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◄ Back to What´s New At Savon - Monthly Newsletter Home Page
March 2019 Newsletter
What´s New at Savon
Quote Of The Month: “Isn´t it funny how red, white and blue represent freedom, unless they´re flashing behind you?” (Anonymous)
Congratulations To:
M. Craft of Phoenix, Arizona and N. Sonzo of Goodyear, Arizona Winners of our February early payment drawings for 1 free additional year of membership.
Congratulations to our winners and thank you to everyone that entered the drawing.
To Your Health With Jourdin Hendershot:
Cataracts
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A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye and can affect vision in either one or both eyes. Cataracts are part of the aging process. According to the National Eye Institute, by the age of 80, more than half of all Americans have either had a cataract or have had cataract surgery.
A cataract occurs when the normally clear lens in the eye becomes cloudy. When everything is working properly, light passes through the clear outer surface of the eye (cornea), then through the pupil to the lens. The lens helps focus light onto the retina at the back of the eye so a person can see clearly. When a person has a cataract, it obstructs the passage of light and can impair their vision.
Cataracts develop very slowly and usually cause zero pain. In fact, many people are unaware of the gradual loss of their clear vision.
It´s believed that as we age, some of the proteins in our eyes clump together and start to form a cloud in a small area of the lens and over time, it may grow. It´s also suspected that smoking, diabetes, excessive sunlight exposure and eye injuries are some other causes of cataracts.
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Early cataract diagnoses can sometimes be improved by new eyeglasses, brighter lighting, anti-glare sunglasses or magnifying glasses but surgery is the only effective treatment.
Surgery is usually done on an outpatient basis and usually takes less than one hour. If both eyes are affected, surgery is performed on one eye at a time, allowing the first eye to heal before the second surgery is done. Recovery time is usually minimal, the eye may be inflamed, feel scratchy and irritated for a few days and you may have to wear an eye patch on and off for the next several days, weeks or until your initial follow up appointment.
Although cataract surgery is generally successful, there can always be complications such as: bleeding, swelling, infection or retinal detachment. You should contact your physician immediately if you have any of those symptoms or if your gut tells you something is wrong. It´s better to get checked out than to be sorry down the road.
The key to living with cataracts is knowing when it´s time to STOP living with them!
If you have questions you would like to discuss with Jourdin, feel free to drop her an email by clicking here.
The above health material is provided as an information service. It should not be used for diagnostic purposes nor is it intended to take the place of the important relationship between you and your doctor.
Grandma´s Kitchen With Grandma C.:
Crock Pot “Pot O´ Beans”
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Ingredients
- 1 pkg (about 2 cups) dry beans (Pinto, White Beans or Black Beans, your choice)
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 pkg bacon cut into 1 inch pieces or 1 pkg ham hocks (your choice)
- 2 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce* (optional)
- Water
- Salt and Pepper
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Rinse and clean the beans making sure that all pebbles are removed.
Place cleaned beans in crock pot. Put onions and bacon (or ham hocks) on top of beans. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (to your taste).
Add enough water to cover 2 inches above beans. Add Worcestershire Sauce. Cover and cook on high 5-6 hours until beans are tender.
Serve with Fresh Cornbread!
*Worcestershire Sauce gives a little added flavor and sweetness to the beans, but some don´t like the sweetness. The bacon or ham hock alone will add plenty of flavor.
Enjoy! And remember, if it looks and smells good, eat it!!
If you have a recipe that you would like to share with Grandma C., drop her an email by clicking here.
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Thomas & Thomas Dental |
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Our spotlight for March goes to the city of Phoenix, Arizona and shines on Thomas & Thomas Dental
The husband and wife dentists, Dr. Mitchell Thomas and Dr. Kristine Thomas, have been bringing smiles to Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale, Sunnyslope and the surrounding areas since 1994.
They invite you to visit their office to receive comprehensive care from experienced, knowledgeable dentists and a friendly, caring team. “We know that when we work together, we can help you achieve a healthy and beautiful smile.”
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In addition to general dentists, they also have three dental specialists who visit their office so that you can receive the dental care you need in one convenient location. They offer cosmetic and restorative dental services, endodontic care, periodontics and oral surgery to help you achieve all of your dental and cosmetic goals.
The practice is located at 7150 N 7th St., Phoenix, AZ. Feel free to give them a call at (602)598-0338 or visit their wesbite..
Say thank you to your dental office for the excellent manner in which you are treated by nominating your dentist!
Fun Facts:
Crazy, Zany Facts We Bet You Didn´t Know
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- Armadillos have four babies at a time and they are always all the same sex.
- Honeybees have hair on their eyes.
