3 Proven Employer Sponsored Health and Wellness Programs

Healthcare costs are second only to energy costs when it comes the financial worries of Chief Financial Officers (CFO's) throughout corporate America today. A recent survey of 275 CFO's ranked healthcare expenditures a major concern (8 or above on a scale of 10) when it came to the financial viability of their company.

These concerns have rightfully earned their place at the top of the competing business world because an enormous amount of money is at stake here. Providing healthcare coverage to employees is big business and it doesn't take long for these costs to add up. Take the costs of insurance premiums for example. The average annual premium in 2012 for single coverage was $5,615 and for family coverage this rose to $15,745 [1]. While employees are taking on more of the burden with these costs, the fact remains that employers are still paying for the majority of it. On average, employers pay for roughly 77% of healthcare insurance premiums, while employees pay the remaining 23%.

The Essentials On Fats In The Diet

"But I need fat in my diet."

I've heard this line one too many times when talking to others about switching to a healthier, low-fat diet. Somehow, someway we Americans have come to the conclusion if we don't have large amounts of fat in our diet then we'll wither away like the famished populations of Sub-Saharan Africa. The reality of the situation is far from this preconceived notion.

Fat is an essential part of the human diet. This fact is true. However, we consume far too much of it in Western cultures. We also consume the wrong kinds of fats. This article and the accompanying videos at the end will serve to eliminate any confusion on how much and what kind of fats are actually needed for the human body to function properly.

Talking Whole Foods With Holly - Founder of My Plant-Based Family

The plant-based community is an ever growing community of many fascinating and wonderful people. Many of these people are looking to improve their health by going plant-based. Holly was one of these people, and she has a great story to tell!

Not only did Holly take the leap of faith and adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet, but she managed to get her whole family to embrace this lifestyle. And their results speak for themselves. This was certainly no easy task by any means as they had several kids running around the house keeping them busy!

So how'd she do it? What's her secret? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this exclusive interview with her as she reveals the life of her Plant-Based Family...

Jim and Holly

Holly and Jim's two young boys

Dustin:  Holly, I ran across your site (My Plant-Based Family) the other day and have to admit I think it's great! What's it all about and what inspired you to create it?

Holly:  When we initially decided to transition to a plant-based diet I had a difficult time finding resources. I would find websites or blogs that were vegan but used oil, white sugar, and white flour. Other sites or blogs relied heavily on processed products like vegan margarine and faux meat products. Most of the recipes I found were also not suited to families with small children.

I decided there needed to be a resource for families who want to eat whole food, plant-based foods that were affordable, easy, and delicious. I focus on helping people make the transition from omnivore to plant-eater, extending grace when it’s needed and equipping people to actually do it.

The False Hope Of Prescription Medications - A Pharmacist Tells All

For every ailment in today's world there is a pill. A solution in the form of a capsule or tablet or liquid with a concoction of chemicals inside designed to "cure" our misfortunes. Big Pharma has made their mark. As a pharmacist who's been in the medical field for over 10 years, I actually find this quite concerning given the pharmaceutical companys' primary motives for financial growth with little to no regard for patient safety and outcomes. The television commercials say it all. Drug companies are here to market, profit, and prosper off of sick people. You're of no value to them if you're in good health. This might be all well and good if the end goal was truly a nation, or a world, full of vibrant, healthy people who occasionally needed the help of Big Pharma to get back on their feet. But it's not. We live in an era where pill popping is the norm and weight issues and chronic diseases reign supreme. A quick look at the numbers confirms what we already know.

In 2011, a total of 4.02 billion prescriptions were dispensed at a grand total of $319.9 billion [1,2]. In case you were wondering, this amounts to approximately 12.9 prescriptions for every man, women, and child living in the U.S. at a cost of roughly $1,026.68 per year per person. Most of this isn't hitting our pocket books, not directly anyway. Insurance companies pay for the majority of the costs. In 2011, the average copay for 75% of all prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. was $10 or less thanks to the increasing availability of generic medications and prescription drug coverage [1]. I could write an entire book on the statistics behind the legalized drug world, but I'll stop for now. If you care to look into the subject any further you can read the IMS Institute for Health Informatics report here.

Milk - It Does A Body Bad, Really Bad!

