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2. Equal Access for the Disabled – Finding Medicare Help There are an estimated 40 million people with disabilities in our country. The rest of us are temporarily abled, as they say. It’s only a matter of time until we have an injury or illness that will cause us to experience some sort of disability....
3. NHGRI funds development of revolutionary DNA sequencing technologies Researchers today received more than $14 million in grants to develop DNA sequencing technologies that will rapidly sequence a person’s genome for $1000 or less. The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health, awarded the grants to enable the everyday use of DNA sequencing technologies by biomedical researchers and [...]...
4. Final Honors for Vets This Veterans Day, as I have for the last few years, I will be thinking about my dad. My dad was buried in a Department of Veterans Affairs cemetery near Tampa, Florida, four years ago. The ceremony was dignified and moving, and would have made my dad proud. When we arrived from the funeral home [...]...
5. New FCC Rules for Open Internet The idea of “net neutrality“or a free and open, Internet where people can visit any page, read any article, post any thought and collaborate freely is valued by many in the U.S. A concern for Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski and others is that a free and open Internet stands largely unprotected. Late [...]...
6. Medicare, NIH Expands National Network for Transforming Clinical and Translational Research Nine health research centers have received funds to develop ways to reduce the time it takes for clinical research to become treatments for patients. The funds were awarded as part of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program which is led by the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), part of the National Institutes [...]...
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8. Federal disability system seek to support people with disabilities and help them become more independent. Both welfare agencies and the federal disability system seek to support people with disabilities and help them become more independent. ...
9. Medicare Card, National Institutes of Health launches summer institute on mHealth The National Institutes of Health today announced the creation of the first NIH Health, or mobile health, Summer Institute. Scheduled for the summer of 2011, this week-long workshop will bring together leaders in mobile health technologies, behavioral science researchers, federal health officials and members of the medical community to provide early career investigators with an [...]...
10. Areas Get Millions in Recovery Act Funds The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), part of the National Institutes of Health...
11. Medicare, Medicare Card, Government Grants It’s late at night, the TV’s on and you see a commercial. It tells you that if you just buy this wonderful book, you’ll learn the secrets to get free money from the government to pay your credit card bills, renovate your home, and start a business! It sounds so wonderful, but is it too [...]...
12. District of Columbia Update: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Meeting on Employment of People with Mental Disabilities – March 15 District of Columbia Update: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Meeting on Employment of People with Mental Disabilities - March 15 ...
13. Medicare: Social Security Announces 3.6 Percent Benefit Increase for 2012 The Social Security Administration has announced that monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will increase 3.6 percent in 2012. The 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with the January 2012 benefit payments. Increased payments for people on SSI will begin on December 30, 2011. For some beneficiaries, the increase in their [...]...
14. Medicare, NIH launches Genotype-Tissue Expression project The National Institutes of Health today announced awards to support an initiative to understand how genetic variation may control gene activity and its relationship to disease. Launched as a pilot phase, the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project will create a resource researchers can use to study inherited susceptibility to illness and will establish a tissue bank [...]...
15. Medicare, Elderly, Disabled Housing Assistance Home, it’s more than brick-and-mortar, wood, or even blocks of ice shaped in a dome! Home is your place, your retreat from the world, your sanctuary for the soul. For me, home is all of those things and toilets to clean, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Everyone should have an opportunity to [...]...

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1. Replacing a Lost Social Security Card Because I’m a government employee, I’ve gotten emails from time to time from friends of mine who are trying to figure out something government-related and assume I have all the answers. And because I work in the office that runs USA.gov, I can usually point my friends in the right direction. Last week a friend [...]...
2. How to get a new medicare replacement card Here is some helpful information we found on how to get a replacement medicare card...
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6. Order a Medicare Replacement Card Online Need a Replacement Card? Order a Medicare Card by Phone or Online If you lose or damage your Medicare card, you can obtain a replacement card from Social Security one of the following ways: Log into your MyMedicare.gov account. If you do not have a MyMedicare account, sign up now. Order Online by visiting the [...]...
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8. How to Use Your Medicare Card Show your card whenever you get medical care. This will assure that a claim for payment is sent to Medicare. Make sure to use your exact name and claim number. ...
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10. Medicare Card and Social Security Card Number Information 2011 Will my Medicare Part B premiums increase in 2011? Most Medicare beneficiaries will continue to pay the same $96.40 or $110.50 Part B premium amount in 2011. Beneficiaries who currently have the Social Security Administration (SSA) withhold their Part B premium and have incomes of $85,000 or less ($170,000 or less for joint filers) will [...]...
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14. Medicare Card Information – Federal Student Financial Aid Program If you are a parent of a college-bound senior, your life is probably consumed these days with talk of college. First, there is the drama of your child deciding on which college(s) to apply to for admission. ...
15. What if my social security card is lost or stolen? What if my card is lost or stolen? You can replace your card or your child’s card for free if it is lost or stolen. However, you are limited to three replacement cards in a year and 10 during your lifetime. Legal name changes and other exceptions do not count toward these limits. For example, [...]...

All of this shopping can get expensive, and some states offer sales tax holidays to make your back to school shopping a little more affordable. Other states offer sales tax holidays to help you buy supplies to prepare for hurricane season, or to help you afford energy-efficient appliances.

So if you want to save a few bucks, learn about sales tax holidays in your state, and plan your shopping to take advantage of the discounts.

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1. Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price – Help and Assistance Manufacturer reporting of Average Sales Price (ASP) data: A manufacturer's ASP must be calculated by the manufacturer every calendar quarter and submitted to CMS within 30 days of the close of the quarter. Each report must be certified by one of the following: the manufacturer's Chief Executive Officer (CEO); the manufacturer's Chief Financial Officer (CFO); an individual who has delegated authority to sign for, and who reports directly to, the manufacturer's CEO or CFO....
2. Prom Night Safety Tips – Watching Your Medicare Benefits Increase? My neighbor was telling me about her daughter's excitement over her upcoming prom. I felt a tug of regret. I never went to my high school prom. I'll be honest, I was never asked. I was not the type of girl to inspire crushes from guys in high school. I like to think of it as being a late bloomer. I figure I will begin to bloom when I am 80... just in time for the “senior” dance!...
3. Medicare Benefits, Swimming and Water Safety When I was growing up I spent most of the summer in some state of wetness. My town had a pool that was easy for us to walk or ride our bikes to and it was the center of summer social activity. I took swimming lessons, I swam on the swim team, I became a [...]...
4. Medicare Decisions Can Provide Healthier School Lunches The peanut butter and jelly sandwiches served at my high school were epic. Using THREE slices of white bread with peanut butter spread on both the top and bottom, it was like a little slice of heaven at 11:30am. Looking back, it's a marvel that I made it out of there alive....
5. Healthy Ideas for the Holidays from the NIH veral kitchen gadgets—like juicers, slow cookers, rice cookers or vegetable steamers—can help you prepare nutritious low-fat foods. You can also encourage loved ones to prepare tasty, healthy dishes by giving them a low-cost cookbook from NIH (see the “Wise Choices” box). Popsicle molds in whimsical shapes can encourage healthful snacking for kids. Fill them with pureed fruit or 100% fruit juice....
6. Preventing Food Borne Illness – How Medicare Can Help There has been a lot in the news in the last several months about food recalls and the resulting illnesses from eating those foods. By paying attention to the news or signing up for recall alerts, we can make sure we're all aware of what products we should avoid....
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12. Black Friday 2010 I actually have some Facebook friends who have posted that they are finished with Christmas shopping already! Are they kidding? If I posted that sort of thing, my sisters would definitely be duct taping me to a chair, asking “What have you done with our sister?” and checking to see if there is an empty, [...]...
13. Medicare Help, Be Prepared When Storms Knock Out Power Just a few weeks ago, I wrote a post about not being caught off-guard in summer storms. Sometimes I need to learn to take my own advice. This past Sunday a wicked thunderstorm tore through the Maryland, DC and Virginia area. There were tornado warnings in some areas and, though I don’t think any funnel [...]...
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15. Medicare – Ways to save money during your coverage gap Consider Switching to Generics or Other Lower-Cost Drugs - You may wish to talk to your doctor about the drugs you are currently taking to find out if there are generic or less-expensive brand-name drugs that would work just as well as the ones you're taking now....

