Newsletter - Columbia River Insurance Services

Did you know, that the average American eats 4.5 restaurant or take-out meals every week. Cooking at home can make you a lot healthier, happier, and even richer!

When it comes to cooking healthy meals for our families, there is always some degree of disagreement among the ranks. The good news is that there are recipes that are very healthy, but the healthy nature of these recipes is somewhat disguised. What they do not know in these instances truly should not bring harm their way (outside of allergies, which should never be ignored).

Healthy cooking is often difficult as most of us do not want to spend time planning and preparing meals that our families refuse to eat. At the same time, we want our families to be healthy, so we feel compelled to learn new and improved ways of cooking healthy foods for our family to enjoy (and unfortunately in some cases scorn).

With weight and nutrition being known as the culprit in so many health conditions it is impossible to ignore the importance of not only eating healthy ourselves but also of teaching our children the importance of eating healthy. One way to ensure that your loved ones are eating healthy is to make sure that you are cooking healthy and nutritious foods for them.

Many books and magazines are filled with recipes that encourage healthy cooking and eating habits. If you truly love to cook, then there is no shortage of recipes that you can try out along the way. The really good news is that you can incorporate healthy cooking into your cooking routine whether you are cooking for one or a household of ten.

Many will argue that cooking healthy food costs more than cooking the prepackaged foods that pack on the calories and additives. The truth of the matter is that when you compare the costs with the medical bills of the future for failing to do so, they seem rather slight by comparison. Yes, good food costs more money. In many cases, that is a simple fact of life. However, by learning portion control and eating the proper portions, you may discover that you are spending less as you adjust to the proper amounts of food you should be consuming to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.
 
Cooking healthy isn’t an overnight change; it is a lifestyle change that should be implemented one step at a time. You do not have to go into your kitchen and throughout every little thing that you deem ‘unhealthy’ only work not to buy more of these items once they’ve been used. Make wiser decisions when purchasing fats for food preparation and you will discover that you’ve made a vitally important step in the process of incorporating healthy cooking and eating habits in your home.
It’s those small steps you take towards your goal of cooking healthy foods for your family that will matter far more than any giant leap. Before you know it, you will find that you all have more energy and a better sense of overall health than you would have imagined before changing your cooking habits.

All of us at Columbia River Insurance Services would like to wish you a very happy and healthy 2019!
 

When it comes to cooking healthy meals for our families, there is always some degree of disagreement among the ranks. The good news is that there are recipes that are very healthy, but the healthy nature of these recipes is somewhat disguised. What they do not know in these instances truly should not bring harm their way (outside of allergies, which should never be ignored).

Healthy cooking is often difficult as most of us do not want to spend time planning and preparing meals that our families refuse to eat. At the same time, we want our families to be healthy, so we feel compelled to learn new and improved ways of cooking healthy foods for our family to enjoy (and unfortunately in some cases scorn).

With weight and nutrition being known as the culprit in so many health conditions it is impossible to ignore the importance of not only eating healthy ourselves but also of teaching our children the importance of eating healthy. One way to ensure that your loved ones are eating healthy is to make sure that you are cooking healthy and nutritious foods for them.

Many books and magazines are filled with recipes that encourage healthy cooking and eating habits. If you truly love to cook, then there is no shortage of recipes that you can try out along the way. The really good news is that you can incorporate healthy cooking into your cooking routine whether you are cooking for one or a household of ten.

Many will argue that cooking healthy food costs more than cooking the prepackaged foods that pack on the calories and additives. The truth of the matter is that when you compare the costs with the medical bills of the future for failing to do so, they seem rather slight by comparison. Yes, good food costs more money. In many cases, that is a simple fact of life. However, by learning portion control and eating the proper portions, you may discover that you are spending less as you adjust to the proper amounts of food you should be consuming to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.
 
Cooking healthy isn’t an overnight change; it is a lifestyle change that should be implemented one step at a time. You do not have to go into your kitchen and throughout every little thing that you deem ‘unhealthy’ only work not to buy more of these items once they’ve been used. Make wiser decisions when purchasing fats for food preparation and you will discover that you’ve made a vitally important step in the process of incorporating healthy cooking and eating habits in your home.

