Save Money and Energy in Your Household

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the typical American family spends over $1,600 a year on home utility bills, and a large portion of that energy is wasted. Not to fear: there are several things you can do each month to conserve energy and reduce the strain on your wallet.

Conduct a Home Energy Audit

An energy audit will show you which areas of your home use the most energy. You can conduct this yourself, contact your local utility or call an independent energy auditor. A comprehensive evaluation should include:

• Checking insulation levels
• Looking for open fireplace dampers
• Searching for holes or cracks around doors, light and plumbing fixtures, and other places where air may leak out
• Ensuring appliances and heating and cooling systems are properly maintained.

Temperature Tips

• Weatherize your home – caulk and weather-strip any doors and windows that leak air.
• Install a programmable thermostat that will reduce heating (or turn air conditioning up) at night and when you are not home.
• Consider replacing single-pane windows with double-pane; they have coatings that reduce heat loss or gain, depending on the season.
  • Keep your thermostat under 70 degrees in the winter and a few degrees cooler than the outside temperature in the summer.

Water Use

• Repair leaky faucets immediately.
• Use low-flow shower heads.
• Insulate your hot-water storage tank and pipes.
• Drain a quart of water from your tank every three months to remove sediment (which impedes heat transfer and lowers efficiency).
• Lower the hot water heater to 120 degrees.
• Take short showers instead of baths.
• Wash only full loads of dishes and/or laundry.
• Air-dry dishes and line-dry clothes if possible.

Renewable Energy

There are more options than ever to use renewable energy. When building a new home, orient it to avoid overhead summer sun and to benefit from winter sun in cooler climates. Try a solar pool heating system, which can cut costs for heating swimming pools or hot tubs. Under certain conditions, installing solar cells might be right for you.

Vehicle Use

Improve gas mileage by:

• Avoiding aggressive driving
• Observing the speed limit
• Removing roof racks or carriers if not used often
• Keeping up with maintenance – clean air filters can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.
• Ensuring tires are properly inflated and aligned
• Using the correct grade of oil

Energy Star^® Products

Whenever you are purchasing new equipment or appliances, look for the Energy Star logo. These products meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and U.S. Department of Energy. For more information, go to www.energystar.gov.

Did you know…?

The key to achieving savings in your home is a whole-house energy efficiency plan; this ensures that the dollars you invest are spent wisely. Energy-efficient improvements not only make your home more comfortable, but can yield long-term financial rewards, such as bringing in a higher price when you sell it.

Contact your home insurance agent for more questions on energy savings and heating your home.

Mental Health: SAD

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a recurring depression that affects individuals during the cold winter months and then recedes during the spring and summer.

How Common is SAD?

It is estimated that between four and six percent of Americans suffer from SAD, with three-quarters of those affected being women, mostly in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. Though SAD is most common during these ages, it can also occur in children, adolescents and the elderly.

What Causes SAD?

The exact cause of SAD is still unknown, but researchers suspect that an increased level of melatonin in the blood could be a factor. Melatonin increases the need and desire to sleep. SAD affects people more during the colder, darker months because the body produces more melatonin during this time. Decreased exposure to sunlight resulting in an increased production of melatonin causes the biological clock that regulates mood, sleep and hormones to run slower in winter. This is why those most affected by SAD tend to live in northern states; areas that experience decreased daylight for months at a time.

What are the Symptoms?

Symptoms of SAD can vary, depending on the severity of the condition, but generally include:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Low energy and fatigue
• Decreased interest in daily activities, especially social activities
• Moodiness and irritability
• Increased appetite with weight gain
• Cravings for carbohydrates
• Increased sleep, with more daytime sleepiness
• Loss of interest in sex

Coping with SAD

In severe cases your doctor can prescribe medication, but oftentimes self-help tactics can be just as effective:

• Increase the amount of light in your home. Open blinds, add skylights and trim trees that block sunlight.
• Get outside. Walk outdoors on sunny days, even during winter months.
• Exercise regularly. Physical exercise helps relieve stress and anxiety, which can exacerbate SAD.
• Find ways to relax.
• Learn how to better manage stress.
• Take a trip. If possible, take winter vacations to sunny, warm destinations.

Did You Know…?

If you frequently suffer from the “winter blues,” you are not alone and it’s not just something you have to tough out. Talk with your doctor so you can both work together to find an effective treatment.  Should you have any questions regarding your life insurance and how depression-like symptoms affect it, contact your agent.

Consume “Good Fat” to Stay Healthy

Contrary to popular belief, not all fat is bad for you, especially if it contains omega-3 fat. This is considered a “good” fat, and it is not naturally produced by the human body, but it has a hand in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. It also has been shown to reduce high blood pressure, inflammation, inhibit cancer growth, help alleviate depression and benefit diabetes. Fish is the most abundant source of omega-3 fat, as the fish absorb this special substance when eating algae and other marine life.

