HealthyLife Articles

Tag: recovery

Collecting Unclaimed Funds

FINANCIAL HEALTH

Could you have money waiting for you? Learn about unclaimed money or property from bank accounts, tax refunds, insurance policies or wages and pensions.

You can find your unclaimed money for free. Here’s how:

* Search in every state where you have lived. Look up each state’s unclaimed property office. You can also try contacting the state treasurer’s office.

* Search the FDIC database. If your bank or credit union closed, you could have unclaimed deposits. You can also check out the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) atwww.ncua.gov/support-services.

* Current or former VA life insurance holders can check for unclaimed life insurance funds. Go toinsurance.va.gov/UnclaimedFunds.

* Look for tax refunds from an FHA-insured mortgage. If you earned income but your wages were below the tax filing requirement, you might have a refund waiting. Go toirs.gov/refunds to check. If you bought mortgage insurance from the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), you might have a refund. Go toentp.hud.gov/dsrs/refunds.

* Do you have unclaimed back wages or pension money from a past employer? Go to the Workers Owed Wages (WOW) website atwebapps.dol.gov/wow. You can also check the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation atpbgc.gov.

Notice that these websites include “gov.” They don’t have a “com” or “org.” The “gov” means it’s an official U.S. Government website. You should never have to pay any money to find or claim your unclaimed money. It’s FREE. Watch out for scammers and people who want to charge you for this service.

Source: usa.gov

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Sleep Tips

Sleep Well

Nothing makes you feel better than a good night’s sleep.

* Do physical exercise daily.

* Follow a regular daily schedule for meals and snacks.

* Don’t have more than 1 alcoholic drink with or after dinner. Avoid large meals near bedtime.

* Plan to wake up about the same time everyday. Avoid long naps during the day.

* Get sunlight everyday, especially in the afternoon.

* Dim the lights in the house an hour or two before going to bed.

* Follow a bedtime routine. Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and comfortable.

* Limit caffeine. Do not have any for 6 hours before bedtime.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Tips For Exercise After Knee Replacement

BE FIT

After a knee replacement, you may want to get back on your feet. Follow these tips when you’re ready to exercise again:

* Ask your doctor before you try any new exercise.

* Continue to do the exercises your doctor or physical therapist prescribed.

* Consider swimming, biking and walking, as they’re easy on the knees.

* Limit or avoid high-impact exercise like running, skiing or racquetball.

Source: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Seven Ways To Cure Workaholism

Stress Management

Time off is good behavior, especially for people who work, work, work, all the time. When work overpowers all other activity, stress develops. Long hours, with little relief, generally leads to:

* Less productivity or inefficiency.

* Neglected family and social life.

* Distorted concepts of what’s important and what’s not.

So often, though, a workaholic is the last to realize a problem exists. People who have trouble separating themselves from their jobs may feel that their personal worth is measured by how much they produce at work and little else.

Ask your spouse or a close friend if they think you’re a workaholic. If the answer is yes, here are some ways to create a healthier balance between work and play.

Gradually cut down the number of hours you work each day or week.

Avoid radical changes, but take measurable steps, like making it a rule not to work on weekends. (If that means you have to cut your workload proportionally by skipping unimportant tasks or delegating some work, so be it.)

Plan time for recreation in your schedule as though it were an important commitment.

(It is.) Set aside some time for fun, however brief, every day.

Get some physical exercise every day.

Take a walk, do some stretching, or participate in some other nonstressful, noncompetitive activity.

Avoid talking shop over lunch.

Go on a picnic or meet an old friend and talk about something unrelated to work.

Choose a hobby that contrasts with the kind of work you do.

If you work on highly technical mental problems all day, take up a handicraft hobby like woodworking or needlework. If you stay indoors all day, take up an outdoor activity like gardening or bicycling.

Select leisure activities carefully.

You need at least one activity you can share with family or friends.

Refuse to feel guilty when you’re not working.

This is probably the most important step of all.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Cope With Emotional Fender Benders

Stress Management

Use quick fixes to release the pressures of daily life.

Stress is the reaction to change – good, bad, real or imagined. Some stress helps keep you alert and ready to tackle life’s little surprises. But, too much stress, worry, and anxiety can put you at risk of health problems. Your body reacts by pumping up adrenaline, increasing blood pressure, and triggering rapid breathing.

Progressive Relaxation Technique:

1. Sit in a chair and close your eyes. Rest your forearms on the sides of the chair, palms downward.

2. Take a few slow, deep breaths.

3. Concentrate on your muscle tension.

4. Tense and tighten a muscle group for five seconds; then relax for 30 seconds. Follow this sequence for each body part listed below:

a. Bend both arms at the elbows and wrists. Make a fist with each hand. Relax.

b. Press your back against the chair. Relax.

c. Tighten your abdomen. Relax.

d. Lift and extend your lower legs. Relax.

e. Tighten your jaw. Relax.

f. Tuck your chin against your chest. Relax.

5. Breathe slowly and deeply.

6. Concentrate on the relaxing sensation and allow your body to go limp like a ragdoll. Let your head and shoulders drop forward.

7. Imagine warmth flowing through your body.

8. Slowly open your eyes and enjoy the refreshed feeling.

Buffer the impact:

* Sing out loud to your heart’s content.

* Talk about your stress with family or friends.

* Do something that makes you happy.

* Get enough rest. Take care of your health.

* Focus on the positive aspects of your life.