It was a struggle for my folks because my coughing was keeping them awake. I have memories from when I was just an itty-bitty thing struggling to suppress this constant coughing. On occasion I would go sit in the closet in my bedroom coughing into my pillow trying to silence my coughs so everyone could sleep. I would do this until the wee hours of the morning and sometimes I would fall asleep in the closet.

Then, the coughing would suddenly clear up and everything would be fine. My life would return to normal and it would all seem to be just a bad dream… until the next time. This was my pattern for years. It wasn’t until I was in my early 30’s when I ended up seeing an ear, nose, and throat specialist (ENT) for an ear infection, that I finally got a new diagnosis to my sinus and respiratory
issues.

While getting treated for an ear infection, I told the ENT my history of coughing, colds, etc. and he examined me. He said he saw evidence of multiple issues. He felt absolutely certain much of my problem was caused by allergies. He
suggested that the chronic wheezing I was experiencing was due to allergic asthma. He also asked me if I was aware that I had a deviated nasal septum. I had no idea what that even was, so he demonstrated it to me. He pushed close one nostril and had me inhale through my nose. The air freely moved into my lungs. Then he held down the other nostril and had me inhale. There was very little, if any, air into my lungs! I was completely shocked by that. How could I have not been aware of this?

He tested me for allergies and sure enough, I had significant allergy issues. I began daily allergy medicines, shots, and using an inhaler for the asthma. I also had a septoplasty to correct the deviated septum. The problems weren’t fixed over night, but bit by bit I began to improve. It has made a huge difference to the quality of my life. I eventually stopped taking allergy medicine and the shots all together. I can’t even tell you the last time I had a sinus infection, cold, or bronchitis.

It’s difficult for me to believe that at one time I thought the misery I was experiencing was a “normal” part of life and just something that I had to live with. When family, friends, or total strangers on a street comment to me about frequent colds or other chronic sinus issues, my first question is always, “Have you been to a specialist to be tested for allergies?”

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2. Pay for Medicare Parking with Your Cell Phone I've had more than my fair share of parking issues since moving to DC, mostly because DC meters (in my humble opinion) are absurdly expensive and I rarely have a fist full of quarters in my change purse. (What do I have at all times? Spare bobby pins and a Hanson guitar pick- the ultimate conversation piece.) ...
3. Sales Tax Holidays, Save Your Medicare Benefits It’s almost back to school time, and when you’re a parent, that means it’s back to school shopping time.  I don’t know why, but it always catches me by surprise. I should know better. The kids have grown and they need new clothes, and shoes. Their backpacks are worn to threads so they need new [...]...
4. Missing Your W-2 Forms for Medicare? It’s tax season once again, and time to gather all the forms and tax records you’ll need to file your tax return. One of the most important documents you’ll need is your W-2 form. We always hear from a lot of people who didn’t get their W-2’s and don’t know what to do. So if you haven’t received your W-2 yet, read on....
5. Replacing a Lost Social Security Card Because I’m a government employee, I’ve gotten emails from time to time from friends of mine who are trying to figure out something government-related and assume I have all the answers. And because I work in the office that runs USA.gov, I can usually point my friends in the right direction. Last week a friend [...]...
6. So long! Farewell! I’m fairly certain that while growing up, my sister and I didn’t miss a single opportunity to watch any cartoon special on TV. Because of this, we have some pretty obscure movie lines we use regularly for nearly any life situation. Unfortunately, because most kids were much cooler than us, nobody has a clue that [...]...
7. Medicare, NIH Expands National Network for Transforming Clinical and Translational Research Nine health research centers have received funds to develop ways to reduce the time it takes for clinical research to become treatments for patients. The funds were awarded as part of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program which is led by the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), part of the National Institutes [...]...
8. Medicare Budget, Explore National Parks on Trails Day I love summertime. I feel like after months of hibernation and hiding out from the cold and gloom, it’s finally time to be outside taking advantage of all the fun activities that I can only do three months out of the year. My latest kick is wanting to explore the national and state parks near [...]...
9. Medicare, NIH-Supported Study, Looks for Earliest Changes, in the Brain That May Lead to Alzheimer’s Disease Volunteers are being sought for a clinical study examining the subtle changes that may take place in the brains of older people many years before overt symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease appear. Researchers are looking for people with the very earliest complaints of memory problems that affect their daily activities. The study will follow participants over [...]...
10. Medicare Health, Water, Everywhere…but how much do you drink? Last year, my New Year’s Resolution was to drink more water. Shockingly enough- I actually did it! Now, a diet soda is a rarity instead of the norm. I pretty much drink strictly H2O, or unsweetened iced tea- sometimes with lemon if I really want to get crazy. Now that I am actually drinking water- [...]...
11. New Quarters – The U.S. Mint launched a new collectible coin program this year called America the Do you know someone who collects coins? The U.S. Mint launched a new collectible coin program this year called America the Beautiful, and they’re about to issue a new coin in the series. On July 29th, the Mint will issue the Yosemite National Park Quarter, the third coin in the series. The first two coins [...]...
12. LIHEAP Can Help You Survive the Cold LIHEAP Can Help You Survive the Cold...
13. Last Minute Tax Filing – MedicareCard.com Help You can also request an extension to file through the IRS e-file system. That extension will give you until October 15 to file your tax return. The catch is that if you owe money, your payment is due today....
14. Fire Prevention When I was in college, students, who had a little too much to drink, were always pulling the dorm fire alarms in the middle of the night and then running off. These alarm pranks had become a real problem in my dorm and seemed to be happening weekly. I considered myself lucky that I lived [...]...
15. The Great Backyard Bird Count Want to be a part of an international project? Look no further than your own backyard! Tomorrow is the start of the 13th annual Great Backyard Bird Count, when beginning bird watchers and experts alike across North America count the wild birds they see in their backyards, parks, or wildlife refuges....

This past Sunday a wicked thunderstorm tore through the Maryland, DC and Virginia area. There were tornado warnings in some areas and, though I don’t think any funnel clouds were actually spotted, the storm left quite a mess to clean up.

I wasn’t the least bit prepared for it. I had no idea storms were in the forecast. I was busy helping a friend move.

By the time I got back home, I found out my house had been without electricity for eight hours. Traffic lights were out everywhere, creating back-ups while police tried to direct traffic at some of the busiest intersections.

As I stumbled up the stairs by the glow from my cell phone screen, I tried to remember where I’d stashed my flashlight. I knew I had one somewhere, but of course when I found it the batteries were almost dead so the light flickered a lot.

Luckily, my power came back on about a half hour later. Being able to run the fans and the air conditioner helped cool the stuffiness and I was lucky that none of the food in my fridge had gone bad.

Several of my friends and coworkers aren’t expecting to get their power back until the end of the week. They’re getting by on candlelight and flashlights and eating most of their meals at restaurants since all the food in their fridges has gone bad.

It’s a crappy situation all around, but stuff like this always reminds me of the importance of being prepared in an emergency. FEMA has a great list of things to keep on hand, just in case, as well as advice on how to put a disaster kit together.

I know I need to find some new batteries for my flashlight. What’s one thing you need to do to be prepared for the next big storm?

