The Key To Unlocking Your Confidence

The power to feel great about yourself lies within you. Whenever you start to doubt your personal power or greatness, return to this guide to use these tips and get your self-esteem back in order.

This article was originally published by artofhealthyliving.com. Read the original article here.

This article was originally published by mindbodygreen.com. Read the original article here.

After retirement, not only your physical but also your mental and emotional health are important. While some people have had a post-retirement plan in place for a long time, others find themselves floundering without the sense of purpose that a job provided. However, these can truly be the golden years, as they are sometimes called, and taking the steps below can help make that possible.

Careful Planning

You don’t have to have the next few decades of your life laid out, but you’ll enjoy retirement more if you don’t have to worry about certain things, like money and medical care. You might want to make or update an estate plan, and you may want to examine your assets and see if you want to make any changes to them. If you have a life insurance policy, you may want to consider selling it if you no longer have dependents who would need the proceeds. You can review a guide on everything you need to know about life settlements to learn more about this option for increasing your cash reserves after retirement. You may also want to consider whether you want to purchase long-term care insurance and what your health care options are.

Your Physical Wellbeing

It is difficult to generalize about the physical wellbeing of any group, and as you near retirement, you may continue to be very active, or you might have some limitations. What’s important is that you have a plan in place, in conjunction with your doctor, that will allow you to continue to take care of yourself with any of those limitations in mind.

Your Intellectual Wellbeing

There are many misconceptions about the intellectual capabilities of older adults. The truth is that people in their 70s, 80s and even 90s are getting college degrees, running businesses, writing books and continuing to either do the things they have always loved doing or discovering new interests. You might want to think about whether you actually want to retire. You may want to cut your hours or embark on a new line of work, but reaching a certain age does not mean you have to stop or even slow down if you don’t want to. Don’t feel pressured or constrained by the expectations of others. Think about what kind of intellectual stimulation you’ll need to continue to be happy after retirement, and seek it out.

Your Emotional Wellbeing

Although retirement can be a wonderful time, it can also come with a lot of challenges, and you might want to think ahead of time about how you’ll negotiate those challenges. For example, how will you manage it if your children assume that you’ll be an on-call babysitter now for your grandchildren but you have plans to travel the world or assume a busy volunteer position? Your family might feel neglected and you might feel guilty, but it’s important to take the steps you need to make this time in your life fulfilling for you. Another potential area of conflict with family is the degree of independence you’ll have as you get older. Communication can be key in negotiating the expectations of loved ones in relation to what you hope to do with the years ahead.

This article was originally published by artofhealthyliving.com. Read the original article here.

If you’re serious about your health, you should find a primary care doctor whom you can entirely trust. In this article, you’ll find valuable recommendations on how to detect such a professional.

The better rapport you establish with your primary care doctor, the more efficiently you’ll be able to prevent and cure health conditions. An ideal medical professional should have extensive experience, be empathic and ready to work with patients whose needs are similar to yours. They should remember your health goals, lifestyle, treatment preferences and the nuances of your medical history. From this article, you’ll get to know how to find a perfect primary care doctor in your area and select the best specialist from multiple candidates.

Ask For Advice

Most likely, your friends and family members can recommend to you an empathic and experienced medical professional. Yet it doesn’t mean that this doctor will suit you too because all patients are different. You might want to shortlist the best candidates and visit them one by one to detect your dream doctor.

Make Sure You’ve Got Coverage

Check whether the candidates from your short list are ready to work with your health plan. If you see a doctor outside your plan’s network, you might need to pay more.

Map It Out

You should look for a primary care doctor in your area. No one knows when and how often you might need to see them — and you won’t want to travel very far when you’re not feeling good. Feel free to use find a doctor near me apps and online services to compare the best professionals from your neighborhood.

Do A Quality Check

On dedicated apps and sites, you can also find ratings of medical professionals and people’s impartial reviews about them. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you can also check with your insurance company to see if they provide any information about the quality ratings of specific primary care doctors in your network.

You might want to assess the following parameters of each candidate:

• Education
• Additional training
• Board certifications
• Languages
• Experience
• Specialties
• Medical degree
• Licenses

Board-certified primary care doctors have met the licensing requirements of their states and passed comprehensive exams in internal medicine. Certificates confirm that the medical professional keeps up with the latest developments in their field and will be able to give you up-to-date advice.

Place A Cold Call

It doesn’t need to be a long conversation. Sometimes, just one minute might be enough for you to assess the professionalism of the medical staff. What will the assistant tell you if the doctor is very busy? Will they apologize for being not able to offer you an appointment in the next few days? Or will they promise you to do their best to fit you in even though it might not happen until next month? The etiquette of the office staff is a telltale sign of the quality of medical services.

