With so many people job jumping and many more working online or doing contract work, it isn’t surprising that the number of people covered by employer-provided health insurance has gone down. I’m finding that simply researching Health Insurance Rates is a daunting task. Making the right decision is hard work!

Since attempting to find good health insurance online I can’t help wondering how people found the information they needed before the internet. I mean, I remember pre-internet days quite well, but I don’t remember how I ever got along without it. I can’t imagine having to go back to a time when I couldn’t get online. Heck, I even find myself wishing there was a search function on regular paper books!

I’m thrilled to announce that since August 17, 2007, I have lost 40 lbs! That’s right. I’m getting closer and closer to my goal of being the same weight I was when I quit smoking. It won’t be long now.

So far, I’ve found success by getting most of my calories from a protein powder drink. I add a banana in the morning and peanut butter in the afternoon and evening to increase the protein and potassium. Other than that, I mostly stuck with the drinks.

Since around the middle of February I’ve replaced my protein drinks with salad a couple times each week and tuna fish once or twice a week. I’m trying to be very careful about adding in foods slowly so I don’t stop losing or even worse, start gaining. So far, I’m still making progress, even with these adjustments.

I’ve read about certain foods acting as natural fat burners but I’m not sure if that’s fact or hype. I need to do more research on that. For right now, a low carb/high protein eating plan centering on these protein shakes seems to be working well. I still can’t believe I’ve lost 40 pounds.

I wonder if I can get down to my mid-twenties weight? Probably not. If I can get to where I was when I quit smoking, by my 50th birthday, I’ll be satisfied.

In my quest to lose weight I’ve tried a number of different programs. I always seem to go back to some form of low carb, though. That works for me, maybe because I’m borderline diabetic.

Low fat diets haven’t worked for me since my mid-twenties but I when I read about a revolutionary new diet supplement that blocks fat, I had to try it. I wish I’d read the reviews aboutAlli first, though. I won’t go into detail; just read the part about side effects and you’ll understand why I chose to try something else.

Have you found a good supplement for your weight loss? Share it with me. I’m always looking for something to give my weightloss program a boost

Sitting at my computer all day has really played havoc on my neck and back. I know I’m getting old but this is just ridiculous. I do get up to move around every 20 minutes or so but I guess that isn’t enough.

I’d love to schedule a massage but there really isn’t time for that right now. It was easier when I worked and was already out. It was really nice to get a mini massage during lunch.

I do know that a good friend has been able to keep her body limber and pain free by doing yoga. I’m thinking of buying a yoga dvd for beginners to see if that helps to keep me pain free. I used to be very nimble; wonder how long it will take to get this old body through the beginner phase?

A little bit of a shock to my system: I’m married to a man who is old enough to join AARP. More of a shock: I’ll be eligible for membership this very year. YIKES!

It’s hard to believe that we’re now considered senior citizens. We were the younger generation. We were taught to trust no one over age 30; now we’re two decades past that age ourselves. How did this happen?

I’m talking to my mom about this, getting the scoop on senior citizen discounts, medical information like medicare part d and anything else that she’s learned over the past 25 years. And frankly, I’m not at all happy about entering this phase of life.

I’m going to try as hard as I can to enjoy these final 8 months of my youth. Wish me luck.

I sit too much. I’m here at my computer most days, sitting and typing and clicking. That doesn’t provide much exercise, does it? During the warmer months, I start my day with a walk down by the river with my dog; in the winter neither Belle nor I have any desire to walk along the river where it’s several degrees colder than anywhere else. And anywhere else is pretty darn cold anyway!

I’ve looked into a few home gyms but I haven’t found anything that I think I’d stick to for very long. The fact is, I like calisthenics type exercise. For these winter months, I might just start walking up and down my steps several times a day. That would be a cheap solution to combat my spreading, uh… backside.

If you haven’t read my previous article on natural health, then go ahead and check it out. Now, if you’re not the type to dabble in herbs and such, don’t turn away just yet. Holistic-online.com has much to offer beyond herb and essential oil information.

For example, I wasn’t even aware until I began to write the previous article that there is an entire section on bioterrorism. As often as I visit that page – and I visit it several times each month – I’d never noticed that. Looks like I just found something new I need to check out there.

