While Pet Health Insurance versus Pet Health Assurance may seem like a play on words, it is anything but! Knowing the difference can save your pet a lot of unnecessary exposure, and save a lot of heartache, and money. The following article is a primer on their differences.Pet Health Insurance$15 a month makes perfect sense should your cat or dog get out and is hit by a car, or gets into a fight with another animal, as the average cost for one broken bone is $2500.However, it should not be relied upon to restore the health of a pet that has immune or gastrointestinal disorders. Virtually all of these disorders and diseases are caused by poor quality food, water, and a lack of quality digestive aids, and supplements.Why put your pet and your wallet through such unnecessary misery?Pet Health AssuranceBy now, you should realize that you are what you eat. If you eat poorly, in the near future, you will likely see higher taxes on “Junk Food”, just as alcohol and tobacco are heavily taxed, but what about pet food? Pet Food is the equivalent of eating fast food (junk food) 24/7 throughout your life.In the 2004 documentary “Super Size Me”, Morgan Spurlock wanted to know what effects eating a fast-food diet 24/7 for 30 days would have on his health. Fortunately, he was smart enough to include the aid of several doctors and began with a complete physical. The doctors monitored him throughout the test.If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. Here’s the summary: Although Morgan was determined to finish the 30 days; after just 2 weeks his health had deteriorated so rapidly that his doctors, and girl friend, urged him to abandon the experiment. In just 3 weeks, Spurlock gained eighteen pounds, and became depressed and withdrawn. He also suffered from severe headaches, mood swings and disturbing chest palpitations. All of these shocking changes take place on camera. After thirty days, he goes into liver failure.Pet Food is Fast FoodIf you take the time to study what is actually in canned or dry pet food you would never feed it to an animal that you loved and cared about. Pet health statistics bare this out: Most pets have food related allergies. Over time, these allergies develop into full-blown diseases; 50% of ALL pets over the age of 10 have some form of cancer. Why?
Cats and dogs are meat eaters. High quality meat is an essential component to maintaining their health. What little meat that is found in pet food is meat by-products, not safe for human consumption: the rest is primarily grain filler (mostly the chaff), which has virtually no nutritional value.The majority of cat/dog food is made from grains, but cats and dogs are not grain eaters. Grains, in any quantity, should not be a part of their regular diet.Any vitamins and minerals noted on the eye catching pet food labels is of little value and little quantity. The regulations regarding truth in labeling for pets is even worse here than for humans.Meat + Supplements = a Healthy PetMeat alone is not sufficient to keep your pet healthy. Cats/Dogs need supplements such as soil-based probiotics that perform a variety of tasks, such as maintaining the proper pH, as well as to optimize the balance between good and bad bacteria in the GI tract.Fact: The digestive system makes up 80% of your pet’s total immune system.Alas, this fact is completely ignored by pet food manufacturers and the majority of conventionally trained veterinarians, and yet it is the cornerstone to keeping your pet healthy!Other supplements include a specific blend of oils (to lubricate joints, skin, arteries, veins, and muscles) and digestive enzymes to help break the food down into readily digestible elements.Cat/dogs raised on a healthy diet of quality meat and supplements are not only healthier, they live 5-7 years longer.
What Not to Do When Choosing Home Health Care
Home health care is usually referring to help for the elderly who are unable to care for themselves, but that isn’t always the case. Home health care can be professional nursing care, personal care services and/or companionship care. Signing up with a local service doesn’t have to be a chore, but you do keep a few things in mind:Don’t choose blindly – Do research on each and every care service you find. How long have they been providing care? Are they licensed or certified? Do they have a website where you can read other clients’ reviews? Are they qualified to give medical care? Will the agency provide you with employee references?Don’t go with the cheapest option – Money is tight for everyone, but that doesn’t mean you should skimp on your loved one’s care. Some services offer only minimal care and that may not be enough for your situation.Don’t go with the most expensive option – Just because a service is expensive, doesn’t mean that it would be best for you. If you family member is not in need of medical care, then it might not be necessary to sign up with a registered nurse. Also, a service may require you to use their services for more hours per week than you need.Don’t overlook anything – what type of care will you be needing? Help with daily chores? Rehabilitation therapy? Delivery of medication? A registered nurse? A respiratory therapist? Be sure that the services you seek are the same services that they provide.Don’t hesitate to ask – When selecting the best option for your loved one, be sure to not leave any questions unanswered. This is an important decision that you are making and one that requires a lot of thought. Some companies may appear at first glance to not be able to offer the services you need, but ask anyway. You might be pleasantly surprised. Be sure to ask what times of the day that services would be available and when they would begin.Don’t forget to read the fine print – How will you be paying for the home health care? Will it be paid by a third party such as Medicare, Medicaid, the Veterans Administration or even a health insurance company? If so, some third party payers will have specific requirements met before they will shell out the money to pay for the service. Be sure to check with your provider that they meet all of these requirements.Don’t forget the patient. Whether the patient is yourself, a friend or a loved one, be sure that they are comfortable with the arrangement you choose and the people who will be serving them. Home health care should quality care in the convenience and comfort of one’s home.