| With health care costs rising much faster | | | | healthier habits. Ask for suggestions, and |
| than the general rate of inflation, it is | | | | write them down. Even younger children may |
| vital that we do everything in our power to | | | | surprise you with their ideas! Schedule a |
| keep these costs for our own family as low as | | | | family meeting once a week to see how |
| possible. There are many areas that are | | | | everyone is doing. |
| within our control, making it easy to take | | | | |
| advantage of all of them. | | | | In the family meeting, here are some |
| | | | suggestions of what you might want to cover: |
| Here are some suggestions for helping lower | | | | |
| health care costs for the whole family: | | | | · Make sure everyone knows to cover |
| | | | their mouths when coughing or sneezing. |
| · If you don't already | | | | |
| have a family doctor, primary care physician | | | | · Discuss the importance of hand |
| or nurse-practitioner, find one. Trips to the | | | | washing, and the proper way to wash. Most |
| emergency room are expensive, and may not be | | | | germs are spread by the hands. Use plenty of |
| necessary if you have a relationship with a | | | | soap, and wash long enough to sing the "Happy |
| healthcare provider. Ask friends for | | | | Birthday" song or one verse of "Old McDonald |
| referrals, or call several doctors' offices | | | | Had a Farm". |
| in your area to find out who is taking new | | | | |
| patients, and schedule a visit with one or | | | | · Make sure everyone in the family |
| two of them to establish yourself as a | | | | gets plenty of Vitamin C every day. An orange |
| patient with that office. | | | | or a small glass of pure orange juice will |
| | | | help the immune system fight illness. A diet |
| · Take advantage of all | | | | high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains |
| free health-care screenings provided in your | | | | will also help the body resist disease. |
| town. Free blood pressure and cholesterol | | | | |
| screenings, mammograms and other services are | | | | · If your family members are |
| often available once or twice a year. Call | | | | overweight, do something about it. Stop |
| your county health department to see when | | | | frying your foods and switch to baking or |
| these screenings will be offered, or look for | | | | other healthier cooking methods. Turn off the |
| local health fairs which often provided these | | | | TV during dinner and get to know each other. |
| services. | | | | Plan two healthy snacks a day for everyone. |
| | | | Put sensible portions of food on your plates |
| · If you are ill and | | | | instead of serving family-style, and eat |
| the doctor prescribes medicine, request the | | | | slowly. Follow the USDA food pyramid |
| least expensive drug available for your | | | | suggestions when planning your family's |
| condition, and ask for free samples. Your | | | | meals. |
| doctor may often give you as much as you | | | | |
| need. | | | | · Exercise is also very important |
| | | | for healthy bodies. Take the whole family for |
| · If you smoke, stop. | | | | a walk every day, or just get out and shoot |
| If you can't motivate yourself, call the | | | | hoops, play freeze tag, throw a Frisbee, ride |
| American Lung Association for assistance. As | | | | your bikes, or do whatever it is you like to |
| a last resort, sit down and write your own | | | | do. If the weather is bad, put on some music |
| obituary, assuming you died today of a heart | | | | and dance, or work out to an exercise video. |
| attack or stroke. List your survivors, and | | | | Take turns letting each family member choose |
| then stop and think how their lives would be | | | | the exercise activity for the day, and get |
| without you. Think about all the events in | | | | everyone to agree to do the chosen activity |
| their lives that you don't want to miss such | | | | without complaining. |
| as graduations, weddings, the birth of | | | | |
| grandchildren, etc. Carry a copy of your | | | | · Make sure everyone gets enough |
| obituary with you at all times, and take it | | | | sleep. Children need nine hours or more every |
| out and read it whenever you crave a | | | | night, and adults usually need seven or eight |
| cigarette. | | | | hours. If your children are involved in too |
| | | | many outside activities, eliminate the ones |
| · Call a family meeting | | | | they enjoy the least. A rested body fights |
| to discuss ways to be healthier, even if you | | | | illness better than a tired body. |
| have never had a family meeting before! | | | | |
| Explain to everyone that money spent on | | | | Be proactive about your family's health, and |
| doctors and medicine is money that won't be | | | | you can save big money on your health care |
| available for family fun. It is important to | | | | expenses! |
| get everyone's commitment to developing | | | | |