Allergy - Honey Can Cure Your Pollen Allergies For Good!

Every year, new allergy medicines are on the market with more hour relief for allergy symptoms. Of course, they will give you stronger side effects.

Moreover, all over-the-counter and prescription medicines for allergies are for masking symptoms only without addressing the root cause, so you need them every season. I heard a friend said his best season is winter, because only in winter he can be pollen allergies free. During other seasons of every year, allergy medicines make his life miserable.

I heard a remedy to cure pollen allergies.

1. Get a bottle of local honey from farmer market or local stores (not from supermarket).

2. Chop a whole lemon to small pieces and mix the lemon pieces into the honey. And then keep the lemon honey in refrigerate for a week.

3. Eat 1 or 3 spoons of honey with lemon pieces every morning on an empty stomach for several months. Do it for several seasons.

Remember that only local honey works, since only local honey contains local pollens, which make you allergy. Supermarket honey is harvested from honey farms, where only one kind of flowers is planted to feed bees.

A friend of mine tried it and it worked for him. Also, I posted this remedy in another site. A lady commented that she used it about 20 years ago, and she has enjoyed pollen allergies free for many-many-many years. She had miserable pollen allergies twice a year before. She said it worked her.

Scientifically, I think it makes sense. Since doctors use allergy shots to treat severe pollen allergy, the shots only contain tiny quantities of pollens. With slowly exposure to pollens over time, your body will get used to them and stop reacting with allergy symptoms.

Local honey contains local pollens. And the lemon changes the honey to acid, for unknown reason, which enhances the curing power of local honey.

Now matter what the principle is, it has no side effects, it is easy to do it and it is a cure for pollen allergies.

Why Do I Have Sinusitis and Postnasal Drip and Jane Doesn't

Are you the one with the honking nose that drives people to sit far far away from you? Is the cost of Kleenex hurting your bottom line?

You and Jane are almost identical. You both went to the same school, ate the same bad foods, and grew up in similar households. You both loved dogs and slept with them. You even exchanged shoes and cosmetics. Jane has seldom had a cold. She says the only time she saw a doctor was for the baby shots. Why is there such a difference?

Turns out that Jane was breast fed according to the old world way of continuing at least to when the teeth are out. Your mother probably had to work and bottle fed you very early. Also, your mother was more modern and started feeding you table foods too early; foods started too early can cause allergy. Plus, your mother had the best health insurance and, early on took you to Dr Jones, who, to be on the safe side, prescribed the latest antibiotic at almost every visit. Jane's mother was a believer in tea, lemon and honey and bed rest.

What we know today is that too much antibiotic for children can alter the normal immune response; instead of the good white cells and immune globulins, we get an allergic type of reaction- even asthma!

We found this out when, before the fall of the Berlin wall, the West German kids got antibiotics with every sniffle; the East German kids did not. The West German kids got the asthma.

But what can you do today? Your nose is raw, stuffed, runny and you can feel this thick glop going down your throat. You worry about your breath too. The answer is your nasal cilia.

In the healthy nose there are millions of tiny cilia, which act like paddles. These paddles propel bacteria, pollen and dirt out of the nose to the back of the throat. There they are swallowed and dissolved in the stomach acid. The persons who don't have chronic sinusitis have cilia that move with precision, in rhythm, to move the bacteria out. If they don't, you may get a sinus infection because the bacteria remain in place and multiply.

Once upon a time, there was a list of products that slow or impair or stop nasal cilia movement. Unfortunately many products can impair normal cilia movement including diesel exhaust and perfumed lipstick.

Today there is a new chemical being produced almost every day that can affect your cilia. If you are using a new product and it causes excessive sneezing and coughing, it probably is affecting your nasal function.

Unfortunately, although companies are required to test their new product for toxicity- if it will kill you- they don't test for effect on nasal and chest cilia. This is why you need to be sure your cilia are at full speed and effectiveness.

Once your cilia are impaired, your nose burns, you sneeze, your nasal airway is congested, and you lose sleep. Then you start getting thick yellow discharge and eventually there is sinus pain. These are signs of impaired cilia. The sooner you get them back to moving to remove bacteria, pollen and dust, the fewer changes will take place in your sinus cavities. Humming, tea, and pulsatile nasal/sinus irrigation are used to restore the important nasal cilia.