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1. Don’t be Caught by Summer Storms I love watching summer thunderstorms — the wind and the rain and the lightening streaking across the sky. It’s fun to watch them when I’m inside feeling safe, it’s not so fun watching summer storms when I’m caught off guard and out in my car trying to drive through the storms. The United States experiences [...]...
2. Sales Tax Holidays, Save Your Medicare Benefits It’s almost back to school time, and when you’re a parent, that means it’s back to school shopping time.  I don’t know why, but it always catches me by surprise. I should know better. The kids have grown and they need new clothes, and shoes. Their backpacks are worn to threads so they need new [...]...
3. Pool and Spa Safety: Medicare Help When I was a little kid I can remember my mom warning me not to swim too close to the drains in pools and not to put my head under the water in hot tubs. She was concerned that my ponytail would get caught and I would drown. I always thought that was a little [...]...
4. Medicare – Census 2010 Forms The good news is that it’s easy - when you get your form, just answer the 10 questions and mail the form back in the postage-paid envelope they provide (the form cannot be completed online). It only took me a couple of minutes to complete mine. ...
5. Earthquake in Chile – Is Your Medicare Paid Up While the world is still scrambling to help the people of Haiti in the aftermath of their earthquake- another quake hits Chile. ...
6. Medicare, Medicaid, Medical Information on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder My nephew was making my sister and her husband crazy. He was fidgety, he couldn't keep his hands to himself, and he was always losing things. His grades weren't very good and his teachers were frustrated because he was constantly distracting other kids. He would do impulsive things that ended up with him breaking things or getting hurt. ...
7. Medicare Card Information – Federal Student Financial Aid Program If you are a parent of a college-bound senior, your life is probably consumed these days with talk of college. First, there is the drama of your child deciding on which college(s) to apply to for admission. ...
8. Medicare Decisions Can Provide Healthier School Lunches The peanut butter and jelly sandwiches served at my high school were epic. Using THREE slices of white bread with peanut butter spread on both the top and bottom, it was like a little slice of heaven at 11:30am. Looking back, it's a marvel that I made it out of there alive....
9. MedicareCard.com Finds Summer Vacations on a Medicare Budget As we inch closer to summer, all I can think about is the awesome vacations I want to take. I picture myself spending weeks at the beach, lounging in the sun, listening to the waves roll in. ...
10. Poison Prevention – Medicare Medicine It’s one of those parenting nightmares – you find your baby sitting on the floor with an open bottle of medicine. My story went something like that, but instead of medicine, my 1 year old got her hands on a bottle of cleaning solution for our CD’s. ...
11. Medicare Card Help, Preventing Hearing Loss It drives me nuts when I’m sitting on the train and I can hear the music blaring from another person’s iPod. It’s just plain rude to be playing your music so loudly that it disrupts the rest of the train. But even if those people aren’t considerate of others, shouldn’t they at least care about [...]...
12. It’s Not the Hot Dog’s Fault – Medicare and Eating Healthly They are front and center at summer barbecues. And who hasn't ordered one at a baseball game? Stuffed in a bun, slathered in ketchup, mustard, or whatever topping your prefer, they scream American summertime. But a group of pediatricians wants to fundamentally change the hot dog because they say its shape poses a choking risk to children. Sadly, hot dogs are the cause of 17 percent of asphyxiations in kids under 10....
13. Medicare Memorial Day Activities Have you recovered from the long weekend yet? Thrown off schedule by the holiday on Monday, I completely neglected to DVR this week’s episode of the Bachelorette. Curses! As I said last week, I spent the weekend in Chicago. I am happy to report I give the Windy City “two very enthusiastic thumbs up- fine holiday [...]...
14. Medicare Benefits, Swimming and Water Safety When I was growing up I spent most of the summer in some state of wetness. My town had a pool that was easy for us to walk or ride our bikes to and it was the center of summer social activity. I took swimming lessons, I swam on the swim team, I became a [...]...
15. Government Closed… Not Really As you all know, the Washington, DC area is under siege with Snowmageddon 2010, and the federal government in the DC area is officially closed...

Farmers markets are a place where farmers can sell their products and develop a personal relationship with their buyers and the community. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service supports the development of the farmers markets and counts them through the National Farmers Market Directory. This year’s count will be released this week and if it is anything like last year’s, it will demonstrate the rapid growth of farmers markets in the U.S.

Between 1994, the first year of the count, and 2009 the number of farmers markets tripled and there was a 13 percent increase between 2008 and 2009. As of last year, there were 5,274 markets. A survey USDA conducted in 2005 found that farmers markets take in over one billion dollars annually, and 25 percent of the vendors surveyed said the market is their sole source of income. The USDA provides resources on starting and funding farmers markets and most importantly where to find your local ones.

How often do you visit your local farmers market?

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1. National Men’s Health Week 2010 As the resident male blogger here at Gov Gab, it’s my job to tell you that June is National Men’s Health Month and that today through Sunday is National Men’s Health Week. Signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994, National Men’s Health Week always occurs the week before Father’s Day. The purpose of [...]...
2. MedicareCard.com – Statement of Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., and Daniel Rotrosen, M.D. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, on Food Allergy Awareness Week 2010 The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the lead institute at the National Institutes of Health for food allergy research, is pleased to commemorate Food Allergy Awareness Week from May 9–15, 2010. First established in 1997 by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), a patient and family advocacy organization, this week is [...]...
3. National Consumer Protection Week National Consumer Protection Week is almost here. You may remember a few months ago when Nicole wrote a guest post introducing the National Consumer Protection...
4. National Park Week – Seeing the Country on a MedicareCard.com Budget Now that it looks as if warm weather is really here, some of my friends have started to gather ideas for activities to do during the summer. Some of the suggestions are right up my alley: baseball games (check), weekend down the shore (say no more), backyard barbeques (sold). ...
5. Pick Your Own Fruit! I spent Independence Day in the Shenandoah Valley. Anytime I’m there this time of year I start thinking about how when I was a kid my grandparents would take my brother and me to the orchards to pick fresh fruit. Apples, peaches, grapes, nectarines - it seems we picked everything short of tropical fruit. I recently [...]...
6. 2009-2010 Influenza Season Week 43 ending October 31, 2009 During week 43 (October 25-31, 2009), influenza activity remained elevated in the U.S....
7. MedicareCard.com, National Eye Institute Shares Tips to Promote Eye Health During Healthy Vision Month 2010 During Healthy Vision Month this May, the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, is encouraging Americans to make vision health a priority and schedule an eye exam to help prevent unnecessary vision loss and blindness. Early detection and timely treatment can help save your sight and ensure that you’re seeing [...]...
8. Medicare – Census 2010 Forms The good news is that it’s easy - when you get your form, just answer the 10 questions and mail the form back in the postage-paid envelope they provide (the form cannot be completed online). It only took me a couple of minutes to complete mine. ...
9. ARIZONA MEDICARE: After convening the 2010 legislative session The Medicaid program, which covers all Arizonans who are at or below the federal poverty level, accounts for $1 billion of the deficit....
10. Medicare – Hearing this week to examine the activities of the Department of Managed Health Care and the Department of Insurance CALIFORNIA: The Accountability and Administrative Review Committee chaired by Assemblyman Hector De La Torre is holding a hearing this week to examine the activities of the Department of Managed Health Care and the Department of Insurance....
11. Medicare Safety, Barbecue Food Safety You know summertime is approaching when your local grocery store begins stocking an aisle with bags of charcoal briquettes, lighter fluid, barbecuing utensils and other grilling paraphernalia. Summer barbecuing is a favorite tradition with most Americans. I personally like barbecuing season, because I know that I will get a little break from cooking when my [...]...
12. Medicare Health Concerns, Cooking Safely on the Grill I’ve really been into grilling this year. I like it because of how food cooked on the grill tastes, because I can make a meal without heating up the house or producing a mountain of dirty dishes, and most of all I like to sit down and relax in the cool evening air while I [...]...
13. NIDA, Federal Partners, Launch National Drug Facts Week Expanding on the success of its online Drug Facts Chat Day, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) today announced it is launching National Drug Facts Week, a new national awareness week designed to bring together teens and scientific experts to discuss the facts about drug abuse. NIDA is a component of the National Institutes [...]...
14. MedicareCard.com Finds Statement from Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, during Healthy Vision Month, May 2010 During the eighth annual Healthy Vision Month observance this May, the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, encourages community organizations and the American people to make vision health a priority. This year's theme, "Your Eyes are the Windows to Your Health," highlights the importance of scheduling an eye exam to maintain good quality eye health and preserve the sense of sight....
15. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institutes of Health on Results from the CAPRISA 004 Microbicide HIV Prevention Study Today we congratulate the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) and the people of South Africa on the positive findings from the CAPRISA 004 microbicide study, which marks a significant milestone both for the microbicide research field and HIV prevention as a whole....