* Do regular exercise.

* Take a warm bath or shower.

* Sit quietly and focus on relaxing your muscles.

* Listen to soothing music.

* Paint. Draw. Color.

* Find reasons to smile and laugh.

Action Step

Big boys may not cry, but healthy boys and girls do. Researchers say the release of tears – whether happy or sad – helps release stress.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Friends Help Friends Through Addiction

Substance Use & Abuse

Support and gentle guidance may be key to recovery.

It’s hard to be supportive and caring when you’re watching a person you love destroy him or herself with drugs and/or alcohol. People who abuse alcohol or other drugs may not be able to admit they have a problem. If family members or friends have a drug problem, help them to help themselves.

Be supportive and caring.

For most addicts, bullying them into treatment doesn’t work.

Offer help on your terms.

You want to help the person get clean and sober, not support the habit. Tolerate the struggle, not the abuse.

Encourage the person to seek professional help.

* Offer to go with him or her to a health care provider visit.

* Provide phone numbers and websites for places that can help, such as: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) – 800.662.HELP (662.4357)www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov

* Find out if his or her workplace has an Employee Assistance Program for drug abuse. If it does, remind the person that what is said to a counselor is kept confidential.

If your friend chooses rehab, let him or her know you will continue to be supportive. If the person refuses to seek help, contact a health care professional for advice on ways best suited to help him or her get the care that is needed.

Offer to go with him or her to a local support group.

Alcoholics Anonymous

212.870.3400

www.aa.org

Cocaine Anonymous

310.559.5833

www.ca.org

Narcotics Anonymous

818.773.9999

www.na.org

Action Step

Be patient. Addiction does a lot of damage. During the rehab process, that damage is unraveling. It takes time.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Where To Get Help For A Drinking Problem

Substance Use & Abuse

Problem drinkers have many options to help conquer their problem.

* Psychotherapy. Counseling, one-on-one with a therapist or in group sessions, focuses on feelings and situations related to drinking. The goal is to help an individual cope with emotional problems and other stresses so that he or she no longer relies on alcohol.

* Support groups. Organized groups like Alcoholics Anonymous provide assistance, encouragement, and guidance (including a 12-step recovery plan) for members who share an alcohol problem.

* Medication. One type blocks the craving for alcohol and the pleasure of getting high. A second type reduces the physical distress and emotional effects people usually get when they quit drinking. A third type causes physical reactions, such as vomiting, when drinking alcohol.

* Alcohol treatment centers. Affiliated with hospitals, medical clinics, or community health centers, alcohol treatment centers generally combine more than one approach. People who need help are either treated as an outpatient or admitted as an inpatient, depending on how serious the problem is.

For help, consult the following resources.

* Your family physician. A doctor who knows the drinker (and the drinker’s family) can determine what type of treatment would be appropriate. Also, anyone with a history of heavy drinking should have a thorough medical exam to uncover any medical conditions that may have been caused or aggravated by alcohol abuse.

* Family service agencies. Most communities have agencies that run outpatient alcoholic treatment programs or can refer you to one. Look in your telephone directory or contact your local social services department.

* Your religious adviser. Talk with your priest, minister, or rabbi.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Stretching And Rehabilitation

Healthylife® Weigh

Part 5

These exercises make your body more flexible. This helps you prevent injury during exercise and everyday activities. Stretching can also help you relax and is a tool for stress management. Tips:

* Stretch all muscle groups. Induce mild tension (not pain or burn) for 10 to 30 seconds.

* Don’t bounce while stretching. Make movements slow and controlled.

* Breathe slowly. Inhale while stretch is released. Exhale when moving into the stretch.

* Stretch after each cardio or resistance training workout.

* Stretch as a stand-alone workout or as a way to wind down at the end of the day.

Examples of Stretching Exercises:

Shoulder Shrug: Shrug your shoulders up toward your head. Then lower them. Repeat 4 times. Slowly circle your shoulders forward 8 times and then backward 8 times.

Hamstring Stretch: Sit on the floor with your right leg straight. Bend your left leg and touch your foot against your straight leg. Stretch forward to touch the toes of your right foot. Hold for 4 counts. Then do this on the other side.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Back In Action

MEDICAL NEWS

Back pain. In the last 3 months, about 1 in 4 adults has had at least one day of back pain, mostly in the lower back, according to NIH in Health.

The good news is that most back pain goes away by itself-in time. If pain continues for more than 3 months, you have chronic back pain. If doctors can find out the source of your pain, you may be treated effectively with certain surgeries.

But even chronic pain can clear up without surgery. Don’t let the pain take over. Doctors advise:

* Stay active and maintain a healthy weight.

* Stretch before exercise or other strenuous physical activity.

* Don’t slouch when standing or sitting.

* Make sure your work surface is at a comfortable height for you.

* Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes.

* Lift, if you must, with your back straight, bend at the knees, and put the stress on your legs and hips.

* Don’t smoke.

* Talk with your doctor to make sure you’re getting enough calcium and vitamin D.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Chocolate Milk May Be The Best-Kept Secret

HEALTHY EATING

Chocolate milk may be the best-kept secret for making sure kids get the calcium they need every day. Contrary to popular myths, chocolate milk is nutrient-rich, adds only a few more calories and not much caffeine, and is kids’ number-one flavor pick. Kids have a limited time to build up their “bone bank.” The calcium in chocolate milk is one way to assure timely deposits, according to the National Dairy Council.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026