What exactly does pulsatile irrigation do? Pulsing saline at a frequency that maximizes cilia movement is a common approach. As the nose is irrigated with saline - in one nostril and out the other, that frequency of the pulse wave "harmonizes" and vibrates the nasal tissue to restore good movement. For example, the Hydro Pulse is "tuned" to maximize cilia movement. The pulsing action acts to physically remove bacteria and pollen too. The massage action moves out stale lymphatic products and brings in fresh blood, which is therapeutic too. For any illness, relaxation is beneficial. The pleasant pulse wave is relaxing for many persons and helps them relax for better healing. However caution is needed. The directions on the irrigators state a stream less than one inch high. But there are machines that project with extreme force; these can harm the nose. The high pressure can force infected material from the nose into the ear. The high pressure "beats the cilia" instead of gently waves them back to normal speed. Again, the stream should be adjusted so it is less than one inch high. Anything higher is too much.

Remember Jane who didn't get postnasal drip? She probably has normal intestinal good bacteria that help manufacture the immune products because she didn't take excess antibiotics. For you, taking yogurt and probiotics is important for raising your immunity.

Other factors are good sleep. Try to set your sleep clock so that you have a complex set of steps: brush hair, brush teeth, warm bath, oil the face, etc. The more steps to wind you down and look forward to sleep, the more your sleep clock is set. Go to bed with a teddy bear? Absolutely, if you travel a lot, that can help you sleep in different time zones. I prescribe this for men too!

Although your nasal problem may be due to allergy, checking the pollen calendar can tell you if your sneezing is coming due to the oak trees in bloom. Then you may want to use pulsatile irrigation to remove pollen, and the IgE in your nose that combines with the pollen to plug up your nose. In the later stages of acute allergy, your nasal cilia are impaired and need to be restored.

Remember your grandmother kept telling you to drink tea, lemon and honey, as well as chicken soup? Today's scientist have found that these both contain chemicals that can restore cilia movement and help your immunity!

I hope this discourse into you vs Jane will help. You are not alone in having sinus problems. Fortunately you can be as free of sinus and postnasal drip as Jane is.

The Benefits of Steam Cleaning Your Carpet

There are many advantages to steaming your carpet. Some are fairly evident including the removal of dirt and unsightly stains. Even so, there are additional positive aspects than just those on the "surface".

I am an allergy sufferer. I happen to be taking allergy shots on and off over the past Thirty years. Together with the assistance of my allergy physician, I'm able to maintain my domestic pets. I just need to make sure that the dust mites are out of the carpet by merely steam cleaning my carpet normally.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, "Carpet is an ideal home for allergy triggers including dust mites, mold and pet dander." While they will encourage swapping the flooring surface to something besides carpet, such as wood, vinyl fabric or linoleum tile, sometimes we simply cannot make it happen. Not only will it cost a tremendous amount to get rid of the carpet and change it out with a totally different surface, I reside in a condo, and removing the carpet just isn't an alternative. I needed an effective way to make perfectly sure that some of those triggers are contained, granted my own predicament. A means to confirm that these triggers are out of the house is to steam clean your carpet.

Think about it; somebody in your house enters in out of the weather, it is a dewy morning or they walk through the sprinklers on their way inside. They track that water on to your carpet. Typically, it's the padding underneath the carpet or down deep in the nap within the carpet. In a write-up labeled Carpet Asthma and Allergies- Myth or Reality "According to Michael A. Berry, Ph.D., persistent and excessive amounts of moisture which contribute to mold and bacterial growth are almost always major contributors to indoor bio-pollutant contamination." Bio-pollutants are something that can manifest outdoor or indoor which might trigger allergies which "include pollen, animals, dander, house dust mites, mold, and cockroaches." This info is located in a fascinating study in which it analyzes the affect of carpets on allergies. Dr. Berry took samples of carpets and hardwood and exposed these to moist areas to monitor the rate of mold growth on these surfaces. "After 8 weeks of exposure, there seemed to be no induction of mold progression on any one of the cleansed (old or new) carpet samples." "Dr. Berry states that "the main conclusion of his research is that clean carpet does not support mold growth even at prolonged and elevated temperature and humidity levels. It is a conclusion for this project that for any material Dirt + Water (High Humidity) = Mold Growth. The obvious management solution for mold indoors is to keep all carpet materials dry or at least clean."

