Strengthen your relationship with your primary doctor. When you have a primary doctor who knows you and your medical history well, you are more likely to make decisions and get advice that will keep you from needing more expensive care like hospital stays or specialized care.

Don’t use the emergency department unless absolutely necessary. Even urgent care facilities will cost less than the emergency department at the hospital. Again, if at all possible, contact your doctor’s office because they have your records and will be able to best advise you.

Follow your plan for chronic diseases management. If you have treatable chronic diseases, you need to make sure you are taking your medicines as prescribed, keeping regular check ups and following lifestyle changes that will help control the effects of these conditions.

Work with your primary doctor before going to a more expensive specialist or getting expensive tests, even if your insurance plan allows it. If your primary doctor coordinates the need for specialized care and tests, it can help avoid wasted costs from over- testing, and duplication of treatments.

Work with your health care providers to decrease costs with medications whenever possible. The costs of medications are a major contributor to our health care costs and using generic medicines when applicable will cut those costs. Also, if you have been taking medicine for a while, make sure it is working.

Stay Healthy. Following healthy behaviors like eating more whole grains and vegetables and fruits, getting exercise, not smoking and getting in seven or more hours of sleep can help prevent illnesses, chronic diseases and their complications. It still may be hard to avoid the rising health care costs. Remember that if you are having trouble paying for your needed medicines as well as medical care there are support services available. If you don’t get your needed medicines for a chronic condition the resulting costs may be much higher.

Fatty Acids and Your Child: What You Need to Know

Our children are becoming increasingly burdened by poor nutrition and its consequences. There exists an imbalance of essential fatty acids in the diet. The typical American diet has an over abundance of omega 6 fatty acids. What is an essential fatty acid, EFA? Simply put, these are fats that our bodies need to function properly, especially our brains and the immune system. There is a large body of evidence that shows that the modern American diet is inadequate for proper EFA balance.

Omega 6 fats are found in vegetables, seeds, grains and their oils as well as in animals fed these products. They are necessary, but we consume far too much of them. The dramatic increase in dietary omega 6 fatty acids has come mostly from the intake of processed foods. These foods contain large amounts of soy and corn oil, sources of omega 6 fatty acids. Unfortunately, these fats are the precursors for the immune system’s inflammatory cascade. The final result is an increase in disease burden through increased inflammation.

Omega 3 fats are found in fish, grass, almonds, flax and wild game meats. They are precursors to EPA and DHA, two fatty acids that our bodies utilize for brain and immune system function. Omega 3 fatty acids compete and reduce the harmful excessive omega 6 end products. Diets rich in omega 3 foods are associated with decreased cardiovascular morbidity, post partum depression, reduced neuropsychiatric disease morbidity and improved eye health. Looking at this list of foods, it is likely that your child does not get enough of these important EFA’s.

Inflammation in our bodies is essential for normal healing processes, such as a sprained ankle or infection control. However, balance is the key to health and wellness. Excessive dietary omega 6 fatty acids are analogous to a tank of gasoline waiting around for a fire(disease) to feed and burn out of control. Inflammation is likely a root cause of most of our chronic diseases in children and adults. Therefore, a balanced essential fatty acid makeup in our diet will result in better brain and immune function while decreasing abnormal inflammation.

The take home message is to limit processed foods and try to get your omega 6 fats from whole foods, not their oils. Practically, this means avoiding fried foods, most commercially produced meats, snack foods made with soy, corn and other seed oils. If you prefer to eat meat, eat it sparingly and eat grass fed varieties that are hormone and antibiotic free.

Parenting is a life long responsibility. Educate your children by example and through love. Teach them to eat for life and wellness. As always, love your child, love your child and then love them some more all while parenting them.

Safe Sleeping Rules for Infants

- Do not sleep in the same bed with your baby. Use a crib, bassinet or playpen designed for babies. Do not allow your baby's older brothers or sisters to sleep with your baby.

- Do not fall asleep with your baby on a couch. Your baby may get wedged between the back of the couch and the larger person's body, or your baby's head may become buried in cushion crevices or soft cushions.

- Do not place your baby on a free-floating, wavy waterbed or similar surface in which the baby could suffocate.

- Do not place your sleeping baby on pillows, cushions, sofas or loose bedding.

- Keep excess bedding, toys, stuffed animals and pillows out of the crib while baby sleeps.

- Do not cover your baby's face with blankets while your baby is sleeping.