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3. Additional Genes Associated with Age-Related Macular Degeneration Identified Additional Genes Associated with Age-Related Macular Degeneration Identified...
4. NIH-Supported ACCORD Eye Study Finds Two Therapies Slow Diabetic Eye Disease Progression In high-risk adults with type 2 diabetes, researchers have found that two therapies may slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy, an eye disease that is the leading cause of vision loss in working-age Americans....
5. Medicare, Aiming for Near-Normal, Blood Sugar Did Not Delay Combined Risk of Diabetic Damage for People With Long-standing Diabetes, NIH-Sponsored Trial Finds In people with longstanding type 2 diabetes who are at high risk for heart attack and stroke, lowering blood sugar to near-normal levels did not delay the combined risk of diabetic damage to kidneys, eyes, or nerves, but did delay several other signs of diabetic damage, a study has found. The intensive glucose treatment was [...]...
6. MedicareCard.com – Scientists Find Genes That Influence Brain Wave Patterns Scientists have identified new genes and pathways that influence an individual’s typical pattern of brain electrical activity, a trait that may serve as a useful surrogate marker for more genetically complex traits and diseases. One of the genes, for example, was found to be associated with alcoholism....
7. Medicare, Risk of Newborn Heart Defects, Increases with Maternal Obesity The more obese a woman is when she becomes pregnant, the greater the likelihood that she will give birth to an infant with a congenital heart defect, according to a study conducted by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and the New York state Department of Health....
8. MedicarCard.com, NIH, Human Microbiome Project, Researchers Publish First Genomic, Collection of Human Microbes The Human Microbiome Project (HMP) today published an analysis of 178 genomes from microbes that live in or on the human body. The researchers discovered novel genes and proteins that serve functions in human health and disease, adding a new level of understanding to what is known about the complexity and diversity of these organisms....
9. American Heart Month American Heart Month...
10. MedicareCard.com, NIH, Wellcome Trust Announce Partnership To Support Genomic, Population-Based Studies in Africa The National Institutes of Health (NIH), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Wellcome Trust, a global charity based in London, will announce a partnership with African researchers to conduct genetic and environmental studies in Africa of common, non-communicable disorders — such as heart disease and cancer — as [...]...
11. Scientists Identify Brain Circuits Related to the Initiation and Termination of Movement Sequences in NIH-Supported Study In humans, throwing a ball, typing on a keyboard, or engaging in most other physical activities involves the coordination of numerous discrete movements that are organized as action sequences. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health and the Gulbenkian Institute in Portugal have identified brain activity in mice that can signal the initiation and termination [...]...
12. MedicareCard, Newer Heart Surgery, Infants Offers First-Year Survival Benefit over Traditional Procedure Infants born with a severely underdeveloped heart who undergo a newer surgical procedure are more likely to survive their first year and not require a heart transplant than those who have a more traditional surgical procedure, according to a report by researchers supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), which is part [...]...
13. Medicare Card: Gene Linked to Alzheimer’s Disease Plays Key Role in Cell Survival Scientists have discovered that a gene linked to Alzheimer’s disease may play a beneficial role in cell survival by enabling neurons to clear away toxic proteins. A study funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, shows the presenilin 1 (PS1) gene is essential to the function of [...]...
14. MedicareCard.com News – Independent Panel Finds Insufficient Evidence to Support Preventive Measures for Alzheimer’s Disease Many preventive measures for cognitive decline and for preventing Alzheimer's disease—mental stimulation, exercise, and a variety of dietary supplements...
15. Study Suggests Metabolic Network Finds Disease Links Study Suggests Metabolic Network Finds Disease Links...

Related posts:

1. MedicareCard.com – NIH Announces Ten Awards for Centers for Population Health and Health Disparities The National Institutes of Health announced today the awarding of 10 new Centers for Population Health and Health Disparities, designed to better understand and address inequities associated with the two leading causes of death in the United States — cancer and heart disease....
2. MedicareCard.com – Meeting Announcement, Careers in Global Mental Health The NIMH Office for Research on Disparities & Global Mental Health invites qualified and early career professionals to the Careers in Global Mental Health meeting on July 30, 2010....
3. Issue Focuses on Reducing Oral Health Disparities Issue Focuses on Reducing Oral Health Disparities ...
4. Medicare STAR METRICS, New Way to Measure the Impact of Federally Funded Research A new initiative promises to monitor the impact of federal science investments on employment, knowledge generation, and health outcomes. The initiative–Science and Technology for America’s Reinvestment: Measuring the Effect of Research on Innovation, Competitiveness and Science, or STAR METRICS–is a multi-agency venture led by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and [...]...
5. Medicare Card, NINR, Welcomes Four New Members, National Advisory Council for Nursing Research HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has appointed four new members to the National Advisory Council for Nursing Research (NACNR), the principal advisory board for the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR). Members of the council are drawn from the scientific and lay communities, embodying a diverse perspective from the fields of nursing, public and health policy, [...]...
6. Medicare Card News: NIH Researchers Explore How Healthy, Young Adults View the Role Genetics Plays in Improving Health Most healthy young adults place greater emphasis on health habits than on genetic risk factors when considering what causes common diseases, a research team from the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit has found. The study, based on a survey of 25- to-45-year-olds, was released June 8, [...]...
7. Medicare Blog, New Study Implicates Healthcare Utilization Rates, More than Biology, in Colorectal Cancer Disparities Higher rates of colorectal cancer incidence and mortality experienced by African-Americans may be driven largely by differences in health care utilization, and less by biology, according to a new study led by researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health....
8. MedicarCard.com, NIH, Human Microbiome Project, Researchers Publish First Genomic, Collection of Human Microbes The Human Microbiome Project (HMP) today published an analysis of 178 genomes from microbes that live in or on the human body. The researchers discovered novel genes and proteins that serve functions in human health and disease, adding a new level of understanding to what is known about the complexity and diversity of these organisms....
9. MedicareCard.com – Statement of Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., and Daniel Rotrosen, M.D. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, on Food Allergy Awareness Week 2010 The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the lead institute at the National Institutes of Health for food allergy research, is pleased to commemorate Food Allergy Awareness Week from May 9–15, 2010. First established in 1997 by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), a patient and family advocacy organization, this week is [...]...
10. Medicare, NHLBI to Hold Workshop, Health Consequences of Sickle Cell Trait Scientists from across the nation will gather June 3-4 to discuss what is known about sickle cell trait and the potential health implications related to this genetic blood condition. “Framing the Research Agenda for Sickle Cell Trait” will examine the ethical, legal, social, and public health impacts of the blood condition....
11. NIH Announces New Awards in Program to Expand Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health Almost $6 million has been awarded to investigators and programs to help researchers in the early stages of careers in women’s health research. The funding is from the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) and other co-sponsors. The money will go to 12 new and continuing Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers [...]...
12. Medicare, Study of MicroRNA, Helps NIH Scientists, Unlock Secrets of Immune Cells With the rapid and continuous advances in biotechnology, scientists are better able to see inside the nucleus of a cell to unlock the secrets of its genetic material. However, what happens outside of the nucleus has, in many ways, remained a mystery. Now, researchers with the National Institutes of Health are closer to understanding how [...]...
13. Medicare, Higher Oxygen Levels Improve Preterm Survival, Increase Risk for Eye Condition Two findings from an NIH research network study provide new information on how much oxygen very preterm infants should receive starting on the first day of life and the most effective means to deliver it to them....
14. MedicareCard.com, Meeting Announcement, The NIMH Annual International Research Conference, Role of Families in Preventing and Adapting to HIV/AIDS The NIMH Annual International Research Conference on the Role of Families in Preventing and Adapting to HIV/AIDS is a three-day conference addressing the importance of family in the fight against HIV/AIDS....
15. NIH announces Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities The National Institutes of Health announces the transition of the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) to the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD). The transition gives the institute a more defined role in the NIHs research agenda against health disparities, which it defines as differences in the incidence, [...]...

Related posts:

1. Medicare Card News, Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder May Go Undiagnosed in Some Adults with Major Depression Nearly 40 percent of people with major depression may also have subthreshold hypomania, a form of mania that does not fully meet current diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder, according to a new NIMH-funded study. The study was published online ahead of print August 15, 2010, in the American Journal of Psychiatry....
2. MedicareCard.com – Science News » Imaging Studies Help Pinpoint Child Bipolar Circuitry A series of imaging studies are revealing that the brain works differently in youth with bipolar disorder (BD) than in chronically irritable children who are often diagnosed with pediatric BD....
3. Medicare: Same Genes Suspected in Both Depression and Bipolar Illness Researchers, for the first time, have pinpointed a genetic hotspot that confers risk for both bipolar disorder and depression. People with either of these mood disorders were significantly more likely to have risk versions of genes at this site than healthy controls...
4. MedicareCard.com, Experimental Immune, Boosting Drug Worsens TB in Mice An experimental drug that boosts production of the immune system protein interferon worsens tuberculosis (TB) in mice, according to scientists from the National Institutes of Health. The drug acts indirectly by drawing certain immune cells, in which Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) bacteria thrive, to the lungs. The findings may have potential implications for the care of people infected with TB, the authors note. The research is reported in the May 3 issue of Journal of Clinical Investigation, now available online....
5. Medicare Card: NIH-Supported Experimental Marburg Vaccine Prevents Disease Two Days after Infection An experimental vaccine developed to prevent outbreaks of Marburg hemorrhagic fever continues to show promise in monkeys as an emergency treatment for accidental exposures to the virus that causes the disease. There is no licensed treatment for Marburg infection, which has a high fatality rate....
6. Gene Associated with Rare Adrenal Disorder Appears To Trigger Cell Death, According to NIH Study A gene implicated in Carney complex, a rare disorder of the adrenal glands, appears to function as a molecular switch to limit cell growth and division, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions....
7. MedicareCard.com News – Independent Panel Finds Insufficient Evidence to Support Preventive Measures for Alzheimer’s Disease Many preventive measures for cognitive decline and for preventing Alzheimer's disease—mental stimulation, exercise, and a variety of dietary supplements...
8. Medicare Card News: NIH Researchers Explore How Healthy, Young Adults View the Role Genetics Plays in Improving Health Most healthy young adults place greater emphasis on health habits than on genetic risk factors when considering what causes common diseases, a research team from the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit has found. The study, based on a survey of 25- to-45-year-olds, was released June 8, [...]...
9. Medicare Card, Stroke Prevention Study, Children with Sickle Cell Anemia, Iron Overload Stopped Early The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has stopped a clinical trial evaluating a new approach to reduce the risk of recurrent stroke in children with sickle cell anemia and iron overload because of evidence that the new treatment was unlikely to prove better than the existing treatment....
10. MedicareCard.com – Just Over Half of Americans Diagnosed with Major Depression Receive Care Overall, only about half of Americans diagnosed with major depression in a given year receive treatment for it,...
11. Medicare, Higher Oxygen Levels Improve Preterm Survival, Increase Risk for Eye Condition Two findings from an NIH research network study provide new information on how much oxygen very preterm infants should receive starting on the first day of life and the most effective means to deliver it to them....
12. Medicare Research, Songbird Genome Analysis, Reveals New Insights Into Vocal Behavior An international research consortium has identified more than 800 genes that appear to play a role in the male zebra finch's ability to learn elaborate songs from his father. The researchers also found evidence that song behavior engages complex gene regulatory networks within the brain of the songbird -- networks that rely on parts of the genome once considered junk....
13. Medicare Card – Traditional ‘Heel Stick’ Test Is Not an Effective Screening Tool for CMV in Newborns A routine screening test for several metabolic and genetic disorders in newborns, the heel-stick procedure, is not effective in screening for cytomegalovirus (CMV)...
14. Medicare Card, NINR, Welcomes Four New Members, National Advisory Council for Nursing Research HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has appointed four new members to the National Advisory Council for Nursing Research (NACNR), the principal advisory board for the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR). Members of the council are drawn from the scientific and lay communities, embodying a diverse perspective from the fields of nursing, public and health policy, [...]...
15. NIBIB and the Indian Department of Biotechnology Collaborate to Develop Low-Cost Medical Devices The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), part of the National Institutes of Health, announced the availability of supplemental funding for eligible NIBIB-supported research grants to facilitate collaborative work among researchers in the United States and India....

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1. Medicare, Medicare Card, Statement by HHS, NIH Director Regarding the President’s Intent, Appoint Dr. Harold Varmus as Director of the National Institute of Cancer at the National Institutes of Health Dr. Harold Varmus brings a vast wealth of expertise to this key leadership position at the Department. Among his many professional distinctions, he is a Nobel laureate in cancer genetics; has been president of one of the premier cancer research and treatment institutions for the past decade; and previously has served the public as NIH [...]...
2. MedicareCard.com – Statement of Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., and Daniel Rotrosen, M.D. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, on Food Allergy Awareness Week 2010 The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the lead institute at the National Institutes of Health for food allergy research, is pleased to commemorate Food Allergy Awareness Week from May 9–15, 2010. First established in 1997 by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), a patient and family advocacy organization, this week is [...]...
3. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institutes of Health on Results from the CAPRISA 004 Microbicide HIV Prevention Study Today we congratulate the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) and the people of South Africa on the positive findings from the CAPRISA 004 microbicide study, which marks a significant milestone both for the microbicide research field and HIV prevention as a whole....
4. MedicareCard.com, National Institutes, Health-Sponsored Workshop Provides Guidelines for Soy Research Participants in a workshop sponsored by the National Institutes of Health have developed guidelines on designing and evaluating clinical research studies investigating soy, representing the first guidelines of their kind in the field of soy research. The guidelines are published in the June 2010 issue of The Journal of Nutrition....
5. Medicare Card, Scientists Identify Markers, Human Breast Cancer Cells, Linked to Development of an Aggressive, But Less Common Form of Breast Cancer Scientists have identified a group of surface markers on cells linked to an aggressive type of breast cancer called estrogen receptor-negative cancer. In this preliminary study, estrogen-negative breast cancer developed when three markers, CD44+, CD49fhi, and CD133hi were present simultaneously on the surface of human cells taken from breast cancer patients and transplanted into a [...]...
6. Medicare, NIH Expands National Network for Transforming Clinical and Translational Research Nine health research centers have received funds to develop ways to reduce the time it takes for clinical research to become treatments for patients. The funds were awarded as part of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program which is led by the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), part of the National Institutes [...]...
7. MedicareCard.com Finds Statement from Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, during Healthy Vision Month, May 2010 During the eighth annual Healthy Vision Month observance this May, the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, encourages community organizations and the American people to make vision health a priority. This year's theme, "Your Eyes are the Windows to Your Health," highlights the importance of scheduling an eye exam to maintain good quality eye health and preserve the sense of sight....
8. Medicare Blog, New Study Implicates Healthcare Utilization Rates, More than Biology, in Colorectal Cancer Disparities Higher rates of colorectal cancer incidence and mortality experienced by African-Americans may be driven largely by differences in health care utilization, and less by biology, according to a new study led by researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health....
9. Medicare Future? Pathways that Can Repair Brca1 Cancer Gene Mutation Clarified in Mice In a new study in mice, scientists have compensated for mutations in the Brca1 gene that can lead to cancer by deleting a second gene, which then lessens the probability of cancer. Mice Brca1-associated mammary tumors have significant similarities to human BRCA1- associated (BReast CAncer 1, early onset) breast cancer in regard to tumor aggressiveness, high incidence, mutations and genetic instability. The study, led by scientists at National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and their colleagues, appeared online April 1, 2010 and in print April 16, 2010, in the journal Cell....
10. Medicare Card: National Eye Institute Hosts Translational Research and Vision Symposium The National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, is bringing together premier researchers who translate molecular and genetic approaches from the laboratory to visual system diseases in the clinic....
11. MedicareCard.com, National Eye Institute Shares Tips to Promote Eye Health During Healthy Vision Month 2010 During Healthy Vision Month this May, the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, is encouraging Americans to make vision health a priority and schedule an eye exam to help prevent unnecessary vision loss and blindness. Early detection and timely treatment can help save your sight and ensure that you’re seeing [...]...
12. Medicare Card, NINR, Welcomes Four New Members, National Advisory Council for Nursing Research HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has appointed four new members to the National Advisory Council for Nursing Research (NACNR), the principal advisory board for the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR). Members of the council are drawn from the scientific and lay communities, embodying a diverse perspective from the fields of nursing, public and health policy, [...]...
13. MedicareCard.com – NIH Announces Ten Awards for Centers for Population Health and Health Disparities The National Institutes of Health announced today the awarding of 10 new Centers for Population Health and Health Disparities, designed to better understand and address inequities associated with the two leading causes of death in the United States — cancer and heart disease....
14. Medicare Card, NIH Funds 10 International Centers of Excellence for Malaria Research In an effort to accelerate the control of malaria and help eliminate it worldwide, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, today announced approximately $14 million in first-year funding to establish 10 new malaria research centers around the world....
15. National Resource Directory – GI Bill and the Yellow Ribbon Program National Resource Directory - GI Bill and the Yellow Ribbon Program...

When it was due for renewal I snickered when I realized that renewing my passport actually cost me more than applying for one originally. By this time, they stopped letting you smile in your picture and I couldn’t show off the fruit of my years of orthodontic labor.

As of yesterday, passport fees have gone up once again. An adult will be charged $135 (up from $100) to get a passport. A minor’s passport is $105 (up from $85). For renewals, an adult will be charged $110 (up from $75).