Investigation sustains we continue to keep our carpets nice and clean, but which strategy do we make use of? Steam cleaning your carpet is generally the best practice to ensure you get your carpet clean. Having said that, a "normal" non commercial carpet cleaner doesn't utilize vapor. It utilizes hot water and recommended formula (cleaning agent) to kill the pet dander, mildew and dust mites. At this time there are several different types of residential carpet cleaners but more importantly, you'll find types of solutions based on your circumstances. For example, there's higher traffic solution, pet aroma and dander solution and allergy solution. It is vital to purchase the one that you think that will likely be most beneficial with regards to your given circumstance.

It is also very important that you dry the area completely to prevent mold growth after you clean. If you are moving furniture to clean the carpet underneath, be sure that you dry the area completely before moving your furniture back. You can use the carpet cleaner to suck up any additional water, and then place a small fan in the area. This will help ensure that your floor dries completely.

Understanding Childhood Allergies

For centuries parents have fretted over their children's childhood allergies. From peanuts to milk, there are a great many allergies that can plague a child in their early years. Even though most childhood allergies fade over time, usually disappearing altogether by the time the child reaches puberty, there are still many years in which parents must be overly cautious about what their children come into contact with.

If you are worried that your son or daughter may be suffering from childhood allergies, but aren't sure if your child's symptoms fit the bill, read on to see a list of the most common childhood allergies and signs of how to recognize them.

By far the most dangerous of all childhood allergies, an allergy to peanuts usually appears the very first time a child is given anything that may contain peanuts, or peanut byproducts. The most common reaction to peanuts if an allergy is present are: swelling of the mouth, especially the lips and tongue; hives; and in extreme cases, anaphylaxis, which is where the throat swells and the child stops breathing.

Anytime you believe your child may be having a reaction caused by childhood allergies, it is absolutely vital that you take him or her to the emergency room as soon as possible. This is especially true if your child may have an allergy to peanuts, due to the possible severity of symptoms.

The most common of all childhood allergies is milk. Most children who are to be allergic to milk will develop this allergy while still infants. Signs of a milk allergy include hives and stomach aches, but generally nothing as fatal as anaphylaxis. Other common childhood allergies include products that contain soy, apples, juice or sauce, wheat and gluten, wool, pet dander and dust.

Childhood allergies can also develop into asthma and asthma like symptoms. It is especially important to get your child to a doctor if he or she begins having trouble breathing caused by childhood allergies. Generally, this symptom can be controlled through the use of an inhaled steroid; but may require steroid shots if very severe.

Many children suffering from childhood allergies must take regular allergy shots to control the symptoms. You can help to prevent this from becoming necessary by making certain that you take your child to his or her pediatrician at the first sign of childhood allergies. Any reaction to any food that previously has not bothered a child should be investigated by their pediatrician.

Common Vitamins and over the counter products can help with allergies in children such as lactase, butterbur, flavonoids, folic acid, Glucosamine, magnesium and M.S.M.

Lactase Enzyme makes milk products more readily digestible. This is used for lactose intolerance and not allergies to milk.

Butterbur is a common herbal extract that is highly effective asthma therapy. As far back as the 17th century, butterbur was used to treat cough, asthma, and skin wounds.

Flavonoids are the brightly colored pigments found in most fruits and vegetables. When consumed, they have antioxidant properties and have been associated with improved lung junction.

Folic Acid is a member of the B-complex family. Folic Acid participates in coenzyme reaction that is needed for cell growth and new cell formation.

Glucosamine is an anti-inflammatory and may give some relief from bronchitis symptoms.

Magnesium has been employed in the treatment of acute asthma, but its use has not become universal, nor has it been studied for the treatment of chronic asthma. Manganese has been found deficient in bronchial biopsies of asthmatic patients, indication manganese replenishment could aid in the treatment of asthma.

M.S.M maintains the development of the body's protein by forming flexible disulfide bonds between certain amino acids and in maintaining the strength of connective tissue. This allows water and nutrients to flow freely into cells and allows toxins to flow freely out of the cells. M.S.M increases athletic stamina and helps eliminate muscle soreness. M.S.M is a natural supplement that is getting a lot of attention due to its role in tissue healing at the cellular level. It is a natural organic sulfur that comes from rain fall and is found naturally in the human body.

Always consult your doctor before using this information.

This Article is nutritional in nature and is not to be construed as medical advice.

Zyrtec

Active Ingredient: Centrizine

Common Brand Name(s): Zyrtec

Zyrtec is mainly used to treat symptoms of allergies like sneezing, runny nose, itching, tearing and redness of eyes and hives. Zyrtec works as an antihistamine by blocking actions of naturally occurring chemical histamine in the body.