Recommended Servings

To get the proper amount of omega-3 fat, you should consume two or more servings of fatty fish such as salmon, herring, whitefish, tuna, mackerel, rainbow trout or sardines each week. If fish is not your fancy, consider taking a fish oil supplement to obtain the equivalent of two fatty fish meals. This is roughly 600 mg of omega-3 fat in the form of fish oil supplements per day. Those with heart disease should consume 1,000 mg of omega-3 daily and those with high blood levels of triglycerides should consume two to four grams per day, as directed by the American Heart Association (AHA).

To determine the actual amount of omega-3 fat in a fish oil supplement, check the label and add the EPA plus DHA plus “other omega-3” ingredients. 

Supplement Use

There are several precautions that you should remember when taking fish oil, as with all vitamin and mineral supplements:

• Do not take fish oil supplements if you are using any blood thinning medications.
• Choose products with the words “pharmaceutical grade” or “molecularly distilled” on the bottle.
• Stop taking fish oil and other dietary supplements two weeks prior to having surgery.
• Take 200 to 400 IU of natural vitamin E daily if you consume more than two grams (2,000 mg) of fish oil daily.
• Consult your doctor before taking any supplements to assure that they are right for you and do not interact negatively with other medications you are currently taking.

According to the AHA, most Americans are omega-3-deficient because the foods in our diets are refined and over-processed. However, by consuming omega-3 – something that is almost entirely missing from the average diet – people can actually repair some of the damage that the refined and over-processed foods are causing.

Your physician will be able to guide you in the right direction when it comes to eating healthy. Should you have any questions regarding how this affects your life insurance, contact your agent.

Exercise without Injury

Exercise is beneficial for the body, the mind and the soul. According to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, exercise can improve your mood, fight chronic diseases, help manage your weight, lead to a better night’s sleep — the list goes on and on. To get the most from your regular workouts and decrease your risk of injury, you must warm-up, cool down and stretch.

Workout Tips

Warming up transitions your body from a resting state to more rigorous activity level. It increases blood flow to your muscles so they stretch easier and are less likely to tear. Warming up also lubricates your joints, reducing friction and unnecessary wear. While warming up:

• Move similar to how you will in your workout by walking briskly, jogging or biking at a slow pace.
• Increase the intensity gradually to reduce stress on your bones, muscles and heart.
• Warm up for approximately 15 minutes so that you break a light sweat.

Cool Down:

Like warming up, cooling down should include movements similar to those in your workout, but they should decrease in intensity gradually.

• Cool down for at least 10 minutes so that blood returns from your muscles to your heart. If you do not cool down long enough, you may become dizzy, nauseated or even pass out.

Stretching:

Stretching before and after a workout builds flexibility and range of motion, and reduces your risk of injury while you are burning calories in a sweat session.

• Use gentle, fluid movements while stretching and breathe normally.
• Focus on individual muscle groups and hold a stretch for 20 to 60 seconds.
• Do not force your joints beyond their normal range of motion – you should not feel any pain.

Staying physically active will not only make you healthier, it will also make your quality of life better! So get out there, and work up a sweat!

Any questions regarding exercise tips, contact your physician or dietician. Any questions regarding your life insurance, contact your agent.

Halt High Blood Pressure

Hypertension, commonly called high blood pressure, is a condition in which resting blood pressure is consistently measured at 140/90 or greater (120/80 is normal). Here is some information to help you understand high blood pressure and the ways to stop it.

How Pressure Increases

When your heart pumps blood, it first travels through the large arteries that exit the heart, into smaller arteries (arterioles). From the arterioles, the blood travels to smaller vessels in the heart called capillaries, which supply oxygen and nutrients to your organs. The blood then returns to your heart through your veins.

Nerve impulses can cause arteries to dilate or contract. When arteries are wide open, bloods flows easily through. However, if arteries become narrow, the blood does not flow through as easily and pressure increases inside. This pressure causes your heart to strain, damages blood vessels and negatively affects your vital organs.

In the long term, high blood pressure can increase the risk of stroke, heart attack and kidney failure.

Risks and Diagnosis

There are several characteristics that put people at a greater risk for developing high blood pressure:

• Over 35 years old
• African-American
• Male
• Family history of high blood pressure
• Obesity
• Inactive lifestyle
• Smoking
• Sodium sensitive
• Low potassium levels
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Stress

People with high blood pressure rarely exhibit symptoms in 90 to 95 percent of reported cases. In fact, many people live with high blood pressure for years without being diagnosed.

This condition is usually detected when receiving a routine physical exam and receiving a high blood pressure reading. After one high reading, your doctor will do a series of readings over a specific period of time before diagnosing you with high blood pressure.