Recently the 2013 Super Bowl featured a Got Milk? commercial with celebrity Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson promoting milk for it's protein content. This 30 second commercial was sponsored by MilkPEP (Milk Processor Education Program). MilkPEP is conglomerate of several dairy industry processors with one goal in mind - to promote the sales of more milk and dairy.  At an average cost of $3.7-$3.8 million for a 30 second Super Bowl commercial these dairy companies spent a fortune branding their product as something that's good for you. Unfortunately, millions of consumers will believe this marketing ploy.

However, a quick look at the medical and scientific literature on milk products (and dairy in general) uncovers some dark secrets about these over glamorized and falsely advertised products. Here's 5 big reasons you may want to put the milk carton down for good.

Fit Quickies - Quick & Easy Workouts In Just 5 Minutes Or Less

If you're like most people then you're short on time and long on "to do" lists. Work, kids, projects, chores, grocery shopping, errands, cleaning, laundry, and gym time. There never seems to be enough time to fit in everything you need in one day. Trips to the gym... eh, maybe tomorrow. Been there, done that.

But what if you could fit working out in between loads of laundry or trips to the store? What if you could squeeze in a great workout over 5 or 10 minutes of your lunch break? Sound to good to be true? Well, it isn't. The Plant-Based Fitness Expert has come to the rescue! Lani Muelrath, better known as The Plant-Based Fitness Expert, has designed a series of 14 super easy, incredibly convenient workout routines you could do anywhere, anytime!

Main Street Vegan Radio - The Plant-Based Pharmacist w/host Victoria Moran - "2013 - A Healthy Start To A New Year"

I had the wonderful opportunity a couple weeks ago to kick of the New Year with radio host Victoria Moran on her radio show Main Street Vegan! Victoria Moran is the bestselling author of 11 books and hosts a weekly radio show on Unity.FM geared towards improving the health and lives of others and the planet by promoting a vegan lifestyle. She has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and was voted Vegan Of The Year in 2012! To learn more about Victoria's work check out her book Main Street Vegan: Everything You Need to Know to Eat Healthfully and Live Compassionately in The Real World.

In this segment, Victoria and I talk about a number of interesting health-related topics including:

• My childhood years and dream of pursuing a pharmacy career
• How America got itself stuck in the current healthcare crisis
• Big Pharma's role and influence in the healthcare system
• The best available treatment options (both conventional and alternative) used in treating some of the most common chronic diseases
• Which vitamins and supplements are truly necessary
• How to make a healthy lifestyle a permanent fixture in one's life

Cell Membranes - The Gatekeepers

by guest blogger Jody Perrecone

Our body is made up of 50-75 trillion cells. When we eat, our amazing body will take the atoms and molecules that comprise the food and reformulate it into what it needs for growth, energy, protection, and repairs. Each of our trillions of cells is encased in a cell membrane that performs many functions.  The membrane keeps components within the cell as well as releases components from the cell. The membrane keeps the shape of the cell and hosts cell hormone receptors and components that regulate our body. The cell membrane includes cholesterol, fats, and protein.  The amount of these components varies depending on the location and function of each cell. What we eat plays a big part in the composition of the membranes.

Common Cold Remedies - Fact vs. Fiction

It's the middle of winter and you know what that means. Cough and cold season is in full swing for many families and households. There's nothing worse than coming down with a wicked case of the common cold. It can sideline you for a week or more, which is the last thing anyone has time for.

The common cold is most typically caused by the rhinovirus[1]. Symptoms start showing up within 24-48 hours of contracting the virus and include the following:

• Sore throat
• Fatigue
• Low-grade fever
• Nasal congestion
• Runny nose
• Watery eyes
• Cough

These symptoms last about 7 days for most and can make for a miserable week. It can also have a miserable effect on our nation's pocketbook. In fact, the common cold leads to $25 billion in lost productivity in our society due to absenteeism, reduction in on-the-job productivity, and caregiver absenteeism[2]. With so much at stake many people will do anything to feel better. Many of these efforts involve turning to age old remedies that our parents and grandparents handed down to us. But do these remedies work or do they just make our misery seem less, well, miserable?

Women - Know The Symptoms

by guest blogger Jody Perrecone

Heart attacks are the #1 killer of both men and women.  According to the American Heart Association, one of every six deaths in the United States is a result of a heart attack.  

The symptoms of women having a heart attack can be different than the symptoms men experience.  The classic tightening in the chest, shortness of breath, and a feeling of discomfort in arms, back, jaw or stomach can be what men typically experience when having a heart attack.