Another of my favorite areas of the site (well, several areas, really) are those that have to do with controlling anxiety, relaxation and exercise. I have no problem with relying on modern medicine when necessary but if I can find a more natural way to deal with my anxiety, I’m going to try that first. Not only will you find a definition of anxiety, common symptoms and common sense advice, you’ll also see a long list of alternative treatments, like yoga, with advice on when to contact your doctor. I love that this site attempts to work along with your doctor rather than simply replacing traditional medicine.

The home exercise area is especially useful for those of us who can’t afford (or have no room for) special equipment like ellipticals, treadmills and weight benches. The articles are broken down into purpose (weight loss, flexibility, etc.) with some excellent articles on specific medical conditions like diabetes or Parkinson’s disease.

There’s really much more to explore at Holistic-online.com, but I’ll leave that to you. Just remember to bookmark it because you’ll surely want to reference the information here over and over.

My quest for good health goes back decades. I’ve always been interested in being physically healthy; I simply failed many times to carry through. Whether I resolved to quit smoking or lose weight or exercise regularly, I never seemed to stick with the program. Over the years, though, I collected quite a bit of knowledge regarding health. My favorite line of study is natural health or alternative medicine. From essential oils to herbs, I’m fascinated.

One of my favorite sites has always been Holistic-onlilne.com. There is so much information at this one site that you should plan to spend several hours each day just browsing around. I have a feeling I should just divide this post into two, so I can cover a little more.

One of the first areas you’ll want to visit is the What is Alternative Medicine page. The definitions and explanations are so comprehensive that I couldn’t do them justice by summarizing here. If you have ever wondered about alternative medicine and terms such as “ayurvedic” or “homeopathic” then this is the site for you. No hype, no propaganda, just good solid information.

The nutrition area of the site provides tables of US recommended allowances of vitamins and minerals, information on micronutrients as well as details of specific diets like the Mediterranean and Eskimo diets. There are sections about nutrition deficiencies and special diets for specific conditions.

Perhaps my favorite part of the site is the Herb section. The alphabetical directory is listed by both common name and scientific name, making finding what you want much easier. Whether you’re searching for an herbal alternative to a sleep aid, diet pills or pain reliever, you’ll find all the information you could want here.

Be sure to check out the herbal remedies page, too. I love the Ayurvedic remedies; I’ve still not made my way through the Oriental Medicine list yet.

Holistic-online has much more to offer. Stay tuned and I’ll try to touch on a few other nice areas in my next post.

It’s getting to be that time of year: New Year’s Resolutions! I’ve never been a fan of those things until I set my mind to giving up smoking. On December 31, 2005, I smoked my last cigarette. I’m still proud of myself for doing that after 33 years of smoking.

In August of this year I finally got really serious about losing the extra weight I’d gained after quitting smoking. So far, I’ve lost 27 pounds. I’m feeling better but I still have quite a way to go. This year, my resolution is to not just lose weight but to get into shape. And my first step will be to pull out the exercise tapes that worked so well previously.

I discovered Teresa Tapp and her T-Tapp exercise regime several years ago while searching online for something unrelated. The first that caught my eye about this program was that the website offered a “try before you buy” page with videos of some of the most popular T-Tapp moves. I figured Teresa Tapp must really believe in her routine to offer these exercises for free.

I don’t remember why I stopped working out to these tapes but I do know it was a terrible mistake. The T-Tapp program was beginning to reshape my body and I was feeling wonderful. I was amazed that I made so much progress without any weights or exercise equipment.

If you’re looking for an effective exercise program to kick off your New Year’s Resolution, check out the T-Tapp website and ask questions at the friendly forum. I know you’ll be pleased with the results!

I’m so tired of taking Excedrin every time I get a headache! This is beginning to upset my stomach. I know it’s the aspirin in Excedrin but tylenol just doesn’t help much.

I did read recently that some doctors are using Botox for headaches and seeing amazing results. Isn’t that interesting? I’ve considered Botox for that nasty “11″ between my eyebrows but never thought of its uses for anything as serious as head pain. I may have to ask about this during my next appointment. I think I’d rather be pain free than wrinkle free anway.