What is Zyrtec used for?

o Zyrtec is used as an antigistamine which blocks the actions of the naturally produced acids in the body. Zyrtec has comparatively lesser side effects than other antihistamines.

o Zyrtec is mainly used to treat allergic ailments such as sneezing, runny nose, itching, tearing and redness of eyes, and hives.

o Apart from the above uses, Zyrtec may be used for some other purposes.

How Do I Use Zyrtec?

o You must follow doctor's direction for use of Zyrtec. If you have any doubt about use of Zyrtec you must consult your doctor, nurse or a pharmacist. They will be able to guide you the correct way of using Zyrtec.

o Take Zyrtec with adequate quantity of water.

o You can take Zyrtec before meals.

o You should chew the chewable tablets thoroughly, if taking chewable tablets.

o If you are taking Zyrtec in liquid form, use measuring spoon, cup or dropper to ensure correct in take of medicine.

o You can take Zyrtec with or without food.

How should I Store Zyrtec?

You can store Zyrtec at normal room temperature. However, you must ensure that the storing place is free from moisture and away from the heat.

What are the possible Side Effects?

o There are no serious side effects of Zyrtec as such. However, if you experience any allergic reaction like breathing difficulty, closing of throat, swollen lips, tongue, face or hives, stop taking Zyrtec and visit your doctor for immediate medical attention.

o If you experience other side effects which are less serious don't stop use of Zyrtec. However you must consult your doctor if you develop symptoms like drowsiness, dizziness, and headache or mouth dryness.

o You may notice any other unusual side effects other than those enlisted here. In such case you must consult your doctor who will provide required medical treatment.

What should I do if I miss a dose?

You can take the missed dose immediately after you remember it. However you must keep in mind the time of your next dose. If there is sufficient time gap you can take the missed dose. If your next scheduled dose is nearing then skip the missed dose and take the regular scheduled dose in time. Never double your dose to make up for missed dose.

If you are using Zyrtec on as required basis, take the missed dose if it is need, but you must maintain the prescribed gap before you take next dose.

What should I do if I overdose?

If you suspect the overdose or develop unusual symptoms, you must consult your doctor for immediate medical attention. Exact symptoms of Zyrtec overdose are not known. However Drowsiness is considered as one of the symptoms.

Is Zyrtec Safe?

If you are suffering from liver disorders, you may not be able to use Zyrtec. Your doctor may make dose adjustment to suit you and closely monitor effects of the dose.

If you have allergic reaction to Zyrtec or medicines like Atarax and Vistaril, you must consult your doctor before taking Zyrtec.

There are no proven results available regarding effects of Zyrtec on the unborn baby. However, you must consult your doctor if you are pregnant.

There are no proven results to confirm that Zyrtec passes into breast milk and it may affect the nursing baby. You must consult your doctor before using Zyrtec, if you are breast feeding your baby.

Your doctor may prescribe you lower dose of Zyrtec if you are over 65 years of age. Aged people are likely to experience side effects of Zyrtec.

Zyrtec may cause drowsiness. If you experience this side effect, avoid driving, operating machinery and other hazardous activities.

If you are taking Zyrtec, avoid alcohol. Alcohol may increase drowsiness.

You must tell your doctor that you are taking Zyrtec, before your doctor prescribes you other medicines. Do not use other allergy medicines or cough; Cold medicine without consulting doctor, if you are taking Zyrtec.

Medicines like antidepressants, sedatives, pain relievers, anxiety medicines, muscle relaxants and other antihistamines increase drowsiness or dizziness when taken with Zyrtec. Consult your doctor on use of these medicines when you are taking Zyrtec.

How does Zyrtec interact with other medicines?

If you are taking any of the following medicines, you must inform your doctor regarding this before using Zyrtec. You may require dose adjustment and close monitoring, if you are taking these medicines.

o Antidepressants

o Sedatives

o Medicines for treating anxiety like diazepam, alprazolam, Iorazepam, Restoril, Librium etc.

o Pain relievers

o Muscle relaxants

o Other antihistamines

Never take other allergy or antihistamine medicines without consulting your doctor.

Some other drugs, other than those listed above may have interaction with Zyrtec. You must consult your doctor even before using vitamins, minerals and herbal products.