Dr. Don And The Plant-Based Pharmacist - Prescription Drug Abuse

Recently I had the honor of being a repeat guest on the Dr. Don Show—a show where Dr. Don Wagner bridges the gap between conventional and lifestyle medicine. The topic of discussion was the growing problem of prescription drug abuse. Dr. Don and I spoke about narcotic abuse, the difference between types of various opioids, and enlightened listeners with some shocking statistics on this subject. Listen to the archived show below or read my article on prescription drug abuse below that.

The Growing Problem Of Prescription Drug Abuse

photo credit: Freedigitalphotos.net

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by Dustin Rudolph, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist

Check out Dustin Rudolph's book The Empty Medicine Cabinet to start your journey towards better health. This step-by-step guide leads you through many of today's common chronic diseases (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and more), giving you the facts on foods versus medications in treating these medical conditions. The book also contains an easy-to-follow guide on how to adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet as a part of an overall lifestyle change, producing the best possible health outcomes for you and your family. Hurry and get your copy today!

We'd love for you to join us in spreading the good word about plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine by telling your family and friends about our website at www.PlantBasedPharmacist.com. 

Share and rate this post below or tell us what you think by posting a comment. Thank you again for stopping by and until next time... be happy, be healthy, and live the life you've always dreamed of!

Carbohydrates - Are They All Bad?

by guest blogger Jody Perrecone

Energy is needed for normal body functions including maintaining body temperature, breathing, digestion, thinking, exercising, and managing the heart rate. That energy comes from protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose which the body uses as its primary and most efficient source of energy. Carbohydrates are the only energy source the brain, nerves, and developing red cells can use for energy. Protein and fat are used as sources of energy only when carbohydrates are depleted.

Complex carbohydrates include potatoes, oats, corn, peas, whole wheat pasta, beans, and brown rice and are excellent sources of energy.  They are also a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals.  Complex carbohydrates contain fiber which will slow down the release of glucose.

Brilliant Minds, Brilliant Ideas, Phenomenal Paths To Health And Good Habits

For a 24 hour period on November 10th, 2012 the city of Palo Alto, CA gave up its reputation for being the world's epicenter of cyber technology and instead laid the groundwork for a revolution in health and behavior. The innovative ideas spawned forth about creating healthy habits go far beyond the Silicone Valley and straight into the tech savvy device your gazing into right now. It's your turn to learn from the best! The concepts presented will undoubtedly make your life easier and more enjoyable as you incorporate them into your daily routine. Take some time to sit back, relax, and enjoy this year's presentations from TEDx Fremont's most dynamic and forward-thinking minds! A healthy life and a lifetime of good habits are yours for the taking.

This Is Your Brain On [Psychotropic] Drugs

Life is full of emotions. Happy. Sad. Nervous. Frightened. Excited. Depressed. Crazy. Anxious. All of these are a normal part of life. Everyone experiences these emotions at one point or another.

At times these emotions may lend themselves to be more intense than at other times. I've experienced this myself in life. I remember the overwhelming sense of joy I felt when I finally graduated college and landed my first job. That was an incredible high for me. I can also remember being at the lowest of lows in life just a few years prior as pharmacy school and my personal life seemed to come crashing down on me. That was an awful feeling that seemed to last forever and something I never want to experience again. When times like these come in life we often turn to those closest to us to share in our experiences—good, bad, or ugly. Our friends and family are our personal counselors.

Today, however, every emotion has been labeled as a "disease" or "disorder". Every human being walking the face of the planet is mentally ill, according to the drug manufacturers anyway. These greedy business entities have designed a system where they profit off of everyday life experiences of people. Depressed because of a breakup or loss of a loved one? Big Pharma deems you as having major depressive disorder. Anxious when you attend new functions and meet new people? You have social anxiety disorder. Have a typical, energetic 6 year old who can't sit still in class for hours on end (because everyone knows that little kids are supposed to be able to do this)? Your child is suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Take The Thanksgiving Challenge

by guest blogger Jody Perrecone

Remember when we sat down at the table as a family for dinner? When we bought local food?  When we knew the shop keepers?  When food was prepared by a person and didn’t come out of a box?  

Maybe not all of us remember these times from not so long ago.  Somehow we have gotten away from our relationship with our food.  We have almost become alienated with our food and food sources. Often times we don’t know where our food came from or who (or what) made it.