The State Department says the increase in fees are to cover the costs of production of the physical book itself as well as implementing new technology, operating expanded processing facilities and providing aid and emergency services to U.S. citizens overseas.

Will the higher fees deter you from traveling abroad?

Related posts:

1. Passport Cost Increase – Will Medicare Pay For It? Now that the east coast has finally started to warm up, the sun is shining, birds are chirping...allow me to bring some gloom and doom to your day. It looks like the cost of obtaining / renewing a passport is going to go up. ...
2. Prom Night Safety Tips – Watching Your Medicare Benefits Increase? My neighbor was telling me about her daughter's excitement over her upcoming prom. I felt a tug of regret. I never went to my high school prom. I'll be honest, I was never asked. I was not the type of girl to inspire crushes from guys in high school. I like to think of it as being a late bloomer. I figure I will begin to bloom when I am 80... just in time for the “senior” dance!...
3. The D.C. Council approved an emergency version of the “Reasonable Health Insurance Premium Increase Emergency Act of 2010.” The Act applies retroactively to rate filings after January 1, 2009. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: The D.C. Council approved an emergency version of the “Reasonable Health Insurance Premium Increase Emergency Act of 2010.” The Act applies retroactively to rate filings after January 1, 2009. ...
4. Medicare, Higher Oxygen Levels Improve Preterm Survival, Increase Risk for Eye Condition Two findings from an NIH research network study provide new information on how much oxygen very preterm infants should receive starting on the first day of life and the most effective means to deliver it to them....
5. Medicare: Apply for a Passport Whether you’re renewing an old passport or applying for the first time, visit the U.S. Department of State for passport-related services. Currently, processing times are about 4-6 weeks, or 2-3 weeks for the more costly, expedited service. MedicareCard.com has been serving consumers for several years with a primary emphasis on Medicare information and assistance. We [...]...
6. Medicare beneficiaries will not see a Part B monthly premium increase Most Medicare beneficiaries will not see a Part B monthly premium increase as a result of a “hold harmless” provision in the current law. This allows for 73 percent of beneficiaries to be protected from an increase raising the 2010 Part B monthly premiums from $96.40 to $110.50. ...
7. Needle-less Vaccinations, Getting Medicare Help Needles are hands down one of the things I'm scared of most in the world. Anytime I need to get a shot or have blood drawn there's a 50-50 chance I'll pass out. I get all lightheaded and start to hyperventilate. It's really not a pretty picture. So needless to say, the news that scientists figured out a way to give vaccinations without needles made me smile. ...
8. Is Medicare Affected with the New Credit Card Rules Even though I rarely use credit in the check out line, credit card debt is part of my life. I can't say that I completely understand my monthly statement (I just pay it) but hopefully the next one will make more sense. ...
9. Medicare, Health Care Reform and You Last week, one of our frequent commenters, Thomas, suggested we post on the health care bill President Obama signed into law last month. Thomas says there's a lot of information in the news about the bill and he was hoping that we could just give the "facts" about the law....
10. Find Some Extra Cash for Appliances To Pay For Your Medicare Premiums You'll find a map where you can click on your state to see the status of your program. If you scroll down you'll see a list of start dates and phone numbers for each state. ...
11. It’s Not the Hot Dog’s Fault – Medicare and Eating Healthly They are front and center at summer barbecues. And who hasn't ordered one at a baseball game? Stuffed in a bun, slathered in ketchup, mustard, or whatever topping your prefer, they scream American summertime. But a group of pediatricians wants to fundamentally change the hot dog because they say its shape poses a choking risk to children. Sadly, hot dogs are the cause of 17 percent of asphyxiations in kids under 10....
12. MedicareCard.com Finds Summer Vacations on a Medicare Budget As we inch closer to summer, all I can think about is the awesome vacations I want to take. I picture myself spending weeks at the beach, lounging in the sun, listening to the waves roll in. ...
13. National Park Week – Seeing the Country on a MedicareCard.com Budget Now that it looks as if warm weather is really here, some of my friends have started to gather ideas for activities to do during the summer. Some of the suggestions are right up my alley: baseball games (check), weekend down the shore (say no more), backyard barbeques (sold). ...
14. MedicareCard.com Helpful Information and Ideas – Choosing a Credit Card MedicareCard.com Helpful Information and Ideas - Choosing a Credit Card...
15. Medicare – Love Stinks When It’s a Scam A sad story appeared in my inbox last week. It was an email from a woman, let’s call her Rosemary, who met an attractive and attentive widower, let’s call him Albert, on a popular online dating site. Here’s how the story goes. ...

For many reasons, one of my favorite shows is the Biggest Loser. I’m a health nut; I love watching the transformations; and I get a kick out of the trainers screaming their heads off.

But the fact that such a show even exists and that the people on it are getting bigger and bigger each season is kind of a sad commentary on the state of overall health in this country.

A lot of the bad health habits we have now as adults were learned as kids and teenagers. We eat the same foods our moms cooked and we learn about an active or sedentary lifestyle from our parents’ examples. So it seems the way to fix our obesity problem is to start with educating kids and parents, which is exactly what the Let’s Move campaign is trying to do.

Backed by Michelle Obama, Let’s Move teaches kids the importance of getting some kind of activity every day. It uses the approach that something, even if it’s just a little, is always better than nothing.

Take a walk, ride a bike, play tag. It’s all better than guzzling a soda and playing video games.

Parents can learn simple things they can do to encourage their kids to be healthy. Sit down on a weekend and map out dinners for the week together. Involve your kids in the process of choosing healthy foods and, if age appropriate, let them help make dinner. Instead of a candy dish, parents could swap it for a fruit dish. Put easy to grab fruits in your kids’ reach and they might not miss the candy.

Being healthy doesn’t have to mean some extreme diet and exercise plan, it can be little things you do each day to help set a good example for your family.

Check out Letsmove.gov and share one healthy thing you do each day.

Related posts:

1. Healthy Ideas for the Holidays from the NIH veral kitchen gadgets—like juicers, slow cookers, rice cookers or vegetable steamers—can help you prepare nutritious low-fat foods. You can also encourage loved ones to prepare tasty, healthy dishes by giving them a low-cost cookbook from NIH (see the “Wise Choices” box). Popsicle molds in whimsical shapes can encourage healthful snacking for kids. Fill them with pureed fruit or 100% fruit juice....
2. MedicareCard.com, National Eye Institute Shares Tips to Promote Eye Health During Healthy Vision Month 2010 During Healthy Vision Month this May, the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, is encouraging Americans to make vision health a priority and schedule an eye exam to help prevent unnecessary vision loss and blindness. Early detection and timely treatment can help save your sight and ensure that you’re seeing [...]...
3. Medicare Card News: NIH Researchers Explore How Healthy, Young Adults View the Role Genetics Plays in Improving Health Most healthy young adults place greater emphasis on health habits than on genetic risk factors when considering what causes common diseases, a research team from the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit has found. The study, based on a survey of 25- to-45-year-olds, was released June 8, [...]...
4. It’s Not the Hot Dog’s Fault – Medicare and Eating Healthly They are front and center at summer barbecues. And who hasn't ordered one at a baseball game? Stuffed in a bun, slathered in ketchup, mustard, or whatever topping your prefer, they scream American summertime. But a group of pediatricians wants to fundamentally change the hot dog because they say its shape poses a choking risk to children. Sadly, hot dogs are the cause of 17 percent of asphyxiations in kids under 10....
5. Don’t Miss Your Medicare Appointments – Daylight Saving Time is Almost Here Daylight Saving Time is Almost Here...
6. Study Examines Best Time for Healthy HIV-infected People to Begin Antiretrovirals A major new clinical trial seeks to determine whether HIV-infected asymptomatic individuals have less risk of developing AIDS or other serious illness if they begin taking antiretrovirals sooner rather than later, based on their level of CD4+ T-cells. An HIV-infected individual’s level of CD4+ T-cells–commonly referred to as their CD4 count–is a key measure of [...]...
7. Prom Night Safety Tips – Watching Your Medicare Benefits Increase? My neighbor was telling me about her daughter's excitement over her upcoming prom. I felt a tug of regret. I never went to my high school prom. I'll be honest, I was never asked. I was not the type of girl to inspire crushes from guys in high school. I like to think of it as being a late bloomer. I figure I will begin to bloom when I am 80... just in time for the “senior” dance!...
8. Medicare, Medicaid, Medical Information on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder My nephew was making my sister and her husband crazy. He was fidgety, he couldn't keep his hands to himself, and he was always losing things. His grades weren't very good and his teachers were frustrated because he was constantly distracting other kids. He would do impulsive things that ended up with him breaking things or getting hurt. ...
9. Medicare Decisions Can Provide Healthier School Lunches The peanut butter and jelly sandwiches served at my high school were epic. Using THREE slices of white bread with peanut butter spread on both the top and bottom, it was like a little slice of heaven at 11:30am. Looking back, it's a marvel that I made it out of there alive....
10. Nutrition Tools for a Healthy Diet I have been on a mission to be healthier for about a year. I do 1 hour of cardio and about 30 minutes of strengthening and stretching exercises, 5 times a week. I also try to eat a healthy diet with whole grains, fish, chicken, and lots of fruits and veggies. I do this to [...]...
11. Needle-less Vaccinations, Getting Medicare Help Needles are hands down one of the things I'm scared of most in the world. Anytime I need to get a shot or have blood drawn there's a 50-50 chance I'll pass out. I get all lightheaded and start to hyperventilate. It's really not a pretty picture. So needless to say, the news that scientists figured out a way to give vaccinations without needles made me smile. ...
12. Babies on Airplanes – Making Plans to Travel While on Medicare I may be a good friend, but that doesn't mean I'm not bitter. So, because it was 4am, and because I'm not a morning person, and because I'm insanely jealous, as I dropped my pal off I told him I hoped he was seated in-between two teething infants on the flight....
13. Help from Medicare? Sleep Disorders: My Life as a Zombie The other night, I was awake the whole night. I haven't had a night like that in a long time, but it reminded me of my past issues with insomnia....
14. Avoid Sports Injury This Spring – Is This A Medicare Benefit Coverage The start of spring means the start of Spring Training. The major leaguers start warming up for the season, and it's not long before little leaguers follow suit. Tons of kids play on youth baseball and softball teams every year and right about now they are in their spring training....
15. Pool and Spa Safety: Medicare Help When I was a little kid I can remember my mom warning me not to swim too close to the drains in pools and not to put my head under the water in hot tubs. She was concerned that my ponytail would get caught and I would drown. I always thought that was a little [...]...