Once diagnosed with high blood pressure, you and your doctor will work together to devise a treatment plan.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that those with diagnosed hypertension have their blood pressure checked frequently, whereas those without a personal history of hypertension should have their blood pressure checked every two years.

For more information on monitoring your blood pressure, contact your physician. If you have any questions regarding life insurance, contact your agent.

Helping an Overweight Child

If your child is like many today, poor nutrition choices, inactivity, video gaming, and less emphasis on physical fitness in schools has led to unhealthy weight gain. Overweight children are at a significantly greater risk of developing health problems as youngsters and as adults. Specifically, overweight children are at risk for developing high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and asthma, to name a few. The longer a child remains overweight, the likelier they will have serious long-term health problems.

Helpful Suggestions for Parents

If your child is diagnosed as overweight, there are several things you can do as a parent to support them in becoming healthy.

• Provide emotional support by encouraging your child along their journey to get fit.
• Demonstrate and encourage them to build a lifetime of healthy habits.
• Encourage healthy eating as outlined by a professional. In doing so, set realistic weight loss goals that gradually change their eating habits.
• Encourage physical activity, which will increase lean muscle and bone strength, decrease body fat and improve psychological well-being. Exercise also helps prevent chronic diseases as children grow into adulthood.
• Limit TV, video game and computer usage.

Children of all ages benefit from daily physical activity. This will contribute to a healthy lifestyle and will lessen the chance that your child becomes overweight as an adult.

• Babies: Play with your baby, encouraging activities that develop motor skills and other fundamentals.
• School-aged Children: Encourage participation in organized sports and incorporate physical activity into family time.
• Teens: Help your teen identify physical activities and sports that they like to do. Physical fitness will keep their energy up, improve their mood and keep their body weight within a healthy range.

Instill healthy eating and exercise habits early in children’s lives and reinforce them as they grow. Obesity prevention at a young age will be easier and much more effective in the long run. For more ways to keep your children healthy, contact your physician. For more information regarding life insurance, contact your agent.

Candle Safety Considerations

Candles provide a warm ambiance for an intimate dinner, a sparkling decoration for a birthday cake or a nice aroma of cinnamon during the holidays. Ambiance aside, candles can be a fire hazard if they are left unattended or placed in areas of the home in which they can start other objects on fire. Your best bet? Learn to use candles safely.

Candle Safety Tips

The cardinal rule is that candles should only be for adults to use since they are a major fire hazard. If you enjoy candles, here are some other safety tips that illuminate some ways to enjoy them safely:

• Always blow out candles before leaving the house, going to bed or when leaving the room in which a child or pet is present.
• Do not allow children to light candles in their bedrooms unsupervised.
  • Never light candles when you are under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. These substances may inhibit your ability to decipher when you are using candles in a hazardous manner.
  • Do not place candles on a Christmas tree or on evergreens during the holidays since they could start the limbs or pines on fire.
  • Use nonflammable, stable candle holders or hurricane glass holders to hold candles and protect open flames.
  • Place candles on a stable surface where they cannot be knocked over easily, blown down or reached by children and/or pets.
  • Place candles away from flammable items such as drapery, sheets, towels and carpeting.
  • Do not throw away a candle in the trash to extinguish and/or dispose of it. Instead, blow it out and then wet the wick before tossing it out.

Practicing candle safety is just one of the many ways to protect your home and its contents. To make sure you are covered, no matter the mishap, contact us today.

Since matches and lighters are a major fire hazard in addition to lit candles, keep these items in a cabinet out of a child’s reach. Teach your children that candles, matches and lighters are not toys and should be used only by an adult who knows how to use them safely.

For more information on candle safety and your home insurance coverages, contact your agent.

Eat Right and Work Up a Sweat!

Here’s an interesting fact…if you burn at least 150 extra calories each day, you can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, colon cancer, anxiety and depression. That extra calorie burn really impacts your body and dramatically improves your health.

Healthy Lifestyle Tips

Exercise Tips:

• Beneficial exercise routines incorporate cardiovascular activities with strength training and stretching.
• Engage in aerobic exercise such as running, biking, swimming or cross country skiing for at least 20 minutes, three to five times per week. You should burn approximately 400 to 600 calories per hour.
• Keep a pace that makes you breathe quickly while also still being able to talk comfortably. This pace mobilizes fat burning and helps you develop endurance.
• Do at least two strength training exercises for each major muscle group two or three days per week either with free weights or using lifting equipment.
• Stretch each major muscle group for 20 to 60 seconds before and after your workout. This will reduce muscle tightness, especially as you get older.
• Increase the difficulty of your workouts gradually as your fitness level increases.

