Though New Year’s has come and gone, it isn’t too late to make resolutions that have to do with
the health of you and your family. In fact, the best way to include your children is to make healthy
resolutions seem fun. Here is a list of a few ways you can increase the overall health of your family this
year and have a good time doing it.

Wish list. Begin by sitting down with your family and coming up with a list of healthy, interactive
activities you can all do. Involving your kids in the process gives them some authority about the
direction these healthy resolutions are going to take, which means they are more likely to actually care
about keeping them.

Organization. It’s easy to fall back on old (and often bad) habits when you come home and find that
your pantry and/or freezer are totally disorganized, and so you whip up a frozen pizza or something
quick and easy out of a box. You’ll make healthier choices if you plan a menu in advance. This also
gives you the advantage of stocking your fridge and pantry with healthy alternatives. If your kids are
old enough, give them the opportunity to help out with dinner or allowing them to cook it themselves
(just keep an eye on the ingredients they plan to use!) Reorganizing your pantry allows you to remove
temptations like unhealthy snack foods that may be lurking on the shelves.

Sack lunch. Everyone in the house can be in on this plan, which is cost effective and healthier than
eating in the school cafeteria [Read more…]

Even with insurance, the expense of medical and dental care for a family can be high. First there is the
cost of insurance to contend with, and while you will certainly pay a lower premium if your employer
offers benefits, you will either pay more for the best policy or opt for lower monthly costs and likely find
yourself paying out-of-pocket down the road (thanks to restrictions and deductibles). And if you don’t
have access to work-related health benefits, you’re probably going to find yourself on the hook for a lot
more, either for insurance, care, or both. So if you’re one of the many adults looking for a way to get
your family the dental care they need for less, here are a few options you may want to consider.

1. Clinical trials. By simply searching on ClinicalTrials.gov you may be able to volunteer to
participate in professionally run studies dealing with certain oral issues. You may even receive
treatment free (or at least at a drastically reduced cost). Of course, you won’t likely be able to
go for your annual cleaning in this way, but if you have some kind of serious dental problem that
is going to cost you some major dough, this could be a way to get the lion’s share covered while
receiving cutting-edge treatment.

2. Dental schools. This is a safer bet for your average dental issues. There are likely several in your
area and they are always looking for volunteers to help students get their practice hours and
take practical exams. So whether you need a cleaning, a filling, a root canal, or a tooth removed
(or replaced), this is a good way to get it done for a lot less. And don’t feel like you’re going to
get stuck with a second-rate [Read more…]