- Hydroxydesoxycorticosterone and hydroxydeoxycorticosterones are the largest anagrams.
- In England, in the 1880´s, “Pants” were considered a dirty word.
- It was discovered on a space mission that a frog can throw up. The frog throws up its stomach first, so the stomach is dangling out of its mouth. Then the frog uses its forearms to dig out all of the stomach´s contents and then swallows the stomach back down again.
- Maine is the only state whose name is just one syllable.
- Michael Jordan makes more money from Nike annually than all of the Nike factory workers in Malaysia combined.
- Montpelier, VT is the only U.S. state capital without a McDonalds.
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Come back for more in next months issue!
Dental Talk - A Member Blog Forum:
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Come blog with us! Dental Talk with Savon is a fun forum to post your interesting topics! Your comments are welcome, it´s free to use and no membership is required.
Some of the topics include;
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These are just a few of the topics. Our blog site contains many other interesting topics. Please join us!!
Here´s Your Answer
Questions From Our Members
M. Weller of Houston, Texas asks:
“I went to see my dentist and found that he had closed his office. What do I do now?”
Savon’s Answer
First of all, you should have received a letter from your dentist telling you that he was closing. The letter should also give you a referring dentist that will have your records and be able to provide you with the care you need.
If you received a letter, the first thing you should do is call our Customer Care Center or visit our website to make sure that the new dentist is a Savon provider. If the new dentist is a provider, simply contact our Customer Care Center and let us know that you will be going to the new dentist.
If you did not receive any notification, contact our Customer Care Center immediately! Chances are that they also never notified us that they were closing. We will help you find a new dentist and try to locate your records and get them to the new dentist.
Tooth Talk With Tommy The Wisdom Tooth
Good Health is More Than What You Eat
A direct reprint from News USA via Copyright Free Content
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Behavioral health issues are more common today. According to a study by the American Psychological Association, about 25 percent of all adults in the United States have a mental illness and 50 percent will develop one in their lifetime.
Mental health diseases affect not only the mind, but the body too. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that “[mental illness] is associated with chronic medical diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity.”
Public health surveillance, the continuous collection and analysis of health-related data, can help ensure high-quality health care. Monitoring mental health illnesses via population-based surveys and other methods can provide valuable information on how to run effective treatment programs.
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If behavioral health problems are managed successfully, the effects of mental illness and chronic diseases can be minimized, leading to improved general health.
Currently, companies and institutions around the country are working to provide better access to mental health treatment services. Humana, a leading health and well-being company, has pilot programs and initiatives as part of its Bold Goal aimed at making communities 20 percent healthier by 2020.
To do this, they tackle barriers that prevent good mental health, as well as food insecurity and social isolation. Program objectives of the Bold Goal include: providing remote access to behavioral health within a primary care setting, teaching educational classes that discuss nutrition and health literacy, and addressing suicide prevention.
Try these ideas, from Humana´s Dr. Lawrence Weinstein, Chief Medical Officer for Humana Behavioral Health, to enhance your own mental health:
- Exercise: There is overwhelming evidence that indicates physical exercise helps to lessen the effects of depression. This is due to the release of endorphins, or “feel-good” hormones, in the brain.
- Eat a Healthy Diet: A diet high in sugar consumption is strongly correlated with mental health problems. Eating whole foods and limiting intake of processed foods are important habits to maintain.
- Go Outside: Get enough exposure to sunlight to maintain healthy vitamin D levels. Low levels of vitamin D are associated with psychiatric and neurological disorders.
- Eliminate Bad Habits: Both smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol can cause increased levels of stress and tension. Over time, this can lead to mental illnesses, such as depression.
- Get Help When Needed: Getting help from a friend, family member, or professional is highly likely to improve behavioral health. Actively seeking guidance can lead to a quicker recovery from mental illnesses and mental disorders.
These ideas will ultimately allow you to live a healthier, fuller life
Until next time; brush, floss and keep smiling!
The above material is provided as an information service and is not intended as medical advice.
Keep Savon Informed
Moving? Don't leave us behind!
Are you thinking about moving or have you already moved? We know how hectic a move can be and the last thing we think of is everyone we need to contact. We send out bills every month and get back quite a few because someone has moved and the forwarding order has expired or there never was one. Because we have lost contact with these members, we have no other choice than to cancel their plan.
It only takes a moment to give us a call or even email customer service with any changes you may have. The little bit of time you take to contact us might save you from having to reinstate your plan and paying a reinstatement fee or losing your membership rate you were guaranteed when you first joined.
So remember if you're going to move, please let us know and remember, Savon has providers in many states. Go to your members portal and see if we have a provider in the area where you are.
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