What other information should I know?

o You should continue use of Zyrtec as per your doctor's advice till you get complete relief.

o Chew the chewable tablet thoroughly and use measuring spoon, cup or dropper for taking Zyrtec in liquid form.

o Take your Zyrtec on scheduled time and period as directed by your doctor.

o You must consult your doctor if you experience any unusual occurrence of side effect.

Heartburn and Celiac Disease: Gluten Sensitivity as a Reversible Cause of Gastroesophageal Reflux

One of the symptoms many people experience frequently and most people have had sometime in their adult life is heartburn. The medical term for this is pyrosis, from the Greek word pyro meaning fire or heat. Heartburn is the classic symptom of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) or reflux. Most people have heard of these terms now because you can't sit through an hour of television these days without seeing at least one commercial if not several advertising antacids like tums or acid blockers like Pepcid AC and Nexium. Most people are not aware that heartburn is a common symptom of gluten intolerance or sensitivity.

Celiac disease, which is a severe intolerance to gluten (the major storage protein in wheat and similar proteins in barley and rye resulting in intestinal damage) is estimated to affect 1 in 133 people in the U.S. and approximately 1/100 worldwide. Most of these people are undiagnosed. Many are being treated for reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, gas-bloat dyspepsia, lactose intolerance, or just suffering ill health unaware that a gluten free diet (GFD) might relieve their symptoms if not improve them significantly.

Dyspepsia is a medical term for stomach upset, indigestion or gas-bloat abdominal discomfort. This commonly occurs in celiac disease. Stomach contractions have been shown to be impaired in celiac disease contributing to the bloating sensation. This is confirmed by diagnostic studies revealing poor stomach emptying. Delayed stomach emptying is frequently accompanied by low pressures in the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) of the esophagus or swallowing tube. The LES is supposed to be a barrier to regurgitation of stomach contents up into the esophagus. When stomach juice that is acidic refluxes into the esophagus a burning pain is typically felt in the chest that is described by most people as heartburn.

When acid frequently regurgitates up into the esophagus a burn of the lining occurs that is termed esophagitis or reflux esophagitis and defines gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Celiac disease patients have been shown to have a high prevalence of GERD and reflux esophagitis. Treatment with a gluten free diet has been shown to decrease the rate of relapse of GERD symptoms. In clinical practice, many of us have observed that a gluten free diet results in marked improvement of heartburn symptoms in not just celiac disease but in many people.

As a practicing gastroenterologist, (www.thefooddoc.com) I have had patients referred to me for reflux symptoms including several who were being considered for possible surgery for GERD. Upon discovery of celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity and institution of GFD they have had improvement or resolution of symptoms. Personally, I experienced frequent enough heartburn that I was taking a daily acid blocker. When I discovered that though I had symptoms of gluten sensitivity and was DQ2 positive I had negative blood tests but elevated fecal gliadin IgA and tissue transglutaminase IgA antibodies, I initiated a GFD. My heartburn went away and I stopped taking a daily acid blocker. Now I only have heartburn rarely, usually with obvious dietary indiscretions like too much coffee, chocolate or wine.

My friend and colleague, Dr. Rodney Ford, who practices pediatric gastroenterology in New Zealand, has communicated to me his similar experience with children. Since expanding gluten free diet to those children he suspects of gluten sensitivity, not just those in whom celiac disease is confirmed by traditional or classic strict diagnostic criteria, he has noted a marked decrease in the number of children with GER. He states it has been many years since he has had to refer a child for surgery for reflux.

There have been concerns about clinical significance of known acid suppressive therapy impairment of digestion though so far the worries about the increased risk for cancer seen in lab rats have been unfounded. Recently, an increase risk of community-acquired pneumonia attributed to loss of acid reduction of bacteria in the stomach was found in patients with chronic lung disease or with other risk factors. There also is the on going debate about the high costs of the newer, more effective acid blocking drugs as well as their potential side effects. Some also raise concerns of an increased risk of food intolerance or allergy while on acid suppression. These issues and the risks of undiagnosed celiac disease not withstanding should give one pause to the idea of chronic acid suppressive therapy without investigating the possibility of undiagnosed celiac or gluten sensitivity with a trial of GFD.

Copyright 2006 The Food Doc, LLC. http://www.thefooddoc.com

Low Cost Health Insurance Options Are Overlooked

Let's stick with the concept that something is better than nothing. Low cost health insurance alternatives are the only solution to millions of people right now. If you're uninsured you either don't have a job, don't have enough money to pay for an expensive plan or you don't have good enough health for a standard plan. Which category are you in?

