Overcoming Depression and Anxiety
Choices in Health Care Payment
by Joanne Haupert
by Carol L. Henricks
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hough depression is very common, 34 percent of Americans think depression is a personal weakness. Far from it. Some great leaders such as Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill suffered with depression and still were able to do incredible things. One factor often overlooked is the health of our nervous system. Trauma and/or chronic stress can cause the nervous system to be in a constant state of fight-or-flight. This can definitely cause or contribute to depression, anxiety and other illnesses. There are some easy ways to know if one’s nervous system could be stuck in fight-or-flight patterns, such as: if the mind won’t shut off; there is difficulty relaxing, sleeping or concentrating; balance is challenged; or if someone suffers from poor digestion, poor posture or chronic pain. Having the spine evaluated by a chiropractor can lead to great health changes. Below are some action steps that can be taken to reduce or prevent depression and anxiety, as well as their benefits. • Help someone else. Gain a sense of purpose, connection and distraction from problems. • Smile in the mirror. Raise self-esteem. • Breathing exercise (4-4-4). Calming, reduces blood pressure and lessens anxiety. • Reduce gluten and refined sugar. Leads to less inflammation and less toxicity. • Meditate 5 minutes or more. Relaxation, better able to control attention. • Exercise 10 minutes or more. Increase serotonin and focus, lower blood pressure. • Reduce TV time. Keeps the brain active and healthy. • Sleep 8 hours. Less sleep acts like taking antidepressants. • Get vitamin D (best from sunshine). Important in so many reactions in body. • Spinal care. Relexation, efficiency, connection, and promotes healing. • Get out in nature. Promotes healing, lowers anxiety and stress • Pet an animal. Connection, joy, contribution. Dr. Joanne Haupert, chiropractor, has helped many people overcome depression and anxiety. She gives bimonthly presentations on depression as well as many other health tips. Connect at 520-584-0343 or InspiredHealing.org.
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hat choices for healthcare payment exist other than insurance? Self-pay for medical care has always been an option, and is the way that the medical profession used to work. For medically complex patients, this is often the best choice. The most important part of good health care is for a knowledgeable practitioner to sit down with a patient’s complete health history, and synthesize the information to develop a comprehensive treatment plan with the patient. Services such as the RNPA program (PatientAdvocates.com), developed in Tucson by Karen Mercereau, NP, will create an easy way to review historical medical data. Medi-bid (Medibid.com) is a nationwide network of physicians and healthcare services who have published their self-pay rates, so patients can search and compare to optimize their healthcare dollar. Health Savings Accounts (HSA) can be used to fund alternative treatments and often help to fund health care needs that are beyond insurance coverage. But how does one meet the requirement for having health insurance if they are going to self-pay? Medical costsharing plans. Plans like Samaritan Health-Care Ministry (SamaritanMinistries.org) work best for healthy people who prefer natural treatments, and often require one to sign an agreement that they are engaging in a healthy lifestyle. Members pay out of pocket for regular medical care and testing, but there is a pool of members who help to cost-share for catastrophic health events. Other resources include MedicalCostSharing.com and LibertyDirect.org. With the rising cost of insurance premiums, co-pays and deductibles, it is worthwhile to do the math and see if medical cost-sharing could be an alternative payment option. Dr. Carol Henricks practices at NorthStar Hyperbarics, in Tuson. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) saturates the body with oxygen, reducing inflammation and enhancing recovery from central nervous system injuries. Connect at 520-229-1238 or NorthStarHBOT.com. See ad, page 23. December 2016
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