Ask About Logistics

A perfect primary care doctor won’t make you come to their office too frequently unless that is absolutely necessary. During the initial call, you might want to ask them the following questions:

• Do they offer same-day appointments?
• How long do patients usually sit in the waiting room?
• How will they let you know about test results?
• Will you be able to email your doctor or schedule appointments online?
• Will the office call to remind you if you’re overdue for an annual screening or a flu shot?

More and more doctors today support virtual appointments. Even if you have never tried this type of service before, you might want to find a medical professional who offers it. Ask them in advance how easy it is to schedule a virtual appointment. While talking to you remotely, the doctor will be able to analyze your symptoms, share recommendations on pain relief and tell you which medical tests you should have and how urgently.

Keep Your Needs In Mind

Find a doctor who specializes in patients of your type. For instance, if you have diabetes or another chronic condition, you should look for a professional with extensive expertise in this sphere. The older the patient, the more chronic conditions they are likely to have. If you have multiple complex medical issues, you might consider seeing a geriatrician — it’s a doctor who specializes in taking care of older patients.

Get To Know Your Doctor’s Philosophy

You might want to ask the following questions:

• Why did this person choose this profession?
• What do they enjoy the most about being a primary care doctor?
• What do they wish more patients would do after they leave their office?

If you and your doctor share an identical set of values, you should be more eager to follow their advice.

Avoid Culture Shock

An ideal medical professional should be culturally aware and respectful toward your ideas and traditions. For instance, if your religious beliefs go against certain types of treatment, the doctor should discuss any potential alternatives with you. They should be tolerant toward any customs, preferences and taboos their patients might have.

Trust Your Gut

After you see a new doctor for the first time, you should thoroughly analyze your feelings and impressions immediately after you leave their office. On your way back home, try to ask yourself the following questions:

• Did you feel at ease with this person?
• Did they show any interest in getting to know you?
• Did you get exhaustive and comprehensive answers to all your questions?

If you are not 100% sure that this professional is an ideal fit for you, you might want to try another one.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, this article came in handy and now it will be easier for you to find an excellent primary care doctor. Ask your friends and family members for advice, map it out and make sure you’ve got coverage. Do a quality check, place a cold call in the doctor’s office and ask them whether they are set up for virtual appointments. Keep your needs in mind, avoid culture shock and trust your gut. When you find a doctor whom you feel comfortable with, that should maximize your odds for a positive outcome with any health condition.

This article was originally published by artofhealthyliving.com. Read the original article here.

Choosing a health insurance plan can be a daunting task. There are so many plans out there, and they all have different rates, deductibles, copays, and more. In this blog post, we will go over some tips that can help you pick the right one for you!

Review Your Coverage From Year To Year

Make sure you understand the benefits and costs of each plan. Some plans may offer free preventive services, but charge higher co-pays for prescriptions; other plans might include a low deductible with high monthly premiums. Spend some time researching your options when choosing a health plan to make an informed decision about which type of health insurance is best suited for your particular needs and budget. The Insurance Information Institute has useful information available via its website that can help answer any questions you have regarding health insurance coverage or choosing a medical policy. Whether through employer-provided group rates or if you are purchasing individual policies on the open market, there are many great options from which to choose when it comes to obtaining affordable, quality healthcare coverage today!

Add In Coverage For Your Family Members

Your spouse and any children should be covered by your plan. This is very important coverage to add in because you never know what might happen and it would make things much harder if something did occur. Your kids may not be at the age where they can go off on their own yet or perhaps one of them has special needs that require lots of care. If either were to ever get sick out there without insurance then this could hurt both financially and emotionally for such an event like that to take place when you weren’t ready at all.

The Cost Of Health Insurance Premiums

The premiums you pay for health insurance can vary based on numerous factors, including your age and gender, the amount of coverage you need (i.e., how many doctor visits or prescriptions will be covered each year), whether there are any exclusions in terms of what is paid by your plan (such as if a certain type of surgery isn’t covered) and where you live. To save money on their monthly premium payments, some consumers choose to enroll in job-related plans through work. These may include “high deductible” options that require patients to pay more out-of-pocket before receiving benefits from their insurer—in other words, paying higher deductibles increases the chance that a person could obtain at least partial reimbursement when it comes to doctor visits or prescriptions.

Check Out What You Might Be Able To Save

If you are young and healthy, perhaps you can get away with a high deductible plan. This might be the right choice for you to save money on your monthly premium payments. But before making this decision, make sure that you have enough savings in case an unexpected medical issue arises. Otherwise, signing up for such a plan could mean taking out another loan or credit card when faced with extensive health care bills.

If you need to invest in health insurance, you must find the plan that works best for your needs. If the costs are too high or if there aren’t enough benefits included with your monthly payments, then these tips can help guide you towards picking out a better plan than what was offered at work.

This article was originally published by artofhealthyliving.com. Read the original article here.