It’s those small steps you take towards your goal of cooking healthy foods for your family that will matter far more than any giant leap. Before you know it, you will find that you all have more energy and a better sense of overall health than you would have imagined before changing your cooking habits. 
 

If you've had Medicare Part B for longer than 12 months, you can have an annual wellness visit. One big advantage of this wellness visit is to develop or update your personalized health prevention help plan.  Your provider will ask you to fill out a questionnaire, called a “Health Risk Assessment,” as part of this visit. Answering these questions can help you and your provider develop a personalized prevention plan to help you stay healthy and get the most out of your visit. It also includes:

• A review of your medical and family history
• Developing or updating a list of current providers and prescriptions
• Height, weight, blood pressure, and other routine measurements
• Detection of any cognitive impairment
• Personalized health advice
• A list of risk factors and treatment options for you
• A screening schedule (like a checklist) for appropriate preventive services. 

Wellness visits can actually increase your health by creating an illness prevention plan. It is important for your healthcare professional to get involved in your health management, especially if you have specific health conditions, such as high blood pressure, or diabetes. 
Since the first day that we opened our agency, it has been our focus and desire to offer our clients the best insurance options available to meet their needs.

As a local independent agency, we represent many companies. We always maintain and deliver personal attention and strive for first class customer service. Our expertise lies within our well trained and experienced agents.

We value your feedback and we want to hear from you. There are a number of ways for you to get in touch with us.

If you would like to speak to us right away, please call us today and speak to any of our experienced Medicare insurance agents. In Vancouver, please call us at 360.883.5776. In Portland, please call us at 503.382.9091. If email is your preference, you may email us at [email protected]

“Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!” As this holiday season approaches, many of us are preparing for big celebrations and parties. Food, snacks, wine, beverages… there is no better time of the year to fill yourself to your heart’s desire! However, if you are a health-conscious type of person, then this article will reveal some tips for staying healthy this holiday season (while everyone else around you gains 5 pounds!).

Tips for keeping yourself healthy this holiday season:

1. Eat Snacks Moderately – Let’s face it, snacks are abundant during the holidays seasons (as if they aren’t already throughout the year). If you take a seat within an arm’s reach of the snack table, you’re going to have a tough time keeping yourself from unconsciously grabbing handfuls of party mix, candies, and the like and picking at them all day.

2. Exercise, Exercise, Exercise! – There is no better thing to do during this festive season than to exercise! If the weather permits it, go out and take a quick walk around the house or block. If your celebration is taking place in a colder climate, you’ll be more inspired to quicken your pace and burn a few extra calories in the process.

3. Eat More Healthy Foods – Take an extra scoop of vegetables and fruit when filling your plate, and by the time you finish, you won’t have room for the other foods which are higher in calories and more likely to cause you to gain weight. Also, avoid those fatty and fried foods (they taste good, but you know they aren’t healthy!)
 
4. Drink A Lot Of Water Throughout The Day – Water helps your body stay fit. Drink a fair amount of water or other unsweetened beverage before each meal, as well as during and between them. The liquid in your stomach will help trick your mind into not feeling as hungry, which reduces the tendency to gorge yourself on potentially fattening foods.

5. Eat In Smaller Portions – Instead of eating platefuls of food, try eating smaller portions throughout the day. No doubt, everything at the table looks good, and it’s all you can do to keep from filling your plate 2-3 times so that you can sample everything.
Keeping healthy during this holiday season is simply making sure you follow healthy habits just like anytime of the year. However, don’t fret it if you end up gaining a few pounds during the holidays. After all, the holiday season is only one of the few times of the year where you can truly enjoy yourself.

All of us at Columbia River Insurance Services wish you a wonderful holiday season!
 
 

The Affordable Care Act puts consumers back in charge of their health care. Under the law, a new “Patient’s Bill of Rights” gives the American people the stability and flexibility they need to make informed choices about their health.

View Key Features of the Affordable Care Act or read a year-by-year overview of features.