Trim the Fat Out of Your Diet:

In addition to a regular exercise routine, a well-balanced, low-fat diet is also key in maintaining a healthy body.

• Avoid high fat foods that contain large amounts of calories. Instead, opt for foods rich in protein, vitamins and nutrients. For instance, eat a piece of fruit, vegetables, whole wheat toast or low-fat yogurt for a snack instead of potato chips or cookies.
• Monitor your caloric intake. Your ideal daily calorie needs will depend greatly on your age, body size, gender and activity level. Women ages 23 to 50 need an average of 2,000 calories per day while men in the same age group require about 2,700 calories per day.
• Visit www.mypyramid.gov to learn more about healthy eating habits that will keep you trim and well.

In addition to maintaining a trim waistline and keeping your body healthy, exercise can also improve your mood and your sleep.

Exercise stimulates chemicals in the brain, which can make you feel happier and more at ease than before you started sweating. Plus, exercising regularly will help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep throughout the night. 

Any suggestions on healthy diet and exercise, contact your doctor.  Any questions regarding your life insurance, contact your agent.

Liabilities of Renting Your Home

Perhaps you’re considering renting out your home for extra income while away for an extended period of time or for a big event nearby that’s causing the demand for lodging to increase. Though this seems like an ideal solution for families with extra room to spare, it can also pose liabilities. If you are considering renting out your home, take the following considerations to heart.

Renting To-do’s

• Draw up a rental agreement that defines the terms of the rental, including restrictions, liabilities and occupancy guidelines.
• Ask for references from potential renters, especially those that will stay for awhile.
• Request a security deposit to be refunded if there is no damage to your home.
• Advise Oakland Companies that you plan to rent out your home and ask about how this may affect your current coverage.
• If are renting for a long period of time, consider hiring a “property manager” to look out for your house while you are away.

Protecting Your Personal Property

• Set aside a locked place in your home to house personal items such as clothing and valuables.
• Take valuable items to a locked storage facility, a family member’s home or a bank vault.
• Change alarm codes after you are done renting.
• Provide keys to only one door of your residence so that you have to change only one lock after the renters leave.
• Photograph and videotape all areas of your home before the rental takes place in case damage occurs while you are away.
• Tell your neighbors that you are renting and ask that they watch over your home.
• Ask your telephone company to block long distance phone calls from your landline.
• Have your mail forwarded or held until you return.
• Provide your contact information for both the renters and your neighbors in case of an emergency.
• Provide the renters with a list of service providers, such plumbers and electricians, in case of a water leak or furnace failure.

Checking the references of potential renters is vital when determining if you will open your home to strangers. If you uncover any red flags while checking their references, do not agree to rent your home, even if you are afraid of hurting someone’s feelings. Your first priority should be to protect yourself and your property. If you have any questions regarding your home insurance, contact your agent.

The Benefits of Youth Sports

Physical, personal and social rewards for children

Young athletes cite having fun, learning new skills, making friends and feeling successful as some of the reasons why they partake in sports. But the benefits of youth athletics go much further than this.  

Sports offer a specialized arena where youth can demonstrate their talents and hone their skills. In fact, participating in sports is physically, socially, cognitively and psychologically engaging. Children are working together with others toward a common goal—not just with teammates, but coaches, families and the community as well.

Physical Benefits

Fitness: Kids develop a high level of fitness that is good for their health, while having fun.

Stress relief: Partaking in sports allows kids to clear their heads. Because of this stress relief, many students perform better when they are involved in sports.

Master skills: Kids develop athletic talents while also learning that practice improves skills. The idea that practice leads to improvement provides children with a sense of ownership of their successes.

Healthy lifestyle choices: The most valuable tool used in sports is one’s own body. Because of this, many young athletes tend to refrain from using drugs, drinking alcohol and smoking because they do not want to harm their bodies or their performance.

Personal Benefits

Valuing practice and preparation: Participating in sports shows kids that self-discipline and practice yield positive results. Practicing also explores alternative ways of doing something to achieve better results.

Resiliency: Sports teaches kids about losing, disappointment and moving on from negative experiences.

Controlling perspectives: Athletes learn to be confident in themselves and their abilities.

Leadership: Athletes have the opportunity to serve as leaders of their peers, which teaches them valuable skills for the future.

Identity: Kids on sports teams learn to both identify with the team and to also establish a personal identity.

Time management: Since sports are time-consuming, athletes must learn how to balance them with school priorities and family commitments. This can help make children better able to prioritize their own lives.

Social Benefits

Establishing relationships: Young athletes learn how to form strong bonds with others as they compete and train with one another.

If you have any questions regarding getting your kids involved in sports, contact your child’s school or your local parks & recreation.  If you have any questions regarding your insurance, contact your agent.