This article is dedicated to a couple of overlooked health care options that millions of uninsured Americans can afford yet they don't have. Spreading awareness about these options is vital in helping improve our health care crisis.

The negative affects of not having health insurance are very straight forward. You end up with medical collections that ruin your credit and tax payers cover your bill. This is one of the reasons health care costs keep going up as the insured are now under more strain to help compensate for all the uninsured. Finding a low cost health insurance alternative that actually is within your financial budget can save you from adding to this problem.

There are two plans cheaper than short term health insurance that stick out and remain ready and waiting for you to jump on. The great thing about these plans is you don't have to worry about being turned down. Anyone under 64yrs of age can enroll. If you've already checked for a short term plan and can't afford the premium then this is your solution. One of these two low cost health insurance options will be within your reach.

Your first option is a form of supplemental health care. A fixed indemnity plan pays you a fixed amount of cash when qualified medical services are needed. The coverage is very broad and for many individuals a fixed indemnity plan is all they will ever need. Only a major, life changing health condition would be enough to outweigh the protection of these plans. A fixed indemnity plan is one of the most valuable dollar for dollar health care options available today.

The plan provides network discounts like an HMO, so you save money on your medical needs. Most insurers give you a card that you use like a credit card when you need a medical service. Fixed indemnity plans are low cost health insurance plans simply because you pay the monthly premium and don't have to worry about a deductible or co-insurance costs. There is a set cash amount credited you for each service you receive. For example, a visit to your doctor would bring you a $50 credit. If you needed a name brand drug prescribed while you're there, you would receive a $25 credit for the prescription.

The plan also covers allergy shots and immunizations, outpatient medical events, surgery, anesthesia, ground and air ambulance, emergency room or urgent care and inpatient hospital confinement. The primary insured on the plan also receives a built in life insurance policy to cover final expenses. If you're stuck in the hospital, you'll receive $2,000 a day for illnesses and $4,000 a day for injuries. As you can see, there is plenty of value in these plans, but how much do they cost you might wonder?

The cost of your premium for a fixed indemnity plan is based strictly on your age, but can also be affected by where you live. Pre-existing conditions are not covered under these plans so you're not penalized for any health conditions including smoking. In most cases, the premiums are slightly higher than short term premiums...usually between $20-$50, depending on the deductible and co-insurance you might choose for a short term plan. As stated though, you avoid the cost of deductibles and co-insurance with a fixed indemnity plan.

For a base example, a 35 yr old male would pay $120 a month. This same male with an equal aged spouse and one child would run a monthly premium of $330, a slight discount for family pricing. By way of comparison, you could easily pay $330 just for yourself without factoring in the rest of your family or deductibles and co-insurance using a traditional health insurance plan.

We highly recommend Assurant Health's "Health Access" fixed indemnity plan. It's a very mainstreamed, popular choice used by many large scale companies like Wells Fargo for their employees. This is a tremendously underused health care plan that millions of uninsured people need to start considering as soon as possible.

The other option is a simple health discount plan. This is by far the cheapest route and for good reason. Health discount plans are not insurance, so technically it really isn't low cost health insurance. Regardless, it remains at tremendous value when utilized.

You receive discounts on services you select that cover your entire family. There are three choices you can choose to receive discounts for and we will again use Assurant's Discount Plan for this example. You can pick any combination or all of the discount options to customize your plan.

The first option is the medical discount plan which saves you up to 40% on physician and hospital services, prescriptions, dental and eye care. This option costs $20 a month. The dental and vision plan provides discounts on a broader range of services including eyeglasses and vitamins for $10 a month. There is also a prescription discount plan for $8 a month that covers additional drug, hearing and nutritional care.

Combining all three plans together provides substantial discounts for your family for about $38 a month. This is as cheap as health care plans get. The sad fact is that there a countless uninsured families who could easily afford the $38 a month for a discount plan like this and they go without. If you can afford to combine both of these low cost health insurance options together we strongly suggest you do.

Having a fixed indemnity plan with a health discount plan on top of it makes sense. You'll maximize your protection and still be paying far less than you would with any standard health insurance plan. It all comes down to understanding your health care options and being proactive.

You'll need to check to see if your state will allow you to enroll in either their "Health Access" fixed indemnity plan or the Health Discount Plan as coverage isn't available in every state.

These plans need to be utilized on a much greater level if America's health care problem is going to start improving. Now that you've read this page, spread awareness!