It would be great if her students showed that much enthusiasm for reading during the summer. According to Serve.gov, studies have shown that if children don’t read during the summer, they can lose 2-3 months of academic progress. Children who participate in summer reading programs can maintain their academic progress and be better prepared for the new school year. My fellow blogger Joanne is wise to have her children read every day during summer vacation.

When I used to volunteer at the local library, the summer reading programs were always very popular but there are some children who do not have access to books. The "Let’s Read, Let’s Move" initiative, created by Serve.gov, encourages people to volunteer to read to children and even organize book drives in their communities. Along with some other organizations, they are striving to make 2010 a summer of a million books for children everywhere.

Do your children read during the summer?

Related posts:

1. Read Across America Day – Teach A Younger Generation How To Avoid Stuck On Medicare? What’s your favorite Dr. Seuss book?...
2. MedicareCard.com Finds Summer Vacations on a Medicare Budget As we inch closer to summer, all I can think about is the awesome vacations I want to take. I picture myself spending weeks at the beach, lounging in the sun, listening to the waves roll in. ...
3. Don’t be Caught by Summer Storms I love watching summer thunderstorms — the wind and the rain and the lightening streaking across the sky. It’s fun to watch them when I’m inside feeling safe, it’s not so fun watching summer storms when I’m caught off guard and out in my car trying to drive through the storms. The United States experiences [...]...
4. 2010 National Book Festival My mother encouraged my sisters and me, starting when we were very young, to be interested in books. I was a huge reader and I loved going to the public library. I am convinced that this early love of reading fostered an overall excitement and interest in learning, and paved the way for me to [...]...
5. Medicare Card, Annual Federal Statistics Compilation Reports Second Straight Decline In Preterm Births Preterm births and adolescent births declined, eighth graders’ math and reading scores increased, and more children had health insurance, according to the federal government’ annual statistical report on the well-being of the nation’s children and youth. The report also showed several economic changes that coincided with the beginning of the economic downturn: increases in child [...]...
6. Oil Spill Volunteer / Donation Information Things I wanted to write about today: Certain Hollywood starlets being sent to the slammer, the ending to the movie "Inception", the Phillies current performance making me lose my appetite. However, none of these things make the rankings on the USA.gov FAQ page of the most searched topics by citizens. In response to the numerous [...]...
7. Encourage Kids to Read Through summer reading, kids may discover a favorite author who sparks a lifelong love of reading. Summer reading can also prevent learning loss and help prepare a child for the next academic year. Find a variety of reading resources on Kids.gov....
8. Medicare Decisions Can Provide Healthier School Lunches The peanut butter and jelly sandwiches served at my high school were epic. Using THREE slices of white bread with peanut butter spread on both the top and bottom, it was like a little slice of heaven at 11:30am. Looking back, it's a marvel that I made it out of there alive....
9. Medicare, Medicaid, Medical Information on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder My nephew was making my sister and her husband crazy. He was fidgety, he couldn't keep his hands to himself, and he was always losing things. His grades weren't very good and his teachers were frustrated because he was constantly distracting other kids. He would do impulsive things that ended up with him breaking things or getting hurt. ...
10. Surviving the Dog Days of Summer It’s right about this time each summer that I start looking forward to the fall. To cooler weather, leaves falling off the trees and apple cider. The dog days of summer really start to get to me. Granted I love the warm weather, pools and the beach. There’s nothing I wish for more all winter [...]...
11. Medicare Card, National Institutes of Health launches summer institute on mHealth The National Institutes of Health today announced the creation of the first NIH Health, or mobile health, Summer Institute. Scheduled for the summer of 2011, this week-long workshop will bring together leaders in mobile health technologies, behavioral science researchers, federal health officials and members of the medical community to provide early career investigators with an [...]...
12. Fewer 4th of July Fireworks This 4th of July, I am going to a wedding. If you’ve read this blog with any regularity over the past 3 years, you know this is pretty much par for the course of how I spend my weekends during the summer. When I saw the date on the invite, my immediate reaction was, “They [...]...
13. Medicare Benefits, Swimming and Water Safety When I was growing up I spent most of the summer in some state of wetness. My town had a pool that was easy for us to walk or ride our bikes to and it was the center of summer social activity. I took swimming lessons, I swam on the swim team, I became a [...]...
14. Babies on Airplanes – Making Plans to Travel While on Medicare I may be a good friend, but that doesn't mean I'm not bitter. So, because it was 4am, and because I'm not a morning person, and because I'm insanely jealous, as I dropped my pal off I told him I hoped he was seated in-between two teething infants on the flight....
15. It’s Not the Hot Dog’s Fault – Medicare and Eating Healthly They are front and center at summer barbecues. And who hasn't ordered one at a baseball game? Stuffed in a bun, slathered in ketchup, mustard, or whatever topping your prefer, they scream American summertime. But a group of pediatricians wants to fundamentally change the hot dog because they say its shape poses a choking risk to children. Sadly, hot dogs are the cause of 17 percent of asphyxiations in kids under 10....

Related posts:

1. Program to Enhance Communication of Life-sustaining Treatment Preferences Associated with Closer Adherence to a Person’s Wishes when Compared with Traditional Practices, Finds NIH-Supported Study A program in which individuals used a standardized form signed by a physician to communicate their end-of-life care preferences on issues such as levels of medical intervention and tube feeding lead to significantly better adherence to treatment preferences than more traditional methods of communication, according to a new study....
2. Medicare, After 40 Years, NIH-Supported Researchers Identify Possible New Treatment for Severe Vasculitis Investigators have made a major advance in treating people with a severe form of vasculitis, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis, a rare but devastating disease of blood vessels. In a six-month study, a new treatment strategy provided the same benefits as the current standard of care used for more than 40 years but required less [...]...
3. Medicare Card: NIH Researchers Identify New Steps in Spread of Malaria Parasite Through Bloodstream Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have observed two previously unknown steps in the spread of the malaria parasite through the bloodstream. And in laboratory cultures, the researchers interfered with one of these steps, raising the possibility that new drug treatments could be developed to combat the disease....
4. Medicare, NIH-Supported Study, Looks for Earliest Changes, in the Brain That May Lead to Alzheimer’s Disease Volunteers are being sought for a clinical study examining the subtle changes that may take place in the brains of older people many years before overt symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease appear. Researchers are looking for people with the very earliest complaints of memory problems that affect their daily activities. The study will follow participants over [...]...
5. MedicareCard.com, Experimental Immune, Boosting Drug Worsens TB in Mice An experimental drug that boosts production of the immune system protein interferon worsens tuberculosis (TB) in mice, according to scientists from the National Institutes of Health. The drug acts indirectly by drawing certain immune cells, in which Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) bacteria thrive, to the lungs. The findings may have potential implications for the care of people infected with TB, the authors note. The research is reported in the May 3 issue of Journal of Clinical Investigation, now available online....
6. NIH-Supported ACCORD Eye Study Finds Two Therapies Slow Diabetic Eye Disease Progression In high-risk adults with type 2 diabetes, researchers have found that two therapies may slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy, an eye disease that is the leading cause of vision loss in working-age Americans....
7. Scientists Identify Brain Circuits Related to the Initiation and Termination of Movement Sequences in NIH-Supported Study In humans, throwing a ball, typing on a keyboard, or engaging in most other physical activities involves the coordination of numerous discrete movements that are organized as action sequences. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health and the Gulbenkian Institute in Portugal have identified brain activity in mice that can signal the initiation and termination [...]...
8. Medicare, Common Mechanisms of Drug Abuse and Obesity Some of the same brain mechanisms that fuel drug addiction in humans accompany the emergence of compulsive eating behaviors and the development of obesity in animals, according to research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a component of the National Institutes of Health....
9. NIH-Funded Study Finds Early HAART during TB Treatment Boosts Survival Rate in People Co-Infected with HIV and TB A clinical trial in Cambodia has found it possible to prolong the survival of untreated HIV-infected adults with very weak immune systems and newly diagnosed tuberculosis (TB) by starting anti-HIV therapy two weeks after beginning TB treatment, rather than waiting eight weeks, as has been standard. This finding by scientists co-funded by the National Institute [...]...
10. Medicare Medical Care, Rapid Development of Drug-Resistant, 2009 H1N1 Influenza Reported in Two Cases Two people with compromised immune systems who became ill with 2009 H1N1 influenza developed drug-resistant strains of virus after less than two weeks on therapy, report doctors from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. Doctors who treat prolonged influenza infection should be aware that even a short course of antiviral treatment may lead to drug-resistant virus, say the authors, and clinicians should consider this possibility as they develop initial treatment strategies for their patients who have impaired immune function....
11. MedicareCard.com Comparative-Effectiveness Study Confirms New Treatment for Diabetic Macular Edema Researchers have shown that ranibizumab (Lucentis) eye injections, often in combination with laser treatment, result in better vision than laser treatment alone for diabetes-associated swelling of the retina....
12. MedicarCard.com Update – NIH Study Offers Hope to Patients with Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis A daily dose of a specific form of vitamin E significantly improved the liver disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), according to a study funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health...
13. MedicareCard.com – NIH Podcast Shines Light on Prescription Drug Abuse in Women NIH Podcast...
14. New Compound Improves Obesity-Related Health Complications in NIH-Led Study An experimental compound appears to improve metabolic abnormalities associated with obesity, according to a preliminary study led by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. A report of the study, which was conducted with obese mice, appears online today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation....
15. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institutes of Health on Results from the CAPRISA 004 Microbicide HIV Prevention Study Today we congratulate the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) and the people of South Africa on the positive findings from the CAPRISA 004 microbicide study, which marks a significant milestone both for the microbicide research field and HIV prevention as a whole....

E-mails have been circulating and urging you to register your cell phone number with the special Do Not Call Registry for wireless phones. I just saw one in my e-mail inbox and I was almost fooled. Luckily I work with a small army of dedicated consumer information experts who set me straight!

There is no special Do Not Call Registry for wireless phones. If you want to, you can register your cell phone number on the Do Not Call Registry, but telemarketers are prohibited from calling you on your cell phone whether it’s registered or not.

If you’re receiving unwanted telemarketing calls at home (on your land line), it’s easy to register on the Do Not Call Registry. If you want to file a complaint about unwanted telemarketing calls, you can file online, or call 1-888-382-1222 (TTY: 1-866-290-4236).

Related posts:

1. Standard vs. Smart Cell Phones – Calling Medicare I'm not the kind of person to be the first in line to buy the newest technology right when it hits the store shelves. I'm more of a “sit back, observe, and collect data” kind of a person...
2. Pay for Medicare Parking with Your Cell Phone I've had more than my fair share of parking issues since moving to DC, mostly because DC meters (in my humble opinion) are absurdly expensive and I rarely have a fist full of quarters in my change purse. (What do I have at all times? Spare bobby pins and a Hanson guitar pick- the ultimate conversation piece.) ...
3. Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) Will This Help Medicare The National Institutes of Health announced today that it is creating a public database that researchers, consumers, health care providers, and others can search for information submitted voluntarily by genetic test providers. The Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) aims to enhance access to information about the availability, validity, and usefulness of genetic tests....
4. Medicare, NHLBI to Hold Workshop, Health Consequences of Sickle Cell Trait Scientists from across the nation will gather June 3-4 to discuss what is known about sickle cell trait and the potential health implications related to this genetic blood condition. “Framing the Research Agenda for Sickle Cell Trait” will examine the ethical, legal, social, and public health impacts of the blood condition....
5. Medicare – Organ Transplant: Getting the Call Donated organs have a limited period of viability, so timing is critical in the transplant process. If the recipient can not be reached or be ready within the time constraints, the organs will be used for the recipient with the next highest priority. The organs intended for Scott were taken, by courier, to the airport to be flown to Scott's location. Scott was at the hospital being tested and prepared for the surgery. Everything looked like it was a “go.”...
6. Medicare Card: Gene Linked to Alzheimer’s Disease Plays Key Role in Cell Survival Scientists have discovered that a gene linked to Alzheimer’s disease may play a beneficial role in cell survival by enabling neurons to clear away toxic proteins. A study funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, shows the presenilin 1 (PS1) gene is essential to the function of [...]...
7. Gene Associated with Rare Adrenal Disorder Appears To Trigger Cell Death, According to NIH Study A gene implicated in Carney complex, a rare disorder of the adrenal glands, appears to function as a molecular switch to limit cell growth and division, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions....
8. Medicare Card, Stroke Prevention Study, Children with Sickle Cell Anemia, Iron Overload Stopped Early The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has stopped a clinical trial evaluating a new approach to reduce the risk of recurrent stroke in children with sickle cell anemia and iron overload because of evidence that the new treatment was unlikely to prove better than the existing treatment....
9. Want to Make the Call? Life of an Umpire, Medicare Life A lot of people in the nation’s capital have baseball on the brain this week. Primarily because the Washington Nationals have the first pick in Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft this afternoon but also because tomorrow is the major league debut of last year’s first overall pick, Stephen Strasburg. I have baseball on my [...]...
10. National Donor Day — February 14 National Donor Day -- February 14...
11. Pick Your Own Fruit! I spent Independence Day in the Shenandoah Valley. Anytime I’m there this time of year I start thinking about how when I was a kid my grandparents would take my brother and me to the orchards to pick fresh fruit. Apples, peaches, grapes, nectarines - it seems we picked everything short of tropical fruit. I recently [...]...
12. Medicare NIH to host sickle cell disease symposium More than 30 experts from around the world are scheduled to present Nov. 16-17 in Bethesda, Md., at the James B. Herrick Symposium — Sickle Cell Disease Care and Research: Past, Present, and Future. The free event, hosted by the National Institutes of Health, will examine the past century of work toward understanding sickle cell [...]...
13. Medicare Freedom – Create Art for Federal Buildings It took almost 70 years, but the Department of the Interior (DOI) headquarters recently unveiled murals taken from Ansel Adams' portraits. This is the same Ansel Adams who's arguably the greatest nature photographer of all time. ...
14. Equal Access for the Disabled – Finding Medicare Help There are an estimated 40 million people with disabilities in our country. The rest of us are temporarily abled, as they say. It’s only a matter of time until we have an injury or illness that will cause us to experience some sort of disability....
15. Text Messages from CDC – Medicare I know it’s officially spring, but I wanted to remind you that H1N1 flu (also known as swine flu) is still a risk and you should take steps to stay healthy. Even though the H1N1 outbreak in the U.S. was mild over the winter, the World Health Organization still considers H1N1 a pandemic. Luckily for us, [...]...